Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System

Ralph Lange <[email protected]> · Fri, 01 Nov 2013 10:05:19 +0100

On 01.11.2013 01:09, יקיר בן-עליז wrote:

Hi.

My name is Yakir, working in SARAF project, Israel.
http://www.soreq.gov.il/asp/masterPage_EN.asp?f=saraf/saraf.asp&sb=7&m=null&smId=undefined

We have an operating control system based on national instruments HW

and SW (Labview).

Our management would like to perform analysis of the Epics framefork

toward our next phase of the project. We would like to test a simple,

stand alone, front-end local control system.

We do not have any knowledgebase regard relevant supported hardware

products, and we sure do not know Epics at all.

Can anyone here please advise me where do I get started? I red the

websites metirial, though I would like observe the framework on

real-time hardware, see what operation system runs on it, see the

network interface of the PLC/VME etc.

Thank you for any advise,

Yakir

Hi Yakir,

For your situation, I would not suggest trying to do that on your own.

EPICS is a powerful, flexible framework for creating control systems,

not a single streamlined out-of-the-box solution.

Setting up a complete EPICS sample system, from GUI to hardware, is a

considerable amount of work. It will include making a whole bunch of

technology and design decisions on each layer. Without experience and a

good understanding of the consequences of these decisions, you are bound

to create a test stand that will not be at par with current practices

and not reach the possible performance and stability.

Acquiring the necessary experience and knowledge would probably take

more time than you have. What is your time frame and available manpower

for this?

I would reach out to one of the available EPICS consulting companies,

discuss a nice test stand setup (they will be able to explain choices

and their consequences), have them create the system for you, and maybe

even help with the evaluation. That way you will get a reasonable system

for your analysis in a comparatively short time, at a known cost.

Hope this helps,
~Ralph