Flow Vision SC™ User Manual
Contents
1. Once you have completed the data log you can recover the file using the Open Folder button in the Data Logs module window 26 Charts Flow Vision SC allows you to create charts to display data Creating Charts To create a chart access the Charts module If you do not see the Charts module refer to section 2 page 11 for instruction on how to make the Charts module visible Once you have accessed the Charts module click on the Add button to bring up the New Chart window Rew than Jog Chart Title Test Chart Type Line iv Series Device Parameter Type C MC 20SLPM D Mass Flow Line C Mc 20SLPM D Temperature Line C MC 20SLPM D Pressure Line Remove Selected New Series Device MC 20SLPM D v Parameter Pressure x Color Els Add Series In the New Chart window begin by naming the chart To do this type a name for the chart in the space provided to the right of Chart Title Now select the type of chart you would like This is done by using the down arrow to the right of Chart Type The available chart choices are Spline Line or Column Next you will need to add a device or series to the chart To do this select the device to chart by using the down arrow to the right of the Device field The arrow will display a list of available devices from which to select one Finally select the parameter you would like to char2. MC 20SLPM D Temperature C MC 20SLPM D Pressure PSIA NO j 1 Mass Flow amp Temperature amp Pressure of ios es ie 10 S Se SOON OONDE SA SOS ERA SNS S A a EE a E 15 20 25 30 35 40 Time Seconds Charting is done based on units of time in seconds The Y axis will scale according to the parameter with the largest integer measurement In this case it is temperature Please note You cannot save export a chart setting Once the chart is removed from the Chart module it will need to be redone if you would like to chart the same series The Chart module will allow you to modify an existing chart using the Modify button or to delete an existing chart by using the Remove button You can also Refresh the list if a previously added chart does not appear on the list 29 Scripts Scripts allow users to create automated command sets based on time You can program Flow Vision SC to send specific commands to your connected flow instruments at specified time intervals To create a script you will first need to access the Script module tab If you do not see the Script module refer to section 2 page 11 for instruction on how to make the Script module visible Once you have accessed the Script module click Add to bring up the New Script window At the top of the window in the box to the right of Script Name name the script you are
3. How to start using Flow Vision SC Installing the Software In order to begin using the Flow Vision SC software you will need to install the software onto the computer to which you plan to connect your Alicat flow or pressure instrument To install the software place your original Flow Vision SC CD into the CD or DVD drive on your computer or laptop If your computer does not have a CD or DVD drive installed please contact the vendor from whom you purchased the computer the manufacturer of the computer or your company s computer technician Once you have placed the CD into the computer s drive you should hear some noise from the computer s drive In a moment you will see the installation screen on your monitor Flow Vision lol Welcome to the Flow Vision SC Setup Wizar lt Flow vision T L The installer will guide you through the steps required to install Flow Vision SC on your computer WARNING This computer program is protected by copyright law and international treaties Unauthorized duplication or distribution of this program or any portion of it may result in severe civil or criminal penalties and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law coe co To continue choose the button marked Next gt Upon clicking Next the End User License Agreement will be shown Please read the Agreement carefully and if you agree to the terms listed use the mouse pointer
4. Conversely decreasing the polling rate shortening the time interval will increase the frequency at which data is taken from the instrument by the software The View trace debug information option will allow you to view in depth information about the application The options on the Appearance tab allow you to modify the way Flow Vision SC looks including background color and image The Updates tab is used to modify the Flow Vision SC updating settings You can disable automatic updates on this tab 11 Polling Menu Polling is the term used to describe communicating with the instrument The Polling Menu will allow you to initialize or terminate polling via the software To initialize polling select Start Polling gt All and to terminate polling select Stop Polling gt AIP View Menu The View Menu allows you to choose how the main screen will appear when you start the program Flow Vision SC is a modular program and each function of the software is represented by a module The View Menu lets you select which modules will be available when the program starts Modules are explained in detail later in this manual The View Menu also allows you to save variations of screen layouts in the event multiple users have different preferences or you have different requirements at different times You can save and load modules as you require via the View Menu Window Menu The Window Menu allows
5. Vision SC 2 If your computer meets the requirements and the problem persists please contact Alicat directly for support The process information displayed on my Alicat device and on the Flow Vision SC screen don t always match In the configure menu the polling rate will dictate how often the Flow Vision SC screen is updated Flow Vision SC and the display on my Alicat device don t always match at zero flow The Alicat flow device comes with programming to help stabilize the display at zero flow The Flow Vision SC display will not have this stabilization feature and will show minute fluctuations at zero while the device s display will be a solid zero This slight difference in reading is normal I can t find my captured flow data Click on the Script Choose open folder 36 Contact Information For more information regarding this or any Alicat product please contact Alicat Scientific Inc 7641 N Business Park Drive Tucson Arizona 85743 USA Ph 520 290 6060 888 290 6060 Fax 520 290 0109 email info alicat com Web site www alicat com Notice Alicat Scientific Inc reserves the right to make any changes and improvements to the products described in this manual at any time and without notice This manual is copyrighted This document may not in whole or in part be copied reproduced translated or converted to any electronic medium or machine readable form for commercial purposes without prio
6. building You can name the script anything you would like To the left of the device for which you would like to add a command press the symbol to display a list of available commands Add a command by either double clicking on the desired command or clicking and dragging the command into the box on the right half of the screen After you have double clicked or dragged a command an Input window will appear in which you will fill in the blanks with your desired values Note The common value among all the script functions is Execution Time The Execution Time is the time in seconds at which the address change should take place from the start of the script Once you have populated the Parameter Values simply click the Add Command button to add the command to the script If you require the script to run in a loop you can select the number of loops to run and the time between each loop in the Options tab New Script Joe Script Name Simple View Advanced View Options MC 20SLPM D amp write Address amp Change Setpoint Scale Units amp Change Setpoint of Full Scale amp Tare amp Reset Total Time Device Actior E i al Remove Selected Ea mm gt 30 Descriptions of Simple Script Commands Write Address The Write Address command allows you to write a value to a register address of the instrument You are required to enter Execution Ti
7. display window open PLEASE NOTE The alarm function in Flow Vision SC is done via the software only and does not activate any kind of alarm on the device itself If an alarm is triggered the device will continue to operate A technician must make changes to the device either directly or through the Flow Vision SC software Also in order for the alarm to function Flow Vision SC must be running and the monitored device must be communicating with Flow Vision SC Creating Custom Modifiers Custom modifiers can be used to change the value and heading for any measured parameter For example temperature is measured in degrees Celsius by the device and in turn is displayed as such Using Flow Vision SC you can change the value and heading of the measured parameter using the Custom Modifier field We want to change the temperature display from degrees C to degrees F To do this check the Enabled box under Custom Modifier in the tab corresponding to the measured parameter you want to modify Next in the space next to Custom Units type the heading that you would want to use for this example it would F In the space next to Custom Expression you will enter the formula used to convert the measured parameter into your desired measurement In this case we will the formula C 9 5 32 as the conversion The word value is used to define the measured parameter So the formula for convertin
8. push pin shaped button located on the upper right corner of the tab screen PE Fow Vision 1 1 0 0 File Edit Polling View Window XK Help p Refresh ef Add Modify Remove If the pin is facing to the left the tab window will disappear when not in use If the pin is facing downward the tab window will stay open until the auto hide button is pressed again The auto hide is useful when performing multiple functions Non critical functions can be hidden while the critical functions are pinned to the screen Flow Vision SC allows you to choose which modules are visible and which are not 13 By using the using the View gt Modules menu you can select which module tabs are made available By default all module functions are shown as tabs Use your mouse button to uncheck the modules you do not want shown If you decide you want to use a module that is not visible simply return to the View gt Modules menu and use your mouse button to check the module you would like to have visible Based on the size of the Flow Vision SC window you may not see all of the available options in a particular module tab If the window is too small to list all of the options you will see a downward facing arrow to the right of the visible options Clicking this arrow will display the remaining options If the window is wide enough you will see all of the available options and the downward arrow will not be visible Movin
9. to place a check mark in the box next to the sentence indicating that you agree to the End User License Agreement After you have done that you can click the Next button to continue with the software installation If you do not agree to the terms listed cancel the installation remove the CD from your computer and contact your software vendor to arrange returning the software for a refund You can abort the installation at any time by choosing the button marked Cancel or revert to the previous step by choosing the button marked Back The next screen will ask into which directory you would like to install the Flow Vision SC software Lic Flow vision 3 Flow Vision SC Select Installation Folder The installer will install Flow Vision SC to the following folder To install in this folder click Next To install to a different folder enter it below or click Browse Folder C Program Files Alicat Scientific Inc Flow Vision SC Browse Disk Cost Install Flow Vision SC for yourself or for anyone who uses this computer C Everyone Just me Cancel lt Back By default the program will create a program folder and subfolder in the Program Files folder in your main drive directory This location is suitable for most users If you would like to install Flow Vision SC into a different location you can manually enter the location s address in the space provided or you can cho
10. you to arrange open windows in a specific way The formats are Cascade Tile Horizontally Tile Vertically and Icon Macro Menu The Macro Menu allows you to store groups of windows that are launched together Saved window macros are launched through the Macro Menu item Help Menu The Help Menu contains documentation that will answer questions about the software and how it is used You can access Flow Vision SC version information by selecting the About tab The Register tab will allow you to enter a CD Key if your CD Key has been compromised or if you receive a new CD Key from the software vendor 12 Flow Vision SC Screen Layout Flow Vision SC allows you several options in screen configuration Flow Vision SC is a modular program Some people will use more functionality than others As such components of Flow Vision SC have been housed in separate modules Modules and their functions will be discussed later in this manual Tabs When Flow Vision SC is started for the first time you will see a column of tabs along the left side of the Flow Vision SC window File Edit Polling View Window Macros Help Placing your mouse cursor over an individual tab will open the tab into the main screen Removing your cursor from the tab window for a few seconds will cause the tab to disappear from the main screen If you would like the tab to stay open permanently simply press the auto hide
11. 3 53 028 08 000 00 000 00 000 00 Air 4 013 52 028 08 000 00 000 00 000 00 Air ere Uninstalling Flow Vision SC To uninstall Flow Vision SC use the Add and Remove Programs function from your Windows control panel Flow Vision SC can be selected from the program group and uninstalled If you are unfamiliar with the Add and Remove Programs function of your Windows software please consult your system administrator or refer to your Windows operating manual 35 Troubleshooting and FAQs If you have Flow Vision SC installed and running the Help Menu page 12 may provide the answer you are looking for My Alicat device will not connect to Flow Vision SC 1 Check all connections between Alicat device and computer 2 Make sure Alicat unit is powered 3 Make sure Alicat unit communication is set to 19 200 baud 4 Verify that the communication cable is built correctly and installed properly 5 Verify that a connection can be made with the computer using Windows HyperTerminal and following the instructions in the manual that accompanied your flow device Flow Vision SC will not start when I put the CD into my CD DVD drive Your computer may not be able to run the autorun script Try to run the Flow Vision SC setup exe program from the drive directory using Windows Explorer Flow Vision SC will not install properly 1 Verify that your computer meets the minimum requirements to run Flow
12. 50 0 9993 13 normal Butane n C4H10 74 052 2 4494 0 9699 in micropoise 1 Poise gram cm sec Grams Liter 14 Acetylene C2H2 104 448 1 0720 0 9928 Reference NIST REFPROP 7 Database 15 Ethylene C2H4 103 177 1 1533 0 9943 16 iso Butane i C4H10 74 988 2 4403 0 9728 A 17 Krypton Kr 251 342 3 4274 0 9994 ee 18 Xenon Xe 229 785 5 3954 0 9947 19 Sulfur Hexafluoride SF6 153 532 6 0380 0 9887 W Flow Conversions SCIENTIFIC ee ee ee a 7641 N Business Park Drive SCIM 100 00 1 6390 SLPM SLPM 1 00 61 0128 SCIM Tucson AZ 85743 USA SCIH 1000 00 0 2732 SLPM SLPM 1 00 3660 7688 SCIH Phone 888 290 6060 Fax 520 290 0109 Alicat com Innovative Flow and Pressure Solutions
13. Data Logs module please refer to section 2 page 11 Once you have accessed the Data Logs module click on Add A window will appear with options for configuring your data log New Log BAX File Options Data File Splitting Start Stop Log Name Test File Type Access 2007 Database accdb iv File Path C Documents and Settings Flow Vision Data File Name Test C Name in series Save 23 First name the data log This is done by entering a name into the text box to the right of Log Name Next using the drop down arrow next to the File Type indicator select the type of log file you would like After you have selected the log name and the type of log file you will need to tell Flow Vision SC where you would like to save the file and under what name Next define the unit data source and the parameters you want to log To do this click the Data tab on the top of the New Log window New Log Jog File Options Data File Splitting Start Stop LEN Start Stop Device Parameters C MC 20SLPM D Pressure Temperature Volumetric Flow Mass Flow Set Point New Data Source Device MC 20SLPM D Parameter Pressure Mass Flow CO Gas Temperature Set Point te Volumetric Flow talize Save Define a data source by clicking the arrow on the right side of Device in the New Data Source section on the bottom portion of
14. Menu Flow Vision SC Screen Layout Tabs Table of Contes T Write Address Welcome to Flow Vision SC Flow Vision SC is a graphic based software package that allows you to operate any Alicat flow or pressure instrument via a graphical user interface Flow Vision SC lets you access information from your Alicat instruments make changes in commands to those instruments monitor performance log data chart data and communicate directly with the unit via a terminal window If you have used earlier versions of Alicat Scientific s Flow Vision software we are sure you will find many new and improved functions in this latest version Flow Vision SC Note Identifiers and scripts from earlier versions of Flow Vision are not recognized by Flow Vision SC FIOVEVISIOLNY a System Requirements e Microsoft Windows XP or Microsoft VISTA Windows 7 e Microsoft NET Framework Version 3 0 A copy of Microsoft NET Framework can be downloaded at http www microsoft com downloads details aspx Familyd 262D25E3 F589 4842 8157 034D1E7CF3A3 amp displaylang en e 18 MB hard disk space e Available COM port that supports 19200 baud communications Note Some laptops are not equipped with serial ports A virtual serial port can be created using a USB to Serial adapter Section 1 Getting Started In this section you will learn about How to install Flow Vision SC to your computer
15. PaALICAT SCIENTIFIC FIOVEWVISION a j A Alicat Scientific Inc 7641 N Business Park Drive Tucson Arizona 85743 USA Alicat com Notice Alicat Scientific Inc reserves the right to make any changes and improvements to the products described in this manual at any time and without notice This manual is copyrighted This document may not in whole or in part be copied reproduced translated or converted to any electronic medium or machine readable form for commercial purposes without prior written consent from the copyright holder Note Although we provide assistance on Alicat Scientific products both personally and through our literature it is the complete responsibility of the user to determine the suitability of any product to their application The manufacturer does not warrant or assume responsibility for the use of its products in life support applications or systems For more information regarding this or any Alicat product please contact us at Alicat Scientific Inc 7641 N Business Park Drive Tucson Arizona 85743 USA Ph 520 290 6060 888 290 6060 Fax 520 290 0109 email info alicatscientific com Web site www alicatscientific com 01 08 2013 Rev 2 DOC FVISIONSCMAN Table of Contents o O Installing the Software Launching Flow Vision SC Section 2 Setting up Flow Vision SC Registering Flow Vision SC Flow Vision SC Menu and Menu functions Properties Menu Polling Menu View
16. bel is affixed to the CD case in which the Flow Vision SC CD is stored Please enter the name and registration key from the registration key label in the appropriate fields After successful registration the application will launch Flow Vision SC Menu and Menu functions When you start Flow Vision SC for the first time you will see this screen Sx Along the top of the screen you will find the menu functions File Edit Polling View Window Macros and Help 10 To access a menu place your mouse cursor over the desired menu and click the left mouse button To select a function from the menu point the mouse arrow to the desired function and once it is highlighted click the left mouse key Explanations of each menu and its sub functions follow File Menu The file menu allows you to exit the program Edit Menu The edit menu allows you to access the Properties section of Flow Vision SC In this section you can make changes as to how Flow Vision SC functions Properties i ixil ae ion Garai General Appearance Updates Polling Rate 3000 ms C View trace debug information Save Close The polling rate is the time interval for the software to take data from the instrument measured in milliseconds Increasing the polling rate lengthening the time interval will reduce the frequency at which data is taken from the instrument by the software
17. cation with the device through an ASCII terminal without leaving the Flow Vision SC program To begin a terminal session you will need to open the Terminal module tab If you do not see the Terminal module tab refer to section 2 page 11 for instruction on how to make the Terminal module visible Upon accessing the Terminal module tab you will see the communication port to which your unit is attached Before beginning a terminal session make sure that Flow Vision SC is not polling the connected instrument s If the program is polling you will see polled data on the terminal window Begin the terminal session by double clicking on the communication port to which the instrument you would like to poll is connected Awindow will appear that will allow you to communicate with the instrument as you would via a terminal window W W Terminal COM1 Transfer 34 Please refer to the instruction manual that accompanied your instrument for instructions on communicating with a unit via a terminal window You will not have to worry about connection settings as this is done through Flow Vision SC if the device has been identified by Flow Vision SC as a connected and available device Terminal COM1 BAX Transfer 4 013 53 028 08 000 01 000 01 000 00 Air 4 013 53 028 08 000 01 000 00 000 00 Air 4 013 52 028 07 000 00 000 00 000 00 Air 013 52 028 08 000 01 000 01 000 00 Air 4 032 04106 4 01
18. e zero on the instrument Tare only when there is no gas flow going to the unit The tare function is discussed in detail in the instruction manual that accompanied your instrument Choosing the tare function will cause an Input window to appear that requires input of Execution Time in seconds Reset Total The Reset Total function is used to reset the instrument s flow totalizer Choosing the Reset Total function will cause an Input window to appear that will require input of Execution Time Please note The Reset Total function is available only for instruments ordered with the optional totalizer 31 Sample Script Below is a sample script that will cause a flow controller to 1 Change the set point to 0 at 1 seconds from start controllers only 2 Tare at 3 seconds from start 3 Reset the flow totalizer at 5 seconds from start devices with totalizer only 4 Change the set point to 25 at 1 seconds from start controllers only 5 Change the set point to 1OSLPM at 2 seconds from start controllers only 6 Change the set point to 15SLPM at 3 seconds from start controllers only 7 Change the set point to 100 at 4 seconds from start controllers only Once you have completed a script you can review your selections If you decide you don t want particular steps they can be removed by selecting the specific step s and then clicking the Remove Selected button Finally click the Save button to save t
19. emove option in the menu After selecting Yes at the prompt the instrument will be removed from Flow Vision SC Removing A Device That Is Used In a Data Log Chart Will Cause That Data Log Chart To Stop Working Setting Software Alarms The Modify button will activate a window from which you may review information about the device set software alarms and or modify any of the measured parameters 23 Modify MC 30SLPM D General Pressure Temperature Volumetric Flow Mass Flow Low Alam High Alarm E Enabled E Enabled Value Value Color EA Color E Custom Modifiers E Enabled Custom Units Custom Expression To create a software alarm use your mouse to check the Enabled box on the Low Alarm and or High Alarm checkbox Once enabled you will be able to enter a number in the Value box This value should reflect the point at which you would like the alarm to initiate You will see that there is a tab for each measured parameter in the Modify window An alarm can be set for any available measured parameter by entering those values into the properly corresponding section 21 When an alarm is activated you will hear a tone from your computer Speakers are required for tone warning and the virtual display will change from the normal green to the color you have selected for the alarm type If you have an alarm set please be sure to keep the virtual
20. fset and 100 being maximum offset If your controller uses an Alicat medium sized valve the offset effect is reversed 0 being maximum offset and 100 being little to no offset Valve offset has no effect at a zero set point Info Tab The info tab provides specific information about the unit This information is helpful when requesting telephone support or authorization for recalibration or repair 2 Mc 30SLPM D seca Display General Control Value Model MC 30SLPM D Manufacturer Alicat Manufacture Date 2 2 2006 Serial Number 27950 Calibrated By BB Sales Order Number 019812 Pressure Scale 160 PSIA Temperature Scale 50 C Volumetric Scale 30 LPM Mass Scale 30 SLPM Controlling Mass Flow Gas Selectable Supported Gases Air Ar CH4 CO CO2 C2H6 H2 He 20 Polling a Device To poll a device choose the Polling gt Start Polling gt All option from the main menu Alternately you can press Ctrl P on your keyboard The device will begin polling at the rate selected in the Properties window All process that display use device data device windows data logs charts etc will start updating To stop polling choose the Polling gt Stop Polling gt All option from the main menu or press Ctrl Alt P on your keyboard Removing a Device To remove a device select the desired device in the Devices tab by clicking it once After selecting the device click the R
21. g C to F will look like this value 9 5 32 without the quotes Once you have entered the conversion expression and the units you can test the functionality of the expression before applying it To do that enter a number in the box to the right of Value and then click the Text Expression button If your formula is correct the window that appears will show the correct integer based on your formula In this case we use 2 as the test value and receive a test expression of 35 6 This means our formula is working 22 Section 4 Optional Modules Flow Vision SC as mentioned earlier is built around the concept of modules As such you can now add or remove modules based on your intended level of use For the casual user only the most essential modules can be made available and the others made invisible reducing screen clutter and possible confusion For the advanced user all modules can be made visible and available on the screen In this section we will go over each of the modules and their functionality Data Logs Data logs can be created if you are required to keep records of measured data for the device for any period of time Data logs are useful because they can be viewed outside of Flow Vision SC or incorporated into a database to create an accurate history of data given by the device To create a data log you will first need to access the Data Logs module If you cannot see the
22. g and Docking Modules in the Flow Vision Window Another innovative feature of Flow Vision SC is the ability to move and dock modules to different locations on the screen To move a tab menu you will first need to turn off the auto hide function by using your mouse to press the auto hide button See Tabs section page 13 for instructions Drag the open window towards the part of the screen in which you like it to stay The following diagram will appear on the screen Drag the window to one of the anchor points and the window will reattach itself to the screen FlowVision 1100 File Edit Polling View Window Macros Help Fi Fi L Z z 9 a z 3 You can also re activate the auto hide feature and a tab will be created on the side of screen on which the window is attached You may repeat this procedure for any number of tabs By using the center anchors you can arrange tabs side by side or bottom to top in order to maximize open tab arrangement on the screen Individual screen layouts can be saved via the View gt Layout menu 14 Section 3 Communicating with a Device In this section you will learn about Connecting and registering an Alicat Scientific device Opening the Device Module Polling a device e Locking the front display Changing the measured gas Changing averaging Taring the unit Set point control controllers only Valve tuning c
23. gered or by a user defined schedule Click the round button next to how you would like the logging to start and or stop and fill in any necessary blanks Once you have completed all of the sections for a new log click the Save button in the bottom right hand corner to save the log file When the log file has been successfully saved the New Log window will automatically close By accessing the Data Logs module again you will see your saved test in the window 25 F E i X New Log File Options Data _ File Spliting Start Stop Manually start stop CO Start Stop with Flow Vision O Start on any alarm Stop after 30 minute s O Start Stop on Schedule Start 11 35 41 AM 11 35 41 AM Stop Run 1 One Time Daily Mo y Start logging if late If you chose to start or stop the data log manually you can do so by selecting the log you want to run from the window and clicking the Start Stop button in the Data Logs module window Once you have completed the data log you can recover the file using the Open Folder button in the Data Logs module window By accessing the Data Logs module again you will see your saved test in the window If you chose to start or stop the data log manually you can do so by selecting the log you want to run from the window and clicking the Start Stop button in the Data Logs module window Flow Vision too e Ka Del
24. he script into the Script module tab Simple View Advanced View Options S MC 30SLPM D 6 TE ETE Device Change Setpoint Scale Units MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 0 units Change Setpoint of Full Scale MC 30SLPM D Tare amp Tare MC 30SLPM D Reset Total Reset Total MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 25 of Full Scale MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 10 units MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 15 units MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 100 of Full Scall 32 Running the Script To run the script access the Script module tab and double click the script you would like to run In this example it is the script that was just saved Once you have double clicked on the script a window will appear that will allow you to run the script and monitor the results of each command Action MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 0 units MC 30SLPM D Tare MC 30SLPM D Reset Total MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 25 of Full Scale MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 10 units MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 15 units MC 30SLPM D Change Setpoint to 100 of Full Scale Click the Run button to run the script In the Output box on the bottom half of the screen you will see a verification of each function as it takes place At the end of the script the instrument will remain as it was after the last command in the script 33 Terminals The Terminals module allows communi
25. me Address Code and Address Value The Address Code is the actual address to be changed while the Address Value is the value for the register Please note Written register values are not easily undone You must rewrite the original value to the register if you want to undo your changes Please use this function only if you are sure you need to do so and only after recording the original register value f you are unfamiliar with register values and their corresponding functions please contact Alicat or your local distributor for information Change Set point Scale Units The Change Set point Scale Units command lets you change the set point of the instrument as a function of the unit s scale Selecting this command will cause an Input window to appear that requires input of Execution Time in seconds and Scale Units Please note The Change Set point Scale Units function is only available with controllers Change Set point of Full Scale The Change Set point of Full Scale command allows you to change the set point of the instrument as a function of percentage 0 100 Selecting this command will cause an Input window to appear that requires input of Execution Time in seconds and of Full Scale It is not necessary to use the symbol when populating the Parameter Value Please note The Change Set point of Full Scale function is only available with controllers Tare The tare function is used to set th
26. nstallation p Flow viSiON The installer is ready to install Flow Vision SC on your computer Click Next to start the installation You will not see an installation screen with a progress bar visually indicating the progress of the installation of Flow Vision SC onto your computer Do not turn off or restart the computer during the installation process Turning off or restarting the computer during this process will cause Flow Vision SC to not install properly and possibly cause damage to your computer When the installation process is complete a screen will appear indicating that Flow Vision SC has been successfully installed on your computer To exit this screen and the Flow Vision SC installation process select the button marked Close Flow Vis ooog Installation Complete FlIOW VISION Flow Vision SC has been successfully installed Click Close to exit Please use Windows Update to check for any critical updates to the NET Framework p ea i e Once you have selected Close the installation screen will disappear from your screen You can now remove the Flow Vision SC CD from your computer You will no longer need the Flow Vision SC CD to run the software Be sure to keep the Flow Vision SC CD and the case with the Registration Key Label in a safe place in the event you need to reinstall the software Launching Flow Vision SC With Flow Vision SC installed to your computer yo
27. olumetric flow or pressure With MC MCP MCR series mass flow controllers you can select to close loop on mass flow volumetric flow or pressure while pressure controllers will allow you to close loop on pressure and liquid controllers will allow close loop on volumetric flow Once the desired control loop has been selected click on the Set button to send the command to the flow instrument 19 Valve Tuning If you require specialized valve tuning you may do this via the Control section in the Advanced section Adjustment of PD amp I values will change how the valve responds valve stability and valve speed It is strongly recommended that adjustments to PD amp I settings not be made unless you have some experience with proportional valve tuning Adjusting The PD amp I Settings Without Prior Training May Result In Permanent Damage To Your Control Valve Valve offset or preload is a setting to compensate for the mechanical pressure effects that gas pressure may exert on the control valve Gas pressure in the system exerts a mechanical force on the control valve that depending upon the gas pressure may slow its response when opening By increasing valve offset a signal is sent to the valve that will increase its force when opening Adjusting valve offset may help your Alicat controller respond more quickly when moving away from a zero set point Valve offset is a value between 0 and 100 0 being little to no of
28. ontrollers only e Getting information about the instrument Removing devices e Setting software alarms e Creating custom modifiers Connecting To An Instrument And Receiving Data In order to start using Flow Vision SC with an instrument you will need to add the instrument to Flow Vision SC s device module There are two ways to add devices to Flow Vision SC The Add option allows you to add a single device on a known COM port If you have multiple devices or you are not sure which port your device is connected to the Search option is a better choice Adding a device on a known COM Port If you have not connected your instrument to your computer you will need to do this before taking the next step You can connect an Alicat instrument to a computer using Alicat accessory cable MD8DB9 or by following the directions in the Alicat instrument manual about how to make a cable With your device connected to your computer and powered up open the Devices tab and select Add A window will appear entitled New Device a I Jog COM Port x Identifier 4 v 15 Use the arrow to the right of the blank space entitled COM Port to select the com port to which your device is attached By default your unit will come with the unit identifier A For information on unit identifiers please consult the product manual that accompanied your Alicat instrument If your unit identifier is n
29. ose the button marked Browse and select the appropriate directory If you are using a computer at your company and are unsure of the appropriate location for installation please request assistance from your company s IT department You can review the amount of space required on your computer to install Flow Vision SC by choosing the button marked Disk Cost A window will appear showing available drives in the computer the size of each drive how much space is available on each drive the space required for Flow Vision SC and the amount of space that will be available after Flow Vision SC is installed This allows you to select the most appropriate location for Flow Vision SC to be installed based on drive space constraints To exit this screen and continue with the installation process select the button marked OK You will also be asked if you would like to install Flow Vision SC for yourself only or for anyone who uses the computer Flow Vision SC s operation will not be affected in any way by this selection Once you have made your selections click the button marked Next The following screen will inform you that Flow Vision SC is ready to be installed You can take this opportunity to go back and make changes or to cancel the installation If you are satisfied with your choices you can continue with the installation by choosing the button marked Next Confirm I
30. ot A select the appropriate identifier Once the proper selections have been made select Find Device gt and Flow Vision SC will look for the attached instrument The process make take a few moments A successfully added a device will be visible in the Devices tab Searching for Devices To search for devices connected to your computer choose the Search option from the Devices menu Note If you do not see the Search option in the Devices menu click the down arrow for more options a Devices 1X e 9 Refresh sf Add E Modify 3 Remove S r 1 7 Search for Devices Options Number of devices 1 COM Ports Standard RealPort Device Port 1 COM1 Standard RealPort Device Port 2 COM2 COM3 Standard RealPort Device Port 3 COM4 Standard RealPort Device Port 4 COM5 Belkin Serial On USB Port COM9 v v Identifiers A through Z Select the number of devices connected to your system After Flow Vision SC finds this number of devices it will stop searching The COM ports box lists the available ports on your system Ports that Flow Vision SC determines may have devices connected are checked Check any other ports you would like to search Finally choose the range of identifiers you would like to check for Click the Search gt gt button Flow Vision SC will locate and load devices matching the selected
31. parameters Once you have successfully added a device it will be visible in the Devices tab 16 Opening the Device Window After you have successfully connected to your instrument from the Device tab double click on the device you would like to monitor After a few moments a window will appear showing a virtual image of your device with a functional display With the device window open you will see a row of tabs across the top of the window underneath the window header P ewison 10110 Jes z He Eat Pal IN Datatoos Diplay General Control ino The tabs are Display General Control Info Each of these tabs allows you to make functional changes to the instrument Display Tab The display tab is the default starting tab when opening the device window In this tab you will see a virtual representation of an instrument The image is generic and may not look exactly like the unit connected this is normal g MC 20SLPM D Se x Display General Control Info You will immediately notice the display screen This screen is a representation of the display functions on the instrument You can access display functions by rolling your mouse over and pressing any of the buttons on the virtual screen 17 Using the buttons on the Flow Vision SC virtual display will not make the same change to the display on the instrument itself You will notice that
32. r written consent from the copyright holder Note Although we provide assistance on Alicat Scientific products both personally and through our literature it is the complete responsibility of the user to determine the suitability of any product to their application The manufacturer does not warrant or assume responsibility for the use of its products in life support applications or systems 37 38 Alicat Scientific Innovative Flow and Pressure Solutions Ranges from 0 5SCCM to 1500SLPM Digital and Analog Communication Speed 10 ms Response LCD with Push Button Interface Programmable Geometric Running Average Field Adjustable PID Loop Tuning 30 Selectable Gases on One Meter Local and Remote Set Point Control Multiple Analog Outputs available Temperature Pressure or Flow Tare Automatic Push Button or Remote Integrated Totalizer Mass Flow Controllers that also control absolute pressure or volume flow bah A A a A a a a a o Alicat Digital Flow and Pressure Products Mass and Volumetric Gas Meters Ranges 0 0 5SCCM to 0 1500SLPM Response Time lt 10ms Accuracy 0 8 of reading 0 02 of Full Scale Mass and Volumetric Gas Controllers Ranges 0 0 5SCCM to 0 1500SLPM Response Time lt 100ms Accuracy 0 8 of reading 0 2 of Full Scale Precision Water Meters and Controllers Precision Pressure Gauges gas amp water Precision Digital Pressure Controllers gas amp water Dual Valve Pressu
33. re Controllers gas media See our full product line and complete technical specifications at www alicatscientific com Gas Viscosity Density and Compressibility Absolute Density Compressibility Absolute Density Compressibility Viscosity 25 C 25 C Viscosity 25 C 25 C 25 C 14 696PSIA_14 696PSIA 25 C 14 696PSIA_14 696PSIA 0 Air Air 184 918 1 1840 0 9997 20 75 Ar 25 CO2 C 25 205 615 1 6766 0 9987 1 Argon Ar 225 593 1 6339 0 9994 21 90 Ar 10 CO2 C 10 217 529 1 6509 0 9991 2 Methane CH4 111 852 0 6569 0 9982 22 92 Ar 8 CO2 C 8 219 134 1 6475 0 9992 3 Carbon Monoxide CO 176 473 1 1453 0 9997 23 98 Ar 2 CO2 C 2 223 973 1 6373 0 9993 4 Carbon Dioxide CO2 149 332 1 8080 0 9949 24 75 CO2 25 Ar C 75 167 451 1 7634 0 9966 5 Ethane C2H6 93 540 1 2385 0 9924 25 75 Ar 25 He A 75 230 998 1 2660 0 9997 6 Hydrogen H2 89 153 0 08235 1 0006 26 75 He 25 Ar A 25 234 306 0 5306 1 0002 7 Helium He 198 457 0 16353 1 0005 90 He 7 5 Ar 8 Nitrogen N2 178 120 1 1453 0 9998 27 2 5 CO2 A1025 214 840 0 3146 1 0003 9 Nitrous Oxide N20 148 456 1 8088 0 9946 Sa AEA 10 Neon Ne 311 149 0 8246 1 0005 28 2 02 Star29 218 817 1 6410 0 9992 11 Oxygen 02 204 591 1 3088 0 9994 Stargon CS 12 Propane C3H8 81 458 1 8316 0 9841 29 95 Ar 5 CH4 P 5 223 483 1 58
34. t Clicking the down arrow to the right of the Parameter field will display a list of available parameters from which to select 27 Once you have selected a parameter assign it a color using the Color field below the parameter field Again click the down arrow to the right of the Color field to display a list of available colors from which to select With the color selected press the Add Series button to add the parameter to the Series section of the New Chart window Each series represents a charted line You can repeat the New Series step for as many parameters you would like to chart from as any units you have connected You will notice that the color of the text defining the charted parameter in the series field will correspond to the color of its line on the chart A series can be removed by placing a check mark in the box next to the series name in the Series field and pressing the Remove Selected button Once satisfied with your selections press the Add Chart button to add the chart to the list of available charts in the Chart module After you have added the chart the New Chart window will disappear from your screen 28 Charting To begin charting access the Chart module to see your chart in the list of available charts Double click on your chart and it will bring up a window charting your selected series A Test sag hE gl MC 20SLPM D Mass Flow SLPM
35. the menu screen available on the instrument display is not available on the Flow Vision SC virtual display this is normal General Tab The General tab is where you will make changes affecting the unit s operation In this tab you will find the gas select menu flow tare display lock and averaging functions Mc 30sLPM D oe es Display General Control Info General Gas Air X Lock Tare Advanced Averaging 256 Fow 0 256 Set 1 256 Pressure B 256 Set Restore Defaults Gas Select To change the measured gas type simply click the down arrow to the right of the gas name to display the gas list Scroll down the list until you see the gas you will be flowing and click on that gas The selected gas should be displayed in the white box If it is not repeat the steps If you do not see the gas you will be flowing on the list please contact the factory before proceeding to verify if your unit is compatible with the gas Do Not Flow Gases That Are Not On The Gas List Without Factory Approval Doing So Will Void Your Warranty And May Cause Permanent Damage To Your Flow Instrument Averaging changes the sensitivity of the unit s display to reduce jitter Averaging does not change Flow Vision SC s data When the averaging is set to a low figure the unit s display will show flow rate changes to the last significant digit as it is happening The result is a rapidl
36. the window Choose the device from which you will be logging data Inthe Parameter section place check marks next to the parameters you wish to log Note Not all parameters are applicable to all Alicat devices Finally click the Add Source button and the device along with the selected parameters will appear on the top portion of the window 24 Splitting Data Files If you are logging to a txt file or a csv file you can have Flow Vision SC split the file into smaller pieces so that the data is more manageable Data can be split by file size by time or by a predefined schedule selected by the user New Log Jog File Options Data _ File Splitting Start Stop Do not split O Split by file size Split by time Split on schedule Save Please note When database file extensions are selected the File Splitting menu will be inaccessible Database files are handled by external programs that are not affected by file size and have interfaces that allow users to manipulate data through the database program itself Starting and Stopping Data Logs Flow Vision SC also allows you to configure how data logs are started and stopped To access this functionality select the Start Stop tab at the top of the New Log window Logs can be set to start manually when Flow Vision SC starts after an alarm is trig
37. u can now begin using the Flow Vision SC program In order to begin you must first start the program To start the program you will need to select the Flow Vision SC program shortcut from the Start Menu gt gt Start Menu gt Alicat Scientific gt Flow Vision A UltraMon Windows Calendar H Windows Mail D Windows Media Player Windows Mobile Device Center Documents amp Windows Update J Accessories Games dJi Administrative Tools J Adobe Design om CS3 Search Alicat Scientific Flow Vision Updates Arlington Text To Speech d Axialis Software d Cisco Systems VPN Client p Debugging Tools for Windows J Divelements p EMS Default Programs d Extras and Upgrades Recent Items Computer Network Control Panel X Help and Support Once you have selected the Flow Vision SC shortcut from the Start Menu the program will begin After registration the application will gather information about your system Specifically Flow Vision SC probes your computer for available COM ports This process only occurs on the first launch of Flow Vision SC All subsequent launches will load more quickly Section 2 Setting up Flow Vision SC In this section you will learn about Registering Flow Vision SC Flow Vision SC Menu and Menu functions Flow Vision SC screen layout Registering Flow Vision SC Before Flow Vision SC will launch it needs to be registered A registration key la
38. y changing integer to the right of the decimal Some users find this to be a nuisance when trying to record data By increasing the averaging the display will stabilize and not show the minute changes in flow Increasing averaging will not affect the performance or accuracy of the unit in any way Averaging is simply a setting that helps reduce the jitter of the display 18 Tare The tare function is used to set the zero on the instrument Tare only when there is no gas flow going to the unit The tare function is discussed in detail in the instruction manual that accompanied your instrument Control Tab Controllers only The control tab allows you to change set point and perform valve tuning on your controllers MC 30SLPM D foe Display General Control info Set Point 000 SLPM Set Close Loop Mass Flow v Advanced Control Valve Offset Algorithm PDF PDA Type Single Valve P Value 1000 Offset 42 D Value 100 Value 51 To change the set point simply enter the desired set point in the text box Once the set point number is in the box click the mouse on the Set button to send the set point to the instrument The unit should now be flowing the process gas at the desired set point Control Loop You can change the control loop if your process requires By clicking the down arrow in the box to the right of Close Loop you can select to close loop on mass flow v
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