[Dsg-hallc_controls] Fw: Fwd: Re: CAEN-SY4527 firmware downgrade

Tue Aug 20 09:03:27 EDT 2019

Hello,

FYI, below is the responses from CAEN support to figure out the source of the SY4527 CAEN software issues.

Pablo

________________________________
From: Alberto Lucchesi <a.lucchesi at caen.it>
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2019 4:05 AM
To: Greg Kibilko <greg at setechsales.com>
Cc: Pablo Campero Rojas <campero at jlab.org>
Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: CAEN-SY4527 firmware downgrade

Dear Greg and Pablo,

the EPICS embedded IOC is not changed between version 2.0.1 and 2.0.2 so the fact that Pablo test with 2.0.1 and the test made by his coworker did not match lead me to think that the issue could not be in the IOC but elsewhere. Also the changes saw only using the CAEN Web server seems to confirm that the unexpected changes are happening in the mainframe/boards and not in the IOC.

There is only one point that doesn't sound good to me and it is the point 2, if I well understood Pablo said that the values showed by GECO was not the same showed by the EPICS client, is it correct, did you see a channel ISet value different from GECO to EPICS client?

I think the problem is related to the boards but we have to investigate and actually I don't have here these two models available so I need you help on doing the tests. I would like to know if the problem still present if you use only one board at a time (using GECO and EPICS software together). Can you try?

It would be usefull if you can share with me a video showing the issue so I can better understand how solve it.

Best Regards,
Alberto

Il 15/08/2019 18:10, Greg Kibilko ha scritto:
Ciao Alberto,

I realize you are still on holiday.  Please do not feel obliged to answer this immediately!

In copy you will find Pablo Rojas from JLAB.  Pablo is the customer we've been discussing who is experiencing some communication problems with his SY4527 mainframes and EPICS.

Below he describes the steps he's taken and symptoms he is seeing.  Please take a look and let us know what the next step should be?

Grazie mille,
Greg

Hello Greg,

Thank you for the soon response and the information provided.

I have developed an EPICS/CSS screens to test CAEN EPICS server built-in server with  A7030TN and A1535 CAEN-HV boards connected. Initially the mainframe used in the test was a new CAEN SY4527 with a CPU firmware version 2.0.2

>From the test performed, I found the following issues:

  1.  Some channels’ parameters like “Imon”, “Vset”, VRdwn/up”, “Iset”, “Vmon” arbitrarily change from its pre-set values (set values at test time) to random values.
  2.  Discrepancies between GECO-2020 (CAEN Control software) and the PVs values (Generated by CAEN EPICS Server) displayed for some of the above mentioned variables.
  3.  Noticed that even when some of the mention parameters were entered in GECO-2020 and not from the developed CSS screen, they changed randomly from its pre-set values.

 However, I was able to ramp all channels to the set voltage after we solved these CAEN software issues by re-entering set values, re-setting power On/Off  channels, and sometimes resetting the built-in CAEN EPICS Server.

Later, I repeated the same test in the same modules, in a different mainframe with the same CPU but with a different firmware version 2.0.1 and I did not see the issues mentioned above.
However, I hear from another coworker using the same mainframe with version 2.0.1 (the same mainframe that I used and I did not see the issues) to test the same model of modules mentioned that he saw some of the issues mentioned above. the difference for his test was that he was using a cRIO as an EPICS client to set/read PVs from the CAEN EPICS built-in Server.
A second coworker testing modules with the same CAEN mainframe with version 2.0.1, who was using only the CAEN web server noticed the sadden changes in the set/readback parameters changing randomly in different channels.

Please let me know if you need more details, I can provide plots and screenshots of the test performed showing these issues.

Based in the information you provided me, I checked that the current firmware version HiVoCS running in  CAEN-SY4527 with the issues is  1.0.5, which based on CAEN webside is the latest one.
If there is any other advice or comment to figure out what could be the source of the issue please let me know.

Best Regards,

Pablo Campero
Detector Support Group
Jefferson Lab
757-269-7034

________________________________
From: Greg Kibilko <greg at setechsales.com><mailto:greg at setechsales.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2019 10:00:04 AM
To: Pablo Campero Rojas <campero at jlab.org><mailto:campero at jlab.org>
Subject: Re: CAEN-SY4527 firmware downgrade

Hello Pablo,

Regarding the FW Revision 2.0.1, we can definitely give you that file to use/try.  This week the CAEN office is closed, but I should be able to get it to you next week.

I've heard back from the engineer who manages the CAEN software division and is also responsible for EPICS integration.  He has not been made aware of any outstanding issues with EPICS and any version of the CAEN HV Firmware.  He also mentioned that EPICS service are managed by by the IVoCS upgrade, not by the firmware upgrade, which is making him wonder as to the actual root of the issue.

Is there any chance you could provide me with more details regarding this problem?  We can try the older Firmware but we'd also like to try to better understand the issue.

Many thanks,
Greg

On 8/13/2019 8:49 AM, Pablo Campero Rojas wrote:

Hello Greg,

I have been informed by Peter Bonneau that you're the representative for CAEN products at Jefferson Lab. So perhaps you can help me.

I am working with a SY4527 Universal Multichannel Power Supply System with a firmware 2.0.2 that has presented software issues (changed set/read variables, and discrepancies between PVs (from EPICS service) and GECO2020). I also tested another SY4527 system under the same conditions but with different a firmware version, (which was the version 2.0.1) and did not fail.

Is there any way to get this previous firmware 2.0.1 ? I could not find it on the CAEN web side. So then I can downgrade this SY4527 system and see if changing the firmware solves the issues.

Please any advice is very welcome, thank you in advance.

Best Regards,

Pablo Campero

Detector Support Group

Jefferson Lab

757-269-7034

--
Greg Kibilko
SETS - SE Technical Sales, Inc.
112 Tyra Lane
Townville, SC 29689
P: (864) 356-2606
CAEN Products<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.caen.it_csite&d=DwMD-g&c=CJqEzB1piLOyyvZjb8YUQw&r=LBO4X3ekFDih7d6NqFyLjA&m=m9t32_AgXem0p46A6vjqkF-bhhIfOf5CCjww-voH-PA&s=a74nTUCJzAzJxeib0HsTx96p615buLPJsTqlpxQmIaU&e=>
CAEN SyS Products & Solutions<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__caensys.com_products-2Dand-2Dsolutions_&d=DwMD-g&c=CJqEzB1piLOyyvZjb8YUQw&r=LBO4X3ekFDih7d6NqFyLjA&m=m9t32_AgXem0p46A6vjqkF-bhhIfOf5CCjww-voH-PA&s=JVcmwY6K9ZgkxcHhP9kta1RfHbadTkDJv8vYLWXs77w&e=>
IOxOs Products<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.ioxos.ch&d=DwMD-g&c=CJqEzB1piLOyyvZjb8YUQw&r=LBO4X3ekFDih7d6NqFyLjA&m=m9t32_AgXem0p46A6vjqkF-bhhIfOf5CCjww-voH-PA&s=7idnjgawklCsfmOGKV1lteh2Bcl5JZtywu66f_N7250&e=>

--
Greg Kibilko
SETS - SE Technical Sales, Inc.
112 Tyra Lane
Townville, SC 29689
P: (864) 356-2606
CAEN Products<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.caen.it_csite&d=DwMF-g&c=CJqEzB1piLOyyvZjb8YUQw&r=LBO4X3ekFDih7d6NqFyLjA&m=v3M-SPBSxwHwTg0I8Ff3n5s9UxyQbSVOcvqRjplQXqs&s=_jCGJyWVncTQs_oh9bui7XxU_9cIrT2aM2cg5kPUntA&e=>
CAEN SyS Products & Solutions<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__caensys.com_products-2Dand-2Dsolutions_&d=DwMF-g&c=CJqEzB1piLOyyvZjb8YUQw&r=LBO4X3ekFDih7d6NqFyLjA&m=v3M-SPBSxwHwTg0I8Ff3n5s9UxyQbSVOcvqRjplQXqs&s=uNSzLXl7LEibqLc-CaH-xEA6XZnLHzuSHC_NCNpD818&e=>
IOxOs Products<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.ioxos.ch&d=DwMF-g&c=CJqEzB1piLOyyvZjb8YUQw&r=LBO4X3ekFDih7d6NqFyLjA&m=v3M-SPBSxwHwTg0I8Ff3n5s9UxyQbSVOcvqRjplQXqs&s=Bslq8hZ45q63a0BRQjxt7Z5BH-OzUf8EY2hlK3XbM8E&e=>
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