From: Hutch Neilson
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 6:53 PM
To: Hutch Neilson; Bradley E. Nelson; Jim Lyon; Lawrence E. Dudek; Mike Williams; Michael C. Zarnstorff; Phil Heitzenroeder; Wayne T. Reiersen; Ronald L. Strykowsky; Mike Cole
Subject: Summary of NCSX SIT Meeting of 8/22/06
Summary of NCSX System Integration Team (SIT) Meeting of Tuesday, August 22, 2006

1.   FY-07 Planning

• Overview (Hutch):
  
  • The impacts of flat funding will be strongly felt in FY-07. The project’s budget will drop from $20M in FY-06 to $16M in FY-07.  (FY-06 was higher due to carryover from previous years and an incremental appropriation from Congress.)  Vacuum vessel contract will end, but TF contract will continue all year.  MCWF and coil winding activities will continue at a higher rate of spending in FY-07 than in FY-06. We also need to budget adequate contingency in FY-07 (at least $2M) so that we have the ability to manage problems without disrupting activities.  After that, there is little left for Field Period Assembly or other procurements.
  • On the positive side, we have the support of both Labs and DOE to see that we receive the monthly funding that we need during the expected continuing resolution at the beginning of the fiscal year. Thus we do not expect that the CR will constrain us.
    
• Planning issues.
  
  • Modular coil interface hardware:  Now the critical path of the project. Design will be led by Goranson, under Williamson, but has not yet started. It may need a push. Action: Jim L.  Planning input is due to Ron this week.  Action: Mike C.
  • TF coil structures:  There is a desire to push this activity so that the TF structures are available when the coils start arriving (February), in order to be able to perform trial assemblies.  However, it is not on the critical path.  It was agreed we would try to at least push the design effort, led by Dahlgren, in order to position ourselves to be able to procure the structures. Fred has provided a schedule update to Ron.
  • Field Period Assembly design and procurement:
    
    • Deliverables are: 1) assembly tooling, 2) assembly sequence, 3) dimensional control plan, 4) specs and drawings.
    • Organization: led by Tom Brown, with support from Brooks (Dimensional Control planning, taking over from Stratton) and ORNL (producing specs and assembly drawings).  The ORNL part is not yet budgeted; an estimate is due to Ron this week.  Action: Mike C.
    • An external review is planned in early October.  Action: Suggest possible ORNL reviewers (Mike C.).  Contact W-7X team to request their participation. (Hutch or Mike Z.)
      
  • Field Period Assembly operations:
    
    • Job manager is Viola. Field team is Edwards, Duco, and Bush.  Will need Title III support from ORNL, but may not be budgeted. An updated estimate is due to Ron this week. Action:  Mike C.
    • Given limited budget, we decided to continue with the lean staffing strategy we are currently following.  Problem solving on FP#1 has priority over production work. Coil interferences are the main technical risk, and have priority over vacuum vessel issues.  Push coil fit-up activities as early in the schedule as possible. We need to find out what the problems are.
      
  • MCWF: There are known overstock issues on at least some of the MCWF.  Phil is working with EIO to get the biggest problems resolved by the suppliers since machining will be required on the worst areas.  Dave W. and MTM are reviewing all of the scan data from the foundry to identify problem areas.
  • Modular Coil fabrication: there remains an outstanding punch list of tasks to complete the coils, currently not budgeted. Tasks include dressing the cooling tubes, I&C, lead boxes for the magnetic loops, clamp modifications(?), poloidal break hardware, etc.  Insulation bats, if required. Lead area re-work on C2.  It varies from coil to coil.  An estimate is due to Ron this week.  Action: Larry.
  • New MC fixture:  Larry reported that the latest quotes for outside fabrication look attractive and are low enough that we can proceed to place the order, requesting delivery in October if necessary.  Action: Larry.
  • Coil services (WBS 16):  The design is scheduled for the 2nd half of FY-07. We discussed whether it could be delayed to FY-08 but concluded it would be too risky because of the complex integration issues.  The risk is not leaving enough space to accommodate the electrical leads if the design work is left to the end.
  • Testing: Based on last week’s peer review the project has decided to test the C5 coil using fiber optic strain gauges.  The timing will depend on the NSTX schedule, in order to take advantage of operating synergies as we have been doing. The current plan is to test C5 in January-February, but there may be an opportunity in November if we are ready.  Action: Wayne contact Al von Halle.
    

2.   Status of response to ETC request from Jerry Faul

• Cost performance improvement (Ron):  Trends continue to be favorable since May. Monthly variances are down. Contingency free balance percentage is rising, and is almost up to 20%.
• MIE update:  Work is being re-scheduled with the stellarator core out to the PF front-loaded, everything else back-loaded. Trying to increase FY-07 budget contingency, by reducing schedule contingency.  Schedule input on FPA has been received. Cost estimate updates are needed.
  
  • It is certain that we will need to identify possible cost reductions to offset expected growth resulting from ETC updates. The cryostat is a prime candidate.  Two construction concepts have been suggested:  1) A fiberglass “board” laminate similar to the CTF cryostat, and 2) Foam sprayed on a cloth or plastic tent-like substrate. These would carry us through the first physics run, and be upgraded later. The intent would be to provide a permanent cryostat base. We cannot afford significant engineering development of any concept at this time.
    
• Program for FY09-11:  Mike W. has compiled an over-complete list of possible upgrades with cost estimates.  Next step is to develop priorities and a time-phased plan.
  

3.  Next SIT Meeting: August 28

Summary by:
Hutch Neilson