Improving the Quality of Autonomous Inspection for PAMS Mandrels

Inertial Confinement Fusion experiments rely on perfectly spherical capsules grown on Poly(alpha-methylstyrene) (PAMS) mandrels. High throughput production of PAMS requires a multi-step autonomous inspection process to ensure acceptable quality mandrels. The shell culling station operates these inspections with a robotic arm capable of selecting mandrels with a vacuum tip. To improve the quality of inspection for PAMS mandrels within the range of 1600-2500 um, design changes have been proposed for the static eliminator, vacuum tips, and end effector change out. Since mandrels tend to cling together when picked up, a static eliminator would serve to separate clung mandrels without manual intervention. The machine picks up mandrels by pulling vacuum through the tip. However, the connection point between the vacuum tip and gas tube is weak, which calls for a redesign. Since mandrel sizes vary, including a manifold of vacuum tips and a method of exchanging them will increase the machine's efficiency. Implementing these changes will increase the breadth of mandrels that can be inspected to 800-2500 um and will decrease the need for manual operation of the machine.