Dome side ports

Side-ports -----

The three remaining motor control boxes, for operating the motors, have been built and tested with a spare motor and the Programmable Automation Controller (PAC). A box for the PAC and associated electronics has been designed and wired. This unit acts as an interface between the Ethernet communication and the serial line to the motor control boxes.

-Actions in side ports project like, buying material, electrical work in the control boxes, installed some motors and rails....

TO BE DONE NEXT 6 MONTHS:

Side ports automation so they can be controlled from TCS.

To improve the ventilation of the dome during the night, the telescope building has side ports that consists of 4 sets of 2 doors. For reasons of safety and the general objective of automating telescope operations as much as possible we are motorising the side-ports. A lot of progress was made, where most of the mechanical and electronic parts have been installed, and the computer system commanding the system has been setup. A more flexible, custom made system has been developed to control the side-ports in a more efficient way, but the idea is to first control the system using the controllers supplied with the motors.