IMACS progress report no. 43

B. Bigelow						13 November 2001

	Project Status

Currently scheduled tasks:				Status:

a)	DSS redesign (Hare)				IP
b)	DSS drafting (Cleary)				IP 
c)	DSS fabrication (Kowal, Castillo)		IP 
d)	Calibration system mech. des. (Hare)		IP 
e)	Coll. opto-mech assembly (Bigelow)		late (awaiting optics)
f)	Long camera opto-mech assembly (Bigelow)	late (awaiting optics)
g)	Principal Guider Camera mech. assembly (Hare)	done
h)	Science Array controller fab (Burley)		95% compl.
i)	Short Camera drafting (Cleary)			IP
j)	Filter procurement (Sutin)			IP
k)	Grism procurement (Sutin)			IP
l)	Motion control electronics design (Carr)	95% compl.
m)	MC fab. (Asa)	    				50% compl.
n)	Control software design (Birk)			on sched.
o)	Instrument structure design (Gunnels)		on sched.

Project events in October:

 - Mask cutting laser system ordered from Convergent Prima
 - Instrument structure fabrication started at Martinez and Turek

Latest construction images can be seen on the IMACS web site:

http://www.ociw.edu/instrumentation/imacs

See the latest images of:

     Collimator lens and cell assembly 
     Long camera/filter/shutter/dewar mechanical assembly
     Field lens and cell complete at OCIW
     First grating tilt mechanism prelim. assembly
     Principal Guider Camera prelim. assembly

	Optics (Sutin)

 1) The RFP for the aspheres has been rewritten and send to REOSC,
    BF Goodrich (Danbury), SORL, Kodak, and Tinsley.  Kodak returned
    a no-bid.  Bids are due Nov. 9th.

 2) Spectrum TF had problems with reproducibility of the first
    coating, and is trying a new one.  Oh, well.

 3) Gunn Filters: We may switch to Sloan filters.  I am waiting to
    see if Barr delivers, and if they do, I will order a Sloan set.

 4) Grisms: The grisms are designed, and I have asked for a glass
    quote from Ohara.  The glass for the 600 lines/mm grism is not
    available, so I am not sure what to do with that one yet.

 5) Short camera at TORC: They are having trouble with the CaF2
    surface quality.  They are going ahead and starting on the rest
    of the elements.  Another element is in polish, one is still
    being generated (S04), and the rest are in grind.

 6) Filter boxes: Boxes are on order.

 7) Center field guider checkout: Waiting on Steve Shectman to
    install the guide camera software.

 8) Started making models of the instrument distortion, temperature,
    and wavelength dependence for the slit mask modeling.  So far,
    the telescope is finished.

	Electronics (Asa/Carr)
Asa:

Accomplished in October:

Filter Server 2: Tested.
Electronics:  Chassis #2 Complete.
Slit Mask server: Testing of mask transfer mechanism with added weight.
Cables: Cables for the two filter servers were built.

To do in November:
Spec and order parts for Dave's new schematics.
Crate Filter servers
Spec and order cabinet and cooling apparatus for control electronics.
Complete design of Dewar Focus Limits mechanism.

Carr:

No report for October.

	Software (Birk/Clardy)

Birk:

- We received the (2) Lantronix ETS16P terminal servers. I tested
  them using the PI-motor-controllers and the HP data-acquisition 
  unit. They work fine and except a small necessary delay (300 ms) 
  between sessions I found no problems.

- Joe and I debugged the filter-server-II electronics. All sub-systems
  work (insert,tray,limits,etc). After reduction of the air-pressure 
  (to avoid slamming the filter-insert mechanism) I will be ready to do
  an all-day test.

- I had a meeting with Ian and Greg about the science array controller
  (DSP) communication with my software. We defined the necessary commands
  and the data protocol. 
  The science-data acquisition software consists of three modules:
  1) 'ccdserver' runs on the 'Data' computer (basement) It sends 
     commands to the DSP and delivers data to the 'User' computer in
     the control room.
  2) 'camgui' runs on the 'User' computer (control room). It receives
     data from 'ccdserver' and writes FITS files to disk.
     It also stores the data in memory for quick-look display with 'qltool'.
  3) 'qltool' runs on the 'User' computer. It reads the data
     from memory and displays it in real-time on one (or more) monitors.

For November I plan to finish tests with filter-server II, implement real 
DSP I/O for 'ccdserver' and start testing  the PR/SH guiders as they
become available.

Clardy:

During October, got the initial version of mask generation to
correctly find conflicts in the detector plane, and remove them.
Thus, starting with a list of objects and alignment stars, the data
for a mask with a set of slits having no spectral conflicts could be
produced.

A preliminary version of the slit mask definition file can be
produced, and a test program can read this file, and plot the slits
and alignment holes described.  This reading code will be the basis
for the utilities which produce hard copy plots, and which actually
cut the mask.

Also, I designed a method by which the optic design might be kept in a
file, and the data from this file read in, and used in the program to
compute all the needed optical transforms.  This will enable changes
in the optic values without having to re-compile the code.  This will
be needed to have the mask generation program support different
telescopes and instruments; it should also allow support of short and
long cameras in IMACS as well as substitution of gratings and other
pieces.  This exists as code, but has not yet been fully tested to
make sure it is working correctly.  Also, the actual form of
coefficients given by Sutin shows that my initial ideas of storage for
these will have to be somewhat changed.  Ultimately, a more general
optics model will replace the temporary code in mask generation.

For November, I will be trying to get a technical description of the
"G-code" interface to the cutting machine; and have a meeting with
several astronomers to find what options are most desired in the
interactive version of the mask generation code.  Also, obtain more
information from Sutin on the optics polynomials, and from the
detector people on how the detector is to be described for the
accurate position of the individual chips, and any areas of bad
pixels.

	Detector Systems (Thomson/Burley)

All of the pieces are basically in place to start profiling and
aligning the CCDs.  We spent some time with the alignment jig and
setup chip figuring out the best way to handle the chips and use the
alignment jig.

We have a table of the characteristics of the 11 chips we have in hand
-- two are candidates to exclude from the array based on the number of
dark columns/defects (which won't freeze out).

The revised preamp, small backplane, IMACS backplane are here, and we
will be populating the blank PCBs and testing them.  Revised clock
driver PCBs should be here next week.  We are starting to go into
factory mode to make all the circuit boards.

Sent an update of the subroutine library for interfacing to the CCD
controller to Christoph.

	Mechanics (Bigelow/Hare)

Bigelow:

In October:

1)  Presented IMACS update at SAC meeting in Tucson
2)  Ordered collimator baffles and baffle spacers
3)  Reassembled revised SMS cassette assembly (with two new slots)
4)  Created MD5 solid models of MOSS and MOSS disk from Gunnels designs
5)  MOSS and MOSS disk ordered from M&T

For November:

1)   Finish collimator opto-mech assembly (if lenses arrive from STF) 
2)   Start Long Camera opto-mech assembly (if lenses arrive from STF)
3)   Finish Long Camera baffle design, order parts
4)   Finish SCAM drafting checking, request fab quotation from M&T 
5)   Create FOSS and truss solid models from Gunnels designs
6)   Develop utility transfer concepts for instrument structure w/Gunnels
7)   Develop instrument hatch concepts for enclosures w/Gunnels

Hare:

Current Work

* Minor rework and redesign of miscellaneous guide camera hardware.
* Assembled optics in Center Field Guide Camera in preparation for optical testing.
* Assembled mechanical components of the Principal Guide Camera, which is ready for 
  electronics work.
* Shack-Hartmann Guide Camera is being assembled.  Fabrication of camera hardware is 
  near completion.
* Review of the design of the Clamp/Latch Assembly, Wheel Assembly, Main DSS Support 
  Assembly, and the Cable Wrap Assembly has been completed and appropriate revisions have 
  been completed or are underway.
* Clamp/Latch Assembly fabrication is in progress.

Future Work

* Continue assembly, testing, and rework of all guide cameras as necessary.
* Finalize the design of Wheel Assembly, Main DSS Support Assembly, and the Cable Wrap 
  Assembly.
* Continue revisions to solid models and part drawings of any DSS subassembly as 
  needed.
* Prepare drawing packages for the Wheel Assembly, Main DSS Support Assembly, and the 
  Cable Wrap Assembly.
* Review and finalize the design of the Taper Pin and Main Drive Assemblies.
* Assemble one Grating Tilt Mechanism for testing.
* Order necessary outstanding DSS parts.
* Design and build tooling to mount the Field Lens into its cell.
* Fabrication of the second shutter.
* Resume design work of the Calibration Unit.

	Fabrication (Kowal/Storts/Castillo/Ramirez)
Kowal:

October's Report:

1) Bearing installation fixture and tool were made for the GTM Pillars. 
   Pillars were also modified once again. (Castillo/Kowal)
2) Modification work was performed on Shack-Hartmann and Principal Guiders. 
   (Castillo/Kowal)
3) Modified Slit Mask Server parts were completed. (Castillo/Kowal)
4) Collimator package was finished.  (Storts)
5) DSS Latch Assembly package is currently being programmed.  (Kowal)

Expectations for November:

1) Completion of the DSS Latch Assembly.  (Castillo/Kowal)
2) Modifications of Guiders as needed. (Castillo/Kowal)

8)     Other Business

Next meeting:  10:15, 12/5/01