A.G. Miller recently worked with engineers from Caltech and MIT to design and build six gigantic containers used to transport seismic isolation platforms.

MIT’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) uses these platforms to assist with monitoring gravity waves.

Each container weighs approximately 3,800 pounds. The square base of each container measures 112 inches x 112 inches and are 12 feet tall. The round cover measures 107 inches in diameter and is more than 65 inches tall.

“It took more than 600 hours of cutting, machining, welding and painting to complete the six containers,” said A.G. Miller President, Rick Miller. This project required a mix of machining stainless steel and aluminum plate, and required a close fit between the cover and the base. “This was probably the most difficult to achieve,” said LIGO/MIT Engineer, Sam Barnum.

A.G. Miller utilized their powder coating system on the container’s base. Their eight foot power roll made it possible to roll the stainless steel cover.

Each container also included special pressure release valves to help equalize the internal pressure of the container when transporting the platforms over the Rocky Mountains.

The project was extremely sensitive, and no chemicals, grease or soap could ever enter the containers. The containers also needed to be sealed air tight, as anything which entered could affect the equipment’s performance. A.G. Miller accomplished this by fabricating a 10-foot diameter flange with a machined “O-ring” groove.

“We chose A.G. Miller for this job after they were recommended to us,” said Barnum. “This is exactly the sort of work they do well.”

More great news!

A.G. Miller Co., Inc. recently received International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) registration from the United States State Department. This designation is required by most defense and space related customers and confirms A.G. Miller will not export, release or disclose information to foreign nationals inside or outside the United States without first complying with ITAR export authorization requirements.

About A.G. Miller Co., Inc.

The A.G. Miller Co., Inc. is a custom precision metal fabricator located in Springfield, Massachusetts. For more than nine decades, three generations of the Miller family have maintained our position as a leader in the Metal Fabricating Industry.

Our variety of equipment and highly skilled staff allows us to serve a wide customer base including the food, medical, computer, electronic, OEM, construction and defense industries. The products we manufacture are equally diverse, and include computer control consoles, stainless steel tanks and hoods, machine bases, custom brackets and hardware, decorative architectural work and enclosures of every size and shape.

When you have a precision job you need done right the first time, call us at (413) 732-9297.

Visit our website: www.AGMiller.com.

A note from our customer…

“A.G. Miller has been very good to work with in every respect: competence, communication, timeliness, competitiveness. I would recommend them to anyone who needs work done in their field of business.” -Sam Barnum, LIGO/MIT