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English: Tungsten Collimator Tooling for Stepped Slit and Dovetail Rail
This tungsten collimator case focuses on a stepped slit aperture and dovetail rail where the drawing feature that looks small controls function. Tooling is chosen to hold straight aperture walls while protecting thin septum ribs.
Collimator drawing features and cutter choice
| Feature | Tool and holder | Rejected alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Stepped slit aperture | 1.5 mm coated carbide necked end mill followed by micro slotting saw | The slit wall needs straightness; wire EDM is rejected for edge recast cleanup. |
| Thin septum ribs | 0.8 mm carbide finishing end mill, low radial engagement | Protects rib load; heavy roughing would snap the septa. |
| Dovetail rail | Form dovetail carbide cutter in rigid shrink holder | One controlled form pass keeps seating angle consistent. |
| Countersunk holes | Carbide drill, piloted counterbore and small chamfer mill | Separates screw seating from abrasive hole drilling. |
| Datum base | 50 mm positive carbide face mill, light passes | Controls flatness without hammering dense tungsten. |
Aperture-first machining sequence
Face the datum, rough the block conservatively, open the slit in balanced passes, finish the septa, and cut the dovetail only after the insert seats repeatably. Counterbores are last to keep clamping away from fragile internal ribs.
Tungsten edge and dust control
Tungsten heavy alloy is dense and abrasive. The process uses rigid holders, coated carbide, dust extraction, small radial engagement and frequent edge inspection. A tool is retired when it begins polishing rather than shearing.
Aperture inspection plan
Optical slit width, pin access, rail seating angle, base flatness and burrs on the radiation path are checked before acceptance.
Tungsten tooling FAQ
Why not rely on wire EDM for the slit?
The hypothetical plan avoids recast cleanup on radiation-path edges.
Which feature is most fragile?
The thin septum ribs beside the stepped aperture.
How is dust handled?
With dry extraction and short tool inspections rather than flood coolant slurry.
