The trigger system

The LPP team has been working to resolve an issue with the trigger system this week.  The team assembled the machine last week, but did not have their first shot as they were unable to get the trigger system, which triggers the 12 switches on the capacitors, to function as expected.

The troubleshooting seems to be going well.  I’m giving the crew their space to work.  Not to be superstitious, but I don’t want to be like this guy. 

Partially assembled

For your information, here is a picture of the trigger generator in an earlier stage of the assembly.

In the image below, you can see the trigger generator to the right.

Fully assembled

Here’s a view of the top of the machine, covered up with weights.  You can just see the trigger generator behind the stack of boratron and bricks.

Note the orange wire running across the bricks, leading to the trigger generator.  This is a fiber optic cable that connects the control unit to the trigger generator.  When they yell “fire, “ they press a red button on the control unit, which sends an infrared signal through this orange wire to kick everything off.