ICALEPCS2013 - List of Authors (Dedic, J.)

Paper

Title

Page

High-Density Power Converter Real-Time Control for the MedAustron Synchrotron

127

J. Gutleber, A.B. Brett, M. Hager, J. Junuzovic, M. Junuzovic, M. Marchhart, R. Moser, H. Pavetits, C. Torcato de Matos
CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
A. Ambrosch, A.B. Brett, P. Fraboulet, M. Hager, J. Junuzovic, M. Junuzovic, M. Marchhart, R. Moser, H. Pavetits, C. Torcato de Matos
EBG MedAustron, Wr. Neustadt, Austria
J. Dedič, M. Mehle, L. Šepetavc
Cosylab, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The MedAustron accelerator is a synchrotron for light-ion therapy, developed under the guidance of CERN within the MedAustron-CERN collaboration. Procurement of 7 different power converter families and development of the control system were carried out concurrently. Control is optimized for unattended routine clinical operation. Therefore, finding a uniform control solution was paramount to fulfill the ambitious project plan. Another challenge was the need to operate with about 5'000 cycles initially, achieving pipelined operation with pulse-to-pulse re-configuration times smaller than 250 msec. This contribution shows the architecture and design and gives an overview of the system as built and operated. It is based on commercial-off-the-shelf processing hardware at front-end level and on the CERN function generator design at equipment level. The system is self contained, permitting use of parts and the whole is other accelerators. Especially the separation of the power converter from the real-time regulation using CERN's Converter Regulation Board makes this approach an attractive choice for integrating existing power converters in new configurations.

Poster MOPPC028 [0.892 MB]

MOPPC123

Extending WinCC OA for Use as Accelerator Control System Core

395

M. Marchhart, A.B. Brett, M. Hager, M. Janulis, J. Junuzovic, M. Junuzovic, R. Moser, H. Pavetits, C. Torcato de Matos
EBG MedAustron, Wr. Neustadt, Austria
A.B. Brett, J. Gutleber, M. Hager, M. Janulis, J. Junuzovic, M. Junuzovic, M. Marchhart, R. Moser, C. Torcato de Matos
CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
J. Dedič
Cosylab, Ljubljana, Slovenia

The accelerator control system for the MedAustron light-ion medical particle accelerator has been designed under the guidance of CERN in the scope of an EBG MedAustron/CERN collaboration agreement. The core is based on the SIMATIC WinCC OA SCADA tool. Its open API and modular architecture permitted CERN to extend the product with features that go beyond traditional supervisory control and that are vital for directly operating a particle accelerator. Several extensions have been introduced to make WinCC OA fit for accelerator control: (1) Near real-time data visualization, (2) external application launch and monitoring, (3) accelerator settings snapshot and consistent restore, (4) generic panel navigation supporting role based permission handling, (5) native integration with interactive 3D engineering visualization, (6) integration with National Instruments based front-end controllers. The major drawback identified is the lack of support of callbacks from C++ extensions. This prevents asynchronous functions, multithreaded implementations and soft real-time behaviour. We are therefore striving to search for support in the user community to trigger the implementation of this function.

Poster MOPPC123 [0.656 MB]

THPPC102

Comparison of Synchronization Layers for Design of Timing Systems

1296

A. Aulin Söderqvist, N. Claesson, J. Neves Rodrigues
Lund University, Lund, Sweden
J. Dedič, R. Štefanič, R. Tavčar
Cosylab, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Two synchronization layers for timing systems in large experimental physics control systems are compared. White Rabbit (WR), which is an emerging standard, is compared against the well-established event based approach. Several typical timing system services have been implemented on an FPGA using WR to explore its concepts and architecture, which is fundamentally different from an event based. Both timing system synchronization layers were evaluated based on typical requirements of current accelerator projects and with regard to other parameters such as scalability. The proposed design methodology demonstrates how WR can be deployed in future accelerator projects.

Poster THPPC102 [1.796 MB]

THPPC104

A Timing System for Cycle Based Accelerators

1303

J. Gutleber
CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
Z. Croflic, J. Dedič, R. Štefanič
Cosylab, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Synchrotron accelerators with multiple ion sources and beam lines require a high degree of flexibility to define beam cycle timing sequences. We have therefore decided to design a ready-to-use accelerator timing system based on off-the-shelf hardware and software that can fit mid-size accelerators and that is easy to adapt to specific user needs. This Real Time Event Distribution Network (REDNet) has been developed under the guidance of CERN within the MedAustron-CERN collaboration. The system based on the MRF transport layer has been implemented by Cosylab. While we have used hardware on NI PXIe platform, it is straightforward to obtain it for other platforms such as VME. The following characteristics are key to its readiness for use: (1) turn-key system comprising hardware, transport layer, application software and open integration interfaces, (2) performance suitable for a wide range of accelerators, (3) multiple virtual timing systems in one physical box, (4) documentation developed according to V-model. Given the maturity of the development, we have decided to make REDNet available as a product through our industrial partner.

Poster THPPC104 [0.429 MB]

Paper	Title	Page
MOPPC028	High-Density Power Converter Real-Time Control for the MedAustron Synchrotron	127
	J. Gutleber, A.B. Brett, M. Hager, J. Junuzovic, M. Junuzovic, M. Marchhart, R. Moser, H. Pavetits, C. Torcato de Matos CERN, Geneva, Switzerland A. Ambrosch, A.B. Brett, P. Fraboulet, M. Hager, J. Junuzovic, M. Junuzovic, M. Marchhart, R. Moser, H. Pavetits, C. Torcato de Matos EBG MedAustron, Wr. Neustadt, Austria J. Dedič, M. Mehle, L. Šepetavc Cosylab, Ljubljana, Slovenia
	The MedAustron accelerator is a synchrotron for light-ion therapy, developed under the guidance of CERN within the MedAustron-CERN collaboration. Procurement of 7 different power converter families and development of the control system were carried out concurrently. Control is optimized for unattended routine clinical operation. Therefore, finding a uniform control solution was paramount to fulfill the ambitious project plan. Another challenge was the need to operate with about 5'000 cycles initially, achieving pipelined operation with pulse-to-pulse re-configuration times smaller than 250 msec. This contribution shows the architecture and design and gives an overview of the system as built and operated. It is based on commercial-off-the-shelf processing hardware at front-end level and on the CERN function generator design at equipment level. The system is self contained, permitting use of parts and the whole is other accelerators. Especially the separation of the power converter from the real-time regulation using CERN's Converter Regulation Board makes this approach an attractive choice for integrating existing power converters in new configurations.
	Poster MOPPC028 [0.892 MB]

MOPPC123	Extending WinCC OA for Use as Accelerator Control System Core	395
	M. Marchhart, A.B. Brett, M. Hager, M. Janulis, J. Junuzovic, M. Junuzovic, R. Moser, H. Pavetits, C. Torcato de Matos EBG MedAustron, Wr. Neustadt, Austria A.B. Brett, J. Gutleber, M. Hager, M. Janulis, J. Junuzovic, M. Junuzovic, M. Marchhart, R. Moser, C. Torcato de Matos CERN, Geneva, Switzerland J. Dedič Cosylab, Ljubljana, Slovenia
	The accelerator control system for the MedAustron light-ion medical particle accelerator has been designed under the guidance of CERN in the scope of an EBG MedAustron/CERN collaboration agreement. The core is based on the SIMATIC WinCC OA SCADA tool. Its open API and modular architecture permitted CERN to extend the product with features that go beyond traditional supervisory control and that are vital for directly operating a particle accelerator. Several extensions have been introduced to make WinCC OA fit for accelerator control: (1) Near real-time data visualization, (2) external application launch and monitoring, (3) accelerator settings snapshot and consistent restore, (4) generic panel navigation supporting role based permission handling, (5) native integration with interactive 3D engineering visualization, (6) integration with National Instruments based front-end controllers. The major drawback identified is the lack of support of callbacks from C++ extensions. This prevents asynchronous functions, multithreaded implementations and soft real-time behaviour. We are therefore striving to search for support in the user community to trigger the implementation of this function.
	Poster MOPPC123 [0.656 MB]

THPPC102	Comparison of Synchronization Layers for Design of Timing Systems	1296
	A. Aulin Söderqvist, N. Claesson, J. Neves Rodrigues Lund University, Lund, Sweden J. Dedič, R. Štefanič, R. Tavčar Cosylab, Ljubljana, Slovenia
	Two synchronization layers for timing systems in large experimental physics control systems are compared. White Rabbit (WR), which is an emerging standard, is compared against the well-established event based approach. Several typical timing system services have been implemented on an FPGA using WR to explore its concepts and architecture, which is fundamentally different from an event based. Both timing system synchronization layers were evaluated based on typical requirements of current accelerator projects and with regard to other parameters such as scalability. The proposed design methodology demonstrates how WR can be deployed in future accelerator projects.
	Poster THPPC102 [1.796 MB]

THPPC104	A Timing System for Cycle Based Accelerators	1303
	J. Gutleber CERN, Geneva, Switzerland Z. Croflic, J. Dedič, R. Štefanič Cosylab, Ljubljana, Slovenia
	Synchrotron accelerators with multiple ion sources and beam lines require a high degree of flexibility to define beam cycle timing sequences. We have therefore decided to design a ready-to-use accelerator timing system based on off-the-shelf hardware and software that can fit mid-size accelerators and that is easy to adapt to specific user needs. This Real Time Event Distribution Network (REDNet) has been developed under the guidance of CERN within the MedAustron-CERN collaboration. The system based on the MRF transport layer has been implemented by Cosylab. While we have used hardware on NI PXIe platform, it is straightforward to obtain it for other platforms such as VME. The following characteristics are key to its readiness for use: (1) turn-key system comprising hardware, transport layer, application software and open integration interfaces, (2) performance suitable for a wide range of accelerators, (3) multiple virtual timing systems in one physical box, (4) documentation developed according to V-model. Given the maturity of the development, we have decided to make REDNet available as a product through our industrial partner.
	Poster THPPC104 [0.429 MB]