Procedure to Remove or Mount Plate in
Cartridge
Prepared by Norman Blythe
Reviewed by Mark Klaene and Jon Brinkmann
Maintained by Gretchen Van Doren
Last
modified on
The proper method to mount or remove a plug plate in a cartridge.
Instructions for which/how many plates to prepare are generated by
the night Observers or someone higher in the chain-of-command. These
instructions are sent via the sdss-plug mail list and should be sent
out as early as possible so plug technicians have enough time to
complete. The originator of the instructions should prioritize the
order in which plates are to be plugged. If there are no plates to be
plugged a message to that effect needs to be generated.
Each morning the plug technicians will check their e-mail for
plugging instructions. The plug technician identifies which
cartridge(s) and plate(s) are needed for the upcoming run. A paper
copy of the daily plugging instructions is printed and kept at hand
for easy reference.
Cautionary Notes
Equipment Involved in
this Procedure
Procedure
CAUTIONARY
NOTES
You must be properly trained to
accomplishing this procedure; see training
list.
TRIPPING HAZARDS are present. Clear the
general work area.
CRUSH HAZARDS are present. Be sure to allow
for enough room to accomplish the task.
FALL HAZARDS are present. There is a large
trench (5' wide X 6' deep X 15' long) in the cartridge elevator bay -
use caution when elevator doors are open.
THIS OPERATION CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY ONE
PERSON; TWO PERSONS ARE REQUIRED IF THERE IS A HEAVY
WORKLOAD.
SAFETY WEAR: (recommended)
rubber-soled shoes
EQUIPMENT
INVOLVED IN THIS PROCEDURE
Data cartridge; Location:
stored on racks inside elevator bay, plugging station, or mapping
station; Appearance: approx 4.5' dia X 3' thick., fiber optic
wire interior, plate top, protected sides, top, and bottom; nine
total; 320 lbs. each.
Plug plate; Location: stored
in racks under work table on south wall ,or recently received freight
shipment; Appearance: flat aluminum, approx 4.5' dia. X 1/8"
thick, guide holes around outer surface, small guide tab on outer
edge, mounting hole in center.
Plugging station; Location:
free-standing; Appearance: large, grey, 2-standard mechanism,
with turn wheel to raise and lower cartridge clamps.
Small hand tools; Location:
free-standing red tool boxes; Appearance: as described in
procedure. Torque wrench with 3/16 allen socket kept in bottom drawer
of tan storage cabinet.
PROCEDURE: accomplish in numerical
order
Plug Station
- The plug station is stowed in a position half-way between the
plate storage rack and the elevator bay doors.
- Electrical power is supplied through an extension cord on a
reel plugged to an outlet in the ceiling. The electrical cord
limits how far the station can be moved.
- To position the station, release the brake levers located on
two of the wheels. Once the station is in place re-apply the
brakes by pressing down on the levers.
- The cartridge is placed on the station using the manipulator
arm. The mounting is precise. If placed correctly, the cartridge
lays flat with no uneven "wiggle". Use the manipulator arm to
"even out" the cartridge.
- Lock the cartridge to the station using the four red handles.
Once the cartridge is successfully mounted on the station, stow
the manipulator arm out of the way.
- Press the red switch marked "up/down" to raise/lower the
cartridge. Movement ceases when the limits are reached.
- Press the brake handle (in a vertical position behind the
crank) and turn the cranks in either direction to turn upside down
or any other position.
- Proceed to remove all the black plastic covers from the
cartridge by releasing the cover latches or using the handles.
Place them on the floor out of the way.
- Push the "up/down" button to raise the cartridge to about
waist height or a comfortable level for the operator to
manipulate.
Remove
- Unplug all fiber optic wires by grasping the metal ferrules on
the ends of the wires. Do not grasp the red optic wire to unplug.
This activity should be demonstrated to the
technician at least once prior to execution. Continue until
ALL wires are unplugged.
- The plate is held to the cartridge by a small cap screw in the
center of the plate and a large heavy bending ring . Using a 3/32"
allen wrench, turn counter clockwise, and remove the screw.
- Using a red colored "T" handle wrench, loosen the twelve bolts
holding the bending ring in place. These bolts remove from the
cartridge but not from the ring. Once all bolts are loosened,
remove the bending ring from the cartridge; the ring weighs
approximately 20 lbs. Do not lay the bending
ring down flat; use the storage jig to hold the ring. Make sure
that only the top surface of the ring comes in any contact with
anything. The bottom surface of the ring is grooved and care must
be taken that this surface is not damaged.
- Pushing up on the bottom surface of the plate, remove the
unplugged plate from the cartridge. Note that there are four pins
which align the plate to the cartridge and some force may be
needed. However take care to not bend the plate.
- Place the unplugged plate in the storage rack in its
designated slot.
Mount
- Remove a designated plate from the rack. Before resting the
plate in the cartridge, be sure no fiber optic wires are trapped
between the plate and the cartridge. If fibers are trapped they
can be damaged.
- The plates and cartridges are designed so that the plate only
fits the correct way. The side with the markings on them are
facing down. Once the plate is properly aligned it will rest flat
against the upper lip of the cartridge.
- Push down on the center of the plate until it rests against
the center pin. This may require holding the plate in place.
- Using a 3/32" allen wrench, replace and tighten clockwise the
small center cap screw. The center pin is threaded so the cap
screw easily aligns.
- Place the bending ring on top of the plate. The bending ring
is also designed so it fits only one way.
- Using a red colored "T" handle wrench, tighten a bolt until it
is flush with the ring upper surface. Then, skip two bolts forward
and tighten this bolt flush to the upper surface, skip one bolt
backwards and tighten this bolt flush to the upper surface.
- Again using the star pattern, tighten the bolts one full turn
using the red "T" handle wrench.
- Set the torque wrench to 60 inch pounds before beginning.
Again using the star pattern, tighten the bolts. Set the torque
wrench to zero when finished.
- When plugging operations are complete, secure the cartridge on
the manipulator arm, release the four red handles from the
plugging station and move the cartridge to storage on the rack (if
empty) or to the mapping station (if plugged).
- Return the manipulator arm to a stowed position.
END OF PROCEDURE