Speaker
Description
In view of the consolidation of the LHC Beam Dumping System (LBDS) control planned during CERN Long Shutdown 3 (LS3), a study was conducted to evaluate industrial Ethernet-based protocols to simplify the current multi-fieldbus architecture connecting PLCs and distributed I/O. Initial assessments used the 32-bit PROFINET driver as an alternative communication interface between the Front-End Software Architecture (FESA) and PLCs, reducing system complexity and enhancing flexibility to adapt to new data acquisition needs without recompilation. While early results were promising, limitations arose from the 32-bit kernel’s integration into CERN’s middleware. The release of a new SIEMENS® PROFINET driver based entirely on libraries now enables 64-bit integration on Debian 12 systems. This development offers new possibilities for interfacing the Slow-Control and Surveillance System (SCSS) of the LBDS, using PROFINET ring communication. This paper evaluates the performance and deployment scenarios of industrial protocols (Open User Communication, SIEMENS® SOFTNET, and OPC UA) within CERN’s control infrastructure. It compares them with the existing system design and highlights the initial operational results of the PROFINET driver integration within SCSS on the Beam Transfer kicker test bench.
