This document describes the handling equipment that will be required for the construction and integration of the Gemini Near-infrared Integral-Field Spectrograph (NIFS) in the workshops of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) at Mt. Stromlo Observatory.

2 Applicable Documents

Document ID	Source	Title
ICD 1.9/2.7	IGPO	Science Instruments to Facility Handling Equipment ICD

3 Introduction

The Gemini Near-infrared Integral-Field Spectrograph (NIFS) will be constructed, integrated, and tested in the workshops of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) at Mt. Stromlo Observatory. Special handling equipment and a dedicated assembly area will be needed to integrate the NIFS components and to test their performance under a variety of orientations. The handling equipment that will be required is described below.

4 Assembly Area

The RSAA workshops include an assembly room that will be used for the integration and testing. This assembly room measures 5000 mm ´ 4600 mm and has a ceiling clearance to an overhead I-beam of 4600 mm. The I-beam is suitable for lifting a 3 tonne mass but will need to be cleared by Occupational Health & Safety before twin chain hoists can be fitted to the beam. Access to the room is via high double doors that are 1600 mm wide. This is sufficient to pass all components including the NIFS integration frame. The overhead I-beam is high enough to allow full tilt tests to be performed on the assembled instrument. Electronics rack carrier supports and the electronics racks themselves will be added to the integration frame once it is in the assembly room. If the assembly room proves not to be large enough for the integration and testing, a fallback position is to use space in the workshops of the Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering on the main ANU campus near the center of Canberra.

NIFS will return to Hawaii in three separate parts as the complete instrument is too large to be transported by air.

5 Handling Equipment

5.1 Carrier Frame Air Pallet, and Lifting Beam

The simplest means of moving the assembled NIFS cryostat and carrier frame is via an air pallet similar to the air pallet that will be used to transport instruments within the Gemini domes. It may be possible to borrow such an air pallet from Gemini.

If it is not possible to obtain an instrument air pallet for the assembly period from Gemini then RSAA will build a simplified version of this air pallet. Instrument air pallets measure ~ 1400´1400´300 mm and have Gemini standard instrument interface pads fitted to their top surface. Air pads will be fitted the corners of the RSAA pallet as suitable wheels with 1 tonne capacity are not readily available. The Gemini air pallet layout is described in Gemini ICD 1.9/2.7.

A suitable 2 tonne lifting beam, similar to that shown in ICD 1.9/2.7, will be borrowed from Gemini or built at RSAA for tilt testing the assembled instrument

5.2 Clean Room Trolleys, Hoist, and Lifting Beam

The NIFS optical system and vacuum jacket will be assembled in a clean room environment with good anti-static precautions.

Two flatbed trolleys will be purchased to transport the vacuum jacket and spectrograph sections to and from this clean room. These two trolleys can be any suitable-sized, commercially available units having a 500 kg load capacity and measuring about 1000´1000 mm.

A 150 kg chain hoist will be fitted to the ceiling of the RSAA clean room and a small, purpose-built lifting beam will be manufactured to lift NIFS sections during assembly.