LANSCE CONTROL SYSTEM UPGRADE STATUS AND CHALLENGES

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) linear accelerator drives five user facilities: Isotope Production, Proton Radiography, Ultra-Cold Neutrons, Weapons Neutron Research, and Neutron Scattering. In 2011, we started an ambitious project to refurbish key elements of the LANSCE accelerator that have become obsolete or were near end-of-life. The control system went through an upgrade process that affected different areas of LANSCE. Many improvements have been made but funding challenges and LANSCE operational commitments have delayed project deliverables. In this paper, we will discuss our upgrade choices, what we have accomplished so far, what we have learned about upgrading the existing control system and what challenges we still face.