Skip to content

Start via PowerShell (WindTunnelControl.ps1)

WindTunnelControl.ps1 is the fallback VFD controller. It does what ADCL WinSoft does for the motor but with none of the DAQ, no calibration, no data recording, and no graphs. Use it when:

  • ADCL WinSoft is unavailable (e.g. mid-rebuild, mid-upgrade);
  • you are verifying that the Modbus path itself works, independent of the application;
  • you need to spin the motor without committing to a full data-recording session.

For everything else, prefer ADCL WinSoft.

The PowerShell tool's source documentation is in Software → WindTunnelControl.ps1.

Launching

The tool is deployed alongside the legacy AeroWare install at E:\Wind_tunnel\AeroWare\WindTunnelControl.ps1. Launch from the Windows side (not WSL) because the USB Ethernet adapter is host-resident:

powershell.exe -STA -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned `
               -File E:\Wind_tunnel\AeroWare\WindTunnelControl.ps1

The flags are not optional:

  • -STA is required by Windows Forms (the GUI framework).
  • -NoProfile skips any user profile that might inject modules or Set-PSReadlineOption chatter into a non-interactive run.
  • -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned matches the lab PC's policy and lets the script run without prompts.

Optional parameters (defaults in parentheses):

Parameter Default When to override
-VfdIp 192.168.50.10 Almost never.
-VfdPort 502 Almost never.
-UnitId 1 Almost never.
-Ref1FullScale 20000 Only if a parameter rescale on the drive has changed the 100 %-reference value.

The window

The GUI shows:

  • a status banner at the top with the connection target;
  • a live readout that updates at 4 Hz: speed RPM, frequency Hz, current A, plus raw CW/REF1/SW bytes;
  • an RPM input with an Apply Setpoint button;
  • three action buttons: Start Tunnel, Stop, Emergency Stop;
  • a large status text (Motor: stopped / Motor: running at N RPM).

Start sequence

  1. Type the desired RPM into the input box.
  2. Press Apply Setpoint — this writes REF1 but does not start the motor.
  3. Visually confirm the test section is clear.
  4. Press Start Tunnel. A confirmation dialog appears asking you to confirm; click Yes to proceed. The tool then issues REF1 → CW=0x0476 → CW=0x047F with the required delays.
  5. The motor spins up.

Mid-run setpoint changes

Same as ADCL WinSoft: change the RPM input, press Apply Setpoint. The tool writes only REF1, never re-issues the start word.

Stop

  • Stop: ramp-stop via CW=0x0476.
  • Emergency Stop: CW=0x0000 plus REF1=0, coast.

On window close, the tool does a best-effort ramp-stop followed by CW=0x0000. Do not rely on this — close the window only after the motor has been explicitly stopped and verified to be at zero RPM.

What this tool does not do

  • It does not record data.
  • It does not read the cDAQ.
  • It does not apply per-channel calibration.
  • It does not display wind speed or Reynolds number.
  • It does not authenticate; anyone running the script can spin the motor.

For experiments that need data, use ADCL WinSoft.