ICALEPCS 2009
THD003
UNICOS: an Open Framework
F.B.Bernard, H.Milcent, H.Milcent*, P.Gayet (CERN)
In early 2001 an object collection called UNICOS (Unified Control System) developed at CERN with the objective of building the LHC cryogenics control system was commissioned for the first time. It deployed the controls layers covering the SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) and the PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) layers. A possibility of re-targeting the system on other kinds of applications and environments was identified. Since then, the framework proposes a reusable environment composed of a set of components for the SCADA part and several solutions for the front end part (i.e. others than PLC). Together with the description of the UNICOS environment, the paper describes a number of very different applications developed at CERN based on the UNICOS methodology: (1) SURVEY, to align the focusing magnets of the LHC located on both sides of the experiments; (2) Quench Protection System, to display and act on the devices used to protect the superconducting elements of the LHC; (3) Powering Interlock Controller, to manage the powering permissions of the electrical circuits making the LHC.