cold head

Two-stage cryocooler that maintains magnet cold shields at ~40 K, limiting helium boil-off. Runs continuously.

Why it matters to buyers: Cold head neglect is the #1 cause of expensive MRI ownership. Service interval ~2–3 years; skipped PMs = rising helium consumption.

Why it matters to engineers: Audible compression cycle + temperature monitoring are the end-of-life signals.