Report a Safety Concern
Search

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is in the process of rescinding or revising guidance and policies posted on this webpage in accordance with Executive Order 14151 Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, and Executive Order 14168 Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. In the interim, any previously issued diversity, equity, inclusion, or gender-related guidance on this webpage should be considered rescinded that is inconsistent with these Executive Orders.

Home NRC Library Document Collections Events, Reports Associated with Part 21 Reports 1996

Part 21 Report - 1996-320

 
 
LICENSEE: WESTRONICS                    
    
SITE: WESTRONICS                            EN NUMBER:30153
DOCKET:                                  EVENT DATE: 03-12-96
RX TYPE:                                 EVENT TIME: 00:00
VENDORS:                                NOTIFY DATE: 03-22-96
EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A  REGION: 4 STATE: TX      TIME: 14:38
OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE            
10 CFR SECTION: CDEG  21.21(c)(3)(i)      DEFECTS/NONCOMPLIANCE

10 CFR PART 21 NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE DISCOVERY OF A FIRMWARE
BUG THAT EXISTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH AN ENHANCED MATH PACKAGE ON  
WESTRONICS SERIES 3000C AND 3200C CHART RECORDERS                
                                                                 
WESTRONICS DISCOVERED A FIRMWARE BUG THAT EXISTS IN ASSOCIATION  
WITH THE ENHANCED MATH OPTION OF THE SERIES 3000C FIRMWARE       
(VERSIONS 3.0A AND ABOVE) AND THE SERIES 3200C FIRMWARE (VERSIONS
2.0A AND ABOVE).  THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY AN OUT OF CONTROL    
SOFTWARE POINTER; AND MANIFESTATIONS OF THE BUG INCLUDED CHANGING
OF PRINTED LOG SCALE END POINTS, CHANGING OF PROGRAMMED POINT    
OUTPUT SCALES, THE TIME OF 20:XX:XX PRINTED AS 6C:XX:XX IN MARGIN
LOGS, AND THE RANDOM SUPPRESSION OF POINT DATA FROM LOGS AND THE 
DISPLAY. THE NOTED PROBLEMS ARE TRIGGERED SPECIFICALLY BY THE    
PROGRAMMING AND TRENDING OF LOGARITHMIC POINT TYPES AND LOG      
SCALES WITH THE RECORDER IN THE TREND MODE.  IF THE INSTRUMENT IS
EQUIPPED WITH THE ENHANCED MATH OPTION AND IF THE CUSTOMER IS NOT
USING THE LOGARITHMIC POINT TYPES AND LOG SCALES, THEN THE NOTED 
PROBLEMS WILL NOT APPEAR.  THE ENHANCED MATH OPTION REQUIRES THE 
PRESENCE OF THE PI100117 OPTION DECODER 'PROM.'  INSTRUMENTS NOT 
ORDERED FROM THE FACTORY WITH THE ENHANCED MATH OPTION DO NOT    
HAVE THE OPTION DECODER 'PROM' INSTALLED AND WILL NOT EXPERIENCE 
THE NOTED PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEMS THAT LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF    
THIS BUG WERE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF WESTRONICS ON OR ABOUT 
MARCH 12, 1996.                                                  
                                                                 
WESTRONICS HAS BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA   
EDISON (SAN ONOFRE) IS IN POSSESSION OF INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE     
CONFIGURED WITH THE REQUIRED OPTIONS AND THAT CONTAIN THE        
AFFECTED SOFTWARE.  THE SINGLE NOTED LICENSEE HOLDER HAS RECEIVED
NOTIFICATION BY WESTRONICS.                                      
                                                                 
(REFER TO THE HOO LOG FOR THE CONTACT'S ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE    
NUMBER.)

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021