FRIB has installed two vertical beamline sections in its front-end area.

On 1 May, the first of the two vertical beamline sections was installed and aligned in the vertical shaft connecting the front end with the linear accelerator tunnel. The following day, the second section was installed. Each section of the beamline was lifted by a 30-ton capacity crane and moved with precision into the shaft, guided by several FRIB staff.

Assembly of the vertical beamline began in January. This section of the accelerator consists of the beamline itself housed by two spaceframes. The top section measures approximately 13 feet in height, and the bottom measures approximately 14 feet. The frames were assembled first and then the beamline components were installed from the top.

The vertical beamline connects the upper Low Energy Beam Transport (LEBT) to the lower LEBT. The particle beam starts in the upper section of the accelerator, and the vertical beamline transports it to the lower section. This is a critical step in the acceleration of the beamline, as the particle beam must be able to travel from the upper section into the linac tunnel below. Now that both sections have been placed, the vertical beamline will be connected to the upper and lower LEBT.

The installation required coordination and collaboration between the installation groups, vacuum groups, and the alignment team. This marks an important milestone in the construction of the linear accelerator.