Advanced Prototyping & Fabrication (APF) Department
The APF Department provides tactical engineering and manufacturing solutions, including: precision machining, high gradient applications, brazing and bonding, vacuum processing, thin film coating, mechanical hardware, and electrical testing. The integration of science, engineering design, and on-site fabrication is a unique rapid prototyping capability that makes concept-to-proof of design cycles of less than six months possible. The conceptual design to fabrication process encourages constant innovation.
Key Competencies
Advanced Fabrication/Prototyping & RF Fabrication
TID staff operate and maintain a prototype fabrication facility (~22,500 ft2) that includes thin film vacuum coating systems (evaporative and sputtering); precision conventional and CNC machining and metal forming for ultra-high vacuum and high-gradient application components; metrology (optical, scanning electron microscopy, and coordinate measurement machines); metal joining equipment including vacuum brazing, dry and wet hydrogen brazing, diffusion bonding, tungsten inert gas welding and clean spot welding; heat treating (annealing, hardening, tempering, and air firing); vacuum processing including high temperature vacuum firing, bake-out, and leak detection.
