This guide details the final assembly and alignment of the modular hexagonal stator and the hexagonal kinetic ring within the circular pipe raceway.
The hexagonal stator is composed of 12 modular 400mm segments, each independently suspended within the containment pipe.
- Preparation: Assemble the hexagonal stator modules in the fabrication jig.
- Suspension Prep: Attach three stainless steel tensioned wires to each module's internal mounting eyelets.
- Pipe Integration: Slide the modules into the circular pipe segments before the segments are joined into the full 1.6m loop.
- Concentric Alignment: Use a Coaxial Laser Alignment Tool to align all 12 modules. Adjust the miniature turnbuckles until the center of each hexagonal tunnel is concentric with the outer pipe's axis (tolerance: +/- 0.1mm).
Due to the pipe-based containment, the kinetic ring must be assembled in-situ.
- Ribbon Placement: Thread the 4.7m Dyneema Ribbon Core (20 bundled tethers) through the open pipe segments.
- Weight Loading: Slide the 47 hexagonal weights onto the ribbon core. Each weight must move freely via its ceramic bushings.
- Tether Splicing: Join the ends of the Ribbon Core using a high-strength "Chinese Finger" splice. This forms a continuous, high-tension ring.
- Final Sealing: Once the spliced ring is distributed around the track, the final pipe segment is bolted and sealed with Viton O-rings.
- Cooling Links: Connect the modular cooling pipes between stator modules using flexible expansion bellows.
- Manifold Feedthroughs: Route the main vapor outlet and liquid return lines to the vacuum wall feedthroughs.
- Electrical Wiring: Connect the Hall Effect sensors and 3-phase drive cables from the active stator modules to the high-current feedthroughs.
- Common Ground: Ensure all stator modules and the containment pipe are common-grounded to prevent electrostatic buildup during high-speed rotation.
- Mechanical Clearance: Verify a consistent 1.5mm air gap between the hexagonal weights and the stator walls by slowly rotating the ring manually.
- Suspension Tension: Re-verify all tensioned wire points to ensure no sagging has occurred under the static 270kg load.
- Pressure Test: Pressurize the cooling circuit to 50 psi to confirm all modular bellows are leak-free inside the vacuum.
- Vacuum Pull: Evacuate the 4.7m loop to 10−3 Torr. The system is ready for initial low-speed spin tests.