Connectors & cables
Keeping CERN connected A
t CERN, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. They use the world's largest and
most complex scientific instruments to study the basic constituents of matter - the fundamental particles. The particles are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives the physicists clues about how the particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. The instruments used at CERN are purpose-
built particle accelerators and detectors. Accelerators boost beams of particles to high energies before the beams are made to collide with each other or with stationary targets. Detectors observe and record the results of these collisions. Precision and reliability are expected at
every stage of the development. CERN trusts Fischer Connectors for essential connectivity needs in measurement tools, vacuum pumps and chambers for monitoring and safety devices. “If we were last century and still logging
measurements on CDs, we could pile them up all the way to the moon and back,” jokes Francesco Bertinelli, Mechanicals and Materials Engineering group leader at CERN. “To force particle collisions and make sure we record them adequately, we develop very large machines made of very small components like connectors that once chosen you never go back to, unless there is an issue. Our collaboration with Fischer Connectors is efficient and they provide us with products meeting our requirements.” Almost 1,000 engineers and 1,000 technicians
work at CERN to understand and uncover some of our universe mysteries, and they need the right tools and the right suppliers to support them in their research. What would be the point of developing the world’s most powerful particle accelerator if at the time of impact your measurement device breaks down due to a faulty connection? That is where Fischer Connectors comes in with
expertise, reliability and innovation. “We understand CERN’s objectives, obligations
and limitations and so we work together to provide the right solutions to their very unique and specific needs,”explains Olivier Denis, Fischer Connectors’ key account manager who previously worked for CERN for five years. “As with all our customers, we deliver a complete solution based on connectors and cable assemblies, together with the level of service that must come with it. We help to find answers to your connectivity challenges and will ensure support to your project throughout its development answers.” The Fischer Core Series of rugged, sealed
connectors is one of Fischer Connectors’ building blocks and was originally designed in 1954 by Walter Werner Fischer, a specialised engineer who knew very well the limitations of the connectivity solutions in vacuum environments. Mr. Fischer developed the first sealed connector, and ten years later in 1964, the world’s first hermetic connector, both major breakthroughs for the industry. Vacuum environments are extremely common within the CERN facilities. Pumps that remove the gas molecules from a sealed volume to create partial vacuum or complete vacuum chambers are only a few places where you can
62 February 2019 Instrumentation Monthly
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