What does the CDF Run 2 MCS system cover ??

The MCS system (Monitoring and Control System) allows Shift people to Monitor and control Chamber HV, SVX bias voltage, and other items which needs to be changed during a store. This system also monitors many devices, such as Chamber HV, PMT HV, LV, etc, and will issue an alarm upon malfunction of such devices.

Note that the iFix MCS system is only a part of the Hardware Monitor and control system for CDF, which include :

1. The CDF iFix MCS system, described here, which provide controls and monitoring of Chamber and PMT HV, LV, SVX bias voltage, cooling, electronics power supplies and racks, etc monitoring; alarms will alert shift people in case of exceptions (e.g., chamber trips--along with the trigger inhibit below, problems with LV, supplies, etc.).
2. The Hardware Trigger Inhibit system --providing fast (microsecond) trigger inhibit in case of detector problems, such as trip of chambers (COT, Muons, etc). A LED panel will identify which system is causing the inhibit. (Though a system could be ignored by the DAQ Ace using by being masked out). Most of these trigger inhibits will also result in alarms in the MCS system, where details of the problems can be ascertained.
3. The CDF iFix "Utilities" monitoring system--Gas, cooling, etc-- alarms will appear in other pages. Solenoid current, etc.
4. CDF/Fermilab Safety systems --e.g., fire alarms, radiaton problems, etc.
5. Fermilab ACNET system--monitoring of the beam condition, losses, beam position, Tevatron condition, etc.
6. DAQ and Consumer processes, which use the data to monitor possible hardware malfunctions.

What is iFix ??

iFix (Current version 2.2 is in use; plan to upgrade to 3.0 at the beginning of 2003) is a commercial PC program iFIX (for Fully Integrated Control System) by Intellution, which first appeared in 1984. This program is an "Industrial Automation Software system", which allows a PC to control and monitor equipment, in industrial and other settings. Thus, it is an appropriate program to provide our CDF detector's controls and monitor functions.

Some of the features ofi FIX 2.2, a 2001 updated version of FIX include :

• Full color graphics capability for graphs, controls, etc. including buttons for equipment controls
• VBA scripting for user programs to specify each sub-system
• User defined alarms setup (with multiple levels of limits in provided database)
• Extensive internet support--though only read-access is allowed with the CDF controls --no one will be allowed to changge any voltages through the internet
• OLE for Process Control (OPC), ActiveX Controls, COM/DCOM, etc.
• A record of the HV, current, etc. readings is recorded onto the online database for future use through a process call "Icicle", written by Margherita Vittone.

Thus, any PC workstation with iFix installed and access to the secured CDF iFix network (currently B0 location only) with access to the DMACS server can access the equipment status at any time, though remote control is a security issue that needs to be determined.

How is the run II CDF MCS different from the old run I ACNET system ??

• Avoids extensive programming effort
• Doesn’t need several full time people to support the monitoring system
• Easy learning curve
• Provides interface for creating user pages, alarms, history, plots, etc.
• Gives local control over adding devices, user pages, etc.
• Allows filtering/simplification of alarms
• Provides an opportunity to improve the hardware for interfacing to the various systems - (During run I, we had some intermittent problems with unwanted control messages)

Who do I contact if my sub-system needs to be interfaced with the CDF MCS?? How can I get a copy of the iFIX program for my PC ??

In addition, if your PC needs to be included in the MCS network, arrangements must be made in terms of where your PC will be located and how it will be hooked up to the MCS network in order to communicate with the MCS system.

How much effort is it to interface my PC-controlled devices to the CDF M&C system ??

Given that the local control software is written in C or VB, it is fairly trivial via the EDA toolkit to create a local FIX database and write the data read by the local software to the appropriate block type. Names of alarm blocks in the local database need to be communicated to JC Yun or Steve Hahn so that they can be tied to the global alarms pages. Other functionality such as the Historian, local user pages , etc. can be set up by the user. Pictures generated by the user are to be stored in the appropriate directory on the DMACS server. There is to be a separate folder for each detector. Security area(s) need to be defined and user information entered into the security configuration file on the server with appropriate privileges for each user.