In CERN's subway laboratories, where the deepest mysteries of matter are explored, there is also room for Chilean talent and engineering. A team from the Millennium Institute SAPHIR actively participates in the NA-64 experiment, collaborating in the development of a sophisticated moving table: a platform specially designed to lift and move calorimeters of up to 8 tons, a key piece in the operation of this particle physics experiment.
Recently, this structure—designed and manufactured entirely in Chile—reached a key milestone: it successfully passed its most rigorous load test, the final step in CERN’s technical certification process.
“The machine was subjected to stress and pushed to its operational limits, but it continued to function stably and without issues,” explains Carlos Flores, a technical specialist at CTEPP UNAB and SAPHIR. “This certifies that it is capable of withstanding a nominal load of up to 8 tons, a major achievement for the domestic industry, as this would be the first machine of its kind to be manufactured in Chile and installed at CERN.”
The significance of this achievement is even greater when viewed in an international context. “Currently, CERN has German, French, and Italian machines that perform similar tasks, but with lower load capacities or higher prices,” says Flores. “One of the challenges of the project was to ensure that the Chilean machine was sufficiently competitive in terms of cost, without sacrificing robustness or performance.”
Collaboration between academic institutions and the private sector was key to achieving that balance between efficiency, durability, and cost. “There was a great deal of design work and collaboration between Andrés Bello University and Federico Santa María University, and the Chilean engineering firm Talleres Artificio, which was responsible for manufacturing and assembling the machine,” he explains.
The success of the test not only ensures the table’s operational readiness in CERN’s demanding environment, but also represents concrete recognition of Chile’s technological achievements. “Passing this final test fills us with immense pride, because it validates the hard work carried out by Chilean physicists, engineers, and technicians throughout the lengthy process of designing, simulating, and assembling this incredible machine.”
Beyond the technical outcome, there is a profoundly meaningful human dimension to this story. “On a personal level, I am deeply moved to see the fruits of these past three years of work alongside a team of Chileans who gave their all to an idea that seemed unattainable, but which is now a reality: Chile can manufacture machinery capable of competing head-to-head with European industry.”
With this contribution, the SAPHIR Millennium Institute not only reaffirms its commitment to frontier research, but also strengthens Chile's role as an actor capable of developing advanced technological solutions in the world's most demanding scientific scenarios.
