Target Pressure Testing Station

Designed for Lawrence Livermore’s National Ignition Facility, this Target Pressure Testing Station enables reliable validation of fragile, one‑of‑a‑kind targets under extreme conditions. The system integrates vacuum testing, dual leak detection, and real‑time data visualization to ensure experiment‑ready integrity in a high‑stakes fusion environment.

The logo of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, featuring a blue square with white stylized 'LL' initials and the full name in bold blue text.
Laboratory setup with a gas flow system, including a metallic chamber, pipes, monitors displaying graphs, and electronic equipment on a metal frame.

Before fragile, one-of-a-kind targets ever face the world’s most powerful laser at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility, they need to prove they can take the pressure, literally. That’s where our system comes in.

Designed from the ground up, our Target Pressure Testing Station gives LLNL technicians a reliable, user-friendly way to simulate extreme conditions, verify seals, and catch leaks before it’s too late. With dual leak detection methods, a vacuum-sealed chamber, and a custom-built GUI that streams live pressure and temperature data from LabVIEW, the system brings precision and control to a high-stakes environment.

From the GUI to the frame, every part of the design was built with real-world lab workflows in mind. Because when your experiment could change the future of fusion energy, failure isn’t an option.

Dashboard interface for a test station showing chamber data graph, system metrics, valve statuses, and system info; sidebar menu with options like Dashboard, Live Data, Run Test, Reports, Layout, Settings, and Logout.

I built the entire Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the Target Pressure Testing Station from the ground up. Written in Python, the GUI connects to LabVIEW via custom TCP/IP sockets, streams real-time pressure and temperature data, and presents it through clean, intuitive visuals. Technicians can start tests, monitor leak rates, log chamber data, and export results — all through a dashboard designed specifically around their workflow. Every element was engineered to be readable, responsive, and reliable under real lab conditions.

To ensure robustness, I developed a simulated test server that mimicked chamber pressure decay, letting me stress-test the GUI before hardware was even available. I also helped bridge electronics integration, ensuring seamless communication with the DAQ system. In short, I turned raw data into actionable insight — making it easier for LLNL technicians to qualify targets before they’re exposed to the most powerful laser system on Earth.

A scientific poster titled 'Warm Target Pressure Testing Station' from UC Davis College of Engineering and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering depicts a testing station with labels, diagrams, and flowcharts. The poster includes sections on background, design overview, simulation, pressure test software design, components selection, testing, pressure test procedure, future works, and acknowledgments.
A scientific document discussing the need and goals for a Target Testing Station. Includes a photo labeled 'Figure 0: Example Target' showing a cylindrical target with two long wires extending from it.
Diagram of a chamber subsystem with labeled components: guide rails, linear actuator, chamber, chamber lid, chamber brake, and O-ring + channel. The image accompanies a design description for a laboratory chamber.
Diagram of a gas bag target connected to a P&ID system showing gas feed in green, vacuum systems in blue, and system vent in orange, with components like vacuum chamber, pumps, valves, and a leak detector.
A diagram showing P&ID layout for gas bag targets testing with a vent system, feed gas line, and multiple target lines. Includes a Phoenix Vario Leak Detector and Edwards XDS20i vacuum pump. Text explains testing methods: Max Shot Pressure, Rate of Fall, and Helium Leak Detection.
Diagram showing layout and final design for P&ID, including steps for calculating volume of lines to target in a gas system with components like vent system, gas bag target, and feed gas, with instructions for filling reservoir, setting pressures, and applying Boyle's Law.
Flowchart illustrating electronics layout design process, including sensors, terminal block, NI cDAQ, LabVIEW, and GUI, with diagrams of terminal blocks, NI cDAQ hardware, and LabVIEW code.
A screenshot of a GUI dashboard interface displaying chamber data, system status, system metrics, and valves. The sidebar includes options like Dashboard, Live Data, Run Test, Reports, Layout, Settings, and Logout.
A technical chart showing material selection and manufacturability for parts like chamber, chamber lid, chamber plate, and frame. It includes details on materials, justification, and manufacturing methods, with diagrams of the parts.
A scientific analysis and testing plan related to the system identification of a linear actuator, including formulas for system gain and damping coefficient, with steps for model validation and simulation for PID tuning.
Analysis and testing plan for frame analysis detailing motivation, results, and next steps, with two color-coded 3D structural diagrams showing stress and deformation levels.
CAD render of a testing station with a control computer, monitor displaying graphs, and a transparent enclosure housing test equipment and piping, connected to a mechanical testing apparatus.
A detailed engineering schematic of a piping subsystem for a P&ID system, showing various pipes, valves, and fittings, alongside a diagram of a gas bag target.
Diagram of pressure control system including vent system, gas bag target, and feed gas, with components such as pressure transducers, back pressure regulators, needle valve, forward pressure regulators, and Baratron pressure transducer, showing lines and monitoring points for maintaining and monitoring pressure in a target manifold.
Diagram of a pressurized chamber with gas flow lines. Green lines indicate pre-target gas feed and bottom target gas return; red lines show post-target gas return. Blue annotations highlight the importance of pressure readings on either side to be the same without blockages. Red X marks indicate blockages or issues in the system.
Diagram of a lab equipment frame with access drawers, and specifications for designing the frame, including the ability to carry components, accessibility, removable equipment, and bolting details.
A schematic diagram of an electronic linear actuator system including a motor driver, stepper motor, magnetic encoder, microcontroller, and a load controlled by a gear and screw mechanism.
Screenshot of a user interface for graphical user interface (GUI) design showing a reports page with a pop-up window for user input, and corresponding exported test data in CSV/PDF format.
Diagram of a target vibration test setup with labels for chamber, phone accelerometer, guide rails, chamber plate, and red dots at the connections, alongside graphs of collision test trial results and maximum acceleration vibration, and a note on conducting a linear actuator collision test.
Diagram showing a cylindrical chamber with a color gradient from blue to green indicating stress levels, annotated with a minimum of 11.1. The image is part of a report on chamber vacuum analysis, including results for safety factors and future design steps.
A screenshot of a technical document titled 'Analysis & Testing: Data Visualization,' detailing steps for validating GUI functionality with pressure and temperature data points, including initial data integration, simulated testing, cross-page sync, and logging/export, with a diagram illustrating API socket functionality between client and server during handshake, bi-directional messages, and channel closure.