United States Gemini Program

 

Quarterly Review

 

of

 

The Gemini Near Infrared Spectrograph

 

(GNIRS)

 

 

Held October 5, 2001 at Tucson, Arizona

Distribution

AURA President

NOAO Director

Gemini Head of Instrumentation

US Project Scientist

US Project Manager

Instrument Team Manager

USGP Report of the Quarterly Review for GNIRS

 

October, 2001

 

 

1. Meeting Background

 

A USGP Quarterly Review (QR) of GNIRS was held on October 5, 2001. The meeting was attended by Taft Armandroff (US Project Manager) and Mark Trueblood (Work Package Manager) from the USGP, Mark Hunten (Gemini observer), and members of the GNIRS team including Neil Gaughan (GNIRS Project Manager), Jay Elias (Instrument Scientist), and Peter Ruckle (GNIRS Software Engineer). Others attending by telecon were Dan Weedman (NSF) 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

 

Previous schedule slips amounting to about 2 months, coupled with additional slips in delivery by an outside vendor of the bulkhead assembly and in the design and fabrication of the radiation shields forced the integration phase of the project to be re-planned to preserve the original delivery date. The result is that the Pre-Ship Acceptance Test continues to be scheduled to be complete in late summer of 2002, but with a consequence that the Project Manager now reports schedule contingency down to 6 weeks. This effectively removes contingency from the schedule when one considers how unstructured the effort of system integration is, and how dynamic the redefinition of the ordering of tasks is on a daily basis during this project phase. The work on the critical path will be performed by a few people in this loosely structured, dynamic task environment. This will require very close monitoring and supervision by the Project Manager throughout the remainder of the project to prevent an evenly-paced march to the finish line from degenerating into a slow crawl or worse yet, a haphazard random walk.

 

The main area behind schedule remains mechanical design, for the reasons noted in previous QR reports, but the focus of both attention and the source of new problems has shifted to fabrication, as would be expected of a project at this mature stage. We expect both design to be complete, and fabrication to be completed or nearly so by the next QR, so the focus of attention should be shifting at that point to the integration effort and the challenges that that activity poses.

 

The projected delivery date has not changed significantly in the last two years, despite considerable refinement of the design, updates to the schedule based on the details of the current design, and shifting of management focus from design to fabrication, and now to integration and testing.

The Project Manager made a special effort at this QR to address several areas of concern expressed by the USGP in the previous QR report. We commend the Project Manager for taking our comments seriously and addressing them in a detailed, forthright, and responsive manner.

 

The GNIRS overall status is that the instrument is in the final design and fabrication phase:

 

• All bench assemblies are complete, and have been fit checked
• Mechanism testing (subsystem integration) is in progress
• System integration will begin shortly

More work needs to be done in mechanical design and fabrication, but these items should be complete by the end of the calendar year. Electronics and software fabrication are nearly complete, with subsystem integration under way in both areas.

 

In the previous QR, the USGP estimated that the GNIRS team could meet their then current schedule despite their being slightly behind schedule at that point in time, provided:

 

(a)    The GNIRS team is able to schedule around the inability of IGPO to deliver the OIWFS components by the end of CY2000.

(b)   The final BaF₂ lens is delivered on schedule in August, and

(c)    IGPO delivers the NOAO flexure rig no later than December 31, 2001 (assuming a month for installation and test before first use in February).

 

Regarding these points:

 

(a)    Gemini delivered the OIWFS components, but many were not as expected, did not meet the ICD, or the ICD proved to be poorly written. Consequently, NOAO has had to perform a large amount of rework, which has delayed the project and reduced the contingency.

(b)   The final BaF₂ lens will be delivered in November, which is consistent with the revised integration plan.

(c)    Gemini awarded the flexure rig contract, with delivery expected in March. This would permit first use of the flexure rig with GNIRS in April, consistent with the revised integration schedule.

 

The Work Package Manager (WPM) still believes that it is possible for the Team to meet its schedule, but due to the reduced contingency, this is increasingly unlikely. Therefore, the WPM now estimates that GNIRS will pass its Pre-Ship A/T in late October 2002 and arrive at Cerro Pachón in November 2002. That is, the WPM believes the project will be delivered 2 months late with respect to the current schedule.

 

3. Project Summary

 

3.1 Project Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

The key accomplishments since the last QR have been:

 

·        Completed design of 17 of 19 fixed assemblies, with the remaining assemblies expected to be complete by the end of November

·        Completed fabrication of all but one mechanism, the Focus Assembly, which should be complete by the end of October

·        Completed fabrication and fit check of all optical benches

·        Awarded contract for the fabrication of the Bulkhead Assembly, which should be complete and leak tested with the dewar shell by the end of November

·        Began mechanism and optical subassembly testing, which should be complete by mid-December

·        Received all optics except for one BaF₂ camera lens and some flats

·        Completed electronics thermal enclosure fabrication and checkout

·        Completed initial coding of Components Controller software and began initial testing

·        Received OIWFS components from Gemini’s contractor, the University of Hawaii

 

3.2 Project Status and Plans

The GNIRS project is on schedule according to the recently revised schedule. However, the WPM believes the instrument will be delivered about 2 months late, since the revised schedule leaves only 6 weeks of contingency after the beginning of February and the flexure rig will not be ready until April. If major problems with flexure are not detected until then (drawing a parallel with NIRI) the integration and testing phase could be drawn out significantly longer than currently planned.

The following goals for this October 2001 QR that were met are (some of these are from previous QR’s):

·        Complete fabrication of all benches

·        Complete electronics thermal enclosure fabrication and checkout

·        Complete initial software coding of the Components Controller

·        Start final testing of the Component Controller software

The following goals for this October 2001 QR that were not met are (some of these are from previous QR’s; goals have been combined for clarity):

·        OIWFS  integration. Gemini did not deliver the OIWFS components per Amendment 4 of the GNIRS Work Scope by September 5, 2000 and finally delivered the parts late during this past summer. The revised integration plan presented at the QR takes this late delivery into account.

·        Release rotary prototype report. Writing the report was placed at a lower priority than other work, but the results were incorporated into the design. The Project Manager indicated that given the quantity of work remaining on the project, the prototype testing SDN on this topic will have to suffice as a prototype test report. This goal will be removed from the goals for the next QR.

·        Release linear prototype report. Writing the report was placed at a lower priority than other work, but the results were incorporated into the design. The Project Manager indicated that given the quantity of work remaining on the project, the prototype testing SDN on this topic will have to suffice as a prototype test report. This goal will be removed from the goals for the next QR.

·        Complete lens delivery and acceptance testing. The remaining camera lens has been delivered, but has a flaw. It will be used until Janos can make a replacement. Acceptance testing at the vendor plant is scheduled for November, then the lens must be coated before shipping to NOAO, with delivery expected sometime in December 2001.

·        Complete fabrication of all mechanisms. Of the 9 mechanisms, only the Focus Assembly remains, and this should be complete by the end of October.

·        Complete 3D design of all fixed assemblies. 17 of 19 fixed assemblies have 3D design complete, with the rest complete by the end of November.

·        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 waiting for final dimensions. This should be complete by the next QR.

·        Complete fabrication of the Bulkhead Assembly. After delays in generating and releasing drawings to the vendor, and subsequent changes to the drawings, this is now scheduled for delivery by Bechdon in mid-November after leak testing, which was not part of the original work allocated to this vendor.

·        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 is expected to be completed in mid-December.

·        Complete 75% of mechanism and optical subassembly testing. Mechanism testing was delayed by a lack of complete mechanisms to test. This situation is being rectified, and mechanism testing was beginning about the time of the QR.

·        Receive all optics. The remaining items were the replica flats and the BaF₂ camera lens replacement. These are now expected in November.

·        Plans for documentation. The Project Manager discussed how he would address missed milestones, such as the A/T Plan, but not 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.

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

 ·        Complete 3D design of all fixed assemblies

·        Complete 2D design of all fixed assemblies

·        Complete fabrication of all mechanisms

·        Complete fabrication of the bulkhead assembly

·        Complete mechanical fabrication, except for:

o       rework items

o       shipping container

o       items associated with flexure testing

·        Complete mechanism and optical subassembly testing

·        Receive all optics

·        Complete dewar to electronics thermal enclosure cabling fabrication

·        Complete OIWFS components integration onto the OIWFS bench

·        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 Acceptance Test Plan

·        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

 The project is 82% complete from the Restart Review to the completion of the Pre-Ship Acceptance Test, now scheduled for late August 2002.

3.3 Project Problems and Concerns

 

At the previous QR the following were identified as concerns:

 

• Late delivery of the OIWFS – Gemini’s contractor, the University of Hawai’i, finally delivered the OIWFS this summer. However, some items did not appear to conform to the ICD, while the ICD proved to be misleading or inadequate for others. There remain many open issues with regard to the OIWFS in that as of mid-October, NOAO is unable to make it work.
• Fabrication delays due to vendor performance and an unknown amount of rework – Now that fabrication is almost complete, previous delays have had to be factored into the reworked integration schedule. This is now less of a concern as major items are being delivered and the project moves from a fabrication phase to a system integration and testing phase.
• IFU delivery – As noted before, NOAO will use 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 is needed by mid-February 2002 – 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 March 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 April 2002.
• The “rolling wave” of near-term high staff requirements – This phenomenon, that manifested itself at the last two or three QR’s, was investigated at some length by the Project Manager for this review, in response to the USGP recommendation in the previous QR report. It turns out that it is, to a large measure, a “feature” of Microsoft Project in the way it handles the transition from actual to budgeted data, variable pay periods per month, and other traits of this project. When project resource needs, as indicated by Microsoft Project, are integrated over the remaining time into total hours and compared with available hours, it appears the required resources will be available. Therefore, this is no longer of concern.

At the October QR, the Project Manager listed problems that he had dealt with during the previous quarter, but not ongoing problems that he would need to watch during the coming quarter. However, as noted above, the WPM believes that, despite the current status depicted by the latest MS Project schedule update on the recently revised schedule, the project is now 2 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. It might even be quite generous to limit the overrun prediction at this stage to 2 months, given all this past history. Also as noted above, the integration phase 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.

 

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.

 

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) decreased slightly ($90k) from the June QR value of almost $4.2 million to just below $4.1 million, the latter value being below the original estimate in January 1999. At no point since the Restart Review has the estimated cost at completion exceeded $4.3 million.

 

The cost of the entire project continues to be estimated to be $6.3M, including the $2.4M spent between the project start in October, 1995 and December 31, 1998. As of the end of August 2001, the project had spent a total of $5,552,477 against a planned value of $5,730,878 yielding an underrun of $178,401. Most of the underrun is in labor, primarily in Mechanics in the area of fabrication. Increased capital costs for sending parts to outside machine shops did not completely offset the lack of instrument makers available to the project, in part because the project is slightly late with having drawings ready for fabrication. USGP expects this underrun to be spent in accordance with the Project Manager’s current projections. The estimated cost of the project has not exceeded $6.5M since early 1999.

 

3.7 Organization

 

The project appears to be staffed with a sufficient number of competent staff. Design drafting, which was an area of concern in previous phases of the project, is no longer of concern because design is almost done and the demand for designers is greatly reduced from previous levels. 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. This increased the burden on procurement as well as the engineering staff for oversight. Due to delays in beginning the design of the radiation shields and other work, the Project Manager delayed the previously scheduled departure of Ed Hileman from the project until the radiation shields are designed, and of Dale Circle until the end of the calendar year.

 

Furthermore, each key engineering position is only one deep, so when a person leaves the project, no immediate replacement is usually available to fill the gap. At this late stage of the project, loss of an 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 proper management control over the project.

 

4.2 Project Management Status and Plans

 

The project continues to be effectively managed. The fact that the projected delivery date and Estimated Cost At Completion have not changed significantly in almost three years since the current Project Manager was assigned to the project reflects the pressure the Project Manager is applying to the staff to maintain the schedule, and his skill in reworking the schedule when problems do arise.

 

  4.3 Project Management Problems and Concerns

 

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 also 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 71% 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

 

5.1 Systems Engineering Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

None – this activity is complete.

 

5.2 Systems Engineering Status and Plans

 

From this point on, systems engineering activity will consist of sustaining engineering support to the other engineering staff.

5.3 Systems Engineering Problems and Concerns

 

None

 

5.4 Systems Engineering Schedule

 

No further systems engineering work is scheduled.

 

5.5 Systems Engineering Budget and  Expenditures to Date

 

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

 

5.6 Systems Engineering Organization

 

The GNIRS systems engineering group consists of Jay Elias (GNIRS Instrument Scientist and lead systems engineer), Dick Joyce (KPNO IR spectroscopist) , and Brook Gregory (CTIO instrument scientist).

 

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. Optical procurement is 86% complete.

• Janos delivered all but one BaF₂ lens; the lens with the chipped edge has been delivered, and its replacement is expected by the end of the year
• Flat replica mirrors with 2 aluminum substrates were ordered from one vendor; that contract was terminated for cause and was awarded to Hyperfine, delivery is expected by the end of the calendar year
• Flat mirrors with 7 glass substrates were delivered
• Replicas from the 3 grating master rulings were completed and delivered
• 7 filters were ordered through UH consortium; 2 failed spec and should be replaced
• SF57 prisms from Optics for Research were delivered
• MgF Wollaston prisms were delivered.

8. Mechanical Design

 

8.1 Mechanical Design Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

The Team completed design for 7 fixed assemblies during the last quarter, bringing the total to 17 of 19 fixed assemblies designed. Work on the design of the Bulkhead Assembly was completed and the contract for its fabrication was awarded. This led to an even greater understanding of the overall instrument envelope, and a request for a second waiver from Gemini for a small amount of space for a hose/wiring distribution/breakout panel and for crossover cabling and hoses under the dewar shell. Gemini granted this waiver, which permitted the design to go forward.

 

8.2 Mechanical Design Status and Plans

 

Mechanical design and fabrication (which are reported together) are 87% complete overall with benches 100% complete, mechanisms 92%, and fixed assemblies 62%. The current status (as of the QR date) of the design of fixed assemblies is that 17 of 19 are complete.

 

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

 

Staffing of design drafting is no longer of concern. There are no other mechanical design problems or concerns, other than completing the design of the radiation shields as quickly as possible.

 

8.4 Mechanical Design Schedule

 

The fixed assemblies are about 2 months behind schedule, showing a marked improvement from the 5.5 months behind schedule at the previous QR. This is an indication that the mechanical design work is drawing to a close, though there is still work remaining to be completed.

 

The Bulkhead Assembly, identified at the previous QR as being on the Critical Path, has been designed and the contract was awarded in September for its fabrication. A subsequent update to the contract to add mounting bosses for counterweights and to require the contractor to perform the leak check delayed delivery until the end of November, but it must be remembered that this shifts work and risk to the contractor to deliver a fully tested dewar assembly with vacuum integrity.

 

The design item now on the Critical Path is the radiation shields. The Project Manager expects the 3-D model to be done by late October, and the 2-D fabrication drawings to be done by mid-November. Fabrication is expected to be complete by mid-December. Additional design staff would not accelerate this item.

 

     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, Eric Downey, and Dale Circle. Dale was scheduled to leave the project on October 1, but will be retained until the end of the calendar year.

 

  9. Mechanical Fabrication

 

9.1 Mechanical Fabrication Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

Fabrication is complete on all but 1 mechanism (focus assembly). All bench fabrication is complete, and the benches have undergone a fit check. Of the 19 fixed assemblies, 17 had completed design, 4 had completed fabrication, and 9 were in fabrication at the time of the QR.

 

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:

·        rework items,

·        the shipping container, and

·        items associated with flexure testing.

9.3 Mechanical Fabrication Problems and Concerns

 

In the previous QR report, the USGP raised a concern about the slow ramp-up of assigning instrument makers to GNIRS versus the plan. Since most of the parts have now been fabricated, this is no longer a concern.

 

The major concerns raised at this QR are:

• 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.

These are discussed in greater detail in the next section.

 

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 Bulkhead Assembly. This critical and complex assembly, if it fails its vacuum test and is delayed for rework, could easily move past the radiation shields onto the Critical Path. The vendor is mature and experienced, having performed well on NASA space mission hardware contracts, and should be able to diagnose and cure any problems detected in preliminary vacuum leak checks.

 

Once the radiation shields are designed, since they appear to be relatively straightforward, their fabrication should go quickly and smoothly. However, the USGP recommends that the design engineers work with the instrument makers to arrive at a final design that simplifies fabrication, shortens the fabrication schedule, and reduces risk.

 

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

 

10.1 Electronics Design Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

Electronics design is complete.

 

10.2 Electronics Design Status and Plans

 

Electronics design is complete.

 

10.3 Electronics Design Problems and Concerns

 

None.

 

10.4 Electronics Design Schedule

 

Electronics design is complete.

 

10.5 Electronics Design Budget and Expenditures to Date

 

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

 

10.6 Electronics Design Organization

 

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

 

11. Electronics Fabrication

 

11.1 Electronics Fabrication Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

Fabrication and checkout of the components controller thermal enclosure is complete.

 

11.2 Electronics Fabrication Status and Plans

The overall electronics effort for design and fabrication stands at 86% complete. The only remaining electronics fabrication work is:

·        wiring the dewar

·        fabricating cables

·        fabricating the dewar warm-up controller

By the next QR, these items will be complete.

11.3 Electronics Fabrication Problems and Concerns

 

None.

 

11.4 Electronics Fabrication Schedule

 

Electronics fabrication is approximately on schedule. The only item on the detailed schedule shown behind schedule is the software test fixture, but since the Instrument Components Controller is now wired and checked out, it is available for software checkout and 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

 

12.1 Software Design Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

The software design is essentially complete.

 

12.2 Software Design Status and Plans

 

Overall the software design is quite similar to that used by GMOS, with the exception that actual component control is performed in ordinary C software instead of EPICS software written in C.

The design is mature and well-understood.

 

12.3 Software Design Problems and Concerns

 

None

 

12.4 Software Design Schedule

 

The software design is essentially complete.

 

12.5 Software Design Budget and Expenditures to Date

 

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

 

12.6 Software Design Organization

 

The GNIRS software engineer is Richard Wolff with EPICS software provided by Peter Ruckle. This will change upon Dr. Wolff’s retirement on October 31.

 

13. Software Fabrication

 

13.1 Software Fabrication Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

Since the previous QR, the OCSwish simulator was delivered and coding was completed on the Components Controller, Lab Support software, and Detector Interface software.

 

13.2 Software Fabrication Status and Plans

 

Overall, the software is 85% complete and is approximately on schedule according to the GNIRS Project Summary Schedule. The coding for the Component Controller, Lab Support, and Detector Interface software are complete. The EPICS code is 82% complete.

 

13.3 Software Fabrication Problems and Concerns

 

The USGP expressed a concern in the previous QR report regarding the impending retirement of Richard Wolff and the prospect of losing his expertise. Peter Ruckle, who has worked for most of the current project’s lifetime with Dr. Wolff on the GNIRS software, will be assuming Dr. Wolff’s duties as lead software engineer. Mr. Ruckle made a detailed presentation at the QR that indicated he was knowledgeable in the entire scope of GNIRS software and firmly in control of the entire effort. The USGP believes the remaining software work on GNIRS can be performed by Mr. Ruckle without further assistance from Dr. Wolff, though apparently the latter will be available part-time for consultation, if needed.

 

The outstanding issues remaining from previous reviews were addressed to the USGP’s satisfaction. These were:

 

• Which version of the NIRI code is being used as the basis for the GNIRS code? This is important because Hubert’s delivered code is being modified by IGPO. The NIRI code is not being used. Instead, the GMOS code is being used as a model for instructional purposes only, and a “thin layer” EPICS approach unique to GNIRS is being developed.
• The GNIRS Team should look at using the OCSwish Tool for EPICS system integration with the OCS. Gemini delivered the OCSwish tool to NOAO, which will be one of several means used for testing the EPICS interface software.

13.4 Software Fabrication Schedule

 

The software fabrication is approximately on schedule.

 

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 Richard Wolff with EPICS software provided by Peter Ruckle. This will change, as noted above, upon Dr. Wolff’s retirement on October 31.

 

14. Subsystem Integration

 

14.1 Subsystem Integration Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

Due to the late delivery of the OIWFS, delays in the Bulkhead Assembly and the radiation shields, and a late start in beginning cold tests of the mechanisms (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.

14.2 Subsystem Integration Status and Plans

 

The benches were assembled with a couple of the mechanisms for a fit check, which revealed a minor vignetting problem. This required minimal machining of some support structures that was completed before sending the post-slit bench out for painting. Cold testing of mechanisms was about to begin at the time of the QR meeting.

 

Electronics checkout of the Components Controller rack was completed just before the QR meeting.

 

Software testing and debugging at the module and subsystem level was 74% complete at the time of the QR meeting.

 

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

 

14.3 Subsystem Integration Problems and Concerns

See above. 

14.4 Subsystem Integration Schedule

 

See above. Alignment and integration were due to begin April 1, but due to the delays mentioned above, these activities are several months late, and have been rescheduled.

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

Various engineers and technicians perform subsystem integration, depending on which subsystem it is.

15. System Integration

 

15.1 System Integration Overview and Key Accomplishments

 

System integration begins in October.

 

15.2 System Integration Status and Plans

 

System integration will begin with opto-mechanical integration, starting with the benches in October. Mechanism cold testing will proceed in parallel with this activity.

 

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.

 

With respect to integrating the OIWFS, the agreement with Gemini is that if significant problems are encountered, the team will consult with Gemini (through the USGP) for direction on whether to proceed, how much effort to expend, and to request assistance from Gemini or the IfA. The USGP congratulates the team for its adherence to this agreement in the past, and encourages it to continue this trend in the future. This is important to keeping staff working on Critical Path tasks from being diverted to diagnosing problems that are not NOAO’s concern.

 

15.4 System Integration Schedule

 

The project is moving in accordance with the recently-revised schedule.

 

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 February, 2002. Due to the rescheduling of integration, the need date is now April, 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 a Test Plan outline and approach, and circulated a preliminary draft of an Acceptance Test Plan.

17.2 Documentation and Training Status and Plans

Documentation is several months behind schedule. The Test Plans document was due March 2001 and was 6 months late at the time of the QR meeting.

17.3 Documentation and Training Problems and Concerns

As noted in the previous QR report, the Acceptance Test Plan (ATP) is late. The Team began work on this important document and is making progress. However, the author, the Instrument Scientist, is also behind schedule on mechanism cold tests and will soon be working on system integration, so it is not clear that he will have the time to complete this document when it is needed. Experience with other US Gemini instrument teams has shown that several iterations of the document are required for Gemini and USGP approval of the format and content of the document.

Besides the ATP, the team is responsible for producing two Change Orders (change of venue to Chile/Commissioning, and the Differential Pressure Switch) and the Manual Outlines. These tasks are important, given the time needed to develop manual outlines and the usual iteration with Gemini.

17.4 Documentation and Training Schedule

The documentation task completion status is:

·        electronics -- 95% complete

·        test plans – 81%

·        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 and Peter Ruckle.

 

18. Other Activities

 

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

 

 

 

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