EPICS Universal Science Port Control

This Document

This document describes how to control the Universal Science Port (USP) through EPICS and is intended for the use of engineers when commissioning or fault finding on the instrument.

USP Parts

the USP is a complex instrument and has many moving parts. The instrument has the following Sub units:-

• Dichroic Changer Mechanism
• Dichroic Changer (Carousel)
• Dichroic Changer (Clamp Control)
• Dichroic Changer (Other Mechanisms)
• NAOMI Calibration Unit (Lamps)
• NAOMI Calibration Unit (Iris)
• NAOMI Calibration Unit (Slider)
• Bench Control
• OASIS Deployable Flat
• Simplexing Deployable Flat
• Filter Focus Correction Mechanism
• Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector

Starting the EPICS Graphical User Interface

Log on as whtobs and execute the "start_epics" command in a terminal window. This will start a Graphical user display on the terminal.
This GUI allows you to select an EPICS Subsystem to control.

Click on USP under the Engineering column this starts the EPICS USP control GUI.

You may select the required subsystem from this GUI. The ! button in the top right hand corner starts the help system and displays this web page in a browser.

The dropdown display shows a selection of topics to display, click on the help topic you are interested in.

The ! button in the ALARM Handler box starts the EPICS Alarm Handler system. This will be described in a later version of this document

Using Cad/Car Records

All actions on the USP instrument may be completed by either clicking on a button or typing in a command or value and pressing the Return key. However to exercise the sequence control of the mechanisms then the CAD/CAR record is required.

Each subsystem has a CAD button and a CAR button. The examples below are from the Optical Bench Sequence control and are started from the "Universal Science Port Bench Control" button in the USP Engineering Control GUI.

The CAD GUI consists of 5 buttons and either 2 or 4 input locations for Commands and Demand values.
The 5 buttons are marked - CLEAR MARK PRESET START STOP. To use the CAD record each subsystem will display a table of the Commands to be used and the parameters (Demand) each command will accept. The example below is for the Optical Bench control.

To use the CAD record push the CLEAR button and enter the required values, in the example above CONFIGURE and FIXED have been input. Press the MARK then PRESET buttons, if the command and values are ok then no error message will be displayed on the Validation Message (MESS) line. Press the START button to initiate the sequence control.

The CAR record describes the current state of the action requested, it has 3 values IDLE, BUSY and ERROR. In the ERROR state an error message (OMSS) will be displayed describing the problem which has occured.

System Information

This displays information about the current software state. It describes the version of software installed and the current level of debugging information being output. It also shows if the system has been switched to a software test mode.

There are no active areas on this display it is for information only.

Dichroic Changer Mechanism

This mechanism will be described in a later version of this document.

Dichroic Changer (Carousel)

This mechanism will be described in a later version of this document.

Dichroic Changer (Clamp Control)

This mechanism will be described in a later version of this document.

Dichroic Changer (Other Mechanisms)

This mechanism will be described in a later version of this document.

NAOMI Calibration Unit (Lamps)

NCU Lamp GUI

The Calibration lamps may be switched on and off by the control button, more than one lamp may be on at any one time.

NCU Lamp CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons will display the standard CAD/CAR GUI's. The parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-

NAOMI Calibration Unit (Iris)

NCU Iris GUI

The value required is entered into the input box, and the Stop, Pause, Move and Go buttons are used to control the attenuation movement.

NCU Iris CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons will display the standard CAD/CAR GUI's. The parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-

NAOMI Calibration Unit (Slider)

NCU Slider GUI

There are 6 positions available for use by the engineer. The values in the Science, Spectral Cal, OASIS Continuum, OSCA Pinhole and NAOMI Simplexing boxes are pre-set and held in the EPICS database. The Test position is available so that it is not necessary to change the values in the other 5 input boxes. Use the Selection buttons (0-5) to set the value in the motor record, and use the Stop, Pause, Move and Go buttons to control the slider movement.

NCU Slider CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons will display the standard CAD/CAR GUI's. The parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-

Bench Control

Bench GUI

The Bench Direction Button controls the required state of the Optical Bench, it has two positions Fixed and Floating. No movement will take place until the Power Control button is set to Enabled.

The status of the bench is shown in the Bench Sense display. It has 4 values Fixed, Floating, Moving and ERROR.

The Help Button (!) will pop up a menu relevant to this display and should open a browser window and show this document.

Bench CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons will display the standard CAD/CAR GUI's. The parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-

The state of the bench sequence program is shown in the State display. It has the following States:-

1. FIXED
2. FLOATING
3. MOVING
4. UNKNOWN
5. ERROR

Interface

The last display on this GUI shows the state of the Electrical connections and checks that the system has all electronic connectors correctly wired. The Disconnected message indicates tht you should check all connectors.

OASIS Deployable Flat

ODF GUI

The Deployment Direction Button controls the required state of the OASIS Deployable Flat, it has two positions IN and OUT. No movement will take place until the Power Control button is set to Enabled.

The status of the flat is shown in the OASIS Sense display. It has 4 values IN, OUT, Moving and ERROR.

The help Button (!) will pop up a menu relevant to this display and should open a browser window and show this document.

ODF CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons will display the standard CAD/CAR GUI's the parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-

The state of the OASIS Deployable Flat (ODF) sequence program is shown in the State display. It has the following States:-

1. IN
2. OUT
3. MOVING
4. UNKNOWN
5. ERROR

Simplexing Deployable Flat

SDF GUI

The Deployment Direction Button controls the required state of the Simplexing Deployable Flat, it has two positions IN and OUT. No movement will take place until the Power Control button is set to Enabled.

The status of the bench is shown in the Simplex Sense display. It has 4 values IN, OUT, Moving and ERROR.

The help Button (!) will pop up a menu relevant to this display and should open a browser window and show this document.

SDF CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons will display the standard CAD/CAR GUI's the parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-

The state of the SDF sequence program is shown in the State display. It has the following States:-

1. IN
2. OUT
3. MOVING
4. UNKNOWN
5. ERROR

Interface

The last display on this GUI shows the state of the Electrical connections and checks that the system has all electronic connectors correctly wired. The Disconnected message indicates tht you should check all connectors.

Filter Focus Correction Mechanism

Filter Focus Correction GUI

Filter Focus CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons will display the standard CAD/CAR GUI's the parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-

Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector

Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector GUI

Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector Deployment System CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons for the Deployment system will display the standard CAD/CAR GUI's the parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-

The state of the ADC Deployable System (ADCDS) sequence program is shown in the State display. It has the following States:-

1. IN
2. OUT
3. MOVING
4. UNKNOWN
5. ERROR

Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector CAD/CAR Records

The CAD and CAR buttons for the Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector system requires two demand values. The parameters required to operate the sequence program are in the table below:-