The ITER story at a glance
involved in project
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How quality supports the quest for clean energy
Over the centuries, there have been numerous experiments that have found their way into the shared consciousness: Foucault’s pendulum; Doppler’s trumpets, Volta’s battery, and many others.
In terms of scale and impact, there is an experiment under construction in the South of France that could eclipse them all: ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. The project started in 2006 and works began in 2010 with the with the grandest of objectives – to harness the power of nuclear fusion, the same energy source that fuels the sun.
Its potential, if successful, would truly mark a new energy era for our planet. But to say the least, there are challenges ahead. To achieve success, the experiment must create an environment far hotter than the core of the Sun, which will generate a plasma and allow hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, to fuse and form helium. In doing so it will release large amounts of energy; hopefully many times more energy than was put into the process.
As you can imagine, this type of experiment involves a great deal more work to conduct than to conceive. Making a star on Earth requires a totally unprecedented level of skill and precision, but at the end of this colossal undertaking is the opportunity to harvest abundant safe, sustainable power to improve quality of life for everyone on the planet.
Alain Becoulet, the chief scientist at ITER, sums up the magnitude of this vision: “Quality of life depends on energy. And yet energy is one of the greatest challenges we face. We need cleaner, more efficient and more reliable energy than any other source. To make that a reality, we are creating a sun here on planet Earth.”
The fundamental need for control over quality
At the heart of ITER is the tokamak. This is the part of the system that traps the plasma with immensely powerful magnets, and the tokamak at ITER is the largest ever built. The machine itself at 28 metres across and 29 metres high. It weighs an incredible 23,000 tonnes.
As Metrology Principal Engineer at ITER, David Wilson, explains: “The alignment for the magnets is 1mm…the interfacing where we’re joining the conductors together is 100 microns.”
Beatrice Alix, the Metrology and Investigation Coordinator at ITER, highlights the importance of precision when dealing with such components: "It would be impossible to construct ITER without extremely precise metrology."
Leveraging Hexagon software, such as SpatialAnalyzer, gives the team at ITER the crucial ability to validate what is being constructed against the original design. Being able to do this is important in any manufacturing setting, but this is compounded by the nature of the project which comprises 45 member states, each contributing to the construction of this monumental reactor.
This global effort underscores the universal importance of quality inspection, as each piece must seamlessly integrate into the whole, regardless of its origin in the supply chain. The components are not only large, but also first-of-a-kind and thus vastly expensive, so reducing risk of issues such as collision and non-compatibility is absolutely essential to the ITER experiment.
Hexagon is our preferred supplier for metrology. We’ve had great support and a vast amount of capability.”
David Wilson
Metrology Principal Engineer, ITER Organisation
Beatrice Alix continues: “The Hexagon metrology equipment we use ranges from probing systems to scanning devices on the large volume side and handheld scanners for more close-up areas of the components.”
With hardware and software that can be completely trusted, the team has a chance of capturing non-conformities as early as possible during the process. The later these issues become evident, the bigger the problems and the bigger the cost to the project.
$15.8 M
cost of an F1 car
€128 M
team spending cap per season
1/10
of a second can determine a victory
20,000
updates to the car per season
400 GB
data gathered per race
50%
fewer faults in two years
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A championship spirit | The challenger culture | Making a legendary car | Right the first time | Looking to the future
How quality supports the quest for clean energy
Over the centuries, there have been numerous experiments that have found their way into the shared consciousness: Foucault’s pendulum; Doppler’s trumpets, Volta’s battery, and many others.
In terms of scale and impact, there is an experiment under construction in the South of France that could eclipse them all: ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. Work started in 2007 with the grandest of objectives – to harness the power of nuclear fusion, the same energy source that fuels the sun.
Its potential, if successful, would truly mark a new energy era for our planet. But to say the least, there are challenges ahead. To achieve success, the experiment must create an environment far hotter than the core of the Sun, which will generate a plasma and allow hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, to fuse and form helium. In doing so it will release large amounts of energy; hopefully many times more energy than was put into the process.
As you can imagine, this type of experiment involves a great deal more work to conduct than to conceive. Making a star on Earth requires a totally unprecedented level of skill and precision, but at the end of this colossal undertaking is the opportunity to harvest abundant safe, sustainable power to improve quality of life for everyone on the planet.
Alain Becoulet, the chief scientist at ITER, sums up the magnitude of this vision: “Quality of life depends on energy. And yet energy is one of the greatest challenges we face. We need cleaner, more efficient and more reliable energy than any other source. To make that a reality, we are creating a sun here on planet Earth.”
first plasma
individual components
"Quality is not simply a nice-to-have, it’s absolutely a must-have."
Alain Becoulet, Chief Scientist, ITER Organisation
Enhancing quality of life with cleaner energy
The availability of fusion energy could transform access to energy, providing an equitable solution to energy distribution challenges and helping to lift communities out of energy poverty.
Fusion energy offers several major advantages over traditional nuclear fission and fossil fuels. Unlike fission, fusion does not produce highly radioactive, long-lived waste, and it does not carry the meltdown risk. As Alain Becoulet explains: "The advantage between fission and fusion is that with fusion you cannot have a chain reaction and it cannot go out of control."
In addition, the fuel used - isotopes of hydrogen like deuterium and tritium - is abundant and widely distributed across the planet. This abundance, coupled with the minimal environmental impact of fusion, makes it an attractive energy solution for the future and this is why the experiment at ITER is so important for everyone on the planet.
A crucial next few years
The team at ITER expect initial operations to start in the mid 2030s, so all eyes will be on the project over the coming years. Every detail will need to be perfect; every millimetre alignment and interface, to ensure successful operation.
With Hexagon’s mastery of measurement and unique hardware and software portfolio, together we can build towards a more sustainable future by accelerating innovation in energy sources, to shape a better reality and improve quality of life for all.
Discover more about the solutions used at ITER to build the experimental reactor.
The team at ITER leverages a wide range of Hexagon’s metrology portfolio including laser trackers, scanners, probes and software to ensure all components fit perfectly.
Laser Tracker Systems
A long-term standard in industrial metrology: Laser tracker systems lead the field in terms of the accuracy, reliability and durability of portable coordinate measuring machines.
Absolute Scanner AS1
Hexagon’s flagship 3D scanning sensor gives the team at ITER the precision scan data they need and offers both simple usability and high-productivity non-contact 3D measurement.
SpatialAnalyzer
Hexagon’s SpatialAnalyzer metrology software is a powerful yet easy-to-use tool perfect for the analysis of large-scale applications, helping to improve measurement and inspection efficiencies.
Quality is not simply a nice-to-have, it’s absolutely a must-have”
Alain Becoulet
Chief Scientist, ITER Organisation
Tokamak weight
Magnet alignment
1mm
23,000
tonnes
Conductor tolerance
microns
100
Embed quality in your operation
The tools and solutions used by ITER are available to everyone. Connect with one of our expert team to find out more today.
The ITER story at a glance
involved in project
first plasma
individual components
Jump to:
How quality supports the quest for clean energy
Over the centuries, there have been numerous experiments that have found their way into the shared consciousness: Foucault’s pendulum; Doppler’s trumpets, Volta’s battery, and many others.
In terms of scale and impact, there is an experiment under construction in the South of France that could eclipse them all: ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. The project started in 2006 and works began in 2010 with the with the grandest of objectives – to harness the power of nuclear fusion, the same energy source that fuels the sun.
Its potential, if successful, would truly mark a new energy era for our planet. But to say the least, there are challenges ahead. To achieve success, the experiment must create an environment far hotter than the core of the Sun, which will generate a plasma and allow hydrogen isotopes, deuterium and tritium, to fuse and form helium. In doing so it will release large amounts of energy; hopefully many times more energy than was put into the process.
As you can imagine, this type of experiment involves a great deal more work to conduct than to conceive. Making a star on Earth requires a totally unprecedented level of skill and precision, but at the end of this colossal undertaking is the opportunity to harvest abundant safe, sustainable power to improve quality of life for everyone on the planet.
Alain Becoulet, the chief scientist at ITER, sums up the magnitude of this vision: “Quality of life depends on energy. And yet energy is one of the greatest challenges we face. We need cleaner, more efficient and more reliable energy than any other source. To make that a reality, we are creating a sun here on planet Earth.”
Quality is not simply a nice-to-have, it’s absolutely a must-have”
Alain Becoulet
Chief Scientist, ITER Organisation
The fundamental need for control over quality
At the heart of ITER is the tokamak. This is the part of the system that traps the plasma with immensely powerful magnets, and the tokamak at ITER is the largest ever built. The machine itself at 28 metres across and 29 metres high. It weighs an incredible 23,000 tonnes.
As Metrology Principal Engineer at ITER, David Wilson, explains: “The alignment for the magnets is 1mm…the interfacing where we’re joining the conductors together is 100 microns.”
Beatrice Alix, the Metrology and Investigation Coordinator at ITER, highlights the importance of precision when dealing with such components: "It would be impossible to construct ITER without extremely precise metrology."
Leveraging Hexagon software, such as SpatialAnalyzer, gives the team at ITER the crucial ability to validate what is being constructed against the original design. Being able to do this is important in any manufacturing setting, but this is compounded by the nature of the project which comprises 45 member states, each contributing to the construction of this monumental reactor.
This global effort underscores the universal importance of quality inspection, as each piece must seamlessly integrate into the whole, regardless of its origin in the supply chain. The components are not only large, but also first-of-a-kind and thus vastly expensive, so reducing risk of issues such as collision and non-compatibility is absolutely essential to the ITER experiment.
"Quality is not simply a nice-to-have, it’s absolutely a must-have."
Alain Becoulet, Chief Scientist, ITER Organisation
Hexagon is our preferred supplier for metrology. We’ve had great support and a vast amount of capability.”
David Wilson
Metrology Principal Engineer, ITER Organisation
Beatrice Alix continues: “The Hexagon metrology equipment we use ranges from probing systems to scanning devices on the large volume side and handheld scanners for more close-up areas of the components.”
With hardware and software that can be completely trusted, the team has a chance of capturing non-conformities as early as possible during the process. The later these issues become evident, the bigger the problems and the bigger the cost to the project.
Enhancing quality of life with cleaner energy
The availability of fusion energy could transform access to energy, providing an equitable solution to energy distribution challenges and helping to lift communities out of energy poverty.
Fusion energy offers several major advantages over traditional nuclear fission and fossil fuels. Unlike fission, fusion does not produce highly radioactive, long-lived waste, and it does not carry the meltdown risk. As Alain Becoulet explains: "The advantage between fission and fusion is that with fusion you cannot have a chain reaction and it cannot go out of control."
In addition, the fuel used - isotopes of hydrogen like deuterium and tritium - is abundant and widely distributed across the planet. This abundance, coupled with the minimal environmental impact of fusion, makes it an attractive energy solution for the future and this is why the experiment at ITER is so important for everyone on the planet.
A crucial next few years
The team at ITER expect initial operations to start in the mid 2030s, so all eyes will be on the project over the coming years. Every detail will need to be perfect; every millimetre alignment and interface, to ensure successful operation.
With Hexagon’s mastery of measurement and unique hardware and software portfolio, together we can build towards a more sustainable future by accelerating innovation in energy sources, to shape a better reality and improve quality of life for all.
Tokamak weight
Magnet alignment
1mm
23,000
tonnes
Conductor tolerance
microns
100
Embed quality in your operation
Learn more
Hexagon’s SpatialAnalyzer metrology software is a powerful yet easy-to-use tool perfect for the analysis of large-scale applications, helping to improve measurement and inspection efficiencies.
SpatialAnalyzer
Hexagon’s flagship 3D scanning sensor gives the team at ITER the precision scan data they need and offers both simple usability and high-productivity non-contact 3D measurement.
Absolute Scanner AS1
Discover more about the solutions used at ITER to build the experimental reactor.
The team at ITER leverages a wide range of Hexagon’s metrology portfolio including laser trackers, scanners, probes and software to ensure all components fit perfectly.
Laser tracker systems
A long-term standard in industrial metrology: Laser tracker systems lead the field in terms of the accuracy, reliability and durability of portable coordinate measuring machines.