Tension-inflation graphical interface

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1. About The Project
   • Project organisation
2. Getting Started
   • Requirements
     • Python packages required
     • Drivers required
   • Installation and launching
3. Software guide
   • Step 1 : Initialisation
   • Step 2 : Main window
4. Contact

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About The Project

This graphical interface was developped to be used with the tension-inflation device based at Ecole des Mines de Saint-Etienne (France).

To start the app, run the script entry_point_py.

Project organisation

The project organisation is the following one:

── GUI_main.py                       #Main script controlling the GUI
├── Arduino_script                   #Folder with the Arduino script uploaded on the card (written in C++)
├── modules
│   ├── mainwindow_modules
│   │   ├── Left_panel.py            # Left panel of the mainwindow
│   │   └── Right_panel.py           # Right panel of the mainwindow
│   ├── sensors_dialogs
│   │   ├── Arduino.py               # Script for the dialog with the Arduino
│   │   ├── MotorPI.py               # Script for the dialog with the Motor
│   │   ├── Pump_seringe.py          # Script for the dialog with the Pump
│   │   └── PumpWM.py                # Script for the dialog with the Watson Marlow pump (not useful)
│   ├── initialisation.py            # GUI of the step 1
│   └── mainwindow.py                # GUI of the step 2 composed in right and left panels
├── resources                       # Folder with the images
└── results                          # Folder containing the output from the software

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Getting Started:

The package is written in python and it is based on the PyQt framework.

Requirements

Python packages required

• pyqt==5.9.2 ==> (https://anaconda.org/anaconda/pyqt)
• pyserial==3.5 ==> (https://anaconda.org/anaconda/pyserial)
• pyqtgraph==0.11.0 ==> (https://anaconda.org/anaconda/pyqtgraph)
• simple-pid==0.2.4 ==> (https://anaconda.org/esrf-bcu/simple-pid)
• PIPython==2.5.0.1 ==> (https://pypi.org/project/PIPython/)

Drivers required

• Driver PI C663 (install from the PI cd - http://update.pi-portal.ws/down.php?link=http://syst13.synserver.de/PIUpdateFinder/PI_C-990_CD1_V_1_0_0_6.zip&name=PI_C-990_CD1_V_1_0_0_6.zip&id=6 or https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h9WOYUCOherfxR1k2YsRopm3UeD3EEEO/view?usp=sharing)
  • Folder linux if linux os
  • .exe if Windows os

If you are on linux don't forget to add your user into dialout group for serial access with:

$ sudo usermod -a -G dialout YOUR_USERNAME

You can verify if the user is present in the dialout group by using the command:

$ groups

Installation and launching

Three methods to run the app:

1. Two standelone files were created (one for Windows and one for Linux) to avoid installing all the dependencies and execute the application directly.

2. Write in terminal: python sertup.py install and run entry_point.py.

3. Install all dependencies and launch the script entry_point.py by typing python entry_point.py.

Just one of these methods is needed.

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Software guide

After launching the app (and if all the python packages and drivers were installed on the computer), the GUI steps will be:

Step 1 : Initialisation

The initialisation will be launched (code in initialisation.py). The objectives of this step are to connected the Arduino, the Pump, and the Motor, and to let the motor find its position. This window will appear:

• The button Pass the initialisation is to pass to the step 2 directly.
• The result directory is where the output of the test will be printed
• The connection show if the different devices are connected or not (green = connected).
• The button Start initialisation is to let the motor find the bottom limit sensor in order to know its displacement position.

Step 2 : Main window

After the initialisation step, the main window is launched (code in mainwindow.py). This window will appear:

The main window is divided into two panel: the Left Panel and the Right Panel.

The Left Panel is used to control the values of the different quantities in real time and to place the sample in the initial conditions before the beginning of the tension-inflation test.

Once the sample is place in the good conditions (in term of displacement and pressure), one can press the button Positioning finished => to pass to the right panel

The Right Panel: use to launch the tension-inflation test.

• The mode:Volume/Pressure correspond to the control of the pump in pressure or in volume.
• The mode:Displacement/Load correspond to the control of the motor in displacement or in load.
• In cycle Motor/Pump you can enter the number of cycles you want before the motor or the pump stop to the final target (nothing enter = no cycles).
• In Commands you can enter the target displacement/pressure (nothing enter = no command).

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Contact

Joseph Brunet - Mail: jo.brunet73@gmail.com

Project Link - https://github.com/JosephBrunet/tension_inflation.git