Accumulated experiences from implementations of the DIII-D plasma control system worldwide

The current DIII-D plasma control system (PCS) has evolved through several iterations into a robust platform that has been adopted at several fusion devices around the world. Each installation, as well as each new upgrade at DIII-D, has presented new challenges. Each of these challenges has provided an additional opportunity to expand our understanding of the requirements, alternative operational methods, and differing real-time implementations for Tokamak plasma control.This paper presents a brief historical overview of PCS hardware evolutions and describes some of the design, structure, and techniques that have allowed the PCS to be a productive component at many fusion facilities. It will also discuss some of the major differences between the individual PCS installations and bring to light some of the major challenges that were overcome during integration. The lessons learned from these experiences provide general solutions and can inform control system designs for other next-generation devices. We also describe some limitations of the PCS relative to identified present and future needs at DIII-D and other devices, and discuss planned upgrades to the PCS to address these needs.