Automated Laboratory Monitoring with Lab View

Jason Smith
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ken Kinsey

Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy and a Geneseo Undergraduate Research Council Grant

Pushed beyond its original purpose the existing computerized accelerator monitoring system, in Geneseo’s Nuclear Structure Lab, is being replaced by a much-improved system. A year-long project has been undertaken to redesign and build a new monitoring system using updated hardware and the LabVIEW programming language. By the design of “Virtual Instruments”, graphical equivalents to large subroutines, LabVIEW is able to simultaneously communicate with multifunction Input/Output computer interface boards and General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) boards in a unified environment. Using these capabilities, the newly designed monitoring system will be able to log and display temperatures, pressures, voltages and other physical parameters throughout the lab. A monitor and control system is also planned for the future, where the Van De Graaff accelerator will be monitored and controlled during operation. If problems arise during operation the system will sound a warning alarm and shut down equipment that may be overheating or producing a poor vacuum. The monitoring system will display some of the data it receives to the world wide web, making it possible to view the status of the accelerator from any computer which can connect to Geneseo’s home page.

Funded in part by a Geneseo Undergraduate Research Grant and the United States Department of Energy.