Evaluation of a commercial system for CAMAC-based control of the Chalk River Laboratories tandem-accelerator-superconducting-cyclotron complexcomplex

Conference · Tue Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1992 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

OSTI ID:7280384

Greiner, B F; Caswell, D J; Slater, W R ^[1]

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1. TASCC Accelerators and Development, Nuclear Physics Branch, AECL Research, Chalk River Lab., Chalk River, Ontario K0J 1J0 (CA)

This paper discusses the control system of the Tandem Accelerator Superconducting Cyclotron (TASCC) of AECL Research at its Chalk River Laboratories which is presently based on a PDP-11 computer and the IAS operating system. The estimated expense of a custom conversion of the system to a current, equivalent operating system is prohibitive. The authors have evaluated a commercial control package from VISTA Control Systems based on VAX microcomputers and the VMS operating system. Vsystem offers a modern, graphical operator interface, an extensive software toolkit for configuration of the system and a multi-feature data-logging capability, all of which far surpass the functionality of the present control system. However, the implementation of some familiar, practical features that TASCC operators find to be essential has proven to be challenging. The assessment of Vsystem, which is described in terms of presently perceived strengths and weaknesses, is, on balance, very positive.

• OSTI ID: 7280384
• Report Number(s): CONF-9106122--
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) Vol. 39:2; ISSN 0018-9499; ISSN IETNA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
430303* -- Particle Accelerators-- Experimental Facilities & Equipment
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200 -- Mathematics & Computers
ACCELERATORS
ATOMIC ENERGY OF CANADA LTD
CAMAC SYSTEM
CANADIAN ORGANIZATIONS
CHALK RIVER CYCLOTRON
CHALK RIVER NUCLEAR LABS
COMPUTERS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
CYCLIC ACCELERATORS
CYCLOTRONS
DEC COMPUTERS
DIGITAL COMPUTERS
EQUIPMENT INTERFACES
HEAVY ION ACCELERATORS
ISOCHRONOUS CYCLOTRONS
MICROCOMPUTERS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OPERATION
PDP COMPUTERS
SUPERCONDUCTING CYCLOTRONS