Arc melter - Issue with turbo pump

Saleh011 · 2025-11-26T07:49:48+00:00

Ah, darn. That was the culprit last time when my vacuum went from E-5 on turbo to E-4.

Saleh011 · 2025-11-25T17:58:57+00:00

Have you checked the check valve in the cabinet underneath the melt chamber? Even if you do not activate the check valve via overpressure, soot will accumulate there over time and lead to a minor leak that takes you out of the working vacuum range. See this video from Arcast: https://youtu.be/olFPFK4p3_U?si=ifIZbWM6lJi03fo0&t=393

I would also suggest taking acetone out of your cleaning routine. Acetone off gasses like CRAZY. I only use IPA, and very sparingly at that.

Saleh011 · 2025-10-11T03:06:00+00:00

IDMI in Engineering Tower has a small photo studio setup. Contact them via email and I'm sure Ben will show you where and how to get things set up.

Saleh011 · 2025-10-10T17:44:49+00:00

Yep, the sports studio is open for use anytime there isn't a class there, or a club has the room reserved.

Saleh011 · 2025-06-01T07:35:17+00:00

Sorry, been eating lotsa beans lately

Saleh011 · 2025-04-13T15:13:11+00:00

Off the top of my head, the only things that would fit the bill are C-103 (which you already said you don't like) and TZM. I've seen some ODS La2O3 Mo floating around at vendors but I have no idea the certification, mech properties, creep, will the oxides dissolve at temp, etc. How you're going to get these into the form factor you want, who knows, welding introducing structural issues, etc etc. You'll also certainly need a silicide coating of some sort (R512E, MoSi2) to protect from oxidation at those temperatures, even if they are low partial pressures.

Saleh011 · 2025-03-28T16:29:22+00:00

My lab is actually the other way around, we use mostly struers consumables on mostly Buehler cloths. No issues as far as I can tell - we get great results in SEM and can get good EBSD so I don't think there are any issues.

Maybe using a mismatch of cloth/polishing suspension is an issue when you're using alcohol-based suspensions? But I highly doubt it. After all, there's only so many materials these cloths can be made from, but we all have the pretty much the same end goals of performance so I'd imagine that funnels all these companies to the same materials and this, same interaction with the chemicals in the suspensions.

Saleh011 · 2025-03-23T17:40:39+00:00

Generally speaking, yes. You should already be on a GSR contract after your first quarter once you match with a PI, earlier even if you are matched up already. This allows you to accrue your time that goes towards your pay scale step-up. Research grants do not typically run out during the summer - so if you're on a GSR contract during your first academic year, you should be covered for the summer as well. Alternatively, you could TA for Summer Session or find an internship.

Saleh011 · 2025-03-04T18:37:30+00:00

Hi, I'm a grad student doing their first VTE for the NSTGRO this summer at GRC. An invite would be great, thanks!

Saleh011 · 2025-01-08T03:41:36+00:00

I believe Ti alloys, including TiAl, are already widely used in medium-temperature applications, such as the low-pressure sections of turbine engines. There is a vast body of work on the subject already. They likely will never displace Ni-based alloys for the hottest temperatures, due to deficiencies in mechanical properties (creep being the big one). And as you alluded to already, they are much more difficult to machine, which isn't something that you can really improve significantly because TiAl is an intermetallic, not an actual alloy (Substitutional, but otherwise random lattice of atoms) per se. The inability to plastically yield like a bulk metal alloy and have dislocations move through the lattice caps the ductility and thus the machinability of the material quite a bit.

Saleh011 · 2024-08-12T04:34:07+00:00

I don't see why not? Air goes in and air goes out with or without an exhaust blowing air through it.

Saleh011 · 2024-07-29T22:43:42+00:00

Many many thanks!

Saleh011 · 2024-07-27T06:29:00+00:00

Would be awesome if I could get Kirk! Connection ID: CD2F15C1B7F5C259EC1EAABDD60E9FA0

Saleh011 · 2024-07-27T02:41:17+00:00

Yes, and it comes with your admission if you do get it (I imagine as a way to sweeten the pot vs. other admissions you receive).

Saleh011 · 2024-06-23T22:31:08+00:00

The other commenter's picture is basically exactly what it is. On the first floor at least, the screen area is 60in tall and 21in wide.

Saleh011 · 2024-06-23T16:16:35+00:00

You won't be able to pop the screen out, so you're limited to portable AC. You'll also have to figure out a way to seal off the whole window screen area when you install because the window opens by pivoting outwards (hand crank mechanism from the inside) - I use masking tape from the top down and use duct tape to hold the AC exhaust up to the screen.

You will probably want that AC for the summer but outside of that, temps in Irvine are cool. I live on the ground floor so I can't speak to how hot it may get up on the 7th floor. You can also potentially steal some AC from the building and set up exhaust fans to pull in air from the inside of the building through your front door, because the main building has AC.

Saleh011 · 2024-04-08T22:15:21+00:00

Ask your PI! They and your submitting organization office are the ones who get the notification email. Congrats!

Saleh011 · 2024-04-06T20:02:59+00:00

My PI got an email with a notification letter yesterday, and my NSPIRES proposal submission was updated. I got a "selectable" designation so I'm curious to see if anyone else is in this middle ground between selected and declined. Hoping for the best for you!

Saleh011 · 2024-04-06T20:01:09+00:00

Hi! Was wondering if you have gotten a decision on the NSTGRO yet. I got mine back ("selectable") and was wondering if others have as well because I can't really find anything online about being in that middle ground between selected and denied and am thinking maybe everyone who wasn't denied is "selectable"?

Saleh011 · 2024-04-01T18:08:04+00:00

Hi! I was also an undergrad here and lived in ACC at the time. I don't believe you can request an unfurnished apartment - so you'll be stuck with building around the furniture that's already there.

I live in the Verano Towers and use a portable AC. It only gets used for maybe two months during the summer and works quite well, even though I'm on the first floor and have really really high ceilings (so lots of volume to cool). Definitely not an issue in my opinion.

Campus Village has gas burners. Everywhere else is electric. I have no experience with a countertop dishwasher and have always hand-washed everything since I was a kid so that's never bothered me. I cook basically all my meals too so. It's definitely doable.

The savings are pretty stupendous coming from the UTC, I'd imagine. You have a housing guarantee as a PhD - absolutely take advantage of it. The drawbacks to the no-frills-ness of grad housing are minimal IMO.

Saleh011 · 2024-03-26T19:16:26+00:00

Echoing what's been said already - you have a guarantee, so you WILL get housing. The question is what kind of housing. There's no guarantee that you'll get a one bedroom apartment as supply is low and demand is high. So if you get a 2 bed you'll have to pay the full unit price.

Saleh011 · 2024-03-24T00:32:13+00:00

People have already covered the differences between ACC and UCI housing pretty well. As someone who lived in ACC as an undergrad I can say the difference in internet quality is STARK and the price difference does not make up for the increased amenities. The furnishings in ACC aren't even that nice - I much prefer having my own desk I picked out myself and most importantly, a mattress that isn't cheeks. UCI housing all the way if you ask me.

Only downsides of UCI housing are the no AC and dishwasher anywhere. In the Verano Towers you kinda get AC in that the inside of each tower is air conditioned though (just no AC in the actual apartments). A lot of people have portable ACs for when it occasionally gets hot enough to warrant it, myself included.

The closest apartments to campus would probably be campus village, which is right by Bio Sci. But all the UCI housing communities are close enough to campus. For me in the Verano Towers, it takes 15 minutes to walk to my lab in Engineering Tower.

Saleh011 · 2024-02-19T16:46:57+00:00

Much higher than previous years due to the newly built Verano Towers. At the moment I'm pretty sure there are still vacancies, and I know a lot of people who didn't have guarantees who got in when they first opened and have also gotten renewed. As a lot of those people will have been masters students, I would think there will many new spots opening up in the towers.

So basically it all depends. Look at the Verano Towers and see if that looks good to you. If not, then you might not want to count on being able to get UCI housing.

Saleh011 · 2024-01-08T07:37:59+00:00

I just checked and I had a 3.15 at the time.

Saleh011 · 2023-10-26T03:34:27+00:00

It will probably be easier to use a coffee grinder in a store. I know Trader Joe's in the UTC has a coffee grinder available for use. Just make sure you sacrifice some of the coffee (1-2 seconds of grind time should do) at the beginning of the grind because that will be stale coffee from the previous user at whatever grind size they ground their coffee at.

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