The authors are thankful for the help of the NIST neutron imaging facility instrument scientist Dr. Daniel Hussey for assisting us with neutron radiographs.

1. Procure Non-custom Parts for the Spring Transport Mechanism
<ol>
	<li>Procure the springs, threaded rod, standoffs, nuts, and washers. These items are listed in the List of Specific Materials/Equipment. Purchase the springs and standoffs before manufacturing the ball holder. Use 18-8 stainless steel (except 303), or preferably 316 stainless steel, for all materials.</li>
	<li>Procure rotor. The rotor is a ball-bearing 4.5 mm in diameter made of 440C stainless steel or E52100 alloy steel.</li>
	<li>Procure the right-angle valve listed in the List of Specific Materials/Equipment.</li>
</ol>
2. Procure Materials for the Shipping Container
<ol>
	<li>Procure the shipping container. Use rotationally-molded, polyethylene hard-shell cases with protected recesses since these were the type of cases that were successfully tested. The case in the List of Specific Materials/Equipment meets the minimum interior space requirements.</li>
	<li>Procure the foam packing.
	<ol>
		<li>Procure 2# (32 kg/m3) polyurethane (ester) foam. Purchase enough ester foam to fill the top and bottom of the shipping container. Purchase a piece of 5 cm egg-carton ester foam.</li>
		<li>Procure 2# (PE) polyethylene foam that is 7.6 cm thick and has a large enough area to cover the width and depth of the shipping container.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
3. Procurement and Fabrication of Custom Parts for the Spring-transport Mechanism&#160;
Note: Example drawings of the custom parts described in this section are given in Figures 2-4.&#160;
<ol>
	<li>Produce and submit drawings to custom vendor or in-house shop for manufacturing the spinning rotor gauge (SRG) thimble/flange. Critical dimensions are given in Figure 2. The custom manufacturer must be familiar with ultra-high vacuum (UHV) manufacturing techniques. The thimble is relatively simple to manufacture and is well within the ability of many vacuum component companies.</li>
	<li>Acquire the tines that hold the SRG head to the flange (see Figure 1). These may be removed from the commercial SRG thimble/flange assembly that comes with the SRG electronic control unit. Each tine is held in place by a single bolt (typically a metric hex socket head) with a lock washer, and may be removed by unbolting using the appropriate wrench (such as a metric hex key).
	<ol>
		<li>Alternatively, fabricate these by the same vendor providing the thimble/flange as in the previous step, but ultra-high vacuum manufacturing techniques need not be followed. Make exact copies of the commercial SRG tines.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Produce and submit drawings for the simple adapter to connect the M6 stud on the right-angle valve to an 8-32 all-thread stud (American standard hardware). See Figure 3.</li>
	<li>Produce and submit drawings for the fabrication of the ball holder. Critical dimensions are given in Figure 4. Fabricate the ball holder of 316L stainless steel in accordance with UHV manufacturing techniques. Tack weld the ball holder to one end of a spring. Tack weld the other end of the spring to the standoff. Clean all parts in accordance to the cleaning procedure given in section 5.</li>
	<li>Cut the 8-32 all-thread stud to a length of 18 mm and clean as described in section 5.</li>
</ol>
4. Fabrication of Custom Foam Cut-out
<ol>
	<li>Make a cut-out for the spring-transport mechanism in the PE foam. Follow the contours of the valve assembly as closely as possible. Do this by hand using a sharp utility knife; alternatively, the contour may be professionally cut by a packaging supplier.</li>
	<li>Use the dimensions of the valve given by the valve manufacturer and the thimble/flange dimensions given in Figure 2. Cut the space for the thimble large enough to accommodate the tines (1.5 cm x 3.8 cm).</li>
</ol>
5. Cleaning of the Vacuum Components&#160;
<ol>
	<li>Clean all vacuum components for ultra-high vacuum (UHV) before assembly. Our recommended cleaning procedure is as follows.
	<ol>
		<li>Handle vacuum parts using Nitrile, Latex, or vinyl gloves. Do not touch with bare hands.</li>
		<li>Clean parts using a mild detergent (such as listed in the materials/equipment list) dissolved in distilled or de-ionized water and a lint-free cloth.</li>
		<li>Place parts in a bath of mild detergent dissolved in distilled or de-ionized water and place in an ultra-sonic cleaner for 20 min.</li>
		<li>Rinse parts thoroughly with distilled or de-ionized water.</li>
		<li>Cover parts with acetone and place in an ultra-sonic cleaner for 20 min.</li>
		<li>Remove parts from acetone. Cover parts with ethanol and place in an ultra-sonic cleaner for 20 min.</li>
		<li>Remove parts from ethanol. Rinse thoroughly with distilled or de-ionized water.</li>
		<li>Blow the parts dry with dry nitrogen or clean dry air.</li>
		<li>Let parts air dry on a clean-room quality lint-free cloth for 24 hr.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
6. Assemble the Spring-transport Mechanism
<ol>
	<li>During assembly, wear nitrile, vinyl, or latex gloves. Do not touch vacuum parts with bare hands.</li>
	<li>Gather the necessary tools: needle nose pliers, socket head driver for 8-32 nut, wrench for adapter, ruler or caliper. Wipe clean the ruler/micrometer with ethanol; clean all other tools using the procedure in step 5.</li>
	<li>Gather the necessary parts: the valve, thimble, ball-bearing, ball-holder/spring assembly (see step 3.5), 18 mm long 8-32 stud, thread adapter, nuts, and lock-washers, 3 mm Allen wrench and masking tape. See Figure 5.</li>
	<li>Spring-Transport Mechanism Assembly:
	<ol>
		<li>Fully close the right-angle valve by turning it clockwise until it stops.</li>
		<li>Looking through the valve ports, identify the M6 stud centered on the valve seat.</li>
		<li>Screw the adapter snugly onto the M6 stud. Insert an UHV clean wrench or pliers through the port to get the adapter as snug as possible.</li>
		<li>Insert 8-32 stud into the other end of the adapter. Tighten as snugly as possible. The 8-32 stud will extend through the adapter and push against the M6 stud.</li>
		<li>Place lock-washer on 8-32 stud and then a nut. Tighten the nut using a clean socket driver or pliers. The valve may be closed during this step to make tightening easier.</li>
		<li>Place a nut on the 8-32 stud. Turn it until nearly touching the nut on the other end. Place lock washer on 8-32 stud.</li>
		<li>Attach spring/ball-holder to the 8-32 stud by the standoff. Turn the standoff until it is touching the lock-washer. 
		Note: The following procedure describes how to check the length adjustment of the spring assembly, see Figure 6.</li>
		<li>Place the rotor in the custom thimble and secure it with a magnet (from a commercial SRG) by placing it on the thimble end and fixing it with masking tape. The rotor is now at the end of the thimble.</li>
		<li>Slide thimble over spring/ball-holder, stop when the ball-holder touches the ball. Measure the gap between the valve flange and thimble flange, as in Figure 6.
		<ol>
			<li>If the gap is in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm, skip to step 6.4.10.2). A nominal gap of 3 mm is ideal, but a gap in the range is of 2 to 6 mm sufficient. A gap smaller than 2 mm is not acceptable.</li>
			<li>Remove thimble/flange assembly and set aside. If the gap was smaller than 2 mm, rotate the standoff counterclockwise to make the gap larger. If the gap was larger than 6 mm, rotate the standoff clockwise to make the gap smaller. Go back to step 6.4.10.</li>
		</ol>
		</li>
		<li>Remove thimble/flange assembly and set aside. If the gap was smaller than 2 mm, rotate the standoff counterclockwise to make the gap larger. If the gap was larger than 6 mm, rotate the standoff clockwise to make the gap smaller. Go back to step 6.4.10.</li>
		<li>Tighten the nut against the standoff.</li>
		<li>Open the valve by turning counter-clockwise.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Assemble the Flange:
	<ol>
		<li>Remove rotor by removing masking tape and magnet and carefully allowing the rotor to roll out of the thimble.</li>
		<li>Attach the two tines to the flange using a lock-washer and bolt inserted through the back-side of the custom flange/thimble. The lock-washer and bolt are provided by the commercial SRG. The lock-washer and bolt do not need to be cleaned for ultra-high vacuum.</li>
		<li>Rotate the tines so that they are square with one another, as in Figure 1 and Figure 9.</li>
		<li>Check tines for straightness by slipping the SRG head over the thimble. The head should slide on freely.</li>
		<li>Give the two bolts a final tightening and re-check for alignment as in step 6.5.3.</li>
		<li>Place rotor back into the thimble, and secure with the magnet and masking tape.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Complete Spring Transport Assembly:
	<ol>
		<li>Place copper or silver-plated copper gasket on the valve port.</li>
		<li>Place the rotor into the thimble (if not already in thimble from step 6.5.6).</li>
		<li>Slide the flange/thimble assembly over the spring/ball-holder. Orient the flange such that the set-screw in the tines will be pointing downward when the valve is attached to the chamber.</li>
		<li>Using &#188;-28 bolts and nuts, secure the flange to the valve.</li>
		<li>Close the valve.</li>
		<li>Remove magnet and tape holding the ball.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
7. Assemble the Shipping Container
<ol>
	<li>Cut the ester foam to the size of the shipping container. The thickness of the foam will depend on the height of the container. Place a minimum thickness of 7.6 cm of foam in the bottom. Figure 7 shows the foam assembly.</li>
	<li>Place the PE foam cutout on top of the ester foam.</li>
	<li>Place a layer of ester foam in the lid. The minimum thickness should be 7.6 cm. Figure 8 shows the final placement of the spring-transport mechanism. Use clean aluminum foil and a plastic endcap (that came with the valve) to protect the open end of the valve port during shipment.</li>
</ol>
8. Using the Spring-transport Mechanism
<ol>
	<li>Mounting and suspending the rotor: 
	Note: Figure 9 shows the mounted spring-transport mechanism with the head attached. The first step is remove the spring-transport mechanism from the shipping container. In the following, it is assumed that the reader is familiar with the operation of the spinning-rotor gauge. Details of operating the controller can be found in the controller user manual. It is also assumed the reader is familiar with high-vacuum technology.
	<ol>
		<li>Remove the endcap and foil from the open port of the spring transport mechanism. Attach the open port to a DN 40 (CF 2.75&#34;) port on a vacuum chamber using a new copper or silver-plated copper gasket and a &#188;-28 bolt set. The orientation of the valve will depend on the orientation of the tines. The proper orientation is shown in Figure 9. The tine with the set screw points downward. Slip the head over the thimble, the orientation of the thimble should be vertical to within 2&#176;.&#160; Check orientation with a level.</li>
		<li>Evacuate the vacuum chamber to less than 10-3 Pa. Slowly open the spring-transport mechanism valve.</li>
		<li>Attach head to the controller. Turn on controller and suspend the ball.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>De-mounting the Spring-Transport Mechanism
	<ol>
		<li>De-suspend the rotor using the electronic controller. Turn off controller.</li>
		<li>Close the spring-transport mechanism valve.</li>
		<li>Remove head.</li>
		<li>Vent vacuum chamber.</li>
		<li>Remove the spring-transport mechanism by un-bolting the valve port from the vacuum chamber.</li>
		<li>Place clean foil and a plastic endcap over the open port of the spring-transport mechanism. Place spring-transport mechanism in cut-out in shipping container.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Fremerey, J. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+spinning+rotor+gauge.">The spinning rotor gauge.</a> J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A. 3 (3), 1715-1720 (1985).</li><li>Jousten, K., Jousten, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chapter+13,+Total+Pressure+Vacuum+Gauges.">Chapter 13, Total Pressure Vacuum Gauges.</a> Handbook of Vacuum Technology. , 573-583 (2008).</li><li>Berg, R. F., Fedchak, J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=NIST+Calibration+Services+for+Spinning+Rotor+Gauge+Calibrations.">NIST Calibration Services for Spinning Rotor Gauge Calibrations.</a> NIST Special Publication. , 250-293 (2015).</li><li>Messer, G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Intercomparison+of+Nine+National+High-vacuum+Standards+under+the+Auspices+of+the+Bureau+International+des+Poids+et+Mesures.">Intercomparison of Nine National High-vacuum Standards under the Auspices of the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures.</a> Metrologia. 26, 183-195 (1989).</li><li>Jousten, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Results+of+the+regional+key+comparison+Euromet.M.P-K1.b+in+the+pressure+range+from+3+x+10-4+Pa+to+0.9+Pa.">Results of the regional key comparison Euromet.M.P-K1.b in the pressure range from 3 x 10-4 Pa to 0.9 Pa.</a> Metrologia. 42 (1A), 07001 (2005).</li><li>Jousten, K., Santander Romero, L. A., Torres Guzman, J. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Results+of+the+key+comparison+SIM-Euromet.M.P-BK3+(bilateral+comparison)+in+the+pressure+range+from+3+x+10-4+Pa+to+0.9+Pa.">Results of the key comparison SIM-Euromet.M.P-BK3 (bilateral comparison) in the pressure range from 3 x 10-4 Pa to 0.9 Pa.</a> Metrologia. 42 (1A), 07002 (2005).</li><li>Yoshida, H., Arai, K., Akimichi, H., Hong, S. S., Song, H. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Final+report+on+key+comparison+APMP.M.P-K3:+Absolute+pressure+measurements+in+gas+from+3+x+10-6+Pa+to+9+x+10-4+Pa.">Final report on key comparison APMP.M.P-K3: Absolute pressure measurements in gas from 3 x 10-6 Pa to 9 x 10-4 Pa.</a> Metrologia. 48 (1A), 07013 (2011).</li><li>Fedchak, J. A., Bock, T. h., Jousten, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bilateral+key+comparison+CCM.P-K3.1+for+absolute+pressure+measurements+from+3+x+10-6+Pa+to+9+x+10-4+Pa.">Bilateral key comparison CCM.P-K3.1 for absolute pressure measurements from 3 x 10-6 Pa to 9 x 10-4 Pa.</a> Metrologia. 51 (1A), 07005 (2014).</li><li>Fedchak, J. A., Arai, K., Jousten, K., Setina, J., Yoshida, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Recommended+practices+for+the+use+of+spinning+rotor+gauges+in+inter-laboratory+comparisons.">Recommended practices for the use of spinning rotor gauges in inter-laboratory comparisons.</a> Measurement. 66, 176-183 (2015).</li><li>Rohl, P., Jitschin, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Performance+of+the+spinning+rotor+gauge+with+a+novel+transport+device+as+a+transfer+standard+for+high+vacuum.">Performance of the spinning rotor gauge with a novel transport device as a transfer standard for high vacuum.</a> Vacuum. 38 (7), 507-509 (1988).</li><li>Fedchak, J. A., Scherschligt, J., Sefa, M., Phandinh, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Building+a+spring-transport+package+for+spinning+rotor+gauges.">Building a spring-transport package for spinning rotor gauges.</a> J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A. 33 (3), (2015).</li><li>Hussey, D. S., Jacobson, D. L., Arif, M., Coakley, K. J., Vecchia, D. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+Situ+Fuel+Cell+Water+Metrology+at+the+NIST+Neutron+Imaging+Facility.">In Situ Fuel Cell Water Metrology at the NIST Neutron Imaging Facility.</a> J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. 7 (2), 021024 (2010).</li><li>Chang, R. F., Abbott, P. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Factors+affecting+the+reproducibility+of+the+accommodation+coefficient+of+the+spinning+rotor+gauge.">Factors affecting the reproducibility of the accommodation coefficient of the spinning rotor gauge.</a> J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A. 25 (6), 1567-1576 (2007).</li></ol>

Commercial equipment is identified in this paper to foster understanding and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor does it necessarily imply that the materials or equipment identified are necessarily the best available for the purpose. The authors have nothing else to disclose.

The objective was to design a spring-transport mechanism with a sufficient holding force such that the rotor would remain immobilized during transport. Designing a robust spring-transport mechanism is not enough to insure the rotor will remain immobilized because, for example, dropping the mechanism from tall height onto a hard surface can produce an enormous shock. The force on the rotor can be greatly reduced by packaging the spring-transport mechanism such that it gently decelerates over a distance within the package,...

The spinning rotor gauge (SRG) is a high-vacuum gauge used to determine vacuum pressures in the range of 1.0 x 10-4 Pa to 1.0 Pa. It is fundamentally a rotating steel ball that is suspended between two permanent magnets. Electro-magnets are used to rotate, or &#34;spin-up&#34;, the ball to some frequency (typically 410 Hz); the ball is then allowed to freely rotate, but the rotation rate will decrease over time because of collisions of gas molecules in the vacuum system with the ball surface. Vacuum pressure is thus related to the deceleration rate of the steel ball or rotor. Figure 1 shows the essential elements of the SRG: the rotor, thimble, head with connecting cable, and electronic controller. The rotor, or ball, is contained within the thimble during operation and is normally not handled by nor is visible to the SRG user. The thimble is connected to the vacuum system. To operate the SRG, the head is slipped over the thimble. The head contains two permanent magnets and several sets of wire coils used for vertical and horizontal stabilization, driving the rotor, and sensing the rotation. The electronic controller interprets the signal from the sensing coil so that a pressure measurement can be made. For a rotor with ideal surface conditions, the deceleration rate is related to the vacuum pressure by fundamental physics. To make absolute pressure measurements using an SRG, a calibration factor, known as the effective accommodation coefficient, must be determined. The effective accommodation coefficient depends on the real surface conditions of the rotor, such as the roughness, adsorbed gases, and scratches. These factors tends to be stable over the course of its use. Additional details of SRGs can be found in other references.1-3
The SRG is used in applications where absolute vacuum measurements are required. For example, calibration laboratories often use SRGs as an absolute vacuum standard. In this case, high-vacuum gauges are calibrated by comparing their reading to that of the SRG. In turn, the SRG standard must be periodically calibrated by shipping the SRG to a primary calibration laboratory to have its accommodation coefficient re-determined. Primary calibration labs are usually National Metrology Institutes such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The primary lab determines the SRG accommodation coefficient by comparing its reading to a primary vacuum standard, and then returns the SRG to the &#34;secondary&#34; calibration lab. The SRG is also used as a transfer standard for the comparison of standards between calibration laboratories or National Metrology Institutes. In this application, the SRG is transported domestically or internationally between the various laboratories.4-8 During shipment, events can occur that change the accommodation coefficient. Prior to shipment, the rotor must be de-suspended and the head is removed; the rotor then rests on the interior wall of the thimble. During transport, the rotor surface is subject to change from the mechanical action between the rotor and thimble due to vibrations and shocks, or the surface may change due to the exposure of the rotor to atmospheric gas and humidity. These changes affect the long-term stability of the accommodation coefficient. Ideally, the rotor should remain in vacuum and immobilized during transport.
Historically, SRGs have been used as transfer standards in key comparisons of vacuum standards among national metrology institutes, where SRGs are internationally transported many times among the various institutes.9 During an early key comparison, it was found that the long-term stability of the SRG accommodation coefficient could be improved by utilizing a spring-transport mechanism which both immobilized the rotor and kept it under vacuum during transportation.1,10 Since then, the spring-transport mechanism has been used many times in international key comparisons. A recent study of the historical data showed that 90% of these comparisons had stabilities better than 0.75%, and 70% had stabilities of 0.5%.9 Therefore, using a spring-transport mechanism will, in most cases, yield a stability that is more than sufficient for most applications.
Until now, there has been little guidance in the literature on how to build a spring-transport mechanism. Early versions of these devices have been known to fail to fully immobilize the rotor, due to a combination of being insufficiently designed for robustness, and being mishandled during shipment. These early lessons show that it is important both to build a robust spring-transport mechanism, and to properly package it in a way that minimizes shock during transport. This later point is critical but often ignored. Here we will describe the construction of a robust spring-transport mechanism in addition to a properly constructed transport package. Our design is based on a few simple, tested, engineering principles that enable the construction of a durable spring-transport package that minimizes the possibility of failure during transport. We also describe our tests of the robustness of our design. Additional details of the test methods can be found in Fedchak et al. (2015).11

<table><tbody><tr><td>Spring, 3 N/m</td><td>Lee Spring (www.leespring.com)</td><td>LC 042C 18 S316</td><td>Outside diameter 0.240&amp;nbsp;in, Wire Diameter 0.042&amp;nbsp;in, Rate 17.1&amp;nbsp;lb&amp;#8288;/&amp;#8288;in, Free Length 2.25&amp;nbsp;in, Number of Coils 29.3</td></tr><tr><td>8-32 threaded rod, 316 stainless steel</td><td>McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com)</td><td>90575A260</td><td>Type 316 Stainless Steel Fully Threaded Stud 8-32 Thread, 3&quot; Length.&amp;nbsp; Cut to length specified in protocol</td></tr><tr><td>standoffs, 8-32 Screw Size</td><td>McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com)</td><td>91125A140</td><td>18-8 Stainless Steel Female Threaded Round Standoff, 1/4&quot; OD, 1/4&quot; Length, 8-32 Screw Size</td></tr><tr><td>nuts, 8-32</td><td>McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com)</td><td>90205A309</td><td>316 SS Undersized Machine Screw Hex Nut 8-32 Thread Size, 1/4&quot; Width, 3/32&quot; Height</td></tr><tr><td>Split Lock-Washers, 316 Stainless Steel</td><td>McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com)</td><td>92147A425</td><td>Type 316 Stainless Steel Split Lock Washer NO. 8 Screw Size, .3&quot; OD, .04&quot; min Thick</td></tr><tr><td>Steel Rotor</td><td>McMaster-Carr (www.mcmaster.com)</td><td>9292K38</td><td>Bearing-Quality E52100 Alloy Steel, Hardened Ball, 4.5 mm Diameter</td></tr><tr><td>Right-Angle Valve</td><td>VAT Valve (www.vatvalve.com)</td><td>54132-GE02-0001</td><td>Easy-close all-metal angle valve, DN 40 (1.5&quot;)</td></tr><tr><td>Shipping Container</td><td>Allcases, Reekstin &amp;amp; Associates (www.allcases.com)</td><td>REAL1616-1205</td><td>Zinc Hardware w/Zinc Handles, Rotationally Molded, light-weight, high-impact, Polyethylene Case with protected recessed hardware.&amp;nbsp; 15.75&quot; x 15.88&quot; x 16.45&quot;</td></tr><tr><td>Ester Foam</td><td>Carry Cases Plus (www.carrycasesplus.com)</td><td>ES-PAD 3&quot; Thick</td><td>3&quot; Thick, 2&amp;nbsp;lb Charcoal Ester Foam Pad, 24&quot; x 27&quot;.</td></tr><tr><td>Ester Foam</td><td>Carry Cases Plus (www.carrycasesplus.com)</td><td>ES-PAD 1&quot; Thick</td><td>1&quot; Thick, 2&amp;nbsp;lb Charcoal Ester Foam Pad, 24&quot; x 27&quot;.</td></tr><tr><td>Egg-carton ester foam</td><td>Carry Cases Plus (www.carrycasesplus.com)</td><td>ES-CONV</td><td>ES-CONV, 2&amp;nbsp;lb, 24&quot; x 27&quot; x 1 1/2&quot;.&amp;nbsp; &quot;egg-crate&quot; ester foam.&amp;nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Foam Cutout, PE foam</td><td>Willard Packaging Co. (www.willardpackaging.com)</td><td></td><td>Custom Foam Cutout.</td></tr><tr><td>Spinning Rotor Gauge&amp;nbsp;</td><td>MKS Instruments (www.mks.com)</td><td>SRG-3</td><td>Controller, head, and thimble.&amp;nbsp; Custom thimble must be used for the spring-transport mechanism</td></tr><tr><td>Custom thimble</td><td>MDC vacuum Inc. (www.mdcvacuum.com)</td><td></td><td>drawing must be submitted for custom part</td></tr><tr><td>Detergent</td><td>Fisher Scientific Co (www.fischersci.com)</td><td>04-320-4</td><td>Sparkleen 1 Detergent</td></tr><tr><td>Acetone</td><td>Fisher Scientific Co (www.fischersci.com)</td><td>A18-S4</td><td>Acetone (Certified ACS)</td></tr><tr><td>Ethanol</td><td>Warner-Graham Company (www.warnergraham.com)</td><td>190 proof USP</td><td>190 Proof USP ethyl alcohol</td></tr><tr><td>Bolt set for valve</td><td>Kurt J. Lesker (www.lesker.com)</td><td>TBS25028125P</td><td>B,N&amp;amp;W set, 12 point, (25)1/4-28 x 1.25&quot;, for 2.75&quot; thru, silver plat</td></tr><tr><td>Silver-plated copper gaskets</td><td>Kurt J. Lesker (www.lesker.com)</td><td>GA-0275LBNSP</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Spring Assembly (welding)</td><td>Omley Industries, Inc. (www.omley.com)</td><td>N/A</td><td>The machine work and welding were done in NIST&#039;s shop. However, Omley industries was used as an alternative for welding the spring assembly.</td></tr></tbody></table>

how to build a vacuum spring-transport package for spinning rotor gauges

The spinning rotor gauge (SRG) is a high-vacuum gauge often used as a secondary or transfer standard for vacuum pressures in the range of 1.0 x 10-4 Pa to 1.0 Pa. In this application, the SRGs are frequently transported to laboratories for calibration. Events can occur during transportation that change the rotor surface conditions, thus changing the calibration factor. To assure calibration stability, a spring-transport mechanism is often used to immobilize the rotor and keep it under vacuum during transport. It is also important to transport the spring-transport mechanism using packaging designed to minimize the risk of damage during shipping. In this manuscript, a detailed description is given on how to build a robust spring-transport mechanism and shipping container. Together these form a spring-transport package. The spring-transport package design was tested using drop-tests and the performance was found to be excellent. The present spring-transport mechanism design keeps the rotor immobilized when experiencing shocks of several hundred g (g = 9.8 m/sec2 and is the acceleration due to gravity), while the shipping container assures that the mechanism will not experience shocks greater than about 100 g during common shipping mishaps (as defined by industry standards).

All of the components of commercial SRG are shown in Figure 1. This includes the rotor, thimble, head containing the permanent magnets and wire coils used for suspension and pickup, and the electronic controller. The small spring shown (Figure 1c) is used to retain the ball in the thimble; this retainer spring is not used in the spring-transport mechanism. The commercial controller and head are used in the spring-transport mechanism. The tines from the co...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about How to Build a Vacuum Spring-transport Package for Spinning Rotor Gauges at JoVE.com

How to Build a Vacuum Spring-transport Package for Spinning Rotor Gauges

Here we describe how to build a robust spring-transport mechanism for a spinning rotor gauge. This device securely immobilizes the rotor and keeps it under vacuum during transportation. We also describe packaging that minimizes the risk of damage during transport. Tests show our design works for typical shocks during transport.

The spinning rotor gauge (SRG) is a high-vacuum gauge often used as a secondary or transfer standard for vacuum pressures in the range of 1.0 x 10-4 Pa to ...

how-to-build-vacuum-spring-transport-package-for-spinning-rotor

Research

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Engineering

9.1K Views.  National Institute of Science and Technology. Here we describe how to build a robust spring-transport mechanism for a spinning rotor gauge. This device securely immobilizes the rotor and keeps it under vacuum during transportation. We also describe packaging that minimizes the risk of damage during transport. Tests show our design works for typical shocks during transport.

Video: How to Build a Vacuum Spring-transport Package for Spinning Rotor Gauges

High-Sensitivity Nuclear Magnetic Resonance at Giga-Pascal Pressures: A New Tool for Probing Electronic and Chemical Properties of Condensed Matter under Extreme Conditions

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is one of the most important techniques for the study of condensed matter systems, their chemical structure, and their electronic properties. The application of high pressure enables one to synthesize new materials, but the response of known materials to high pressure is a very useful tool for studying their electronic structure and developing theories. For example, high-pressure synthesis might be at the origin of life; and understanding the behavior of small molecules under extreme pressure will tell us more about fundamental processes in our universe. It is no wonder that there has always been great interest in having NMR available at high pressures. Unfortunately, the desired pressures are often well into the Giga-Pascal (GPa) range and require special anvil cell devices where only very small, secluded volumes are available. This has restricted the use of NMR almost entirely in the past, and only recently, a new approach to high-sensitivity GPa NMR, which has a resonating micro-coil inside the sample chamber, was put forward. This approach enables us to achieve high sensitivity with experiments that bring the power of NMR to Giga-Pascal pressure condensed matter research. First applications, the detection of a topological electronic transition in ordinary aluminum metal and the closing of the pseudo-gap in high-temperature superconductivity, show the power of such an approach. Meanwhile, the range of achievable pressures was increased tremendously with a new generation of anvil cells (up to 10.1 GPa), that fit standard-bore NMR magnets. This approach might become a new, important tool for the investigation of many condensed matter systems, in chemistry, geochemistry, and in physics, since we can now watch structural changes with the eyes of a very versatile probe.

Nuclear magnetic resonance is one of the most important spectroscopic tools. Here, the development of a new approach under high pressure, currently up to 10.1 GPa, is presented. This opens a new window into condensed matter physics and chemistry, where high-pressure research is of great importance.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is one of the most important techniques for the study of condensed matter systems, their chemical structure, and their ...

Development of an Experimental Setup for the Measurement of the Coefficient of Restitution under Vacuum Conditions

The Discrete Element Method is used for the simulation of particulate systems to describe and analyze them, to predict and afterwards optimize their behavior for single stages of a process or even an entire process. For the simulation with occurring particle-particle and particle-wall contacts, the value of the coefficient of restitution is required. It can be determined experimentally. The coefficient of restitution depends on several parameters like the impact velocity. Especially for fine particles the impact velocity depends on the air pressure and under atmospheric pressure high impact velocities cannot be reached. For this, a new experimental setup for free-fall tests under vacuum conditions is developed. The coefficient of restitution is determined with the impact and rebound velocity which are detected by a high-speed camera. To not hinder the view, the vacuum chamber is made of glass. Also a new release mechanism to drop one single particle under vacuum conditions is constructed. Due to that, all properties of the particle can be characterized beforehand.

The coefficient of restitution is a parameter that describes the loss of kinetic energy during collision. Here, a free-fall setup under vacuum conditions is developed to be able to determine the coefficient of restitution parameter for particles in micrometer range with high impact velocities.

The Discrete Element Method is used for the simulation of particulate systems to describe and analyze them, to predict and afterwards optimize their ...

Measurement of Outgassing Rates of Steels

Steels are commonly used materials in the fabrication of vacuum systems because of their good mechanical, corrosion, and vacuum properties. A variety of steels meet the criterion of low outgassing required for high or ultrahigh vacuum applications. However, a given material can present different outgassing rates depending on its manufacturing process or the various pretreatment processes involved during the fabrication. Thus, the measurement of outgassing rates is highly desirable for a specific vacuum application. For this reason, the rate-of-pressure rise (RoR) method is often used to measure the outgassing of hydrogen after bakeout. In this article, a detailed description of the design and execution of the experimental protocol involved in the RoR method is provided. The RoR method uses a spinning rotor gauge to minimize errors that stem from outgassing or the pumping action of a vacuum gauge. The outgassing rates of two ordinary steels (stainless steel and mild steel) were measured. The measurements were made before and after the heat pretreatment of the steels. The heat pretreatment of steels was performed to reduce the outgassing. Extremely low rates of outgassing (on the order of 10&#8722;11 Pa m3 sec&#8722;1 m&#8722;2) can be routinely measured using relatively small samples.

A protocol for the measurement of outgassing rates of hydrogen from ordinary steel vacuum chambers using the rate-of-pressure rise method is presented.

Steels are commonly used materials in the fabrication of vacuum systems because of their good mechanical, corrosion, and vacuum properties. A variety of ...

Measuring the Densities of Aqueous Glasses at Cryogenic Temperatures

We demonstrate a method for determining the vitreous phase cryogenic temperature densities of aqueous mixtures, and other samples that require rapid cooling, to prepare the desired cryogenic temperature phase. Microliter to picoliter size drops are cooled by projection into a liquid nitrogen-argon (N2-Ar) mixture. The cryogenic temperature phase of the drop is evaluated using a visual assay that correlates with X-ray diffraction measurements. The density of the liquid N2-Ar mixture is adjusted by adding N2 or Ar until the drop becomes neutrally buoyant. The density of this mixture and thus of the drop is determined using a test mass and Archimedes principle. With appropriate care in drop preparation, management of gas above the liquid cryogen mixture to minimize icing, and regular mixing of the cryogenic mixture to prevent density stratification and phase separation, densities accurate to &#60;0.5% of drops as small as 50 pL can readily be determined. Measurements on aqueous cryoprotectant mixtures provide insight into cryoprotectant action, and provide quantitative data to facilitate thermal contraction matching in biological cryopreservation.

A protocol for determining the vitreous phase densities of micro- to pico-liter size drops of aqueous mixtures at cryogenic temperatures is described.

We demonstrate a method for determining the vitreous phase cryogenic temperature densities of aqueous mixtures, and other samples that require rapid ...

Fabrication and Implantation of Miniature Dual-element Strain Gages for Measuring In Vivo Gastrointestinal Contractions in Rodents.

Gastrointestinal dysfunction remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Indeed, gastrointestinal (GI) motility in health and disease remains an area of productive research with over 1,400 published animal studies in just the last 5 years. Numerous techniques have been developed for quantifying smooth muscle activity of the stomach, small intestine, and colon. In vitro and ex vivo techniques offer powerful tools for mechanistic studies of GI function, but outside the context of the integrated systems inherent to an intact organism. Typically, measuring in vivo smooth muscle contractions of the stomach has involved an anesthetized preparation coupled with the introduction of a surgically placed pressure sensor, a static pressure load such as a mildly inflated balloon or by distending the stomach with fluid under barostatically-controlled feedback. Yet many of these approaches present unique disadvantages regarding both the interpretation of results as well as applicability for in vivo use in conscious experimental animal models. The use of dual element strain gages that have been affixed to the serosal surface of the GI tract has offered numerous experimental advantages, which may continue to outweigh the disadvantages. Since these gages are not commercially available, this video presentation provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to the fabrication of the current design of these gages. The strain gage described in this protocol is a design for recording gastric motility in rats. This design has been modified for recording smooth muscle activity along the entire GI tract and requires only subtle variation in the overall fabrication. Representative data from the entire GI tract are included as well as discussion of analysis methods, data interpretation and presentation.

Fabrication and Implantation of Miniature Dual-element Strain Gages for Measuring In Vivo Gastrointestinal Contractions in Rodents.

The in vivo measurement of smooth muscle contractions along the gastrointestinal tract of laboratory animals remains a powerful, though underutilized, technique. Flexible, dual element strain gages are not commercially available and require fabrication. This protocol describes the construction of reliable, inexpensive strain gages for acute or chronic implantation in rodents.

Gastrointestinal dysfunction remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Indeed, gastrointestinal (GI) motility in health and disease remains an ...

Bioengineering

Magnet Assisted Composite Manufacturing: A Flexible New Technique for Achieving High Consolidation Pressure in Vacuum Bag/Lay-Up Processes

This work demonstrates a protocol to improve the quality of composite laminates fabricated by wet lay-up vacuum bag processes using the recently developed magnet assisted composite manufacturing (MACM) technique. In this technique, permanent magnets are utilized to apply a sufficiently high consolidation pressure during the curing stage. To enhance the intensity of the magnetic field, and thus, to increase the magnetic compaction pressure, the magnets are placed on a magnetic top plate. First, the entire procedure of preparing the composite lay-up on a magnetic bottom steel plate using the conventional wet lay-up vacuum bag process is described. Second, placement of a set of Neodymium-Iron-Boron permanent magnets, arranged in alternating polarity, on the vacuum bag is illustrated. Next, the experimental procedures to measure the magnetic compaction pressure and volume fractions of the composite constituents are presented. Finally, methods used to characterize microstructure and mechanical properties of composite laminates are discussed in detail. The results prove the effectiveness of the MACM method in improving the quality of wet lay-up vacuum bag laminates. This method does not require large capital investment for tooling or equipment and can also be used to consolidate geometrically complex composite parts by placing the magnets on a matching top mold positioned on the vacuum bag.

A new technique for applying consolidation pressure on the vacuum bag lay-up to fabricate composite laminates is described. The goal of this protocol is to develop a simple, cost-effective technique to improve the quality of laminates fabricated by the wet lay-up vacuum bag method.

This work demonstrates a protocol to improve the quality of composite laminates fabricated by wet lay-up vacuum bag processes using the recently developed ...

Building Langmuir Probes and Emissive Probes for Plasma Potential Measurements in Low Pressure, Low Temperature Plasmas

Langmuir probes have long been used in experimental plasma physics research as the primary diagnostic for particle fluxes (i.e., electron and ion fluxes) and their local spatial concentrations, for electron temperatures, and for electrostatic plasma potential measurements, since its invention by Langmuir in the early 1920s. Emissive probes are used for measuring plasma potentials. The protocols exhibited in this work serve to demonstrate how these probes may be built for use in a vacuum chamber in which a plasma discharge may be confined and sustained. This involves vacuum techniques for building what is essentially an electrical feedthrough, one that is rotatable and translatable. Certainly, complete Langmuir probe systems may be purchased, but they can also be built by the user at considerable cost savings, and at the same time be more directly adapted to their use in a particular experiment. We describe the use of Langmuir probes and emissive probes in mapping the electrostatic plasma potential from the body of the plasma up to the sheath region of a plasma boundary, which in these experiments&#160;is created by a negatively biased electrode immersed within the plasma, in order to compare the two diagnostic techniques and assess their relative advantages and weaknesses. Although Langmuir probes have the advantage of measuring the plasma density and electron temperature most accurately, emissive probes can measure electrostatic plasma potentials more accurately throughout the plasma, up to and including the sheath region.

The main goal of this work is to make it easier for research groups unfamiliar with Langmuir probes and emissive probes to use them as plasma diagnostics, especially near plasma boundaries. We do this by demonstrating how to build the probes from readily available materials and supplies.

Langmuir probes have long been used in experimental plasma physics research as the primary diagnostic for particle fluxes (i.e., electron and ion fluxes) ...

High-Temperature and High-Pressure In situ Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy represents an important technique to understand the structure and bonding environments of molecules. There exists a drive to characterize materials under conditions relevant to the chemical process of interest. To address this, in situ high-temperature, high-pressure MAS NMR methods have been developed to enable the observation of chemical interactions over a range of pressures (vacuum to several hundred bar) and temperatures (well below 0 &#176;C to 250 &#176;C). Further, the chemical identity of the samples can be comprised of solids, liquids, and gases or mixtures of the three. The method incorporates all-zirconia NMR rotors (sample holder for MAS NMR) which can be sealed using a threaded cap to compress an O-ring. This rotor exhibits great chemical resistance, temperature compatibility, low NMR background, and can withstand high pressures. These combined factors enable it to be utilized in a wide range of system combinations, which in turn permit its use in diverse fields as carbon sequestration, catalysis, material science, geochemistry, and biology. The flexibility of this technique makes it an attractive option for scientists from numerous disciplines.

The molecular structures and dynamics of solids, liquids, gases, and mixtures are of critical interest to diverse scientific fields. High-temperature, high-pressure in situ MAS NMR enables detection of the chemical environment of constituents in mixed phase systems under tightly controlled chemical environments.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy represents an important technique to understand the structure and bonding environments of molecules. There ...

Chemistry

Fabrication of Small Caliber Stent-grafts Using Electrospinning and Balloon Expandable Bare Metal Stents

Stent-grafts are widely used for the treatment of various conditions such as aortic lesions, aneurysms, emboli due to coronary intervention procedures and perforations in vasculature. Such stent-grafts are manufactured by covering a stent with a polymer membrane. An ideal stent-graft should have a biocompatible stent covered by a porous, thromboresistant, and biocompatible polymer membrane which mimics the extracellular matrix thereby promoting injury site healing. The goal of this protocol is to manufacture a small caliber stent-graft by encapsulating a balloon expandable stent within two layers of electrospun polyurethane nanofibers. Electrospinning of polyurethane has been shown to assist in healing by mimicking native extracellular matrix, thereby promoting endothelialization. Electrospinning polyurethane nanofibers on a slowly rotating mandrel enabled us to precisely control the thickness of the nanofibrous membrane, which is essential to achieve a small caliber balloon expandable stent-graft. Mechanical validation by crimping and expansion of the stent-graft has shown that the nanofibrous polyurethane membrane is sufficiently flexible to crimp and expand while staying patent without showing any signs of tearing or delamination. Furthermore, stent-grafts fabricated using the methods described here are capable of being implanted using a coronary intervention procedure using standard size guide catheters.

In the protocol, we present a method to manufacture a small caliber stent-graft by sandwiching a balloon expandable stent between two electrospun nanofibrous polyurethane layers.

Stent-grafts are widely used for the treatment of various conditions such as aortic lesions, aneurysms, emboli due to coronary intervention procedures and ...

Medicine

Combining 3D-Printing and Electrospinning to Manufacture Biomimetic Heart Valve Leaflets

Electrospinning has become a widely used technique in cardiovascular tissue engineering as it offers the possibility to create (micro-)fibrous scaffolds with adjustable properties. The aim of this study was to create multilayered scaffolds mimicking the architectural fiber characteristics of human heart valve leaflets using conductive 3D-printed collectors.
Models of aortic valve cusps were created using commercial computer-aided design (CAD) software. Conductive polylactic acid was used to fabricate 3D-printed leaflet templates. These cusp negatives were integrated into a specifically designed, rotating electrospinning mandrel. Three layers of polyurethane were spun onto the collector, mimicking the fiber orientation of human heart valves. Surface and fiber structure was assessed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The application of fluorescent dye additionally permitted the microscopic visualization of the multilayered fiber structure. Tensile testing was performed to assess the biomechanical properties of the scaffolds.
3D-printing of essential parts for the electrospinning rig was possible in a short time for a low budget. The aortic valve cusps created following this protocol were three-layered, with a fiber diameter of 4.1 &#177; 1.6 &#181;m. SEM imaging revealed an even distribution of fibers. Fluorescence microscopy revealed individual layers with differently aligned fibers, with each layer precisely reaching the desired fiber configuration. The produced scaffolds showed high tensile strength, especially along the direction of alignment. The printing files for the different collectors are available as Supplemental File 1, Supplemental File 2, Supplemental File 3, Supplemental File 4, and Supplemental File 5.
With a highly specialized setup and workflow protocol, it is possible to mimic tissues with complex fiber structures over multiple layers. Spinning directly on 3D-printed collectors creates considerable flexibility in manufacturing 3D shapes at low production costs.

The presented method offers an innovative way for engineering biomimetic fiber structures in three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds (e.g., heart valve leaflets). 3D-printed, conductive geometries were used to determine shape and dimensions. Fiber orientation and characteristics were individually adjustable for each layer. Multiple samples could be manufactured in one setup.

Electrospinning has become a widely used technique in cardiovascular tissue engineering as it offers the possibility to create (micro-)fibrous scaffolds ...

How to Build a Vacuum Spring-transport Package for Spinning Rotor Gauges

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High-Sensitivity Nuclear Magnetic Resonance at Giga-Pascal Pressures: A New Tool for Probing Electronic and Chemical Properties of Condensed Matter under Extreme Conditions

Development of an Experimental Setup for the Measurement of the Coefficient of Restitution under Vacuum Conditions

Measurement of Outgassing Rates of Steels

Measuring the Densities of Aqueous Glasses at Cryogenic Temperatures

Fabrication and Implantation of Miniature Dual-element Strain Gages for Measuring In Vivo Gastrointestinal Contractions in Rodents.

Magnet Assisted Composite Manufacturing: A Flexible New Technique for Achieving High Consolidation Pressure in Vacuum Bag/Lay-Up Processes

Building Langmuir Probes and Emissive Probes for Plasma Potential Measurements in Low Pressure, Low Temperature Plasmas

High-Temperature and High-Pressure In situ Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Fabrication of Small Caliber Stent-grafts Using Electrospinning and Balloon Expandable Bare Metal Stents

Combining 3D-Printing and Electrospinning to Manufacture Biomimetic Heart Valve Leaflets