Safety Note

Autofib 2 is a robot and can start up at any time and without warning.  Work should not be carried out on the robot unless you are competent and familiar with AF2.  Always be careful and follow safety procedures for working with robots with AF2.  If in doubt contact an AF2 expert!
 

Index

Failure of the Power to the PVP Servo Amplifier Crate
Failure of Autofib to pick up fibres
Fault with Autofib 2 Network Connection
Re-booting Autofib 2
Fibre Recovery
Removal of the Fibre Module
 

Failure of the Power to the PVP Servo Amplifier Crate

If there is a failure of a controller for a servo then when a command is issued to the crate, it will not complete. The Autofib software will appear to lock up. What will appear on screen will be the initial status of the robot. After this, nothing more will appear. If this happens, do the following:

• Re-boot the Autofib VME crate by turning the power off to it at the wall socket. The plug is marked 'AF2 VME CRATE'
• Check the connections between the Autofib VME crate and the PVP servo amplifier crate.
• Check that there is power to the PVP servo amplifier crate.
• On the top of the PVP servo amplifier crate there are 6 red LED's to indicate the low voltage supplies.  These should all be illuminated. From left to right these indicate +36v, -36v, +26v, -26v, +36v, -36v.
• Issue the ICL command <afwake>.
• Autofib should initialise okay. If not, then there is a problem with Autofib that requires specialised investigation. Call one of the Autofib specialist engineers for further investigation of the fault.
• Other possibilities for this fault could be a faulty servo amplifier, faulty wiring, faulty connector, motor failure, brake failure, electronics failure.

Failure of Autofib to pick up fibres

This is normally due to Autofib losing its air supply . ICL will give an error 'failure to put down fibre'.  A quick check of this is to:

• Issue the ICL <afsleep> command to Autofib.
• Issue the ICL <afwake> command.
• As Autofib goes through the wake process, the gripper can be heard to open and close.
• If the gripper can not be heard to open and close, then check that there is at least 6 Kgf/cm2 pressure to Autofib.
• Check that the air solenoid is operating during the wake procedure. The air solenoid has a red LED on it to indicate operation. It is located inside the Autofib robot, at the bottom left corner.
• Other problems could be failure of the solenoid, failure of the gripper mechanism, failure of the control electronics.
• It is important that if the mechanism fails during a setup and is then repaired, that the fibre that it failed on is recovered. If it is not recovered, then damage could be done to the fibres. See the documentation on recovering a lost fibre for further information.

Fault with Autofib Network Connection

Autofib has two network connections. The connection on the rear of the crate connects to the utility network. This is used for the ICL system to issue commands to Autofib. The connection on the front of the crate connects to the standard computer network of the observatory. This connection is used to download software files for the Autofib VME crate.

If the network connection to the utility network is broken then ICL will not be able to send commands to Autofib. A quick check of this connection is to check the utility network with a VT220 display plugged into an NIU info port. Pressing <3> will show all the equipment on the network. Autofib should be amongst these. If not, then there is a problem with the utility network that requires further investigation.

If the network connection to the conventional network is broken then autofib will be unable to download files from the network. This will generate errors in ICL relating to files not available, I/O errors. To check this connection, telnet to autofib. If this does not work then the problem with the conventional network will require further investigation.
 

Re-booting Autofib 2

If Autofib 2 will not respond at all, then the program has most probably crashed. This will require a reset of Autofib 2. To do this, go into the GHRIL control room. One of the wall sockets to the right will have a plug labelled 'AF2 VME CRATE' in it. Turn this plug off and back on after 10 seconds. Autofib will automatically re-boot itself.  Control of autofib should now be able to be done from the ICL terminal.
 

AF2 Fibre Recovery

error message AF2.... Setup: AF2 -- I- NOFIBREVISIBLE, cannot see fibre to pick up.

• At ICL, type the command  <afbackillum on>.
• Still at ICL type the command <afrecover> to find a fibre that has been lost. It may require 2 or 3 attempts to recover the fibre this way.
• If after 3 attempts with <afrecover>, the fibre has still not been located, it is more than likely due to backillumination problems. It is felt safer and more reliable to enter engineering mode to recover the fibre. Use these commands carefully and do not carry out other commands unless you fully understand what you are doing.
• Before leaving ICL window turn the backillumination on using <afbackillum on>, and then type <afviewf 79>
• Open a Decterm and Telnet to AF2
• Username: Autofib, password: *******,
• OS9> eng
• Eng> local
• Eng> whichfibre. This tells you the last fibre it tried to load or setup, say in this example it is fibre 79
• Eng> viewfibre 79.  Check on TV monitor if it is visible on the screen.
• If it is visible, then enter "loadfibre 79 2" at the eng> prompt, and then proceed to "Resetting AF2" below if the fibre has been located correctly.
• If it is not visible, then double check on the mimics for AF2 and Wyffos that you have back illumination on. If you still do not see the fibre it may be time to take the module off, so sleep the robot by entering "sleep" at the eng> prompt.
• With the module off as described in "Removal of the Fibre Module", inspect the field plate and identify the problem fibre (fibre 79 in this example).
• Carefully pull it back to the load ring, taking care not to move any other fibres. Once positioned in the load ring, refit the fibre module.
• Enter "ringfibre 79" and then "loadfibre 79 2" at the eng> prompt. This informs the robot that the fibre has been placed in the load ring. The loadfibre command will then perform a spiral search around the expected position of the fibre.
• If the fibre is found, then proceed to "Resetting AF2".
• If the fibre still cannot be found, then the fibre should be disabled by typing "disablefibre 79" at the eng> prompt.  Proceed to "Resetting AF2"

• Eng> resetlostflag
• Eng> resetcurrfib
• Eng> whichfibre.  Should reply no problems moving fibres if not you still have problems.
• Eng> remote
• Eng> quit
• Now return to ICL and start Afsetup When you are ready to do so.

Removal of the Fibre Module

It is necessary to do this when access to the robot is required.  A minimum of 3 people required for this operation.  If you are unsure of this operation, then do not attemp it.  Contact an Autofib specialist for further advice.

• Bring the telescope to access park.
• Bring the Autofib fibre module storage case next to Autofib and remove the lid.
• Turn the power off to the autoguider controller and remove the cables from it.
• Remove the autoguider controller from its housing.
• Check that there is nothing tied to the frame of the Autoguider controller housing.
• Remove the autoguider controller housing.
• With one person supporting the fibres where they leave the swan neck to go to Autofib, untie the cable ties on the swan neck.
• Remove the control cables from the swan neck and place out of the way. THEY MUST STAY CONNECTED TO AUTOFIB!
• Ensuring that there is nothing tied to the fibre module, support it using two people and remove the four bolts that secure it to the robot.
• Place the Fibre module in its storage box and lay the fibres down next to it from the swans neck. Ensure that no stress is place on the fibres where the enter the fibre module.
• Remove the four brass spacers that are between the robot and the fibre module.
• Place a metallic object over the small or large fibre module sensor on the robot, according to which fibre module is currently fitted
• The autofib servo control system is now enabled.
• DANGER-Remember that Autofib is a robot and as such can start at any time and without warning.
• TAKE CARE-If working inside the robot, remove the metallic object from the fibre module sensor.  This will disable the servo amplifiers.
• Access to the robot can now take place.
• The robot can be operated from ICL or the engineering terminal as normal.
• When finished, the fibre module can be fitted by following the reverse procedure. DO NOT FORGET TO FIT THE SPACERS!