Assembly of a Mechanical Model of MQXFB, the 7.2-m-Long Low- $\beta$ Quadrupole for the High-Luminosity LHC Upgrade

© 2002-2011 IEEE. The Nb 3 Sn low-β quadrupole MQXF is being developed as a part of the High-Luminosity large hadron collider(LHC) upgrade project. The magnet will be produced in two different configurations, sharing the same cross section but with different lengths. A 7.2-m mechanical model of MQXFB was recently assembled at european organization for nuclear research (CERN) with one copper coil, two low-grade coils, and one rejected coil. Coildimensions were measured with a portable coordinate measurement machine. The coil pack shimming was designed in order to optimize the field quality and the contacts between the coils and the collars. The azimuthal preload target was defined using the short models experience. The mechanical behavior during loading was monitored by means of strain gauges. The results demonstrated that the structure can provide the required prestress to the coils.