In one corner of the ITER Assembly Hall, work has started on the second of the six central solenoid modules. Once all six modules are stacked one on top of another, they will form the 18-meter-tall, 1,000-tonne ITER central solenoid.
Whether in the tokamak assembly pit, in one of the twin sub-assembly tools or in any support or transport structure, the positioning of a component requires both heavy machinery and subtle adjustment devices. This is particularly true of the central solenoid modules. As the approximately 2-meter-tall components are stacked upon one another, any deviation from nominal would be progressively amplified as the stacking progresses. The tolerance for deviation is low: no more than 20 mm for the 18-meter-tall structure once completed.
A third central solenoid module was received at ITER in June and a fourth is expected to ship before the end of the year. In total, US ITER contractor General Atomics is providing seven modules to the ITER Organization, one of them a spare.
Full story: https://www.iter.org/newsline/-/3918