ALSNews is a biweekly electronic newsletter to keep users and other interested parties informed about developments at the Advanced Light Source, a national user facility located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California. To be placed on the mailing list, send your name and complete internet address to ALSNews@lbl.gov. We welcome suggestions for topics and content.

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ALSNews           Vol. 15           March 7, 1995

Table of Contents


    1. OPERATIONS UPDATE
    2. IMPROVEMENTS FOR USERS
    3. HOUSING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FROM LBL RECEPTION CENTER
    4. USER ADVISORIES NOW AVAILABLE AND IN-THE-WORKS
    5. USER SUGGESTIONS REQUESTED

1. OPERATIONS UPDATE
(contact: rmmiller@lbl.gov)

The ALS has achieved a near-perfect performance during its two weeks of user operations since the end of the Jan-Feb shutdown. With an average lifetime of 10 hours at 400 mA, the ALS operated for 98.2% of its scheduled hours during user shifts and 97.1% of its scheduled hours overall during the week of Feb. 27 to Mar. 5, an enviable record. The average pressure in the ring is now on the order of 10e-9 torr (and continually improving), and the average startup time each morning is only 1 hour.

Operations summary for March 7-22
1.5-GeV, 400-mA, 320-bunch operations for users:
    March 8, 16:00-23:15
    March 9-12, 08:00-23:15
    March 15, 16:00-23:15
    March 16-17, 08:00-23:15
    March 18-19, 08:00-16:00
    March 22, 16:00-23:15
1.5-GeV, 1-mA, 320-bunch operations for users:
    March 18-19, 16:00-23:15
Maintenance:
    March 13 & 20, 08:00-16:00, with startup 16:00-23:15
Accelerator Physics:
    March 7, 14, & 21, 08:00-23:15
    March 8, 15, & 22, 08:00-16:00

**ADDITIONAL OPERATIONS COORDINATORS**

Two additional operations coordinators have been added to the Beamline Operations Section headed by Ray Thatcher. The operations coordinator(s) on duty is the main point of contact for users on the experiment floor. The coordinators work the same schedule as the accelerator operators so there is always one coordinator (and usually a backup person) on duty during the day and swing shifts, seven days a week. The new ALS operations coordinators are Glenn Ackerman and Mike Wolfe, who join the existing crew of Cheryl Hauck and Ray Thatcher (supervisor).

2. IMPROVEMENTS FOR USERS

The ALS is working closely with current users and members of the Users' Executive Committee (UEC) to improve our level of service. Recent additions and improvements include a new Chemistry Laboratory in Building 10 (adjacent to the ALS experiment floor area), a new shipping and receiving area in Building 7 to expedite delivery of user equipment, and a new procedure to ensure a timely response to all comments and suggestions noted by users on the User Services Questionnaire (our customer satisfaction survey).

**NEW CHEMISTRY LABORATORY**

A new Chemistry Laboratory for users is now available in Building 10, Room 102 (next door to the ALS Building). This joins the existing user facilities: the user machine shop (Building 10, Room 111) and the clean assembly room (Building 10, Room 106).

The Chemistry Laboratory has been initially equipped with:
- Fume hood with cabinets for flammables and acids below. 
    Contact Ray Thatcher (ext. 7412) if you need to leave equipment 
    unattended in the fume hood. Additional liquid storage cabinets
    are available across the hall in Room 104.
- Refrigerator for flammable materials
- De-ionizing high-purity water system
- 1 1/2 gallon (5.7 liter) ultrasonic cleaner
- Metler balance
- Eyewash and shower

Note: There are safety rules that must be followed when using the Chemistry Laboratory. The ALS Safety Handbook (PUB 745) and the LBL Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan (PUB 5341) outline the safety requirements for meeting LBL standards for chemical hygiene and safety.

**NEW SHIPPING AND RECEIVING AREA**

The ALS has also set up a new shipping and receiving area in Building 7 to help expedite the delivery of user equipment (contact Ray Thatcher for more information, Tel: 510-486-7412, Email: rkthatcher@lbl.gov). The details of how to send and receive shipments of user equipment to ensure timely delivery will be contained in the upcoming ALS User Advisory "Receiving and Sending Shipments from the ALS." Copies will be available in the User Services Area near Beamline 9.0 and from ALS Administration.

3. HOUSING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FROM LBL RECEPTION CENTER

The LBL Reception Center now offers a variety of housing services to assist visitors to the Laboratory. They can help arrange short-term housing at local hotels or Bed and Breakfast accommodation, and local mid- to long-term housing. The Reception Center also maintains listings submitted by employees and local residents for rooms and houses for rent. For assistance, contact LBL Reception Center Housing Services, Tel: (510) 486-6198, Fax: (510) 486-6169.

4. USER ADVISORIES NOW AVAILABLE AND IN-THE-WORKS

User Advisories are designed to provide information on new services or facilities for users, or guidelines for how to meet LBL requirements in areas of concern to users, such as special safety issues. They are available in the User Services Area near Beamline 9 and from ALS Administration.

Here is a list of those currently available:
No. 1: Affixing Beamline and Endstation Components to the ALS Floor
       (Location of Grade Beams and Conduits)
No. 2: Electrical Cable Wire and Routing Requirements
No. 3: Avoiding Overloads on AC Circuits
No. 4: Guidelines for Meeting Seismic Requirements for User Equipment
No. 5: Beamline Electrical Safety Guidelines
No. 6: Laser Safety Policies for Class 3b and Class 4 Lasers
No. 7: Obtaining Supplies On Short Notice

Other advisories now being prepared include: 
- Receiving and Sending Shipments from the ALS
- Vacuum Policy for User Endstations for Protection of Beamline Components
   and Storage Ring Vacuum
- ALS Policy for Exhausting Mechanical Pumps 
- ALS User Chemistry Laboratory - Information and Safety Requirements
- Labor Rate Information and Accounting Reports for Users

5. USER SUGGESTIONS REQUESTED

**LOANER POOL OF EQUIPMENT**
(contact: terminello@cms1.llnl.gov)

One item discussed at the recent UEC meeting was the need for a "loaner pool" of equipment that users could borrow for a short period of time while at the ALS such as turbopumps, oscilloscopes, leak detectors, electrometers, etc. At present, the ALS only has a limited supply of such equipment, and has asked the UEC to provide a more complete list of equipment desired. UEC member Lou Terminello (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) has agreed to compile this list, and requests that users send him their suggestions at terminello@cms1.llnl.gov.

**NEXT REVISION OF ALS USERS' HANDBOOK**
(contact: jccross@lbl.gov)

The next revision of the ALS Users' Handbook is planned for late-April or May to coincide with the ALS Administration move to Building 4 (to make way for construction of the Structural Biology Support Facility in part of Building 80). Any comments/suggestions for improvements or additions to the handbook will be gratefully accepted. Please contact Jane Cross , Tel: (510) 486-4362, Email: jccross@lbl.gov.