FAILURE MAP
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FA-93526 / Solar tracker geometry / Open access

Tracker actuator step command: slew limit direction · case 01

Large eastward corrections are executed in one jump.

Verified by executionVariant 1 · 7 checks per implementationDownload source bundle ↓JSON ↗

ROOT CAUSE

The move is limited only in the positive direction.

VERIFIED REPAIR

Limit the move to [-max_step, max_step].

Unsuccessful approach: Using abs(err) loses the direction of eastward moves.

Case contract

Angles in millidegrees. The target is clamped to [lo, hi]. If |target - current| < deadband no move is made. Otherwise the move is limited to +-max_step, converted to whole motor steps of dps millidegrees truncated toward zero. Return [new position, signed steps].

Why this case matters

Single-axis and dual-axis solar trackers turn a sun direction into actuator commands; a sign, frame or limit mistake points a whole plant away from the sun or into a mechanical stop.

1 / The failure

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(target, current, deadband, max_step, dps, lo, hi):
    tgt = min(max(target, lo), hi)
    err = tgt - current
    if abs(err) < deadband:
        return [current, 0]
    move = min(max_step, err)
    steps = abs(move) // dps
    if move < 0:
        steps = -steps
    return [current + steps * dps, steps]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [87, 3902, 250, 500, 90, -52000, 55000], [3452, -5]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-54117, 53470, 0, 5000, 300, -55000, 52000], [48670, -16]],
  ['control 1', [-57417, -56117, 500, 2000, 300, -52000, 60000], [-54317, 6]],
  ['control 2', [-62089, -29689, 500, 5000, 300, -55000, 60000], [-34489, -16]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [-54271, -9833, 0, 2000, 90, -52000, 52000], [-11813, -22]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-47305, -34773, 1000, 5000, 300, -60000, 55000], [-39573, -16]],
  ['control 1', [48241, -7501, 500, 500, 125, -55000, 60000], [-7001, 4]],
  ['control 2', [53151, 50604, 0, 5000, 7, -55000, 55000], [53145, 363]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [25571, 48224, 500, 2000, 90, -52000, 55000], [46244, -22]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)', [5973, 21303, 250, 5000, 90, -60000, 60000],
   [16353, -55]],
  ['control 1', [-63679, -20673, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 60000], [-25673, -40]],
  ['control 2', [13642, -49671, 1000, 5000, 7, -52000, 55000], [-44673, 714]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [-50922, -33896, 1000, 2000, 7, -52000, 60000],
   [-35891, -285]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-63465, 50668, 250, 500, 125, -60000, 60000], [50168, -4]],
  ['control 1', [-66913, 56864, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 52000], [51864, -40]],
  ['control 2', [19310, -10964, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 52000], [-5964, 40]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [3491, 18980, 250, 2000, 7, -55000, 60000], [16985, -285]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-51328, 31221, 1000, 2000, 90, -55000, 52000], [29241, -22]],
  ['control 1', [22704, 24328, 1000, 5000, 300, -60000, 55000], [22828, -5]],
  ['control 2', [56539, -49336, 500, 2000, 7, -60000, 55000], [-47341, 285]]]]
for label, args, expected in fixtures[N-1]:
    check(label, solve(*args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
boundary: error equal to deadband[1500, 4][1500, 4]Passed
boundary: target past west stop[59994, 142][59994, 142]Passed
normal: negative move truncation[-9900, -33][-1800, -6]Failed
regression: slew limit direction[122, -42][3452, -5]Failed
regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)[-53930, -358][48670, -16]Failed
control 1[-54317, 6][-54317, 6]Passed
control 2[-54889, -84][-34489, -16]Failed

SHA-256 / 02ec465cdae711f5c2fe0a7b017b05479eaf96a8a3f3c372d66b29f6489a5c26

2 / The unsuccessful fix

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(target, current, deadband, max_step, dps, lo, hi):
    tgt = min(max(target, lo), hi)
    err = tgt - current
    if abs(err) < deadband:
        return [current, 0]
    move = min(max_step, abs(err))
    steps = abs(move) // dps
    if move < 0:
        steps = -steps
    return [current + steps * dps, steps]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [87, 3902, 250, 500, 90, -52000, 55000], [3452, -5]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-54117, 53470, 0, 5000, 300, -55000, 52000], [48670, -16]],
  ['control 1', [-57417, -56117, 500, 2000, 300, -52000, 60000], [-54317, 6]],
  ['control 2', [-62089, -29689, 500, 5000, 300, -55000, 60000], [-34489, -16]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [-54271, -9833, 0, 2000, 90, -52000, 52000], [-11813, -22]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-47305, -34773, 1000, 5000, 300, -60000, 55000], [-39573, -16]],
  ['control 1', [48241, -7501, 500, 500, 125, -55000, 60000], [-7001, 4]],
  ['control 2', [53151, 50604, 0, 5000, 7, -55000, 55000], [53145, 363]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [25571, 48224, 500, 2000, 90, -52000, 55000], [46244, -22]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)', [5973, 21303, 250, 5000, 90, -60000, 60000],
   [16353, -55]],
  ['control 1', [-63679, -20673, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 60000], [-25673, -40]],
  ['control 2', [13642, -49671, 1000, 5000, 7, -52000, 55000], [-44673, 714]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [-50922, -33896, 1000, 2000, 7, -52000, 60000],
   [-35891, -285]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-63465, 50668, 250, 500, 125, -60000, 60000], [50168, -4]],
  ['control 1', [-66913, 56864, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 52000], [51864, -40]],
  ['control 2', [19310, -10964, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 52000], [-5964, 40]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [3491, 18980, 250, 2000, 7, -55000, 60000], [16985, -285]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-51328, 31221, 1000, 2000, 90, -55000, 52000], [29241, -22]],
  ['control 1', [22704, 24328, 1000, 5000, 300, -60000, 55000], [22828, -5]],
  ['control 2', [56539, -49336, 500, 2000, 7, -60000, 55000], [-47341, 285]]]]
for label, args, expected in fixtures[N-1]:
    check(label, solve(*args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
boundary: error equal to deadband[1500, 4][1500, 4]Passed
boundary: target past west stop[59994, 142][59994, 142]Passed
normal: negative move truncation[1800, 6][-1800, -6]Failed
regression: slew limit direction[4352, 5][3452, -5]Failed
regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)[58270, 16][48670, -16]Failed
control 1[-54317, 6][-54317, 6]Passed
control 2[-24889, 16][-34489, -16]Failed

SHA-256 / 0cd889e87de21a67552c5de5b69e6728be26fabf74179de838b5fc007a96ee61

3 / The verified repair

Exit 0
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(target, current, deadband, max_step, dps, lo, hi):
    tgt = min(max(target, lo), hi)
    err = tgt - current
    if abs(err) < deadband:
        return [current, 0]
    move = max(-max_step, min(max_step, err))
    steps = abs(move) // dps
    if move < 0:
        steps = -steps
    return [current + steps * dps, steps]
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
fixtures = [[['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [87, 3902, 250, 500, 90, -52000, 55000], [3452, -5]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-54117, 53470, 0, 5000, 300, -55000, 52000], [48670, -16]],
  ['control 1', [-57417, -56117, 500, 2000, 300, -52000, 60000], [-54317, 6]],
  ['control 2', [-62089, -29689, 500, 5000, 300, -55000, 60000], [-34489, -16]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [-54271, -9833, 0, 2000, 90, -52000, 52000], [-11813, -22]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-47305, -34773, 1000, 5000, 300, -60000, 55000], [-39573, -16]],
  ['control 1', [48241, -7501, 500, 500, 125, -55000, 60000], [-7001, 4]],
  ['control 2', [53151, 50604, 0, 5000, 7, -55000, 55000], [53145, 363]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [25571, 48224, 500, 2000, 90, -52000, 55000], [46244, -22]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)', [5973, 21303, 250, 5000, 90, -60000, 60000],
   [16353, -55]],
  ['control 1', [-63679, -20673, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 60000], [-25673, -40]],
  ['control 2', [13642, -49671, 1000, 5000, 7, -52000, 55000], [-44673, 714]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [-50922, -33896, 1000, 2000, 7, -52000, 60000],
   [-35891, -285]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-63465, 50668, 250, 500, 125, -60000, 60000], [50168, -4]],
  ['control 1', [-66913, 56864, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 52000], [51864, -40]],
  ['control 2', [19310, -10964, 250, 5000, 125, -52000, 52000], [-5964, 40]]],
 [['boundary: error equal to deadband', [1500, 1000, 500, 2000, 125, -60000, 60000], [1500, 4]],
  ['boundary: target past west stop', [80000, 59000, 250, 5000, 7, -60000, 60000], [59994, 142]],
  ['normal: negative move truncation', [-10000, 0, 250, 2000, 300, -60000, 60000], [-1800, -6]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction', [3491, 18980, 250, 2000, 7, -55000, 60000], [16985, -285]],
  ['regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)',
   [-51328, 31221, 1000, 2000, 90, -55000, 52000], [29241, -22]],
  ['control 1', [22704, 24328, 1000, 5000, 300, -60000, 55000], [22828, -5]],
  ['control 2', [56539, -49336, 500, 2000, 7, -60000, 55000], [-47341, 285]]]]
for label, args, expected in fixtures[N-1]:
    check(label, solve(*args), expected)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
boundary: error equal to deadband[1500, 4][1500, 4]Passed
boundary: target past west stop[59994, 142][59994, 142]Passed
normal: negative move truncation[-1800, -6][-1800, -6]Passed
regression: slew limit direction[3452, -5][3452, -5]Passed
regression: slew limit direction (partial repair)[48670, -16][48670, -16]Passed
control 1[-54317, 6][-54317, 6]Passed
control 2[-34489, -16][-34489, -16]Passed

SHA-256 / 3d47295710e32ea1179bfa6a718666039e0072d48ce0fead42a2085a6af9983f

Verification & scope

Deterministic stipulated toy contract for teaching; no claim of conformance with any standard, vendor protocol or production controller. This reproducer isolates one failure mechanism. Results cover the supplied fixtures. Variants within a family share a test contract and should remain grouped when constructing evaluation splits. Related mechanisms with a shared evaluation_group must also remain together; these controlled models are not independent production incidents.

Observations recorded using Python 3.12.14 at 2026-09-29T14:51:55.938030+00:00.

Case digest / 4b0d49db7e2e862d2e62fbe54852e4ff7dff8d670bcc1230002e87baadd52f19