Control of the Dipole Cold Mass Geometry at CERN to Optimize LHC Performance

The detailed shape of the 15 m long superconducting LHC dipole cold mass is of high importance as it determines three key parameters: the beam aperture, nominally of the order of 10 beam standard deviations; the connectivity of the beam- and technical lines between magnets; the transverse position of non-linear correctors mounted on the dipole ends. An offset of the latter produces unwanted beam dynamics perturbations. The tolerances are in the order of mm over the length of the magnet. The natural flexibility of the dipole and its mechanical structure allow deformations during handling and transportation which exceed the tolerances. This paper presents the observed deformations of the geometry during handling and various operations at CERN, deformations which are interpreted thanks to a simple mechanical model. These observations have led to a strategy of dipole geometry control at CERN, based on adjustment of the position of its central support (the dipole is supported at three positions, horizontally and vertically) to recover individually or statistically their original shape as manufactured. The implementation of this strategy is discussed, with the goal of finding a compromise between conflicting requirements: quality of the dipole geometry, available resources for corrective actions and magnet installation strategy whereby the geometry tolerances depend on the final magnet position in the machine.