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Description
The fourth generation of power converter control at CERN, known as Function Generator/Controller 4 (FGC4), is currently under development. The chosen hardware is based on a quad-core A53 ARM-architecture CPU within an AMD Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC System-on-Chip (SoC), where one core is dedicated to voltage source control. This architecture necessitates a new approach to voltage control software, previously implemented on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) card and an FPGA, where high reliability and performance are crucial.
To achieve these goals in a highly integrated environment, a new library called VSlib (Voltage Source library) has been developed. VSlib serves as a toolkit, providing all necessary building blocks for user-defined voltage regulation algorithms, such as filters, controllers, and lookup tables. Additionally, it supports digital and analogue signal logging, inter-core data exchange, and communication with other FGC4s using an in-house Ethernet-based protocol.
The development process was test-driven, focusing on performance, determinism, and reliability. The library adheres to best industrial practices, including version control, static analysis, and automated testing. Tests were conducted against power convert models running on a Speedgoat Hardware-in-the-Loop system.
