The Survey and Alignment Group is responsible for all aspects of machine and beamline alignment, from initial setting out to final operational positioning.

Accelerator alignment provides some of the most demanding challenges of any large scale metrology task. The 561m storage ring has a global installation tolerance of 1mm with a relative alignment requirement, between adjacent assemblies within the ring, of 0.1mm. Pre-alignment of individual components is typically needed better than 0.05mm.

To install a machine of this size within an open arena and to the tolerances specified would have its complications however, for the accelerators at Diamond there are further constraints. The storage ring is installed in a tunnel ranging in width between 4 and 6m and separated from the interconnecting booster accelerator by thick concrete walls. The Linear Accelerator from where the electrons are fired is further segregated from the booster and storage ring in a separate vault.

The team has designed, installed and measured coherent survey networks within each of these 3 enclosures. Utilising state of the art instruments and dedicated software an alignment strategy has been developed to ensure that the Diamond accelerators and beamlines can be aligned to specification.

Combining both computer aided technologies and classical optical techniques the group aim to provide solutions to all of Diamond’s alignment requirements. Additional to installation and pre-alignment tasks the group also provide an inspection function for post delivery qualification of large items and a mobile service for vendor qualification.