The Mechanical Service Facility provides technical assistance to the research laboratories of the Department of Physics. It has a thirty-year long experience in the development of equipment and systems for scientific and technological research.

It realizes and optimizes innovative systems and prototypes of high technological standards. It also develops advanced structures to provide services characterized by high technical-scientific performance.

To this goal, the Mechanical Service collaborates with research institutes and industries which are active in the fields of interest from the mechanical sectors, and in particular of those specifically dealing with advanced materials, as well as with optical, electronics and aerospace components.

The Mechanical Service promotes training activities aiming to increase the in loco know-how in this sector, in order to continuously improve the performance of the Service and prepare to face the forthcoming challenges.

The Mechanical Service Facility is equipped with a set of machines, mostly of the traditional type, which allow realization of a wide range of assemblies, even including special materials such as ceramics, tungsten, molybdenum, arcap, nickel and special aluminum alloys or inox steels, and plastic materials such as PTFA, ERTALON, policarbon, PVC, nylon polymethylmethacrylate.

The specialists working in the Mechanical Service offer technical assistance and advising to investigators and students, as well as external users. The laboratory can usually meet most of the user needs, as far as the design and realization of pieces of equipment is concerned.

The work management of this Service is structured in order to maximize the flexibility and the independence in the realization of the different products.

This is an essential aspect, since most of the components produced for the experimental setups have to be realized in a single copy. In addition, independence and flexibility in the operation allow efficient production and testing of new pieces which were not planned in advance.

This is often necessary in the testing and design phase of new experimental equipments and prototypes. Such an activity has a significant impact in reducing waiting times and contributes to increase the productivity of the different research laboratories.

Typical products

  • Ionization chambers for particle beams
  • Cryogenic systems and tools
  • Exhibits for Physics education and Science Communication
  • Precision manufacturing, with special materials
  • Robotic micrometric movements in vacuum
  • Driving and positioning of complex systems
  • Mechanical design of experimental setups
  • Quadrupoles, electron guns, and magnetic deflectors
  • Repair and calibration of mechanical facilities
  • Geotechnical instrumentation
  • TIG Technology: special welding, also with niobium
  • Ultra high vacuum chambers and facilities

Most significant activities

  • “Exhibits for the Communication of Sciences to the general public” by the Tridentine Museum of Natural Science, within the exhibitions: “Spaziale! Astronomia in Mostra” – “Prova a Volare!” – “Giochi di Einstein” - “Destinazione Stelle”;
  • “Polariscopy for photoelasticity measurements”, DIMS – Geotechnical Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering UNITN;
  • “Electron gun for positrons physics”, Università la Sapienza – Roma;
  • “Tunable support, with linear and angular mobility for parabolic mirrors”, IdEA Laboratory – Department of Physics;
  • “Chemical reactor for immobilization of micro-organism in alginate microspheres” DIMTI – Chemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering;
  • “Infiltration column for measurement of ground pressure”, DIMS – Geotechnical Laboratory- Faculty of Engineering;
  • “Tunable support for mass tests”, LISA project, Low-Temperature Laboratory - Department of Physics;
  • “Photo-acoustic cells for detection of trace gases”, FAM Laboratory, Department of Physics and CNR-IFN;
  • “Mixer for deposition of micro-organisms by the Biosil technique”, DIMTI – Chemistry Laboratory – Faculty of Engineering;
  • “UHV Linear translator for micro-balance”, CNR-IFN, Trento;
  • “Vacuum Heat transmitter for solar energy concentrator”, IdEA Laboratory – Department of Physics;
  • “Assembling system for 4-mass pendulum”, LISA project, Low-Temperature Laboratory – Department of Physics.

Service Members

Responsible Fabrizio Gottardi
Staff Paolo ManfrediGiuseppe PintoMichele Tomasi