Laura Lambert wrote:

Thursday, May 28, 2015, 11:34 Endcaps were sintered [see elog#199] A Ta foil is placed in the target boat with separate slots for each endcap [see image] The target boat is wrapped with 3-layers of Ta-heat shield. The boat is installed in EVAP2, chamber is currently being pumped down.  Thursday, May 28, 2015, 14:01 HS water valves opened, no leaks detected. IGP1 = 1.4e-6 Torr. Initiating manual tap up.  Thursday, May 28, 2015, 15:10 Manually tapped up TGHT  to 108A, 1.1V Initiating auto-ramp at 2.0A/min with a max setpoint of 300A  Thursday, May 28, 2015, 15:22 Hoping to speed up the process... IGP1 = 1.0e-6 Torr. Increasing ramping rate to 4.0A/min with a max setpoint of 500A Final desired temperature = 1800C

 Thursday, May 28, 2015, 17:42

TGHT at 500A. Temp at 1780C.

Increased TGHT to 580A (online operating current),  Temp 1945C, vac 2.9e-6 torr and coming down.  Will remain at that current for the sintering process.

Cooling it down later this evening.

Thursday, May 28, 2015, 21:27  

Temp stabilized at 1960C with TGHT at 580A for almost 4 hours.  Vacuum at 1.8e-7 Torr.

Cooling down initiated at 2A/min.