Ace SmartDome Assembly instructions

ACE SmartDome™
User Reference Manual
Computer control for
ObservaDome Laboratories enclosures
2021 February 01
©2001-2021 All Rights Reserved
Astronomical Consultants and Equipment Inc.
2901 W. Sahuaro Divide
Tucson AZ, 85742
www.astronomical.com

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 6
1.1 Purpose................................................................................................................. 6
1.2 Safety.................................................................................................................... 6
1.3 Definitions............................................................................................................ 7
1.4 Acronyms............................................................................................................. 7
1.5 System Hardware Description.............................................................................. 8
1.5.1 Main Control Box......................................................................................... 9
1.5.1.1 LCD Screen ......................................................................................... 10
1.5.2 Azimuth Control Box.................................................................................. 10
1.5.3 Azimuth Motors.......................................................................................... 10
1.5.4 Azimuth Encoding ...................................................................................... 10
1.5.5 Home Sensor............................................................................................... 10
1.5.6 Conductor bars............................................................................................ 11
1.5.7 Top Box ...................................................................................................... 11
1.5.8 Cloud Sensor or other External Sensor....................................................... 11
1.5.9 ACE Rain-Snow Sensor.............................................................................. 11
2.0 ACE SmartDome™ SOFTWARE........................................................................ 12
2.1 Overview............................................................................................................ 12
2.2 Software Installation .......................................................................................... 12
2.2.1 TCP/IP Setup .............................................................................................. 13
2.2.2 Serial Communications Port....................................................................... 16
2.3 ACE SmartDome Dialog.................................................................................... 18
2.3.1 The Control frame icons:............................................................................ 18
2.3.2 The Status frame:........................................................................................ 19
2.4 Dome Azimuth................................................................................................... 19
2.4.1 Azimuth GoTo ............................................................................................ 20
2.4.2 Home........................................................................................................... 20
2.4.3 Park............................................................................................................. 21
2.4.4 Azimuth Reset............................................................................................. 21
2.5 Setup Azimuth.................................................................................................... 22
2.5.1 Setup Azimuth Home.................................................................................. 22
2.5.2 Setup Azimuth Park.................................................................................... 22
2.6 Automation......................................................................................................... 23
2.6.1 Auto Shutdown ........................................................................................... 23
2.6.2 Rain-Snow................................................................................................... 24
2.7 Time Display...................................................................................................... 25
2.8 SmartDome Log File.......................................................................................... 25
2.9 SmartDome Weather Station Interface .............................................................. 26
2.9.1 Enable Weather Station............................................................................... 26
2.9.2 Report.......................................................................................................... 26
3.0 SYSTEM ENGINEER SETUP............................................................................. 28
3.1 Overview............................................................................................................ 28
3.2 ACE SmartDome™ Application System Setup................................................. 28

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
3.2.1 ACE SmartDome™ Commands ................................................................. 30
3.3 Motion Control Status........................................................................................ 32
3.4 Engineering Status.............................................................................................. 33
3.4.1 Top Box Radio OK..................................................................................... 34
3.4.2 Coast ........................................................................................................... 34
3.4.3 High Speed.................................................................................................. 34
3.4.4 Tolerance..................................................................................................... 34
3.4.5 Encoder Counts per 360.............................................................................. 34
3.4.6 Last Azimuth GoTo .................................................................................... 35
3.4.7 Watchdog Reset Time................................................................................. 35
3.4.8 Synchronized Motion.................................................................................. 35
3.4.9 Has Hinged Dropout / Has Latched Door................................................... 35
3.4.10 Dropout Timer. ........................................................................................... 35
3.4.11 Close Open Up Down Limits...................................................................... 35
3.4.12 Right Block / Left Block............................................................................. 35
3.4.13 Elevations.................................................................................................... 35
4.0 ACE SmartDome ASCOM DRIVER................................................................... 37
4.1 Overview............................................................................................................ 37
5.0 USING TheSkyX.................................................................................................. 42
5.1 Overview............................................................................................................ 42
5.2 Configuration ..................................................................................................... 43
6.0 AZIMUTH VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVE................................................. 47
6.1 Overview............................................................................................................ 47
6.2 Multi-Speed Function......................................................................................... 47
6.2.1 High Speed Moves...................................................................................... 47
6.2.2 Slow Speed Moves...................................................................................... 48
6.3 VFD Low Voltage Control Wiring .................................................................... 48
6.4 Programming the VFD....................................................................................... 49
7.0 PROGRAMMING THE SmartDome Radios....................................................... 54
7.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 54
7.2 Preparing the Radio for Programming............................................................... 54
7.3 Programming...................................................................................................... 54
7.3.1 Preparing Putty............................................................................................ 55
7.3.2 Using Putty.................................................................................................. 56
8.0 ELECTRICAL DIAGRAMS................................................................................ 57

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1-1 SmartDome Static Components....................................................................... 8
Figure 1-2 Smart Dome Rotating Components .................................................................. 9
Figure 2-1 ACE SmartDome Directory............................................................................ 12
Figure 2-2 Using the Command Prompt to discover the MAC address........................... 13
Figure 2-3 Typical SD Card.............................................................................................. 14
Figure 2-4 network.txt file................................................................................................ 14
Figure 2-5 Setup IP Address............................................................................................. 15
Figure 2-6 SYSPARAM.txt File....................................................................................... 16
Figure 2-7 Startup for ObservaDome with the dome closed ............................................ 18
Figure 2-8 Dome Azimuth Frame..................................................................................... 19
Figure 2-9 Azimuth GoTo ................................................................................................ 20
Figure 2-10 Dome at Home Azimuth ............................................................................... 20
Figure 2-11 Dome Azimuth parking................................................................................. 21
Figure 2-12 Setup Azimuth Menu .................................................................................... 22
Figure 2-13 Define Home Azimuth Setup Dialog............................................................ 22
Figure 2-14 Setup Automation Menu............................................................................... 23
Figure 2-15 SmartDome Automation ............................................................................... 24
Figure 2-16 Output for the ? Command with Auto Shutdown Enabled........................... 24
Figure 2-17 Rain-Snow Automation................................................................................. 25
Figure 2-18 Setup Time Display Menu ............................................................................ 25
Figure 2-19 Weather Station Menu................................................................................... 26
Figure 2-20 Weather Station Dialog................................................................................. 27
Figure 2-21 Weather Station Close Conditions................................................................ 27
Figure 3-1 System Engineer Window............................................................................... 29
Figure 4-1 ASCOM Platform 6 Download...................................................................... 37
Figure 4-2 ASCOM ICONS.............................................................................................. 37
Figure 4-3 ASCOM Platform 6 Menu.............................................................................. 38
Figure 4-4 ASCOM Dome Control................................................................................... 39
Figure 4-5 ASCOM Dome and Telescope Setup.............................................................. 39
Figure 4-6 ASCOM Dome Chooser ................................................................................. 40
Figure 4-7 ASCOM POTH Setup..................................................................................... 40
Figure 4-8 ASCOM Dome Chooser ................................................................................. 41
Figure 4-9 ASCOM Dome Control Panel with ACE SmartDome Dialog ....................... 41
Figure 5-1 ASCOM Telescope driver for TheSky............................................................ 42
Figure 5-2 Configuring TheSkyX..................................................................................... 43
Figure 5-3 TheSkyX Imaging System Setup Dialog ........................................................ 44
Figure 5-4 TheSkyX Choose Mount Dialog..................................................................... 44
Figure 5-5 TheSkyX Choose Dome Dialog...................................................................... 45
Figure 5-6 TheSkyX Dome Parameters............................................................................ 45
Figure 5-7 ASCOM Dome Control Panel for The Sky..................................................... 46
Figure 6-1 Azimuth Screw Terminal Connector .............................................................. 48
Figure 6-2 VFD Low Voltage Control Screw Terminal................................................... 49
Figure 6-3VFD Digital Keypad ........................................................................................ 50

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
TABLE OF TABLES
Table 3-1 Command Reference Table.............................................................................. 31
Table 6-1 VFD Low Voltage Wiring................................................................................ 49
Table 6-2 VFD Typical Parameters.................................................................................. 51
Table 6-3 VFD Advanced Parameters.............................................................................. 52
TRADEMARKS
SmartDome™ is a trademark of Astronomical Consultants & Equipment, Inc. TheSky is
a trademark of Software Bisque, Inc.

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 PURPOSE
The ACE SmartDome is a fault-tolerant controller that allows an ObservaDome
Laboratories, Inc, product to be controlled locally, remotely, and robotically.
It works with any ASCOM compliant software such as DC3 Dream’s ACP or TheSkyX.
For professional clients wishing to integrate a dome controller directly into their software
there is a comprehensive command library. Communication with the ACE SmartDome is
through TCP/IP. An option to use a serial communications port is available.
This document describes how to operate the ACE SmartDome™and how to install the
SmartDome™software.
1.2 SAFETY
 WARNING
▪The ACE SmartDome™ has automation features that may close the
dome without warning.
▪In order to prevent unexpected dome motion if you are working on the
dome press the ESTOP buttons on the boxes.
▪If working on the upper part of the dome consider isolating the
conductor bar power if appropriate to the task at hand.
▪Read this manual and understand how the system works before doing
any work on the dome.

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
1.3 DEFINITIONS
SmartDome™
The term “SmartDome” refers to the equipment which is used to control an astronomical
observatory so as to open and close the dome and align the dome with the telescope. The
name is also applied to the high-level software that is used for testing the system.
1.4 ACRONYMS
ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS
ACE
Astronomical Consultants & Equipment, Inc. (www.astronomical.com)
ASCOM
See http://ascom-standards.org/
VFD
Variable Frequency Drive

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
1.5 SYSTEM HARDWARE DESCRIPTION
The system can be divided into those components that are static and those that move with
the dome.
The static components are:
▪Main box with push buttons and a LCD screen
▪Azimuth control box
▪Azimuth motors
▪Encoder
▪Home sensor
▪Conductor bar power switch
▪External cloud or other sensor(s) mounted outside the dome building
FIGURE 1-1 SMARTDOME STATIC COMPONENTS

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
The rotating components are:
▪Top box with push buttons
▪Conductor bars
▪Rain snow sensor mounted on the outside of the dome
▪Limit switches
▪Home sensor trigger arm
FIGURE 1-2 SMART DOME ROTATING COMPONENTS
1.5.1 Main Control Box
This is located on the fixed wall of the observatory, usually vertically below one of the
azimuth motors. It contains a Linux-based computer board with an SD card and a
proprietary interface board that connects all the hardware to the computer.
There are five push buttons on the front panel. The EMERGENCY STOP button locks
into place when it is pressed. To release, twist the button and it pops back out. There is an
extra contact on the emergency stop button to allow an independent signal to be sent to the
telescope controller. The OPEN/CLOSE buttons are for the main shutter door. There is a
small delay (2 seconds) when reversing direction to prevent damage to the system.

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ACE SmartDome Controller for ObservaDome
Unlike some systems there is no “Remote / Local” switch to go between computer and
manual control which could be left in the wrong position requiring a trip back to the
observatory. The system can handle both the computer and manual operation
simultaneously.
1.5.1.1 LCD Screen
The LCD screen is useful during engineering setup. It gives status of the dome such as
azimuth position, the status of the doors, weather, and system status.
1.5.2 Azimuth Control Box
This is located on the fixed wall of the observatory, usually just above the main control
box. It contains a programmable variable frequency drive (VFD). This permits slow
acceleration and rapid deceleration of the azimuth motor(s).
1.5.3 Azimuth Motors
The system has been equipped with 3-phase azimuth motors that are controlled by the
variable frequency drive.
The speed of the dome is determined by two factors:
▪The speed of the motor, as programmed by the VFD
▪The gear ratio of the box that the motor is attached to.
The ObservaDome is capable of high speed azimuth slewing, up to 15 degrees per second.
1.5.4 Azimuth Encoding
The encoder is attached to the output shaft of the gearbox. It is electrically isolated from
the dome. The encoder produces 500 counts per revolution of the gearbox output shaft.
Azimuth is defined as north being zero and increasing to 90° at east.
1.5.5 Home Sensor
The incremental optical shaft encoder is automatically reset each time it passes the home
position. The home position is usually placed somewhere near south (for northern
hemisphere observatories) as this is likely to be a position that is frequently passed.