Speaker
Rende Steerenberg
Description
The LHC injector chain had a difficult restart in spring 2006. Apart from the
major hardware related problems that are discussed in first session, there
were also control issues, in the large sense of the word, that deserve or need
attention. The SPS software big bang is now over and the dust has only just
landed. A brief overview of the encountered problems, the remaining work but
also the achievements will be given. However, a new challenge lies ahead for
the SPS; it has now to deal with more and more rapid super cycle changes.
Never in the history of the SPS, it had as many different beam types to deliver
in a short period of time.
The PS complex is spared of such a big bang, but the software is getting out of
date as the controls group and the equipment groups are renovating the
controls of their equipments. The user software has to follow without disrupting
machine operation and loss of functionality, on the contrary one should profit
from the occasion to add new functionalities that are missing in the present
system.
Diagnostics tools play a major role in the good functioning of the LHC injector
chain and the production of a good quality LHC beam. Some of the beam
diagnostics systems did not work properly and we should make sure that we
are in a good shape before the LHC starts. More and better hardware
diagnostic tools should become available especially in case the responsibility of
the different systems is getting more and more decentralized. A very important
general diagnostics system like OASIS had a very difficult start, which
hampered the machine start-up considerably, but progress was made and next
run we will again be in a better shape.
Author
Rende Steerenberg
