Make your own tokamak with 3D printing!
It's not Lego, but it is definitely "hands-on." To offer a tangible device to illustrate the workings of magnetic confinement fusion in a tokamak, the ITER Organization has worked with the Hungarian Centre for Energy Research to create a 3D-printable model for students, teachers, and "makers" around the world. The model made its first public appearance during ITER's start-of-assembly celebration on Tuesday 28 July.
Newsline readers have been following with keen interest as ITER's supersized components have been navigating the seas and reinforced roadways en route to the ITER site. Fusion enthusiasts, the tech-geek maker community, and educators routinely send requests for ideas and materials to assist in explaining the complexities of the ITER machine to students and public audiences.
Responding to these requests, the ITER Communication team worked with Tamás Szabolics and Dénes Oravecz from the Centre for Energy Research (Eötvös Loránd Research Network), who used ITER's computer CAD drawings to create a simplified model suitable for 3D printing. The model will allow users to print out each major component, to explain the functions of the various magnet systems, and to follow along with ITER's assembly over the coming years.
See these resources for complete instructions: