A rapidly developed control system for WITCH A. Lindroth, V. Kozlov

Contents Requirements Design choices Architecture Status Future improvements: next shutdown

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

Control System ”definition” Physical system Experimental hardware Electronics Computer control Control SystemExperiment

Order of decisions Buy this or that piece of experimental hardware Buy/design a Controller unit What type of connection between controller and PC? Include the relevant code in the Control System 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 System ready fast  not complete functionality at first

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

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

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 Cadaq Heart GPIB Card USB--> RS-232 box MIO24 Card DIO96 Card PPG100 Card CAN Card 1 RU Screw panel 2 RU LEMO panel Screw Panel Long cables (~15m)To devices

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

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. ”Cadaqgate” ”Cadaqheart” To ISOLDE network ”Cadaqgate” In light building ”Cadaqheart” In ISOLDE hall TCP/IP To ISOLDE network Repeater?

Recent developments: Vacuum system Gauge Controller Valve Valve Control box RS232 Relay Vacuum Interlock box DIO card on CaDAQheart

Recent developments: Trap Electronics COMPONENTS PPG100 Delay box 52 ch static voltage supply/switcher +/-20V 24 ch rf splitter+static offset box Temporary solution! PPG100 Delay Box Switchable Static Voltage supply Rf splitter, inverter, offset adder rf func. gen

Recent Developments: Software Status SMC Communication DSC GPIBRS-232CYCLE Vacuum GUI GPIB Config RS232 Config LOOP? Config? DIO Config Physical-Parameter namemap CaDAQ Gate CaDAQ Heart Diagnostics GUI Traps Cycle GUI Communication

Outlook 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 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