A rapidly developed control system for WITCH

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A rapidly developed control system for WITCH

• A. Lindroth, V. Kozlov

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Contents

• Requirements
• Design choices
• Architecture
• Status
• Future improvements next shutdown

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Requirements

• Ready simultaneously with experiment!!
• Easy to develop further
• Control everything in the experimental set-up
• Scans other things needed for trap experiments
• Cheap

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Control System definition
Computer control
Physical system
Experimental hardware
Electronics
Control System
Experiment
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Order of decisions
Buy this or that piece of experimental hardware
Buy/design a Controller unit
What type of connection between controller and PC?
The physical side allways must come first ?
flexibility needed
System ready fast ? less flexibility possible,
but one should not paint oneself into a corner
commit only to few decisions
Include the relevant code in the Control System
System ready fast ?not complete functionality at
first
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Design choices Software Commitments

• Use LabView Save time
• Use DSC, not replaceble Save time, NI is big ?
  this dependence is not likely to cause problems
• Make some minimal architecture choices, that can
  be kept even when the system keeps developing,
  thus not constraining the possibilities
• Communiction architecture Queued TCP/IP
• Possible to hook on new programs to communication
  architecture

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Software architecture
CaDAQ Gate
Analysis
Traps Cycle GUI
Diagnostics GUI
GUI main
Communication
Scans GUI
Config-GUIs
HV GUI
Vacuum GUI
CaDAQ Heart
Communication
DSC
Physical-Parameter namemap
ANALOG OUT
SCANS
ISOBUS
GPIB
CAN
RS-232
CYCLE
SMC
FILE
INTERLOCKS
GPIB Config
CAN Config
RS232 Config
LOOP? Config?
DIO Config
BI Process
Process
DSC Write
Datasocket
Queue
Variables which are used in the VIs, and loaded
from files at start-up. Or simply files.
Computer
TCP/IP
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Design Choices Computer Hardware

• One powerful I/O PC (but making sure the
• software allows addition of further I/O PCs)
• Passive backplane many PCI and ISA slots
• GPIB, 18ch RS232, CAN, DIO, AIO, ISOBUS, PPG100
  all on one PC
• Many National Instruments cards

GPIB Card
USB--gt RS-232 box
MIO24 Card
DIO96 Card
PPG100 Card
CAN Card
Cadaq Heart
1 RU Screw panel
2 RU LEMO panel
Screw Panel
Long cables (15m)To devices
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Design Choices Controllers/Electronics

• Many controllers are built by our electronics
  department cheaper, we get exactly what we want,
  they can repair/upgrade it, some things are not
  available commersially, we decide how to pack
  different functionality into separate modules, ...

• DELAY BOX
• 10 ns jitter
• 100 ns precision
• 0 ns to 20s (50ns allways)
• 20 ch
• 2 outputs/ch delay/gate
• rs-232

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Design Choices Network

• Our own, independent network, with a gateway to
  the ISOLDE network.
• The gateway will allow control of WITCH via the
  Web. We are now learning how to get the
  appropriate permissions from the CERN Network
  Security guys.
• An ISOLDE network PC for ISOLDE control.

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Recent developments Vacuum system
Valve Control box
RS232
Vacuum Interlock box
Relay
Gauge Controller
Valve
DIO card on CaDAQheart
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Recent developments Trap Electronics
Temporary solution!

• COMPONENTS
• PPG100
• Delay box
• 52 ch static voltage supply/switcher /-20V
• 24 ch rf splitterstatic offset box

PPG100
Delay Box
rf func. gen
rf func. gen
Switchable Static Voltage supply
Rf splitter, inverter, offset adder
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Recent Developments Software Status
CaDAQ Gate
Traps Cycle GUI
Diagnostics GUI
Communication
Vacuum GUI
CaDAQ Heart
Communication
Physical-Parameter namemap
DSC
GPIB
RS-232
CYCLE
SMC
GPIB Config
RS232 Config
LOOP? Config?
DIO Config
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Outlook

• Long-term work (starting in 6-12 months)
• Readback of electrode voltages fieldbus
• Change so all PCs are of in-rack type
• Major upgrade of software functionality where
  needs are found
• Focus on DAQ separate computer with (highly)
  optimized readout speed

• Near-future work
• Fill the software functionality gaps
• Secure quality of code
• Software Documentation
• Implement capacity enhancements based on test
  experiments this summer
• Upgrade to LabView 6.1
• Software control of Voltages
• Get new, computer controllable trap electronics
• Get, install detector electronics