Controlling work processes and inventories at the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) International Observatory (TIO) is an important function due to the interactivity of subsystems and various teams, and to ensure there is minimal impact to nighttime operations due to failures of any kind. In addition, there is precision and conformity required when working with optics and other complex systems at the high altitude of Mauna Kea. Whilst telescopes such as the TIO are complex machines, tools used to control assets and maintenance activities should not be. The purpose of such a tool should be to guarantee successful outcomes via efficient inputs. In this paper we share our method for determining the criteria and tool selection for TIO’s management of assets, inventory, and maintenance activities. Our proposed method integrates technical, functional, and organizational elements that factored into the criteria weightings. Technical specifications evaluate compatibility, customization and scalability. Functional criteria assess workflows, scheduling, inventory control, and reporting. Organizational criteria evaluate vendor support, product documentation, and long-term viability. The application of a weighted score system enables quantitative comparison between each possibility 1, ensuring the selected tool meets the needs of TIO, thus maximizing the benefits provided by an effective maintenance management tool.
The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) International Observatory (TIO) project involves complex systems engineering (SE), necessitating efficient tools for the effective management of SE processes and products. This paper explores the utilization of Atlassian Jira whose flexibility surpasses traditional methods like Excel by providing a common, collaborative database for all stakeholders, enabling concurrent updates and facilitating easy search, filter, and reporting capabilities. This paper details the incorporation of SE processes for task tracking, verification, risk management, hazard assessment, CAD issue tracking, and configuration management into Jira. Establishing traceability between related tickets fosters both small group and system-wide collaboration, and ensures that important information is not lost, forgotten, or incorrectly duplicated. Additionally, integrations with embedded apps such as SoftComply Risk Manager and an external tool ConnectALL, which syncs Jira with the IBM DOORS requirements management tool, further enhance Jira's capabilities. Customizing Jira and optimizing its features has contributed to efficient management of TIO systems engineering processes and products. Leveraging its functionalities, we have fostered a more robust and traceable design by enhancing collaboration through greater transparency and accessibility. Jira has proven to be a valuable asset in the comprehensive management of complex projects like TIO.
This paper presents the state-of-the-art techniques employed to manage Computer Aided Design (CAD) data at the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project. It reviews the role of CAD data in relation to written interface specifications and design requirements documents; storage and access control; configuration control; verification activities; and handling of nonconformities. The process of CAD compliance verification and handling nonconformities with a closed-loop system is particularly emphasized as an important strategy for risk mitigation.
KEYWORDS: Observatories, Safety, Databases, Interfaces, Reliability, Control systems, Computer aided design, Systems engineering, Systems modeling, Standards development
The objective of the systems engineering effort is to ensure the successful development and operability of the TMT system, by defining clear policies and procedures for architecture definition, requirements management, interface management, integration management, and verification. This paper shows the tailored implementation of the systems engineering approach which is intended to ensure that the system meets all requirements while being affordable, producible, and maintainable over the observatory’s life, while maintaining acceptable risk. This paper also describes the evolution of this approach in the last decade at TMT and the reasoning behind that evolution.
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