United States Gemini Program

 Quarterly Review

of

 The Gemini Near Infrared Spectrograph

 (GNIRS)

Held January 24, 2002 at Tucson, Arizona

1. Meeting Background

A USGP Quarterly Review (QR) of GNIRS was held on January 24, 2002. The meeting was attended by Dan Weedman (NSF), Taft Armandroff (US Project Scientist, acting) and Mark Trueblood (Work Package Manager) from the USGP, Mark Hunten (Gemini observer), Larry Daggert (NOAO Engineering and Technical Services Manager) and members of the GNIRS team including Neil Gaughan (GNIRS Project Manager), Jay Elias (Instrument Scientist), and Dan Eklund (GNIRS Project Assistant). Others attending by videocon were Bernadette Rodgers (Gemini GNIRS Instrument Scientist) and Jeremy Mould (Director, NOAO).

The goal of the QR’s is to evaluate each instrument project's overall status with respect to the entire project lifetime and to review and assess recent progress in a number of different areas on a periodic basis, with emphasis on management and high-level concerns. Specifically, the USGP uses a formal mechanism to determine whether a project is on track with respect to budget and schedule, and to identify potential problems before they significantly impact progress.

2. Major Findings

The radiation shields have taken far longer than originally planned, and even longer than predicted at the previous QR, resulting in a slip of the delivery date of the instrument from August 2002 to October 2002. Mechanism cleaning and testing, which had been predicted at the previous QR to have been completed by this QR, is far behind schedule, and is competing with radiation shields for the Critical Path.

The result is that the Pre-Ship Acceptance Test has slipped significantly for the first time since the Restart Review, and is now scheduled to be complete in October 2002. As at the previous QR, the Project Manager reports schedule contingency holding at 6 weeks. This is a result of the slip in the delivery date, the removal of redundant tasks in the later months of 2002, and use of previously “written off” time during the holiday season in December, 2001. No compression of tasks during the testing phase after initial bench integration was done to retain the 6-week contingency.

The main area behind schedule remains mechanical design (of the radiation shields), followed closely by cleaning of parts and mechanism testing. Although USGP had expected mechanical design to be complete roughly two QR’s ago, and fabrication to be completed by this QR, it appears that underestimates by the engineers of the amount of work involved when the initial planning was done, coupled with the project manager’s failure to take immediate action when the engineers failed to adhere to the plan, have resulted in a very large schedule slip that now threatens to delay instrument delivery until early 2003. A mitigating factor in the management of the shields was that while one engineer was designing the passive shields, the other mechanical engineer was designing the active shield and appeared to be making good progress. However, subsequently, it was discovered that there were problems with the design of the active shield that required that it be abandoned late in its design cycle, causing a major setback to the schedule. In hindsight, this might have been avoided had some sort of cross-communication mechanism been put in place for the two engineers to check their designs with each other to make sure they were on the right track. This would have slowed progress on the passive shields, but in the end, might have saved time in the overall schedule.

The GNIRS overall status is that the instrument is leaving the final design and fabrication phase, and entering the subsystem testing phase:

• All bench assemblies are complete
• The bulkhead and dewar shell assemblies are complete, and have been fit checked
• All mechanisms have been fabricated; minor rework is in progress
• Mechanism testing (subsystem integration) is in progress, but is delayed from the schedule given in the previous QR
• On-Instrument Wave Front Sensor (OIWFS) integration is complete, except for the minor task of inserting the science array
• System integration will begin shortly

More work needs to be done in mechanical design and fabrication, but these items should be complete by the next QR, except for items associated with flexure testing and the shipping container. Electronics enclosure fabrication and checkout is complete, with only cable fabrication and dewar wiring remaining. Basic software coding is complete, with dm-defined engineering screens coded and running the slit slide and filter wheel using EPICS records. Additional software effort will be required to reconfigure many of the engineering screens already coded that have not yet been reviewed by the Instrument Scientist for content and organization.

The Work Package Manager (WPM) now believes that it is unlikely that the instrument will be ready to be shipped from Tucson before February 2003, due to the schedule slips mentioned above and the fact that the instrument has not yet begun system integration, where unforeseen problems are likely to be encountered.

3. Project Summary

3.1 Project Overview and Key Accomplishments

The key accomplishments since the last QR have been:

·        Completed OIWFS component integration; detector installation was on hold, waiting for the GFE prism to be delivered (since the prism is late, detector installation will proceed)

·        Completed fabrication of all mechanisms, some rework is in progress

·        Completed delivery and testing of all optics for the instrument (the schedule also shows procurement of optics for the Flexure Rig, which is not a deliverable to Gemini; this task is on schedule)

·        Completed fabrication and fit check of the Bulkhead Assembly and dewar shells

·        Completed initial integration of Components Controller software with actual mechanisms and EPICS records and dm-coded engineering screens

3.2 Project Status and Plans

 The GNIRS project is on schedule according to the recently revised schedule. Note that this is the second time in as many QR’s that the schedule has been revised to accommodate schedule slips due to design and fabrication delays. Despite being on schedule now, the WPM believes the instrument will be delivered (passing the Pre-Ship A/T) about 4 months late (February 2003), since (a) the revised schedule still leaves only 6 weeks of contingency, (b) recent history has shown parts cleaning will take far longer than anticipated, even with the addition of a technician to this effort, (c) the schedule shows a great deal of parallel effort in both cleaning and mechanism testing that is unrealistically optimistic, (d) there are only four cool-down cycles planned, and other Gemini instruments have demonstrated the need for about twice this number to fix unanticipated problems. If major problems with flexure are not detected until system integration is well under way (drawing a parallel with NIRI, T-ReCS, and other Gemini instruments), the integration and testing phase could be drawn out significantly longer than currently planned.

The following goals for this January 2002 QR that were met are (some of these are from previous QR’s):

·        Complete OIWFS components integration onto the OIWFS bench

·        Complete lens delivery and acceptance testing

·        Complete fabrication of all mechanisms

·        Complete fabrication of the Bulkhead Assembly

·        Receive all optics

·        Complete and deliver the Acceptance Test Plan

The following goals from before the October 2001 QR that were not met are (goals have been combined for clarity):

·        Complete 3D design of all fixed assemblies. All but the radiation shields and the thermal distribution system have 3D design complete, with the rest expected to be complete by the next QR.

·        Complete 2D design of all fixed assemblies. This should be complete by the next QR.

·        Complete dewar to electronics thermal enclosure cabling fabrication. The design is complete, and fabrication is at a lower priority than other tasks. This should be complete by the next QR.

·        Complete fabrication of most dewar components (radiation shields and shells but not mounting trusses or cryo head hardware). Radiation shield design was delayed by analysis work done on other parts. This is now on the Critical Path, and will be completed by the next QR.

·        Complete 75% of mechanism and optical subassembly testing. Mechanism testing was delayed by several causes: (a) delays in receipt of parts and in subsequent assembly kitting, (b) rework often was not scheduled properly, or took longer than expected, and (c) delays in cleaning the mechanisms, due to overload of the person doing the cleaning and the fact that this one person was not assigned full time to the project. A technician from another project has been assigned to help, and the ETS Manager has made this task the top priority of both people doing the cleaning, but it is not clear that this will be adequate, given the magnitude of the task.

·        Plans for documentation. The Project Manager still has not addressed the overall documentation approach, which is scheduled in the future. The USGP recommends that this important set of tasks not be overlooked, as they can consume valuable skilled resources near the end of the project when there is considerable pressure to release such resources to other projects prematurely.

The following goals from the October 2001 QR that were not met are:

·        Complete 3D design of all fixed assemblies

·        Complete 2D design of all fixed assemblies

·        Complete fabrication of all mechanisms

·        Complete mechanical fabrication, except for:

o       rework items

o       shipping container

o       items associated with flexure testing

·        Complete mechanism and optical subassembly testing

·        Complete dewar to electronics thermal enclosure cabling fabrication

·        Complete electronics fabrication and checkout, except for:

o       some cables may remain to be fabricated

o       some rework items identified in system integration may remain

·        Complete testing of the Components Controller software with the electronics

·        Complete and deliver the Change Order for delivery of GNIRS to Chile

·        Complete and deliver the Change Order revision for the Differential Pressure Switch

·        Complete and deliver manual outlines

 By the next review, nominally scheduled for April 2002, the Project Manager plans to:

·        Complete mechanical design

·        Complete mechanical fabrication

o       Except for flexure rig and shipping container

o       Rework will be tracked as integration

·        Complete electronics fabrication (rework tracked as integration)

·        Complete electronics checkout

·        Complete Component Controller software (EPICS software will require further work)

·        Complete installation of the science detector into the OIWFS and close out all OIWFS integration items

·        Complete manual outlines

·        Start manual drafts

In addition to these items, the USGP would add the following for the next QR:

·        Completing mechanism cleaning

·        Assemble all cleaned mechanisms

·        Completing mechanism testing, both warm and cold

·        Complete radiation shield design

·        Complete radiation shield fabrication

·        Complete cleaning of all parts

·        Complete and deliver the Change Order for delivery of GNIRS to Chile

·        Complete and deliver the Change Order revision for the Differential Pressure Switch

The project is 86% complete from the Restart Review to the completion of the Pre-Ship Acceptance Test, now scheduled for late October 2002.

3.3 Project Problems and Concerns

At the previous QR, no specific problems were identified as concerns. However, the following were identified as concerns from previous QR’s and remained so at the October QR:

• Late delivery of the OIWFS –However, some OIWFS items did not appear to conform to the ICD, while the ICD proved to be misleading or inadequate for others. As of mid-October, there remained many open issues with regard to the OIWFS, and NOAO was unable to make it work. Since then, NOAO successfully integrated the OIWFS parts onto the OIWFS bench and was able to drive the mechanisms and read out the mux. This appears to be an issue no longer, but did require longer than scheduled to integrate. The USGP congratulates the GNIRS team for overcoming the many difficulties in integrating the OIWFS.
• IFU delivery – As noted before, NOAO is using mass models in place of the actual IFU “bricks”. A date for easy integration into the instrument exists in February 2002, but after that, it will be up to Gemini to provide schedule relief to the project, or to perform the IFU integration itself. This is not an item of concern for the project, merely a notice to Gemini of an opportunity to install the IFU with little impact if it is available.
• The flexure rig need date – Due to several factors, NOAO needed to reschedule GNIRS system integration. The contracted delivery date of the flexure rig was taken into account during this rescheduling. If the contractor is late in delivering the flexure rig, now scheduled for April 2002, this could become a significant concern. GNIRS is scheduled to require the flexure rig to be fully installed, checked out, integrated with a telescope optical simulator, and ready for use in May 2002.

At the January QR, the Project Manager listed the following problems and concerns:

·        Schedule delays of 2 months, caused by:

o       Radiation shield design took longer than expected

o       Mechanism rework required to pass flexure tests and fit checks

o       Focus mechanism design/fab/assembly took longer than expected

·        Radiation shield fabrication will extend into February

·        Documentation (Manuals)

o       Maintenance manual started; procedures documented as performed

o       Delayed by focus on mechanism testing and radiation shields

·        OIWFS prism installation

o       OIWFS is complete except for installing detector

o       An opportunity exists before bench integration during which the OIWFS prism, if it can be delivered by Gemini, may be installed (per Gemini direction, it is unlikely the prism will be received in time, and the team is to proceed without the prism)

·        IFU

o       Proceeding with mass models

o       There is a chance for integration if it arrives in February

As noted above, the WPM believes that, despite the current “on-schedule” status depicted by the latest MS Project schedule update on the recently revised schedule, the project is now 4 months behind schedule in a way that cannot be recovered, and that this will result in late delivery of the instrument by that amount. This conclusion is supported by the fact that contingency in the schedule is reduced to 6 weeks, which for the dynamic, fluid activity that is system integration, is uncomfortably small, given the experience of other Gemini instruments. The USGP recommends that the Project Manager closely monitor the integration phase because it will require the constant attention, involvement, and vigilance of the Project Manager on a daily basis to keep it on track and moving forward at a reasonable pace. Early recognition of problems and willingness to take action will be critical to success during this phase of the project.

During the QR presentation, the Project Manager admitted several times that the current schedule is “aggressive”, as he put it. Therefore, the WPM recommends that the Project Manager review the schedule from the standpoint of what is most likely to occur based on the experience of other Gemini instrument teams, identify possible corrective actions to mitigate problems, and put into place contingency plans to minimize the impact of possible problems. The goal of such an exercise is to move problems from the category of being “unanticipated” to being “unscheduled, but manageable”.

3.4 Project Schedule

The summary-level project schedule is available on the GNIRS Web site (a copy is attached to this report). An analysis of the schedule performance of each major engineering discipline appears below. In past phases of the project, the Critical Path was deliberately designed so that no single mechanism could delay the instrument until System Integration. Instead, it included various steps in most of the mechanisms. Now that the project is entering the System Integration phase, this no longer applies, and the Critical Path is occupied by a limited number of sequential tasks performed by a very limited number of people, increasing the need for the Project Manager’s close scrutiny and active involvement in problem identification and solution.

 3.5 Project Milestones, Cost, and Manpower Charts

A summary-level Microsoft Project schedule is attached as an appendix. This reporting category is not repeated for each work area below, since all work areas are represented in the project schedule and manpower charts. The manpower charts were presented in the handouts and will not be repeated in this report, except at a summary level.

3.6 Project Budget and Expenditures to Date

The estimated cost (from January 1999 forward) increased significantly (+$276k) from the October QR value of almost $4.1 million to just below $4.4 million, the latter value being above the original estimate in January 1999 for the first time since the Restart Review.

The cost of the entire project is now estimated to be $6.75M, including the $2.4M spent between the project start in October, 1995 and December 31, 1998. As of the end of January 2002, the project had spent a total of $6,172,897 against a planned value of $6,178,371 yielding an underrun of $5,574. Overruns in labor are nearly offset by underruns in capital equipment in the re-planned budget that flows from the re-phased schedule. Note that the Project Manager is forecasting a substantial overrun in capital, the budget for which includes contract labor for drafting staff that had to be retained longer than expected due to delays in designing and drafting various assemblies over the life of the project.

3.7 Organization

The project appears to be staffed with a sufficient number of competent staff. As mentioned in the previous QR report, some of the instrument makers have been used for mechanism assembly and fit checks, so more parts than originally planned had to be sent outside for fabrication, contributing to the forecast overrun in capital costs. Due to delays in completing the design of the radiation shields, the Project Manager was forced to recall Ed Hileman to the project until the active radiation shield is designed.

Furthermore, each key engineering position continues to be only one deep, so when a person leaves the project, no immediate replacement is usually available to fill the gap. Until the mechanical design is complete, loss of a mechanical engineer would ensure a delay in the delivery date, perhaps of several months.

4. Project Management

4.1 Project Management Overview and Key Accomplishments

 The Project Manager continues to exert management control over the project. Since the previous QR, the Project Manager has been able to transition the project from being principally one of fabrication to beginning the task of integration and testing.

4.2 Project Management Status and Plans

The project continues to be more or less effectively managed. The fact that the projected delivery date and Estimated Cost At Completion have recently increased substantially after not changing significantly for almost three years since the current Project Manager was assigned to the project reflects a series of problems that have eluded the normally careful scrutiny of the Project Manager.

At the QR, the Project Manager did not voice any specific plans in the Project Management area for the coming quarter. USGP recommends increased diligence in overseeing the critical activities of radiation shield design, parts cleaning, and mechanism testing to determine when these activities are deviating from the schedule, and alerting both the ETS Manager and USGP when deviations occur, so that assistance in solving the problem can be provided.

4.3 Project Management Problems and Concerns

As mentioned previously, in hindsight, perhaps the Project Manager should have taken a more pro-active role in preventing the loss of the first active shield design effort by organizing more cross-checking of early designs by the two engineers. Another measure, again in hindsight, to assist with determining the true status of the cleaning and the readiness of a mechanism for testing would be to post parts lists (not schedules or plans) for check-off when individual parts are cleaned. Objective truth of the status of each mechanism posted for all to see would eliminate much of the apparent finger-pointing that seems to characterize the current multi-group effort in this area.

As at the previous QR, the major issue now facing the Project Manager is keeping the system integration effort on track. This will require:

• Completing parts fabrication and kitting as expeditiously as possible, to make parts available for subsystem and system integration.
• Completing subsystem integration (e.g., mechanism cold tests) as soon as possible, to reveal any technical issues and to free key personnel for system integration.
• Daily oversight, attention, involvement, and vigilance by the Project Manager to keep the system integration moving ahead at the pace needed to keep it on schedule

The USGP once again reminds the Project Manager of the huge documentation task that lies ahead, and of the resources and time required to address this task. Although some personnel have been assigned to begin writing manuals, the enormity of the undertaking should not be underestimated. The USGP recommends that the Project Manager direct a fair portion of his energy and time to reviewing this task now and determining whether the plan now in place is adequate and fits well with the current schedule and staffing plan.

4.4 Project Management Schedule

The Project Manager usually delivers reports on schedule and meets his other schedule obligations. Project Management is a level of effort activity that is 80% complete.

4.5 Project Management Budget and  Expenditures to Date

The GNIRS Statement of Work does not require this WBS element to be reported separately to the USGP.

4.6 Project Management Organization

The GNIRS Project Management organization consists of Neil Gaughan (Project Manager), Dan Eklund (assigned half time as Project Assistant), and Melissa Bowersock (Administrative Assistant to the Project Manager).

5. Systems Engineering

Systems engineering is complete. All further systems engineering work is in the area of optical alignment, subsystem integration, system integration, and testing.

6. Optics Design

The optics design is complete. All further optical work is in the area of procurement, installation, alignment, and integration.

7. Optics Fabrication

All optics fabrication is being performed by outside contractors.

• Janos delivered the one outstanding BaF₂ lens
• Flat replica mirrors with 2 aluminum substrates were delivered by Hyperfine

This means all GNIRS instrument optics are now in hand and ready for installation. As a result of adding the Gemini telescope simulator optics for the NOAO flexure rig facility to the GNIRS optical fabrication work plan, optics procurement now stands at 90% complete.

8. Mechanical Design

8.1 Mechanical Design Overview and Key Accomplishments

The only remaining mechanical design activities are the radiation shields and the shipping container. The latter is not on the Critical Path at this time.

8.2 Mechanical Design Status and Plans

Mechanical design and fabrication (which are reported together) are 94% complete overall with benches 96% complete, mechanisms 97%, and fixed assemblies 84%. The current status (as of the QR date) of the design of fixed assemblies is that the passive shield 3D design was complete and had begun 2D design, and the active shield 3D design was expected to be complete in a matter of a few days.

Plans for the next QR are to have all 3D and 2D designs complete. The major pacing item on the Critical Path for the entire project is the design of the radiation shields.

8.3 Mechanical Design Problems and Concerns

 The primary concern is completing the design of the radiation shields as quickly as possible, as this item is now on the Critical Path, and has already delayed the project several months.

8.4 Mechanical Design Schedule

The fixed assemblies are about 5 months behind the schedule from last summer, and required reworking the schedule for the second time in two QR’s. Once this item is completed, the major work of design will have been completed, and the only remaining item will be the shipping container, which is not expected to be either complex or a pacing item. However, care must be taken to ensure that the shipping container does not follow the same path as the radiation shields, which were thought at the time to be simple and straightforward.

8.5 Mechanical Design Budget and  Expenditures to Date

The GNIRS Statement of Work does not require this WBS element to be reported separately to the USGP.

8.6 Mechanical Design Organization

The GNIRS mechanical engineering group consists of Ed Hileman (benches and fixed assemblies) and Gary Muller (mechanisms and engineering management systems). The mechanical design group consists of John Andrew (lead), Dave Rosin, and Eric Downey. Dale Circle left the project at the end of 2001.

9. Mechanical Fabrication

9.1 Mechanical Fabrication Overview and Key Accomplishments

Fabrication is complete on all mechanisms. A major accomplishment during this quarter was the delivery of the Bulkhead Assembly. Of the fixed assemblies, all had been designed and fabricated except the radiation shields and the shipping container.

9.2 Mechanical Fabrication Status and Plans

Fabrication status is not reported separately from design (see above). By the next QR, all mechanical fabrication should be complete, except for:

·        items associated with flexure testing,

·        the shipping container, and

·        some rework items identified during integration.

9.3 Mechanical Fabrication Problems and Concerns

In the previous QR report, the USGP raised the following concerns:

• the delays in awarding the contract for the Bulkhead Assembly, and the potential for further delays if the vendor has problems with this complex, critical subassembly, and
• the long delays in beginning the design of the radiation shields.

Since the Bulkhead Assembly was delivered, apparently in working order, this is no longer a concern. As noted above, radiation shields are now the pacing item in the project, and remain the chief concern of all involved.

9.4 Mechanical Fabrication Schedule

Most of the parts fabrication delays reported in the previous QR are no longer of concern, with the exception of the radiation shields.

9.5 Mechanical Fabrication Budget and Expenditures to Date

The GNIRS Statement of Work does not require this WBS element to be reported separately to the USGP.

9.6 Mechanical Fabrication Organization

Mechanical parts fabrication is performed by a combination of outside machine shops and the NOAO instrument shop. NOAO instrument makers assemble and check out each subassembly. The NOAO instrument makers assigned to GNIRS include John Stein, Randy Bennett, Lou Lederer, and Ron Harris.

10. Electronics Design

Electronics design is complete.

11. Electronics Fabrication

11.1 Electronics Fabrication Overview and Key Accomplishments

The Instrument Controller was demonstrated at the QR to work with the EPICS software and the “flight” filter wheel and slit slide assembly.

11.2 Electronics Fabrication Status and Plans

The overall electronics effort for design and fabrication stands at 71% complete. The only remaining electronics fabrication work is:

·        fabricating the Thermal Enclosure to Dewar cables

·        harnessing the cold mechanisms as they become available

·        harnessing the cold benches as they become available

·        harnessing the Bulkhead Assembly

·        fabricating the dewar warm-up controller

·        supporting software testing

By the next QR, fabrication and harnessing will be complete, and software testing will have begun.

11.3 Electronics Fabrication Problems and Concerns

None.

11.4 Electronics Fabrication Schedule

Electronics fabrication is on schedule. At the previous QR, it was reported that the software test fixture was behind schedule, but since the Instrument Components Controller is now wired and checked out, it is available for software checkout so the software test fixture is no longer needed.

11.5 Electronics Fabrication Budget and Expenditures to Date

The GNIRS Statement of Work does not require this WBS element to be reported separately to the USGP.

11.6 Electronics Fabrication Organization

The GNIRS electrical engineer is Jerry Penegor, assisted by electronics technician Ron George.

12. Software Design

The software design is complete.

13. Software Fabrication

13.1 Software Fabrication Overview and Key Accomplishments

At the QR, the software engineer, Peter Ruckle, demonstrated engineering screens built using the EPICS-based dm tool controlling the deliverable Instrument Controller electronics in the Thermal Enclosure controlling a filter wheel and the slit slide assembly that had been cleaned and were ready for installation on the optical bench. All engineering screens have been built.

13.2 Software Fabrication Status and Plans

Overall, the software is 86% complete and is about one month behind schedule according to the GNIRS Project Summary Schedule. The coding for the Lab Support software are complete. The EPICS code is 99% complete, and the Component Controller software is 85% complete.

13.3 Software Fabrication Problems and Concerns

None

13.4 Software Fabrication Schedule

Although the software is slightly behind schedule, this is not on the Critical Path at the moment, and it appears that overall, software will not be the pacing item on this project leading to the Pre-ship Acceptance Test. Much of the remaining work is software testing. This includes testing of the OCS and DHS interfaces using the tools supplied by Gemini.

13.5 Software Fabrication Budget and Expenditures to Date

The GNIRS Statement of Work does not require this WBS element to be reported separately to the USGP.

13.6 Software Fabrication Organization

The GNIRS software engineer is Peter Ruckle. Richard Wolff, who previously led the GNIRS software effort, retired from NOAO on October 31.

14. Subsystem Integration

14.1 Subsystem Integration Overview and Key Accomplishments

Due to delays in the Bulkhead Assembly and the radiation shields, and a late start in beginning mechanism testing (due to their not being available as early as originally planned), subsystem integration was re-planned as part of the overall integration phase re-planning. This effort is now under way, with warm and cold testing complete for the OIWFS bench, and warm testing done in the shop for several other mechanisms.

14.2 Subsystem Integration Status and Plans

Parts cleaning has taken longer than anticipated, and other delays in testing cleaned and assembled mechanisms have required a re-phasing of the entire project. Subsystem integration of the OIWFS bench and detector mount are complete. Warm shop testing for the pre-slit and post-slit bench subassemblies is complete.

Electronics and software checkout have proceeded as far as possible until more hardware is available for testing.

The Team plans to have all subsystem integration completed by the next QR.

14.3 Subsystem Integration Problems and Concerns

As mentioned above, delays in mechanism assembly and testing were caused by delays in kitting, rework, and an apparent underestimation in the time required to clean all the parts and an apparent mis-communication between those performing the cleaning and reassembly of mechanisms and those performing mechanism testing. The USGP calls upon engineering management to ensure that parts cleaning progresses at the fastest rate possible, and that those involved in mechanism testing and the Project Manager are informed when a mechanism is cleaned, assembled, and ready for testing.

14.4 Subsystem Integration Schedule

See above. Alignment and integration were due to begin April 1 according to the schedule presented at the previous QR, but due to the delays mentioned above, these activities are several months late, and have been rescheduled. They are now due to begin in late April.

14.5 Subsystem Integration Budget and  Expenditures to Date

The GNIRS Statement of Work does not require this WBS element to be reported separately to the USGP.

14.6 Subsystem Integration Organization

Bill Ditsler and Ken Don clean parts and reassemble mechanisms. Dick Joyce and Jay Elias perform mechanism testing, optical alignment, and integration.

15. System Integration

15.1 System Integration Overview and Key Accomplishments

System integration was scheduled to begin in October. However, due to delays in designing the radiation shields and in mechanism testing, this activity was rescheduled.

15.2 System Integration Status and Plans

System integration will begin with opto-mechanical integration, starting with the benches in April.

15.3 System Integration Problems and Concerns

Other Gemini instruments have endured protracted integration periods that have delayed instrument delivery, despite mechanism cold testing and other precautions. Although the GNIRS team has endeavored to avoid the mistakes of other teams to date, and has scheduled several months for system integration, the compacted schedule and the virtual elimination of schedule contingency have made it unlikely that the instrument will be delivered on schedule. It remains to be seen if the GNIRS team will fare better than others in terms of problems they encounter during the system integration and test and checkout phases of the project. A well-planned and coordinated approach to system integration is essential to maintaining control of the schedule.

15.4 System Integration Schedule

The recently-revised schedule shows system integration beginning about the time of the next QR.

15.5 System Integration Budget and Expenditures to Date

The GNIRS Statement of Work does not require this WBS element to be reported separately to the USGP.

15.6 System Integration Organization

Various engineers and technicians perform system integration, depending on the subsystem being integrated into the instrument. The primary personnel performing system integration are Jay Elias and Dick Joyce.

16. Test and Checkout

No test and checkout tasks were scheduled to begin before the Quarterly Review. The previous QR report contained a note indicating it was Gemini’s responsibility to deliver a flexure rig in time for NOAO to install it by the GNIRS need date of April, 2002. Due to the rescheduling of integration, the need date is now May, which is consistent with both the contract that Gemini awarded and the availability of the new facility NOAO has planned.

17. Documentation and Training

17.1 Documentation and Training Overview and Key Accomplishments

The Team delivered an updated draft of an Acceptance Test Plan responding to comments from Gemini and the USGP.

17.2 Documentation and Training Status and Plans

Documentation became seriously behind schedule, and was rescheduled as a result, when scientists and engineers would be available to assist in its preparation.

17.3 Documentation and Training Problems and Concerns

A concern was noted in the previous QR report regarding the Acceptance Test Plan (ATP), which has been addressed. Although work on manuals has begun, it has been the experience of USGP that other Gemini instrument teams have found it easier to let this important area lag while trying to finish the instrument. In particular, USGP notes the lack of a senior individual leading the documentation effort with the ability to command the team and to obtain the cooperation of its members to meet writing deadlines and to generate the materials needed to produce the manuals. The WPM predicts that this lack of leadership will make itself evident in the months to come as the documentation effort slips its milestones.

Besides the ATP, the team is responsible for producing two Change Orders (change of venue to Chile/Commissioning, and the Differential Pressure Switch). These Change Orders have been pending for the better part of a year, and need to be completed to permit the Team to focus on the job of completing the instrument.

17.4 Documentation and Training Schedule

The documentation task completion status is:

·        electronics -- 88% complete

·        test plans – 99%

·        manuals – 0%

·        as-built fabrication drawings – 0%.

Although the percent complete claimed for as-built fabrication drawings is 0%, the process for drawing update and release, and parts fabrication is to update the drawings first before parts are fabricated, instead of redlining drawings on the instrument makers desk. This should speed up the task of generating and delivering as-built fabrication drawings.

17.5 Documentation and Training Budget and  Expenditures to Date

The GNIRS Statement of Work does not require this WBS element to be reported separately to the USGP.

17.6 Documentation and Training Organization

For electronics documentation, the responsible parties are the GNIRS electrical engineer, Jerry Penegor, assisted by electronics technician Ron George. Jay Elias is writing the Test Plans. Manual outlines are being prepared by Jay Elias, Peter Ruckle, and Al Davis.

18. Other Activities

No tasks for other activities were scheduled to begin before the Quarterly Review.

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