Construction and assembly of the neutron radiography and tomography facility ANTARES at FRM II

In 2003, the components for the neutron radiography and tomography facility ANTARES were constructed and assembled at the beam line SR4B in the northeast corner of the experimental hall at FRM II (J. Radiat. Isotopes (2002), accepted for publication). ANTARES consists of an external beam shutter, flight tube, radiation shielding and measurement blockhouse. The shielding elements are constructed as steel casings filled with heavy concrete. Many harsh constrains in space, accessibility and other conditions (such as a very limited area accessible by the hall crane and restricted space due to surrounding instruments) made it necessary to develop special technical solutions for every step of the construction of the facility. From filling up shielding elements with heavy concrete in winter conditions (temperature below 0 °C) to the development of an hydraulics driven external shutter and collimator positioning system, new convex-shaped nearly one meter diameter vacuum flanges and windows, the development of a movable 30-ton wall on rails as blockhouse door, upto the assembly and exact positioning of heavy components (upto 50 tons) using air cushions, ball casters and a special small truck-mounted telescopic crane.