OWG Meeting 17-Feb-2010

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Agenda

  • Announcements
  • Review of minutes from 20-Jan-2010 meeting
  • Trigger test stand - Alex
  • Gas system - Beni
  • BNL NSLS-II PLC evaluation (full vsn) (summary)- Elliott
  • EVIO - Elliott
    • new empty-vector constructor
    • dana-evio, evio-dana plugins
    • string arrays
    • correct counts for 8- and 16-bit words
    • add more queries to Java version
    • eliminate blocking?
  • Coil test update - Elliott
    • EPICS-PLC connection
  • Other electronics and trigger status reports - Fernando, Chris, Ben, Ed, Alex, Dave


Time/Location

1:30 PM Wed 17-Feb-2010 CC F326


Announcements

Next Meeting

1:30 PM Wed 3-Mar-2010


New Action Items from this Meeting

Minutes

Attendees: Elliott w, Simon T, William g, Bryan M, Alex S, Lubomir P, Beni Z, Mark I, Yi Q.


Trigger Test Stand

Alex described how he and Elliott are setting up a test stand in F117 to test FADC250 modules. The DAQ group supplied a small VXS crate and TI module, and Elliott supplied a computer and the CodaLite software. After some problems with on computer they switched to a backup and everything is working. Goals include learning how to use the FADC, testing trigger algorithms using MC data, etc. In the summer the VxWorks single board computer will be replaced with a Linux-based version, similar to what will be used in the final experiment.


Chamber Gas Systems

Beni described preliminary work on the drift chamber gas system. He has met with vendors and is working on the final gas system design. Note that Brian Kross created the original design for the DOE reviews. Devices needed include flow controllers, mass flowmeters, gas analyzers, valves and regulators, etc. The gas system must be compatible with the Allen-Bradly PLC-based control system.


BNL Controls for NSLS

Elliott described the results of a PLC evaluation for the BNL light source. They investigated four vendors and chose Allen-Bradley, same as Hall D, but for different reasons in some cases. See the slides for details. They too will layer EPICS on top of the PLC system. They will use about 600 PLC chassis and 300 PLC's (compared to our dozen chassis and one controller). We should benefit from their work, and may be able to adopt some of their software.


EVIO Improvements

Elliott described some ongoing work to improve EVIO. New features are listed above. Not listed is porting the C++ API to VxWorks (testing ongoing).


Coil Test Stand

Elliott gave a brief update concerning the solenoid coil test. Briefly, progress is being made more or less according to the FastTrack schedule. Coil 1 is being put back together, and some wires had to repaired during the procedure. All the major items have been ordered. It is taking a fair amount more manpower than expected, leading to cost overruns that have to be addressed at the project level.

Also, it appears likely that we'll have to transfer EPICS data from the CTF (they supply the cryogens) to our PLC-based control system. Elliott has contacted the experts and there should be no problems. It does require a Linux PC, though, whereas all the other software only runs on Windows. Elliott has a spare PC and is configuring it.


FADC 250 for FSU

There was much discussion as to whether FSU really needs a FADC 250 to complete their work, particularly since there are so few available and no more are planned until production of the final version.