Mechanics Workshop

Organizational Unit

Grants related:

Description

The Mechanics Workshop manufactures, verifies and assembles the mechanical parts and components required by the different instrumentation development projects of the IAC. The staff of the Mechanics Workshop also provides support for manufacturing tasks and mechanical adjustment to the telescopes at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife and the Roque de los Muchachos in the island of La Palma. In addition, the workshop can provide service to public and private companies in manufacturing activities related to R&D&I in those aspects not easily realizable by commercial companies.The Mechanics Workshop is prepared for the production of single units or medium/small series of mechanical pieces usually requiring high precision. The manufacture can be made in metallic materials, steel, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, bronze... and in a wide variety of plastics, according to the needs. In order to assess that the manufactured parts comply with the specifications, they are verified in the Laboratory of Dimensional Metrology which is equipped with machines and tools for carry out high precision measurements. The workshop has an area of 668 m2 divided into several zones: the machine tool zone with machining, digital and conventional lathe and grinder centers; the auxiliary machine zone which houses a folding machine, bending machine, bandsaw, drills, etc; the paint zone which has a paint booth; the soldering zone with TIG, MIG, Plasma, Oxyacetylene welders (with homologated personnel for steel, stainless steel and aluminum welding); the heat and shot blasting treatment zone; anodizing zone and finally, the mechanical materials and component storage zone. The equipment of the Mechanics Workshop has been partially financed by ERDF funds.

Related Technical facility
General view of the Dimensional Metrology Laboratory with several measuring machines, one of bridge type on a table and another in the form of an arm on a tripod
Dimensional Metrology Laboratory

In the Dimensional Metrology Laboratory it is verified that the manufactured parts meet the required design specifications.

Partial view of the technical drawing workshop with a technician working in front of a desktop computer
Technical Drawing Workshop

In the Technical Drawing Workshop the mechanical fabrication drawings are produced

Related Capability
Image of an engineer working on the final assembly of the grisms wheel of the EMIR instrument in the laboratory. Large black metal wheel with holes for optical components
Design, development and manufacture of opto-mechanical systems and precision mechanics

The mechanical engineering team of the IAC has experience and knowledge to undertake the design, manufacture and assembly of high precision structures, mechanisms and opto-mechanical systems

Rear view of the EMIR instrument in GTC with engineers working on the cryogenic system. Large cylindrical structure with metallic tubes and electronic controls
Design, development and manufacture of cryogenic and vacuum systems

The astronomical observation in the infrared range of the spectrum requires the use of cryogenic systems where high vacuum and very low temperature technologies are combined.