Use of failure modes and effects analysis in design of the tracker system for the HET wide-field upgrade

摘要

In support of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX), the Center for Electromechanics at TheUniversity of Texas at Austin was tasked with developing the new Tracker and control system to support the HETDEXWide-Field Upgrade. The tracker carries the 3,100 kg Prime Focus Instrument Package and Wide Field Correctorapproximately 13 m above the 10 m diameter primary mirror. Its safe and reliable operation by a sophisticated controlsystem, over a 20 year life time is a paramount requirement for the project. To account for all potential failures andpotential hazards, to both the equipment and personnel involved, an extensive Failure Modes and Effects Analysis(FMEA) was completed early in the project. This task required participation of all the stakeholders over a multi-daymeeting with numerous follow up exchanges. The event drove a number of significant design decisions and requirementsthat might not have been identified this early in the project without this process. The result is a system that has multiplelayers of active and passive safety systems to protect the tens of millions of dollars of hardware involved and the peoplewho operate it. This paper will describe the background of the FMEA process, how it was utilized on HETDEX, thecritical outcomes, how the required safety systems were implemented, and how they have worked in operation. It shouldbe of interest to engineers, designers, and managers engaging in complex multi-disciplinary and parallel engineeringprojects that involve automated hardware and control systems with potentially hazardous operating scenarios.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.