May 18 – 22, 2015
1200 Molecular Plant Science Building, Michigan State University
EST5EDT timezone
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Developing a user interface for experiment control at the ISIS neutron and muon spallation source

May 21, 2015, 11:00 AM
15m
1200 Molecular Plant Science Building, Michigan State University

1200 Molecular Plant Science Building, Michigan State University

15 minute contribution Services

Speaker

Dr Matt Clarke (Science and Technology Facilities Council)

Description

For over ten years the beamline instruments at the ISIS neutron and muon spallation source have been operating successfully using a LabVIEW-based control system. However, a range of new instruments are being built, offering the potential to implement very complex experiments. For this reason, the long-term suitability of the control system was reviewed. Based on this review, it was decided that switching to an EPICS-based system would offer many advantages in terms of flexibility, code reuse and collaboration. Over the last two years, the ISIS Computing Group has been developing this new EPICS-based control system whilst maintaining the existing system. The new system, which is still under active development, is currently being used to commission a new instrument on ISIS’s second target station. This presentation will describe: • The strengths and weaknesses of the existing control system and how this has fed into the design of the new EPICS-based system • The architecture of the new system • The development of a new graphical user interface • The current state of the control system and thoughts about the progress so far

Primary author

Dr Matt Clarke (Science and Technology Facilities Council)

Presentation materials