ESRDC Facilities And Capabilities.
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1.3 University of Texas Laboratory Facilities



HAAS Model VF7 CNC

Fabrication and Machine Shop
The Center's machining capabilities were updated in 2003 with the installation of new machine tools, including lathes, manual mills, and a horizontal band saw. An important addition to the machine shop is a HAAS Model VF7 CNC machining center (pictured at right). The machining center provides fully programmable four-axis machining with automatic tool changing. In addition to the extensive machining capabilities, the Center also maintains a welding and fabrication shop.

Composites Processing Facility
There is significant in-house expertise in the design, analysis and manufacture of composite structures used in high-performance rotating machines. To help in rapidly prototyping complex composite structures with known mechanical properties, we have developed a set of linked computer codes called CEMWIND. The code generates detailed material property data that can be exported to finite element analysis codes, along with programs that control fiber placement and orientation in the filament winding machine.

Electronics and Instrumentation
In-house testing and experiments are supported by a wide array of electronic test equipment and instrumentation. The facility contains two dedicated EMI/RFI shielded control rooms to isolate instrumentation and controls during high energy testing.

Balcones Homopolar Generator Power Supply
The Center's laboratory facility was built in 1985 as an energy-storage and pulsed-power prototype test facility. To support this effort, The University of Texas funded the manufacture and installation of the Balcones Homopolar Generator Power Supply (BHPG). The 60 MJ BHPG power supply includes six 10-MJ homopolar generators and six 2-turn coaxial inductors along with a high current, high voltage bus turret to enable flexible series/parallel interconnection.
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