NOvA Panel Project
Photo Gallery:
Extrutech Plastics, Inc. located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin is pleased to have been part of such a great project, working closely with Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory of Chicago, Ilinois, over the course of many years, from early testing and development to production. We are proud to have worked with such a dedicated group that made it possible to complete our part of this project in the required time and budget. With the first panel test samples starting in 2008 and development of specialized production, testing and quality control methods leading to a one of a kind design specific panel for this project.
Full production started in 2010 working three shifts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There was minimal down time over the course of the project with the last panels produced the end of 2013. Over this time Extrutech Plastics manufactured over 22,000 panels, each about 51 feet long 2 1/2″ thick by 25 1/2″ wide. Set end to end the panel would cover 216 miles. Enough to fill 396 semi-truck loads all shipped to Ash River in Northern Minnesota for assembly and installation in specially constructed building with the lower half cut out of solid bed rock.
Weighting in at over 15,000 TONS with a length of (78m) 256 feet long, (15.6m) 51 feet wide and (15.6m) 51 feet high the PVC Panels Extruded by Extrutech Plastics, Inc. is the largest PVC structure built in the world. Developed by Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory and Aragonne National Lab of Chicago IL; working in collaboration with numerous institutions, the US Department of Energy, the University of Minnesota and many companies from around the world over the course of many years. The NOvA project is in the final construction phase of completion.
Specifications See Our Catalog Request Information
Trim Details (PDF – 327KB)
Extrutech Panel Instructions (PDF – 504KB)
NOVA PANEL PROJECT
2008 JUNE 6th
ASH RIVER SITE breaks ground to mark the start of construction phase of NOvA Detector Facility in Northern Minnesota close to the Canada boarder. (Image by Extrutech)
2009 Oct 19th
ASH RIVER SITE work progressing with stone removal from solid stone ledge that will make up the lower area of the chamber room. (Image by Fermilab)
2010 May 14th
ASH RIVER SITE Site work taking shape with main chamber room stone removal, that will make up the lower area of the chamber room. (Image by Extrutech)
2008 NOV 19th
R & D production of 51′ foot extruded NOvA Panels for trial development starts at Extrutech Plastics, Inc., Manitowoc, WI. (Image by Extrutech)
2009 NOV 17th
NOvA project awarded to Extrutech Plastics to produce 23,000 – 51′ foot long panels for NOvA project. Shown is here is Greg Sheehy, President, Extrutech Plastics,Inc. with Chuck Grozis Project Manager. (Image by Extrutech)
2011 Dec 12th
Mammoth, custom built, NOvA Pivoter used in assembly of the panel blocks. Moves each the of 51’x 51′ x 8′ thick blocks the length of the hall, then pivots each assembled block to its vertical position. (Image by Fermilab)
2012 Sept 5th
First NOvA full Block segment moved into position. Block A is the first of 28 Blocks that make up Fermilab’s Neutrino Detector at Ash River Minnesota. (Image by Fermilab)
2011 Jan 13th
Full production of 51′ foot panels for the NOvA Project is under way at Extrutech Plastics. (Image by Extrutech)
2013 June
Installation and testing of instruments of NOvA Block segments. (Image by Fermilab)
Click NOvA on the links below:
- NOvA’s first neutrino, in Symmetry Magazine May 6 2014
- To learn more about the NOvA Project and the study of Neutrino’s
- NOvA Project Overview
- NOvA Neutrino Detector records first 3D particle
- Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory NOvA Project
2011
Sample Panel testing is preformed by NOvA Project team. (Image by Extrutech)
2013 June
Installation and testing of instruments of NOvA Block segments. (Image by Fermilab)
Extrutech Plastics, Inc.
Located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA – Custom Extruder
2013 Dec
Final Panels are completed at Extrutech Plastics for last shipment to Ash River Site for assembly and installation. (Image by Extrutech)
One of hundreds of pallet shipments of the 51′ long PVC panels that will be shipped to Ash River, Minnsota to make up the target structure of the NOvA Far Detector. (Image by Extrutech)