Legacy DAQ

Data Acquisition and Controls (DAC) hardware and software are a critical part of all of LPL’s operations, enabling the continuous collection of test data and control of all of the lab’s systems. The lab’s current working architecture (now referred to as “Legacy DAC”) was first developed in 2023 for the Atlas Feed System and has expanded over the years to support all of LPL’s feed systems and engines.
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Legacy DAC’s hardware is based around the Labjack T7 controllers, which digitize all incoming sensor data, control valves, and maintain communication with mission control. Because of the device’s configurability, each controller can support over 100 analog inputs, enabling flexibility that covers all of LPL’s instrumentation needs. With the current hardware, the architecture is able to achieve polling rates over 100Hz on mission-critical sensors, with the remainder of sensors maintaining a steady 10-50Hz rate during operations.
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The corresponding legacy software is a multi-threaded python framework that is responsible for data collection and processing, command handling, and interfacing with other LPL systems. Designed completely from scratch, the framework can be quickly reconfigured for any corresponding hardware configuration, making it adaptable to all of LPL’s systems. The python framework interfaces with a Grafana front end for live data visualization, enabling efficient testing operations and more informed decisions during hotfires.
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The DAC framework has supported operations for several LPL feed systems, including Atlas, Hodor, WFTS, and Prometheus, and several LPL engines, including Mike’s Fury, Jessie & James, Balerion, and Nomad. With over 15 successful hotfires, the legacy DAC framework is done with its main development, with small changes for interfacing with newer systems and other software maintenance. The current solution will continue to serve as the backbone of laboratory operations while further developments are in progress.