  The new generation of dedicated Engineering Strain Scanners at neutron
facilities such as ENGIN-X at ISIS and SMARTS at LANSCE offer considerable
increases in both the throughput of samples and the density of measurements
which are feasible within each sample. This trend is set to increase further
with new neutron sources such as the SNS. In order to make full use of these
advances the routine processes associated with setting up measurements, and
analysing data need to be made as efficient as possible. This issue has been
addressed on ENGIN-X by writing a new piece of software which provides support
for many of these operations. The approach is based on a virtual lab consisting
of three dimensional models of the sample and lab equipment such as collimators
and positioner. A typical session using the package would be; 1) Generate the
sample model using primitives or from surface points measured with a coordinate
measurement machine, 2) Specify fiducial and measurement points on screen, 3)
Locate the sample model within the virtual and real laboratories, 4) Execute
the measurement sequence using automatically generated machine control scripts,
5). Analyse the data, 6). Display data using a variety of options including
superimposed on the sample model. The inclusion of an accurate sample model
within the virtual lab allows many other useful properties such as neutron path
lengths and measurement gauge volumes to be determined; it is also a relatively
simple matter to check for possible collisions between sample and lab equipment
such as collimators thereby avoiding potentially costly mistakes. The software
which is shortly to be installed at ENGIN-X has been designed with visiting
industrial and academic researchers in mind; users who need to be able to
control the instrument after only a short period of training.
