OWG Meeting 31-Aug-2011

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Agenda

  • Announcements - talks at next meeting:
    • Alex - Trigger configuration
    • Dave A - CODA 3 status
  • Review of minutes from 3-Aug-2011 meeting
  • Review of minutes from 17-Aug-2011 meeting
  • Counting house UPS - Elliott
  • Computer storage - Elliott
  • Hall/counting house schedule - Elliott
    • interim networking strategy
    • four-coil magnet operation in about one year!
    • do we need a computer system manager? If so, when?
  • Questions concerning simulated raw data - Dave A
  • Review of other DAQ group activities for Hall D - Elliott
    • event disentangler
    • automated readout list
    • farm manager
  • FY11 equipment purchase
  • Controls:
    • Nerses Gevorgyan visiting for six months
      • What should he work on?
    • test stand status - Hovanes
    • solenoid controls racks in hall - Elliott
    • license purchases - Hovanes, Elliott
    • IRMIS - Hovanes
    • new fast DAQ for solenoid - Yi
    • is there a role for COSYLAB (commercial consulting firm) in the Hall D control system? - All
  • CCDB online requirements - Elliott
  • Multi-crate trigger test - Bryan
  • FDC cosmic ray test - Beni
  • Electronics, trigger and DAQ status reports - Chris, Alex, Dave, Fernando, Ben, Ed, William, Bryan
  • Mantis Task Tracker


Time/Location

1:30 PM Wed 31-Aug-2011 CC F326


Announcements

Next Meeting

1:30 PM Wed 14-Sep-2011 CC F326


Minutes

Attendees: Elliott W, Beni Z, Dave A, Simon T, Hovanes E, Chris C, Mark I, Alex S, Dave L, Dmitry R, Bryan M, Graham H.


UPS

Elliott reported that Walt Akers is ordering the counting UPS using Hall D FY11 funds. Installation should start in Jan and be complete by Feb 2012.


Computer Storage

We will soon store all extra computer and related equipment in the Hall D trailer to free up space in F117 and EEL 126 for electronics testing.


Hall/Counting House Schedule

The current schedule gives us beneficial occupancy of the counting house around 1-Dec. There are rumors this may be delayed a month.

  • Bryan Hess will install interim networking in the counting house and interim wireless in the hall.
  • Magnet cooldown is expected to begin in Oct-2012.
  • Elliott raised the question of if and when we need a computer system manager. Much discussion ensued. Some preferred a full-time Hall D employee, others preferred to matrix in someone from the IT division. Elliott will talk to Eugene and Andy about this.


Simulated Raw Data File

Dave A gave an overview of information he needs to create a raw data file from MC data, see his note for details. Format is finalized for FADC250, not for FADC125, F1TDC32 nor F1TDC48. We suggested he just follow the FADC250 format for the the others for the interim. Elliott will supply all the information he asked for within the DANARAW framework.


Other DAQ Group Tasks

  • Dave A gave an overview of how the event disentangler will fit into the overall CODA3 event building scheme (Carl is working on this).
  • Generic Hall D disentangler possible because we only us standard DAQ modules and don't mix modules in a crate.
  • Graham noted the DAQ group is planning to develop a more generic disentangler, but delivery is many years off, and we need ours at startup.
  • Bryan is working on the automated readout list.
  • Vardan is working on the "farm manager", but at a very high level so his work will be applicable to other similar Hall D controls components. Hovanes questioned the emphasis on farm management vs overall Experiment Control.


FY11 Equipment Purchases

Eugene authorized about $25k of equipment purchases using remaining FY11 funds. We will purchase oscilloscopes, pulse and function generators, DVM's, computer monitors, etc.


Controls

  • Nerses G. will visit for about six months starting around 1-Oct. We will discuss in the Controls subgroup meeting what he will work on.
  • Hovanes reported on progress setting up the controls test stand in EEL 126.
  • Josh purchased another RSLogix PLC programming license (we now have two), and one Viewpoint license (serves HMI screens to the web).
  • Solenoid testing (four-coil configuration) is scheduled to begin Oct-2012 in the hall.
  • IRMIS is working again. Hovanes started playing with it and progress was slow. Elliott reported that a completely new IRMIS user interface is scheduled to be released this fall. There is a split among the IRMIS developers as to which interface is best...Elliott reported that the new one is being developed by an experienced controls engineer, whereas the current one was developed by a computer engineer, so he thinks the new one may be more practical.
  • Yi is purchasing a new National Instruments 8-channel DAQ module to replace the one that didn't work well in the coil test fast DAQ (we need about 14 channels). The old one, and the VME version that replaced it, both were multiplexing ADC modules (i.e. one ADC, many channels). These always had cross-talk between channels. The new module has one ADC per channel, so we'd need another module if it works well. The backup is to use VME again, but this time with better ADC modules. Chris reported that we may be able to put a VME system together using decommissioned equipment from the three halls.
  • Elliott asked if there is a role for a commercial EPICS consulting firm (COSYLab) in our controls effort. He and Hovanes don't see one, but you never know. COSYLab is highly experienced in the EPICS world.


CCDB

  • Elliott noted that it is time to think about requirements for the CCDB from an online perspective now that Dmitry has released a version developed for offline use.


Multi-crate Trigger Test

Bryan reported that things are moving along well. He as achieved 160 kHz trigger rate (uniform trigger, not random). Ed has gotten the 2ESST transfer working (on FADC250?). The GBit serial lines are being tested now. And Hai is poised for a "breakthrough" in the FPGA programming.


Electronics

Chris reported that the first group of TI's and SD's are in.