As the CDR can be seen as the ultimate progress report, no monthly report was generated for March. This report catches up on the work and expenditure for the two month period, but has little to add to the CDR information.

2.1 Staffing

The search for competent mechanical design and electronics technical staff continues. The positions will be advertised again late in May.

2.2 Progress

The latest information on the NIFS progress was presented at the CDR, only one week before the end of this reporting period.

We are continuing work towards vacuum testing of the cryostat starting 29 May, and the start of the first cooldown on 3 July.

The design of modifications to our test dewar has started.

Design detailing and the production of fabrication drawings of the spectrograph is about to start.

Work is continuing on developing our own schematics and PCB layouts for most of the control system, and a good start has been made on the construction of the control system with mechanical assembly of the electronics crates advancing.

2.3 Schedule

A revised schedule has been submitted as part of the CDR documentation. This will be considered as the “current schedule”.

3 Technical Progress

3.1 Completed Tasks

All Critical Design Study tasks have been closed at the end of the reporting period. Any work still outstanding will be carried out as part of the spectrograph construction.

Task WBS	hrs	Finish Date	Title	Deliverables
2.1.1	487	27 Apr 2001	Project Management	N/A
2.1.6	135	27 Apr 2001	PS miscellaneous	N/A
2.2.3	258	27 Apr 2001	Science Case	CDR Docs
2.3.2	11	27 Apr 2001	Acceptance Test Plan	CDR Docs
2.3.8	2690	27 Apr 2001	Produce CDR Documentation	CDR Docs
2.6.2.2	192	27 Apr 2001	Detector Board PCB Layout	PCB Layout
2.6.2.3	28	27 Apr 2001	Flex Circuit Wiring Design	Schematics
2.6.2.4	38	27 Apr 2001	Flex Circuit PCB Layout	PCB Layout
3	284	27 Apr 2001	CDR	N/A

3.2 Tasks in Progress

4.1.1 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Project Management

A continuing task. JvH: 4 hrs.

4.2.1 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Design and Supervision

A continuing task. CV and others: 38 hrs.

4.2.2 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Parts Fabrication

Workshop effort 447 hrs this period.

4.3.1 Control System – Design and Supervision

Purchasing and design. MID: 28 hrs.

4.3.2 Control System – General Fabrication

Equipment mounting: JA: 116 hrs.

3.3 Documents Issued

Apart from the CDR documentation, no documents were issued during the reporting period.

Document ID	Rev	Date	Title

4 Schedule Progress

4.1 Updated Schedule

The current schedule is the schedule included in the CDR Documentation.

4.2 Project Statistics

18 people have contributed to the NIFS project during this period. They worked a total of 1515 hours, bringing the total for the project to 13,555 hrs, which represents approximately 43.4% of the total number of hours in the current project plan. The number of hours allocated for the critical design study has been overspent by 7.2%.

4.3 Milestones

Listed below are the milestones defined in the NIFS contract. Milestone 3, AURA approval of Final OCDD and FPRD has been postponed to the CDR date, which is now set for 19-20 April 2001.

Event	Date	Status
(1)Contract fully signed	August 2000	Completed
(2) Placement of order for vacuum jacket forging	August 2000	Completed
(3) AURA approval of Final FPRD and OCDD	5 December 2000	To be submitted with CDR documentation
(4) AURA approval of Detailed Design Documentation after CDR	January 2001	CDR 19 April 2001
(5) Start of first Cryostat and OIWFS cooldown	14 May 2001
(6) Completion of Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication (As task is described in Conceptual Design Documentation)	4 October 2001
(7) Completion of Spectrograph Construction (As task is described in Conceptual Design Documentation)	22 March 2002
(8) Authorization to ship instrument given by AURA	19 July 2002
(9) Completion of all Work and Final Acceptance given by AURA	1 October 2002

5 Financial Progress

The exchange rate used is the rate applicable to a particular transaction, or the rate on the last day of the reporting period. On 27 April 2001 the rate was 0.505.

5.1 Income

No income was gained during the reporting period.

5.2 Outgoings

5.2.1 Labour

The NIFS account was charged for 1361hrs of work for the reporting period. This is the total number of hours (1514) minus the hours for the Project Scientist (153). The total charge is US$57,635 (A$114,129)

5.2.2 Other Costs - Expenditure and Commitments

The following table lists all expenditure incurred and all new commitments made during the reporting period.

Note: “Type” indicates: e – expenditure, c - commitment

5.3 Financial Status

6 Problem Areas

6.1 Technical Problems

Measures are in place to minimise delays resulting from the unavailability of as-built and performance information on NIRI and its control software.

6.2 Scheduling Problems

The next minor milestones on the current schedule are the start of cryostat vacuum tests on 29 May and the start of cooldown cycle 0 (cryostat with Cold Work Surface and radiation shields) on 3 July. The cooldown start depends on the timely delivery of the cryocoolers and their mounting bellows from the manufacturers. In case of delays with the coolers, we may have to take up Gemini’s offer to lend us spare coolers. The delivery of helium hoses, fittings, and differential pressure switches by Gemini is also on the critical path.

6.3 Financial Problems

There are no financial problems.

7 Action Items

The following Action Items are outstanding.

No.	Action	Who	Status
4	Negotiate delivery schedule for As Built NIRI drawings with IfA	RAN	Mechanical drawings received.
9	Send 7 cryo stepper motors to ANU	RAN	1 received (no further action required till later)