The Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator (VERA) is a particle accelerator, operated by the Isotope Physics Research Group at the University of Vienna, which used for the research and development of methods and technologies in Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). Since the facility was commissioned more than 20 years ago, it is not surprising that it is plagued by a number of legacy issues that hinder flexible operation.
Project VERA - a diploma thesis project for the HTL Rennweg, a higher technical college in Vienna, Austria - attempts to fix some of the problems experienced at the facility.
As a core component to the accelerator, an easy-to-use and efficient control system is vital for the longevity of the entire accelerator. Our aim is to replace the previous, decades old system with a more modern one based on EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) - an open-source distributed control system, already in use at many other facilities around the globe.
The Ion Beam Attenuator is a particularly important device for effective measurements at the accelerator. Our goal is to redesign this by using existing, as well as custom-made parts to greatly increase the attenuator's capabilities. Furthermore, the electronics of the attenuator will also be reworked, automating most of the processes that would otherwise require manual intervention. Finally, all of the control aspects of the Ion Beam Attenuator will be integrated into our new Process Control System based on EPICS.
Implementing a new and improved Process Control System also calls for new electronics. The previous system is based on decades-old computers and control units, which are no longer very reliable (although we are also working on integrating these into our new Process Control System). Our new electronics-system will be based on Beckhoff EtherCAT modules, which can be programmed and controlled over LAN cables from a typical computer. Furthermore, the large variety of existing modules makes implementing various new solutions rather simple.
