8/3 Assembly Progress Summary

For this design, we are starting with the designs of Y. Fei and others (Geophysical Laboratory). Kurt Leinenweber is developing and testing a modified Fei 8/3 assembly that is broadly similar in design, but there are changes in the fabrication techniques and in the pressure medium, in order to make it easier to distribute the design to many laboratories and to reduce the difficulty of use. The modifications currenly being tested are: 1. EDM-cut rhenium furnaces, for excellent reproducibility of power relations, and ease of assembly. 2. New injection-molded octahedra, for reducing preparation time (the sample hole is already molded into the octahedron) and improving reliability (the centering of the hole is based on a machined mold and is reproducible compared to drilling a hole in an octahedron). 3. Fully pre-milled gaskets for high precision and ease of assembly. 4. Laser-cut paper backing for ease of assembly. 5. Nesting plates for highly symmetric assembly, which may help with thermocouple success rates.

PARTS (listed from the outside in):

1. Laser-cut paper

2. Pyrophyllite gaskets: * x 3.36 mm.

3. Octahedron: Injection-molded ceramic ASU *.

 

2.