From: Hutch Neilson
Sent: Monday, April 02, 2007 10:24 PM
To: Bradley E. Nelson; Jim Lyon; Lawrence E. Dudek; Michael C. Zarnstorff; Mike Cole; Mike Williams; Phil Heitzenroeder; Ronald L. Strykowsky; Wayne T. Reiersen
Subject: Summary of NCSX SIT Meeting of 04/02/07
Summary of NCSX System Integration Team (SIT) Meeting of Monday, April 2, 2007

1. Readiness start MC assembly in May: Schedule Risks

• Additional holes in the MC flanges.
  
  • Some changes in number and location were made in the past week. The A-B joint is the last to be finalized. Drawings are expected to be issued April 2 (Mike C.), so machining of holes can proceed.
  • Holes will be machined using a template, to be made from a DXF file based on the drawing. After a discussion of whether there was some better way to dimension the hole locations on the drawing, it was decided to issue the drawing and proceed with the flange modifications without further delay. Larry stated that it will take longer than originally estimated (by ~2 days per coil) to lay out the holes.
    
• A drawing of a prototype bladder is expected to be issued April 2.  There is only one geometry, so this drawing is very close to the final. Lead time on bladders is relatively short.
• Test and development activities.
  
  • Bolt tension test. Have all parts except shim and UT device. This test is not in series with part procurement but is in series with procedure development.
  • Shear test.  Test articles are being fabricated at PPPL. Test will be performed at ORNL.  Not in series with parts procurements.
  • A-A fitup test. On track for this Wednesday (M. Viola).  Test will determine whether constant-thickness ships are OK. Shim geometry is universal (except for thickness).  Once this test is complete, we can finalize shim design and procure shims.
  • Inboard shear connection test. New design concept (large pins) for the bolt-free zones will be tested this week (Larry).  There is a risk that this design may not succeed due to weld distortion when the plate is welded to the flange. In that case, the fallback is a flat shim welded to the flange, using an alumina coating to provide friction rather than a pin connection.  We will plan a peer review to make a decision between a pin connection and a friction interface after the weld test is done. Wayne.
    
• Schedule of MC assembly readiness activities (Ron).
  
  • Detailed schedule forecasts permanent assembly of first 3-coil assembly starting July 25. This would satisfy our Level II milestone, but is ~2 months later than we had planned. We will not be as far along as we had hoped by the time of the Lehman review.
  • Schedule drivers:
    
    • Shims. Assumes 13 week deliver, order placed by April 23.  A-A fitup test is critical.
    • MC punch list tasks for coils A1, A2, B1, C1.  New holes, grinding, and bat insulation attachment are key tasks. Some punch list tasks can be completed later in the assembly process.  Hole drawings are critical.
    • Procedures, which require the assembly sequence plan and dimensional control plan.  Bolt tension test is critical.
    • Inboard shear connection.  Establishing a design concept is critical and urgent!
      
  • We need to look for ways to improve the schedule to gain back some margin against our milestone. (SIT)
    

2.  Modular coil electrical testing

• A meeting last week re-affirmed the project’s requirement to meggar test all coils at 7.5 kV upon completion of manufacture.  Coils will be tested after VPI and again after RESA punch list tasks, before being delivered for FPA.
• We are currently in a stand-down on meggar testing while we provide additional information on risks and risk mitigation requested by the director’s office.
  

3.  ETC Update Issues

• Status summary was issued by Ron. A few more reviews  were conducted last week, including WBS 2 and 14 (winding ops only).
• Initial input for remainder of WBS 1 & 7 is due now.  Highest priority is the assembly jobs (WBS 18 and 7).
  

4.  New FY09-11 budget guidance from DOE

• The DOE has provided new guidance regarding FY09-11 budgets. It is about $4M less in FY09 & FY10 (total) than we have been planning. We are told to assume that cost growth in the MIE project will come from the NCSX budget. A response is due April 18.  Action: Hutch issue a plan for responding.
  

Summary by:
Hutch Neilson