On-Line Data-Acquisition Systems in Nuclear Physics, 1969: Chapter 2 - A PROCESS-CONTROL SYSTEM

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In 1965, a system based on an SDS 920 computer was put into operation at the Brookhaven National Laboratory to control data-acquisition processes involving eight neutron spectrometers and one x-ray spectrometer. The neutron spectrometers are located on the floor surrounding the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR); the x-ray spectrometer was placed in the same building in order to facilitate linking it to the computer. The system can control the execution of experiments on all nine sets of apparatus simultaneously, yet each experimenter feels that he is working essentially independently of all other users. The system controls all angular rotations of crystals and counters, all detector counting, the data displays, the input and output operations, and automatic error responses. It can also perform most of the calculations necessary for real-time guidance of the course of the experiments.