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Latest news articles
  • Laplacian gets to the root of the problem
    Fusion and Industry - 28 Feb 2008
    Magnetic resonance imaging specialist, Laplacian Ltd, has developed a luggable scanner for conducting resonance imaging of tree trunks subjected to drought and deluge conditions, as part of a tree physiology project at the University of Surrey. Developed with the assistance of the UK Fusion programme's technical support package, the scanner can be used on tree trunks up to 200 mm diameter and provides complete imaging of the trunk.
  • Industry Liaison Officers focus on developing EFDA supplier database for F4E
    Fusion and Industry - 28 Feb 2008
    Europe's network of fusion Industry Liaison Officers (ILOs) is focusing its efforts on encouraging suitably qualified companies from their respective countries to register their capabilities on Europe’s Industrial Database for ITER. The ILO group is also forging closer links with the ITER International Organisation in Cadarache and the Fusion for Energy (F4E) team in Barcelona. “Our primary objective is to encourage European companies to bid for work packages that will be appearing especially from F4E to enable Europe to deliver its ‘in-kind’ contribution to the ITER programme”, said Dan Mistry, the UK's ILO and Deputy Chair of the network.
  • First Sight Vision focuses on JET diagnostics
    Fusion and Industry - 28 Feb 2008
    First Sight Vision Ltd, part of the Stemmer Imaging Group, Europe's largest vision supplier, has won a contract to provide colour and monochrome Firewire cameras with optical repeaters, cabling and software for a JET machine diagnostic. The new systems will give JET scientists improved signal and image processing for the torus and divertor.
  • AMEC turns up the heat on HIP tiles
    Fusion and Industry - 28 Feb 2008
    AMEC has won an EFDA-funded project to scale up their innovative HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing) process to bond the beryllium tiles to a full size prototype ITER first wall panel. This type of panel will be used to cover the majority of the plasma facing wall of ITER. Work on earlier, small scale, prototypes has shown that components manufactured using HIP can withstand heat flux levels of 1.5 MW/m2 for over a thousand cycles. The full size panel will be heat flux tested to prove that the HIP manufacturing technique is able to produce bonds that can withstand the 30,000 cycles at 0.5 MW/m2 set for the ITER design.
  • Engineer Profile - Robert Shaw, Leader of ITER Assembly Section
    Fusion and Industry - 28 Feb 2008
    We continue our series of profiles to introduce fusion engineers to UK plc. with Robert Shaw, who is leader of the ITER assembly section, which covers the assembly and installation of all mechanical systems on the ITER site.
  • MAST engineering break nears its end
    Fusion and Industry - 24 Jan 2008
    The present MAST engineering break is nearing completion. In-vessel work is now finished and pumpdown began on 8th January. Leak checks are being carried out prior to high temperature baking of the MAST vessel and restart of operations.
  • Morson Projects wins contract to make JET conduit assembly jig for diagnostics cabling
    Fusion and Industry - 24 Jan 2008
    Manchester-based Morson Projects Ltd is to design and manufacture a jig for the manufacture of stainless steel conduit for new diagnostics being installed in the JET torus as part of JET's ITER-like wall (ILW) project, in a contract worth 375,000 Euro. The jig will ultimately be used to assemble two kilometres of diagnostics cabling through conduits in the torus. The new diagnostics cabling is part of an integrated package of JET enhancements the aim of which is to develop an understanding of ITER torus materials issues.
  • ITER Business Forum reveals outline procurement arrangements and project management processes for Fusion for Energy
    Fusion and Industry - 24 Jan 2008
    In our December Special Edition of the Fusion Business Ezine we reported on the ITER Business Forum (IBF) held in December 2007. As e-news readers will know the presentations from the conference can be found at https://mioga.minefi.gouv.fr/ITER/public/SITE (once you are on the site you will need to select the Comite industriel ITER/ Forum IBF/07/Speakers Presentations). In this report we summarise two talks which are particularly important for UK readers. These give an insight into how projects will be procured and managed by the European Domestic Agency for ITER in Barcelona, known as "Fusion for Energy" (F4E).
  • JET shutdown completed
    Fusion and Industry - 24 Jan 2008
    JET’s eight-month shutdown was completed in December 2007. In addition to a significant number of inspections, maintenance tasks and substantial remedial work on key equipment, this shutdown was mainly devoted to the installation of various new systems. The most extensive of these was the ITER-like antenna. Other key enhancements included Toroidal Alfven Eigenmode RF antennas and a High Frequency Pellet Injector. JET’s restart programme is now well underway, with the next campaign of experiments scheduled to begin in Spring 2008.
  • Appointment of new Culham Director
    Fusion and Industry - 24 Jan 2008
    UKAEA has announced that Professor Steven Cowley, presently of University of California Los Angeles and Imperial College, will be the new Culham Director from September 2008 following the retirement of Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith.
  • Engineer's Profile - Robert Pearce
    Fusion and Industry - 24 Jan 2008
    Continuing our series of profiles to introduce fusion engineers to UK plc. Robert Pearce is the Vacuum Group Leader for ITER.
  • UKAEA's leading role in European industry group
    Fusion and Industry - 24 Jan 2008
    UKAEA’s Fusion and Industry Manager, Dan Mistry, has been appointed Deputy Chairman of the European fusion Industry Liaison Officers (ILO) group. Dan was a founder member of the ILO group which was formed a couple of years ago to help encourage European industry to compete for ITER projects.
  • ITER update
    Fusion and Industry - 24 Jan 2008
    On 18 December 2007, the first European Procurement Arrangement for ITER was signed by ITER Principal Deputy Director General Norbert Holtkamp and Didier Gambier, Director of the European Domestic Agency "Fusion for Energy" in Barcelona. Meanwhile, the ITER Design Review has been completed, the ITER Council has formally met for the first time, and construction at the site is in full swing.
  • Meggitt to develop trial carbon-carbon composite for ITER
    Fusion and Industry - 3 Dec 2007
    Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems has secured a development deal that will enable it to work towards becoming a supplier of a carbon-based component for ITER. Under the development deal, the company is initially providing 150kg of a special type of carbon-carbon composite that may ultimately form part of the ITER divertor. Following initial tests on the material, Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems will then be required to bid for the supply of several tonnes of carbon-carbon composite for the full-scale ITER device.
  • ITER Council convenes as focus shifts to procurement
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Nov 2007
    The first meeting of the ITER Council, the board that oversees the project’s budget and organisation, took place at Cadarache on 27 November 2007. The meeting approved the draft ITER budget for 2008 and acknowledged the completion of the year-long ITER design review. Professor Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith, Director of the UKAEA/EURATOM Fusion Association, was elected as Chair of the ITER Council. He said: “The design review showed that the ITER design is fundamentally sound. The stage is now set for major procurement activity in ITER members, as well as the beginning of construction on the site.” More at: www.iter.org/news_text_28-11-07.htm
  • Culham’s COMPASS Experiment becomes Centrepiece of Czech Fusion Research Programme
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    COMPASS, one of the key fusion experiments at Culham in the 1990s, started its epic journey on Monday 17th September as it was lifted from one of Culham’s main experimental halls with a massive 500-tonne crane. It has now arrived safely at its new home at the Institute of Plasma Physics in Prague. Here it will be reincarnated as a new experiment, the centrepiece of the expanding Czech fusion research programme.
  • MG Sanders Wins €5M Contract on ITER-like wall project
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    MG Sanders, the UK's leading supplier of tungsten products, has won a €5 M contract to supply tungsten tile modules to JET as part of the ITER-like wall (ILW) project evaluating choices for first wall materials for the ITER vessel. In total 50 modules are being installed as part of the JET divertor made up of some 80,000 components. MG Sanders is investing in new CNC 5 axis machine tools, clean room assembly facilities, EDM capability and additional metallurgical management resources to fulfil the project over an 18 month period.
  • Fusion and Industry Web Site Updated
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    The Fusion and Industry web site is being updated; the new version will go live towards the end of November. The transition from a printed Fusion Business newsletter to an e-zine is the most visible change through which we plan to increase the frequency and topicality of news stories. Many of the changes have been designed to make the site easier to use for visitors. Database registration is more comprehensive allowing us to improve our assistance to UK industry. We continue as ever to encourage UK companies to register on our own and the ITER and KTN databases. Visit the Fusion and Industry web site at http://www.fusion.org.uk/industry.
  • 2007 Shutdown Significantly Enhances JET’S Future Capabilities
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    During the 2007 JET shutdown which is due for completion at the end of November, the remainder of the EP1 (Enhanced Performance) enhancements have been installed. These will significantly improve JET’s capabilities. Extensive maintenance and refurbishment work has taken place both within the Torus and on the exterior of the machine. The largest installation is a new ‘ITER-like’ Ion Cyclotron Resonant Heating (ICRH) antenna which will provide valuable input into the use of RF heating techniques in ITER.
  • ITER Update – October 2007
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    Although the ITER agreement was signed back in November 2006, the ITER organisation and treaty could not come into formal existence until each party had ratified the agreement. This has now occurred and ITER officially came into existence on 24 October 2007. Meanwhile the teams are building up at both the ITER organisation in France and the European Agency in Barcelona. A range of contracts are being advertised and placed and we are alerting registered companies to opportunities as we hear of them, via our e-news system.
  • Tessella wins ITER CODAC Contract
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    Tessella has been awarded a contract from ITER to help review the design of its Control, Data Acquisition and Communication (CODAC) system. Jon Tilbury, Director of Tessella's Operations at ITER said, "We are thrilled to be working on this prestigious fusion experiment. Our previous work at the JET fusion experiment, and other scientific research centres and our experience of software development in fusion research will be invaluable in helping ITER design an effective and efficient CODAC system.” For further information visit www.tessella.com
  • Fusion - Focusing on Photonics Companies
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    Laser and optics systems are crucial elements in plasma diagnostics systems used on MAST and JET and those planned for ITER. The search for UK companies able to supply the high specification components for these systems has led to UKAEA Culham becoming a member of the Photonics Cluster (UK). The cluster is a specialist network dedicated to promoting the adoption of optoelectronics technology and working with UK companies in this area. Representatives from the Photonics Cluster recently visited Culham to introduce the Clusters capabilities and learn about the technical issues faced by fusion scientists in developing plasma diagnostic systems.
  • Softek Opens Office at Culham Innovation Centre
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    Softek, a company that provides selected IT Security Solutions and Professional Services throughout the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands has opened an office at Culham Innovation Centre. Founded in 1994, this is Softek’s second UK office. Mike Paffard, Sales Director, commented, "Due to massive expansion, and the exceptional take up of our latest Solutions from Deepnet and Astaro, we have found it necessary to further expand our UK capabilities."
  • Find New Business with the Sensors & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN)
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    The Sensors & Instrumentation KTN, a network that covers the whole of the UK’s sensing community, from academics and large industries to small businesses, research councils and government departments, is inviting organisations to become members. Over 1,000 organisations have already signed up to take advantage of this opportunity to network and find new business opportunities. Membership registration is at http://www.qi3.co.uk/sktn/membership.asp or for further information please contact Emma Stevens on 01223 422406.
  • Pulse Plasma and Measurements Limited (PPM) Launches a DC-2MHz Optical Fibre Link for JET
    Fusion and Industry - 29 Oct 2007
    PPM Ltd has launched a point2point DC-2MHz analogue fibre link that is compatible with an existing multimode fibre infrastructure. UKAEA has specified the new multimode links for the Joint European Torus (JET) fusion facility, which UKAEA operates at the Culham Science Centre, Oxfordshire, for experiments by scientists from all over Europe. Electrical isolation, low drift, high accuracy and performance over long distances make point2point modules an unrivalled solution.
  • Barcelona Agency appoints Director
    Fusion and Industry - 18 Jul 2007
    On 17 July 2007, the Governing Board of the European Domestic Agency for ITER in Barcelona appointed Dr. Didier Gambier as Director. The official name of the agency is the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy (also called "Fusion for Energy"). It is responsible for all Europe’s “in-kind” contributions to ITER especially procurement.
  • Invest in France offers FREE advice to UK plc
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    The Invest In France Agency also attended this ITER event to inform and assist UK companies in setting up a subsidiary office near Cadarache and partnerships with local companies. Invest in France provides a wide range of information about setting up a business in France, including tax and legal issues. They also organise visits to the site and meetings with potential partners. Many of their services are free of charge.
  • UKAEA Fusion & Industry team holds ITER Event for UK plc
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    On June 28th 2007, the day the ITER European Domestic Agency was officially launched in Barcelona, UK industry met at the Culham Science Centre to prepare for ITER business opportunities. The current focus is on civil engineering and long-lead time items (vessel and magnets). Also many specialist systems are at the design stage, and UKAEA is looking for companies to get involved with developing plasma diagnostic port plugs, and neutral beam and RF heating systems – excellent opportunities for UK companies.
  • Update on ITER Procurement Process and Schedule
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    Approximately 90% of ITER components will be provided “in kind” by the ITER parties, with Europe providing nearly half via the new Agency in Barcelona. At the event at Culham on 28 June, Akko Maas of ITER presented an overview of the split between parties, how the procurements will be managed by the central ITER team with the parties’ Domestic Agencies, and also the overall schedule. He also listed nearer term opportunities from both the central ITER team and the European Agency in Barcelona.
  • Mechanical Engineering Opportunities in ITER Specialist Systems
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    David Martin, Deputy Chief Engineer at UKAEA Culham, presented the work currently being conducted by UKAEA into Neutral Beam and RF heating systems together with the LIDAR plasma diagnostic system and its port plug. Each of the systems is in the design phase and UKAEA is looking for UK companies to work with them on both the design and assessing how the systems can be manufactured. To find out more contact Dan Mistry on dan.mistry@ukaea.org.uk.
  • ILOs Offer European companies Assistance with ITER Contracts
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    Leena Jylha, fusion Industrial Liaison Officer for Finland, explained that the role of the 16 European ILOs for ITER is to help European companies obtain contracts with ITER and obtain the best benefits from this project. The ILO network has been established to facilitate companies to find European partners for joint bids, subcontractors, collaborators for common R&D efforts, etc.
  • Technology & Innovation Exhibition 2007 attracts record numbers at Culham
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    The Technology & Innovation Exhibition, which promotes ‘Engineering Equipment and Associated Services’ to the UK nuclear industry returned to UKAEA Culham on June 28th, 2007. The exhibition, with its record number of 41 exhibitors, attracted several hundred members of the workforce and this year delegates from the ITER event visited the Exhibition. Deniese Willis, from the Fusion & Industry team, said, “Organising the ITER event to coincide with the Technology & Innovation Exhibition proved to be a great success."
  • Fact File – The ITER Project
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    ITER – the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor is a joint international research and development project that aims to demonstrate the scientific and technical feasibility of fusion power. ITER is being constructed at Cadarache in the South of France. The ITER partners in the project - are the European Union (represented by Euratom), Japan, China, India, South Korea, Russia and the USA. For more information visit www.iter.org
  • Fact File – ITER Procurement
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    On 28th June 2007, the European domestic agency for ITER was formally launched in Barcelona, under the name – ‘Fusion for Energy’ (www.fusionforenergy.europe.eu). The agency will work with European industry and research organisations to provide the components needed for ITER. Almost half the parts that make up ITER will come from Europe, in the form of ‘in kind’ contributions – those systems and components that each of the ITER Parties is committed to procure and deliver to ITER.
  • Fact File – UKAEA’s Fusion & Industry Team
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    The UKAEA Fusion & Industry team based at Culham Science Centre is committed to helping UK companies to bid for work from the national and international fusion programme. For further information visit www.fusion-industry.org.uk/. Other useful websites are www.iter.org, www.fusionforenergy.europa.eu/, www.efda.org.eidi, www.efda.org
  • Civil Engineering Opportunities at ITER for UK plc
    Fusion and Industry - 13 Jul 2007
    Jerry Sovka, Head of Civil Construction, outlined progress to-date and future civil contract requirements for construction at the ITER site in Cadarache. Site clearance and tree cutting was completed at the end of March and the next major activity will be the levelling of the site which entails cutting into limestone rock to make it all one level for building construction. Three million cubic metres of soil and rock have to be moved from the site where the nuclear buildings will be located.
  • Near Term ITER Engineering Opportunities
    Fusion and Industry - 12 Jul 2007
    Enrico Di Pietro, EFDA, described engineering services and procurement opportunities with the Barcelona Agency known as Fusion for Energy (F4E) (www.fusionforenergy.europa.eu) and expected tendering arrangements. He emphasised the importance of the EFDA industry database (www.efda.org/eidi) which is expected to be used to identify a short list of suitable companies to send the calls for tender. UK companies are urged to register after first contacting Dan Mistry, Fusion & Industry Manager.
  • Welcome to the NEW FUSION BUSINESS Ezine
    Fusion and Industry - 12 Jul 2007
    Welcome to the NEW FUSION BUSINESS Ezine from the Fusion and Industry team at Culham Science Centre. We hope you will enjoy our new electronic newsletter which replaces the printed Fusion Business of the past few years. Please click on the weblink at the end of each item to read more about the story and website information. If you have any comments on the e-zine or would like to suggest features or ideas for future issues please e-mail: deniese.willis@ukaea.org.uk
  • Culham Electromagnetics joins CIC
    Fusion and Industry - 27 Jun 2007
    Culham Electromagnetics Ltd is the latest company to take offices in Culham Innovation Centre. This has been set up by James Eastwood and Guy Morgan who have worked at Culham for many years in UKAEA Fusion and Culham Electromagnetics and Lightning Ltd amongst others. James commented “We have several decades of experience in computational physics and look forward to bringing our expertise to bear on solving practical problems for new customers.
  • Softek Opens Office at Culham
    Fusion and Industry - 26 Jun 2007
    Softek, a company that provides selected IT Security Solutions and Professional Services throughout the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands has opened an office at Culham Innovation Centre. Founded in 1994, this is Softek’s second UK office. Mike Paffard, Sales Director, commented, "Due to massive expansion, and the exceptional take up of our latest Solutions from Deepnet and Astaro, we have found it necessary to further expand our UK capabilities
  • UKAEA Fusion & Industry … Meets the Buyer
    Fusion and Industry - 15 Jun 2007
    UKAEA Fusion and Industry took to the road recently to take part in the UKTI’s Meet the Buyer Energy Event at MUFC’s Old Trafford Stadium. The ‘Meet the Buyer’ format offers companies 15 minute slots to introduce their company, its products and services to potential buyers and learn of the buyer’s company and current / future procurement requirements and the tendering process. Website ?
  • Castings Company Wins €2.5m ITER like Wall Contract
    Fusion and Industry - 15 Jun 2007
    Castings Company Wins €2.5m ITER like Wall Contract Sheffield-based, Castings Technology International (CTI) has won a €2.5m contract to supply 2,000 steel castings for the ITER-like wall (ILW) project being undertaken at JET. The EFDA funded ILW project is being used to evaluate different first wall configurations for the ITER first wall. Web site link to Casting Technology International

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