The ASTM standard for this project recommends the use of a cooling jacket for the tip of the torch. This is supposed to extend tool life and is supposed to help run long duration experiments. The machining for this cooling jacket is complex. The team decided to run some tests with the torch to determine the nozzle exit surface's temperature. 

The Result

The nozzle tip reached a steady state temperature of 45.75 C. This meant the team could de-prioritize this part and focus on other aspects of the project. The cooling jacket was now seen as a nice-to-have. 

Jose Murillo has been extensively testing his electronics code for any errors or unintended operations of his parts. It was discovered that the ball screw moved extremely slow and vibrated excessively when the specimen holder was attached.

The solution was to switch out the ball screw with a belt drive. The belt drive is capable of moving from an arbitrary point A to point B in a fraction of the time it would take the ball screw to move. That did not stop the team from doing a fully integrated test of the oxy-acetylene ablation test stand.