HEMI researchers have access to some of the most high-tech and specialized equipment available in the industry. For more information or specifics on any of the facilities or equipment available to HEMI constituents, please contact the HEMI facilities team at HEMI_engineering@jh.edu.
Below is a sampling of some of the facilities available to our partners and researchers:
Hypervelocity Facility for Impact Research Experiments (HyFIRE)
The HEMI Hypervelocity Facility for Impact Research Experiments (HyFIRE) contains a 2 stage light gas gun that is capable of launching impactors at velocities up to 7 km/s. The gas gun has a 7.6 mm bore and uses helium or hydrogen, together with saboted projectiles. Typical impactors are spheres or cylinders a few mm in diameter. The facility is not designed to be a high-throughput impact facility, but rather it is designed to perform a small number of experiments with very rich diagnostics and deep datasets. The emphasis is on the coupling of mechanics, physics and chemistry at very high pressures, strain rates and temperatures. The diagnostic facilities includes two flash X-ray tubes, PDVs, other laser interferometers, a Shimadzu HPV X2 high speed camera, and a PI spectrograph.
Artificial Intelligence for Materials Design Laboratory (AIMD-L)
The Artificial Intelligence for Materials Design Laboratory (AIMD-L) is a next-generation facility designed to revolutionize materials discovery and design. AIMD-L is a closed-loop facility that combines artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data handling with robotic automation, cutting-edge testing and characterization equipment, and unparalleled human expertise.
AIMD-L’s current capabilities include:
- XRD and XRF: MAXIMA (Multimodal Automated X-ray Investigation of Materials) is a unique instrument that enables rapid microstructural characterization of samples without the need for extensive surface preparation.
- Laser shock testing: HELIX (High-throughput Extreme Laser Impact eXperiment) is a cutting-edge capability that allows for high-throughput laser shock testing to measure dynamic mechanical properties of materials.
- Nanoindentation: SPHINX (Scanning Probe for High-resolution INdentation eXperiments) is an automated nanoindentation platform built on the KLA Nanoindenter G200X. Recent upgrades include a remote-control API and a custom robotic-arm sample holder, enabling unattended sample exchange, seamless automation, and high-throughput testing.
More information about AIMD-L can be found here. For inquiries related to facility use and collaboration, contact caimee@jh.edu.
