Designing a controlled mechanism for magnet rotation and locking of the Magnetized Dusty Plasma eXperiment (MDPX) device

The Magnetized Dusty Plasma eXperiment (MDPX) at Auburn University is used to study basic plasma and dusty plasmas at very high magnetic fields (up to 4T). The complete mechanical structure of the magnet system, including the cryostat, is 11.5 feet long and weighs about 3 tons. The original magnet rotation system employs a coarse control mechanism driven by a 24V motor with a chain and gear linkage. The existing setup enables rotation of the magnet between horizontal and vertical orientations to facilitate chamber exchanges, with discrete locking positions every 22.5 degrees, but with a coarse tolerance exceeding ±5 degrees. We have designed a new device, using SolidWorks, to make small adjustments to the angle of the magnet rotation to allow for greater precision when positioning the MDPX device. This design is expected to provide fine rotational control within a 30-degree arc, achieving a tolerance of less than ±0.5 degrees.