Development and Application of EPICS on the F3RP61

Abstract

A new type of front-end controller was developed for accelerator control systems based on the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS). The controller comprises a new type of CPU, the F3RP61, running Linux and existing I/O modules for the FA-M3 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). By running the EPICS core program on the CPU, it turns into an EPICS Input/Output controller (IOC) to replace the existing front-end control system, which is composed of a VME/VxWorks-based IOC and ordinary PLCs. The consolidation of the front-end control significantly reduces the workload for developing and maintaining the application programs as well as the relevant EPICS driver programs. Tens of F3RP61-based IOCs have been operating well for more than a year in the control systems of accelerators in operation, such as KEKB and J-PARC, demonstrating the stability of EPICS on the F3RP61.