cedergrouphub / alab_control Goto Github PK

We need a logging module to record the real-time status of the devices. Maybe we should add a self.get_current_status() to get current status. And use a DevicesManager class to manage all the devices class.

Using secondary port to implement UR Robot control.

moving gigantic ceramic rack with risk of cracking, hitting, and falling will potentially damage either the furnace, linear rail, robot arm, and others. We need optical sensors and weight sensors to account for all possibility of failures. Currently, we only have robot collaborative emergency stop, insertion with pecking, and checking if the rack is there after placing/before picking by touching. This is not enough since:

1. The rack might be pulled by the handle unintentionally -> insertion already prevents this, but how to have secondary sensor? -> optical sensor beside each furnace to detect during insertion in pick/place if the rack gets pulled out, there should be something detected on the sensor (above the handle).
2. The rack might tilt due to position error
3. The rack might crack and fail during heating and quenching:

inside furnace,

on the table

during transfer

The second problem is about the high operational temperature:

1. UR5e might stay too long in front of the Box furnace at high temp and got heated in the joints (joints must be <50 C) while doing quenching or placing rack. -> I am buying a protective cover, need to keep an eye on the UR5e joints temperature (it is available on the log, but how to read them?)
2. UR5e might get force related error (hit something inside) and stuck in front of the furnace for too long. -> we have remote control and cctv to recover soon.

Two possibilities, I think we should do both:

• physical E-stop button(s) in 105. Easiest is a single throw switch to control power to the whole room (is this what we already have by the water chillers?). Ideal would be an array of switches to the different devices, or at least clusters of devices (tube furnaces, box furnaces, arms, etc). This would live by the door.

• software E-stop from the dashboard. This would link to the emergent_stop() methods in alab_management.device_view.device.BaseDevice. Benefit == remote control in case we see errors over CCTV. Downside == software e-stop is less reliable than hardware.

Automated XRD sample prep can sometimes lead to piles of powder that are taller than we want. This leads to a positive shift in diffracting angles. If we can measure the height of this pile, hopefully we can correct our diffraction pattern.