ThermoTrak II User’s GuideSpecifications and Requirements ThermoTrak II User’s Guide 1-2...

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ThermoTrak II User’s Guide

Revision 9: May 9, 2011

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Revision 9: May 9, 2011

ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Table of Contents

Thermotron Industries i

Table of Contents

Section 1: Specifications and Requirements

Product support notice.............................................................................................................................................1-1

Introduction to ThermoTrak II................................................................................................................................1-1

ThermoTrak II host PC minimum requirements ..............................................................................................1-1

Thermotron hardware/software supported......................................................................................................1-2

Determining the controller software revision level........................................................................................1-2

ThermoTrak II software specifications.................................................................................................................1-3

Section 2: Installing a ThermoTrak II Network

Using Ethernet with 3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825 controllers........................................................................2-1

Using an Ethernet-to-serial converter box........................................................................................................2-1

ThermoTrak II software/hardware networking kits ........................................................................................2-2

• RS-232 connections .....................................................................................................................................2-2

• RS-485 connections .....................................................................................................................................2-4

• ThermoTrak harness 2800/4800 RS-232 .............................................................................................2-6

• ThermoTrak harness 2800/4800 RS-485 .............................................................................................2-7

• ThermoTrak harness 6850 RS-232 .........................................................................................................2-8

• ThermoTrak harness 6850 RS-485 .........................................................................................................2-9

• ThermoTrak harness 7800/7825 RS-232 .......................................................................................... 2-10

• ThermoTrak harness CM RS-232.......................................................................................................... 2-11

• ThermoTrak harness CMX RS-232....................................................................................................... 2-12

• ThermoTrak harness CM or CMX RS-485.......................................................................................... 2-13

• ThermoTrak harness RS-232 to RS-485 converter......................................................................... 2-14

2800/4800 computer interface board configuration ................................................................................. 2-15

RS-485/RS-422 network cabling........................................................................................................................ 2-17

Chamber bulkhead selection and installation............................................................................................... 2-18

T-Net junction box installation ........................................................................................................................... 2-19

T-Net configuration (CM or CMX with 3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825 display modules).................... 2-20

T-Net configuration (Thermotron controllers).............................................................................................. 2-21

GPIB interface parts................................................................................................................................................. 2-22

Section 3: Using ThermoTrak II with Local Networks

Installing ThermoTrak II ............................................................................................................................................3-1

Adding and removing a chamber.........................................................................................................................3-2

Viewing and editing chambers ..............................................................................................................................3-4

Viewing and editing control parameters ...........................................................................................................3-7

Creating and editing profiles..................................................................................................................................3-8

• Using the profile editor ...............................................................................................................................3-8

Loading a program from a chamber controller............................................................................................ 3-13

Assigning and running a profile ......................................................................................................................... 3-15

Table of Contents ThermoTrak II User’s Guide

ii Thermotron Industries

Running in manual mode ..................................................................................................................................... 3-17

Setting up event notification ............................................................................................................................... 3-18

Graphing and data logging.................................................................................................................................. 3-19

Customizing ThermoTrak II .................................................................................................................................. 3-23

• Changing the options............................................................................................................................... 3-23

• Viewing and changing the access level.............................................................................................. 3-24

• Viewing and clearing the usage log.................................................................................................... 3-25

Section 4: Using ThermoTrak II with Thermal Shock Controllers


Viewing and editing thermal shock control parameters..............................................................................4-4

Viewing and editing thermal shock operating parameters ........................................................................4-4

Creating and editing tests .......................................................................................................................................4-6

• Using the test editor.....................................................................................................................................4-6

Loading a program from a chamber controller...............................................................................................4-9

Assigning and running a test..................................................................................................................................4-9

Running in manual mode ..................................................................................................................................... 4-11

Running in temperature profile mode............................................................................................................. 4-12

Graphing and data logging.................................................................................................................................. 4-13

Section 5: Using ThermoTrak II with Thermotron Oven Controllers

Viewing and editing ovens ......................................................................................................................................5-1

Creating and editing oven profiles.......................................................................................................................5-2

Assigning and running an oven profile ..............................................................................................................5-3

Viewing the oven events log ..................................................................................................................................5-4

Section 6: Using ThermoTrak II with Remote Networks

Enabling access to a local network.......................................................................................................................6-1

Enabling and disabling access to a specific chamber ...................................................................................6-2

Disconnecting a client ...............................................................................................................................................6-3

Connecting to a remote server ..............................................................................................................................6-3

Downloading chamber information.....................................................................................................................6-4

Disconnecting from a server...................................................................................................................................6-5

Locking/unlocking a local host ..............................................................................................................................6-5

Section 7: Using ThermoTrak II with Non-Thermotron Controllers

Adding and removing a chamber.........................................................................................................................7-1


Creating and editing profiles..................................................................................................................................7-2

Section 8: Frequently Asked Questions

ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Specifications and Requirements

Thermotron Industries 1-1

Section 1:

Specifications and Requirements

WARNING: This software is not intended for use in situations in which software

failure could lead to personal injury or property damage.

Product support notice

It is your responsibility to install the hardware and software and, if necessary, debug the system. By

purchasing the necessary hardware kits from Thermotron, you are entitled to up to one hour of

Thermotron product support at no additional charge, either by telephone at 616-392-6550, or by e-mail at

[email protected].

If necessary, Thermotron also can provide on-site technical support with personnel from its Holland,

Michigan facility. Our normal service rate applies (plus costs for travel and related expenses), and are the

customer’s responsibility. A purchase order is required.

Introduction to ThermoTrak II

ThermoTrak II is a hardware/software networking system for the operation of Thermotron chamber and

oven controllers. Its Microsoft Windows environment provides access to chamber networking,

programming, operating, data acquisition, and display functions from a single host computer. ThermoTrak

II can be configured to automatically e-mail reports of a number of chamber events to your personnel.

ThermoTrak II logs data from different Thermotron controllers, giving the operator a Windows

environment for most current Thermotron controllers. It is capable of logging data points every two

seconds for an indefinite period, limited only by hard drive space.

The ThermoTrak II chamber window can display the following:

• All the real-time variables your controllers provide

• Full-color graphs of the set points and process variables

NOTE: ThermoTrak II cannot be used to operate chambers with AST 7800 or AST 8800 controllers, or SE

modules.

ThermoTrak II host PC minimum requirements

Operating system required Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2000, ME, NT 4.0, 98, 95

Microprocessor Pentium class processor;

233 MHz minimum recommended

Random access memory 32 MB RAM minimum,

64 MB RAM recommended

Video VGA minimum, SVGA recommended;

1024 x 768 resolution recommended

Available hard disk space 1 MB for the application;

2 MB for each chamber

Specifications and Requirements ThermoTrak II User’s Guide

1-2 Thermotron Industries

Thermotron hardware/software supported

NOTE: To determine your controller’s software revision level, refer to “Determining the controller software

revision level” at the bottom of this page.

Controller

type

Controller

hardware

Controller software

revision level

Computer

interface

2800/4800Version II main board and Version II

computer interface boardV2.03.07 or higher

RS-232,

RS-485,

GPIB

3800 All versions All versions

RS-232,

RS-485,

GPIB,

TCP/IP

68XX

6850 series hardware is the

minimum for ThermoTrak II

operation

V5.00.36 or higher

RS-232,

RS-485,

GPIB

7800 Rev F1 (or higher) control moduleDisplay module software V1.00.21

or higher

RS-232,

RS-485,

GPIB

7825 Rev F1 (or higher) control moduleDisplay module software V2.06.00

or higher

RS-232,

RS-485,

GPIB

8200 All versions All versions

RS-232,

RS-485,

GPIB,

TCP/IP

8800/8825 All versions All versions

RS-232,

RS-485,

GPIB,

TCP/IP

Oven All versions All versions

RS-232,

RS-485,

GPIB

Determining the controller software revision level

Controller type Instructions

2800/4800Press the STOP and CLR keys at the same time, then immediately press the LOCK

key while the lights are lit.

6850 Go to the system status screen.

7800 From the main screen press the Setup soft key, then press the More Setup soft key.

7825 From the main screen press the Setup soft key.

ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Specifications and Requirements


ThermoTrak II software specifications

Interface capabilities • TCP/IP using a third-party Ethernet-to-serial converter box. NOTE:

3800, 8200, 8800, and 8825 controllers have built-in Ethernet

capabilities.

• GPIB (used for multidrop controller networks). NOTE: ThermoTrak II

supports only National Instruments GPIB cards.

• RS-485 (used for multidrop controller networks)

• RS-232 (used for communication from one PC to one controller)

Maximum number of

instruments

• 32 instruments on one RS-485 network, limited to 4,000 feet total

bus length

• 15 instruments on one GPIB network, limited to 20 meters total bus

length

• Up to four networks at a time

Maximum control channels Four (instrument-dependent)

Data log/graph resolution • Stores/graphs data in increments from 2 to 3,600 seconds,

adjustable per controller

• 32,768 plot points available for graphs

Maximum data log file Limited only by hard drive space

Specifications and Requirements ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Installing a ThermoTrak II Network


Section 2:

Installing a ThermoTrak II Network

Installing a ThermoTrak II network requires the following:

• Good working knowledge of chamber, Thermotron controller, and computer interface configuration

(as described in the computer interface section of the chamber controller manual).

• Ability to complete installation of network cabling, including braided shield termination, wire

preparation, and knowledge of diagnostic practices as needed. To simplify this process, the

networking kits listed in the tables later in this section are available from Thermotron Industries.

• Ability to find a hardware or software revision level. Refer to “Thermotron hardware/software

supported” in Section 1 of this manual.

Using Ethernet with 3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825 controllers

All 3800, 8200, 8800, and 8825 controllers support standard Ethernet cabling.

• To connect a chamber to a hub, use a standard straight-through Ethernet cable.

• To connect a chamber directly to a PC, use a standard crossover Ethernet cable.

NOTE: The 3800 controller supports communication only at 10 Mbit. A 100-Mbit network that does not

scale down cannot communicate with the 3800.

Using an Ethernet-to-serial converter box

ThermoTrak II uses port number 8888 when sending commands to an Ethernet-to-serial conveter box. If

you are using an Ethernet-to-serial converter box to connect a chamber to a local area network (LAN), set

the converter’s port number to 8888.

Installing a ThermoTrak II Network ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


ThermoTrak II software/hardware networking kits

NOTE: The diagram designators are referred to in the tables that follow the connection diagrams below.

RS-232 connections

The RS-232 interface is used to connect one PC to one controller.



RS-232 Kits for Connecting One PC to One Controller

Item Description

T-Trak harness 78XX RS232 (pg 2-10)

Part number: 1127889

Diagram designator: I (pg 2-2)

Connects a 7800/7825 controller to a PC via RS-232.

Contains:

• T-Net PC lead PC9/BH9 20 ft

• T-Net bulkhead RSALL (BH9)

• T-Net stub 78xx RS232 3.5 ft



Diagram designator: K (pg 2-2)

Connects a 68XX series controller to a PC via RS-232.

Contains:


• T-Net bulkhead 28/68xx (BH25)

• T-Net stub 28/68xx RSALL 6 ft

T-Trak harness 2800/4800 RS232 (pg 2-6)


Diagram designator: J (pg 2-2)

Connects a 2800/4800 controller to a PC via RS-232.

Contains:




2800/4800 serial communications board

Part number: 812749

Diagram designator: F (pg 2-2)

Provides a 2800/4800 controller with a serial

communications interface.

T-Trak harness 8800 RS232


Connects an 8800/8825 single board computer (SBC) to a

PC via RS-232. Contains a standard DB9 male-female serial

cable.

T-Trak harness CM RS232 (pg 2-11)



Connects a 3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825 CM to a PC.

Contains:

• Standard PC lead part number 1192648

• Bulkhead plate part number 1078022

• T-Net stub bulkhead cross 3.5 ft part number 1213355

T-Trak harness CMX RS232 (pg 2-12)



Connects a 3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825 CMX to a PC.

Contains:

• Standard PC lead part number 1192648

• Bulkhead plate part number 1078022

• T-Net stub 78xx RS232 3.5 ft part number 1087241



RS-485 connections

The RS-485 interface is used for controller multidrop applications.



RS-485 Kits for Controller Multidrop Applications

Item Description



Diagram designator: D (pg 2-4)

Connects a 3800, 7800, 7825, 8200, 8800, or 8825

controller to an RS-485 multidrop bus. Contains:

• T-Net stub 78xx RS485 3.5 ft

• T-Net bulkhead RSALL (BH9)

• T-Net fly lead all other 20 ft

• T-Net junction box side entry



Diagram designator: E (pg 2-4)

Connects a 68XX controller to an RS-485 multidrop bus.

Contains:



• T-Net fly lead 28/68xx 20 ft


T-Trak harness 2800/4800 RS485 (pg 2-7)


Diagram designator: C (pg 2-4)

Connects a 2800/4800 controller to an RS-485 multidrop

bus. Contains:


• T-Net fly lead 28/68xx 20 ft



2800/4800 serial communications board

Part number: 812749

Diagram designator: F (pg 2-4)

Provides a 2800/4800 controller with a serial

communications interface.

T-Trak harness RS232-485 converter (pg

2-14)



Provides an RS-485 interface for a ThermoTrak II network.

(Replaces Option 2, which is now obsolete.) Contains:


• T-Net fly lead RS-232-485 20 ft

• T-Net RS-232 to RS-485 converter

• T-Net wall wart for 232-485

• T-Net PC lead PC9/232-485 6 ft

T-Net RS-485/422 network cable (pg 2-17)


Diagram designator: H (pg 2-4)

Network cable purchased by the foot.



ThermoTrak harness 2800/4800 RS-232

This kit provides the cabling components required to connect a 2800/4800 controller to a PC’s RS-232

communications port. The following components are included with this kit:




This kit provides the cabling components required to connect a 2800/4800 controller to an RS-485

network. The following components are included with this kit:



ThermoTrak harness 6850 RS-232

This kit provides the cabling components required to connect a 6850 controller to a PC’s RS-232




ThermoTrak harness 6850 RS-485

This kit provides the cabling components required to connect a 6850 controller to an RS-485 network. The

following components are included with this kit:




This kit provides the cabling components required to connect a 7800/7825 controller to a PC’s RS-232




ThermoTrak harness CM RS-232

This sheet provides details on how to hook up a CM to a PC’s RS-232 port. The setup described on this

sheet applies to a CM regardless of which display module is connected to it (3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825).

NOTE: Only the CM directly connected to the display module can do computer communication.



ThermoTrak harness CMX RS-232

This sheet provides details on how to hook up a CMX to a PC’s RS-232 port. The setup described on this

sheet applies to a CMX regardless of which display module is connected to it (3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825).

NOTE: Only the CMX directly connected to the display module can do computer communication.



ThermoTrak harness CM or CMX RS-485

This sheet provides details on how to hook up a CM or a CMX to RS-485 network. The only difference

between the CM and CMX for RS-485 communications is the designator of the RS-485 port as shown

below. The setup described on this sheet applies to a CM or CMX regardless of which display module is

connected to it (3800, 78XX, 8200, or 88XX). NOTE: Only the CM or CMX directly connected to the display

module can do computer communication.



ThermoTrak harness RS-232 to RS-485 converter

This setup provides an RS-485 interface for a ThermoTrak II network.



2800/4800 computer interface board configuration

The following provides a convenient reference to assist you in configuring your Thermotron 2800/4800

computer interface board. For more information, refer to the 2800 or 4800 programmer/controller

computer interface manual.

CAUTION: The 2800/4800 computer interface board contains components that are sensitive to

electrostatic charges. When working with the 2800/4800 computer interface board, make sure you provide

a static-safe work environment.

R2 line termination resistor: When this card is used at the end of the network line, supply a 120-ohm

resistor at R2. NOTE: Most RS-485 buses require termination at both ends because of fast transition, high

data rates, or long cables. For more information on termination, refer to Step 3 of “RS-485/RS-422

Network Cabling” later in this section.

W1 setting: Place the jumper on the appropriate terminal, either RS-232 or RS-485. (The factory setting is

RS-232.) NOTE: Power must be removed from the 2800/4800 before repositioning the jumper.



RS-232/RS-485 Switch Settings

Switch

numberON function OFF function Comments

8

2800/4800 sends

both carriage return

and line feed

2800/4800 sends

carriage return only

Selects the data output terminating sequence

NOTE: When communicating via RS-485,

always set this switch to the OFF position.

7 8 bits/character 7 bits/character Selects word length

6 Negative busy Positive busy

Selects handshake polarity

• Use negative polarity for no handshake

• Always set ON for RS-485 interface

5 RTS/CTS DTR/DSRSelects input handshake line (not used by RS-

485 interface)

4 Odd parity Even parity Selects parity type (switch #3 = OFF)

3 No parity Use selected parity Enable/disable parity

Pos 2 Pos 1 Baud

ON ON 9600

ON OFF 2400

OFF ON 1200

2

1OFF OFF 300

Use positions 1 and 2 to select the baud rate

GPIB Switch Settings

Switch

numberName ON function OFF function Comments

8Line feed

terminator

Line feed not

included

Line feed

included

When both carriage return and line

feed are selected, the sequence will

be <cr> <lf>

7

Carriage

return

terminator

Carriage return

not included

Carriage return

included

6EOI

terminator

No EOI with last

byte

EOI

synchronous

with last byte

If all switches (6, 7, and 8) are ON,

the 4800 will use the last input’s

terminating string

5 Address bit 4 Value = 0 Value = 16





Legal GPIB addresses are 0 through

30



RS-485/RS-422 network cabling

The cable and connections used to network your chambers are sometimes overlooked, but are actually

very important to ensure reliable data transfer along with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The

following are Thermotron’s guidelines for connecting a chamber network:

1. Use a high quality shielded (24 AWG) twisted pair cable. For chamber networking Thermotron

recommends using T-Net RS-485/422 network cable (Thermotron p/n 1084413; Belden p/n 9842).

2. Use Thermotron’s T-Net network components to connect your chamber network. The T-Net

components provide you with a simple yet reliable way to network your chamber controllers. The

components available include various cable assemblies, bulkhead connectors, and the T-Net junction

box. The T-Net junction box is used to properly interface individual chambers and the main network

line. The junction box is specifically designed for use with the cable recommended in item 1 above.

The following general diagram illustrates the T-Net components available for chamber networking.

The T-Net junction box will provide the networked controller with voltage protection, along with

electromagnetic interference (EMI) filtering for each data line. The junction box as well as all T-Net

cabling will also provide your complete network with the proper shielding that is required for an

industrial network application.

For detailed information on features and installation instructions for the T-Net junction box, refer to

“T-Net Junction Box Installation” later in this section. For selection of the specific cable assemblies/

bulkhead connectors that you need for your application, refer to “Using the 7800/7825 as an RS-232

to RS-485 Converter” earlier in this section, or the T-Net configuration diagram on page 2-21.

3. Terminate both ends of the main network cable. Termination of both ends of the network is required

to prevent data transmission problems. All Thermotron controllers/computer interface devices have

provisions to allow network termination.

For example, Thermotron’s external RS-232 to RS-485 converter harness kit can be used to terminate

one end of the network. (For details, see “ThermoTrak Harness RS-232 to RS-485 Converter” earlier in

this section.) A 120-ohm resistor (provided) can be installed in the junction box. If a 7800/7825

controller is on the other end of the network, simply place jumper W3 into the IN position. Likewise, if

a 2800, 4800, or 6850 controller is on the end of the network, you must supply a termination resistor



on the computer interface board. (For setup of a 2800 or 4800, refer to “2800/4800 Computer

Interface Board Configuration” earlier in this section.)

By following these guidelines, your chamber network will have the following characteristics:

• Maximum electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)

• Maximum data rate of 115.2k baud

• Maximum network cable length of 4,000 feet

• Up to 32 stations on the multidrop bus

Chamber bulkhead selection and installation

Chamber bulkhead connectors provide a clean connection point between external and internal chamber

communication cables. The bulkhead plate, when installed properly, will provide the low-resistance chassis

ground connection that is required for the network cable’s braided shield. Self-tapping #8 machine screws

are provided to mount each bulkhead. To accommodate the new bulkhead screws, the existing mounting

holes in the chamber wall will need to be drilled out to 0.140-inch using a 9/64th

drill bit. With the proper

bond between the bulkhead and the chamber wall, the low-resistance path to chassis ground is

accomplished. The noise coupled into the shield of the network cable now has an easy path to ground

instead of coupling into the data lines.

When selecting the bulkhead required for your application, refer to the appropriate configuration drawing

earlier in this section. These will provide you with the information needed to select the appropriate

bulkhead connectors for your chambers. The following bulkheads are available:

• T-Net bulkhead RSALL (BH9): The replacement bulkhead for the SE chamber line. It is the same size as

the standard SE chamber bulkhead and provides both the RS-232 and RS-422/485 connectors. This

bulkhead uses #8 self-tapping machine screws to mount to the chamber wall. You must drill the

existing chamber wall holes out to 0.140-inch using a 9/64th

drill bit. Also two new holes on the top

and bottom center portions of the plate require two additional holes to be placed in the chamber wall.

• T-Net bulkhead 28-68XX (BH25): The standard bulkhead connector used on chambers equipped with

2800 or 6850 controllers. It uses a 25-pin female-to-female gender changer mounted on an aluminum

bulkhead plate. If your 2800 or 6850 chamber was purchased with the serial interface option, you

probably have this connector along with the internal stub cable that connects to the controller. Verify

that your bulkhead connector is mounted on an aluminum bulkhead plate.

• T-Net bulkhead RS422/485 (BH9): Provides a DB-9 male-to-male gender changer mounted on an

aluminum bulkhead plate. This can be used on early model SE chambers that do not have the

standard two-by-five-inch serial interface bulkhead, or on chamber retrofit applications. The DB-9

male-to-male connector is only used for RS-422/RS-485.

• T-Net bulkhead RS-232 (BH9): Provides a DB-9 female-to-female gender changer mounted on an

aluminum bulkhead plate. The DB-9 female-to-female connector is only used for RS-232. This

bulkhead is primarily used for retrofit applications.

When attaching your new T-Net bulkhead, be certain to take precautions before drilling any holes. Locate

the access point in an area that is clear of structural supports and/or chamber components. Also take

precautions to prevent metal shavings from settling into critical areas. This includes electrical or electronic

components and/or wiring.



T-Net junction box installationThe T-Net junction box (p/n 1078763) is recommended to provide a reliable interface between your network

cable and one chamber to be installed on the network. It is specifically designed for use with T-Net RS-485/422

network cable (Thermotron p/n 1084413; Belden p/n 9842). The T-Net junction box will provide your chamber

network with the following essential features:

• Cable shield termination. The installed cable glands provide your system with optimum 360-degree

termination of the network cable’s braided shield. By terminating the braided shield using this method,

your system will have maximum electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The cable glands also provide strain

relief for the network cable. Complete installation instructions are provided below.

• Network screw terminal connectors, which provide reliable and simple network connection without the

use of special tools or soldering. Each screw terminal is labeled to minimize connection time (coincides with

the color code of the 9842 Belden Cable/Western Electric standard):

□ Terminal 1: white/blue stripe (TX+) □ Terminal 4: orange/white stripe (RX-)

□ Terminal 2: blue/white stripe (TX-) □ Terminal 5: drain wire

□ Terminal 3: white/orange stripe (RX+)

• Internal circuitry that will provide the controller’s computer interface and the RS-485/RS-422 card with

overvoltage protection and electromagnetic interference (EMI) filtering for each data line.

• A diecast aluminum alloy enclosure for improved EMI shielding, and external wall mounting flanges to

allow simple installation.

As shown below, TB3 on the junction box PCB is the terminal block connector used for the T-Net fly lead

connection. As discussed in “RS-485/RS-422 Network Cabling” earlier in this section, selection of the

appropriate fly leads, as well as all other necessary hardware, can be obtained from the T-Net configuration

drawing that corresponds to your particular controller type.

The T-Net fly leads and the recommended network cable use the same type of cable (9842 Belden, p/n

1084413). Cable preparation is required before connection to the junction box is made. The illustration below

shows the required cable preparation to ensure proper connection/shield termination with the junction box.



T-Net configuration (CM or CMX with 3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825

display modules)





GPIB interface parts

NOTE: ThermoTrak II supports only National Instruments GPIB cards.

If you want to use a GPIB interface for your ThermoTrak II network, the following parts are available from

Thermotron Industries:

Part number Description

831778 Cable assembly, GPIB, shielded, 1 meter

831786 Cable assembly, GPIB, shielded, 2 meters

820636 Connector, GPIB bulkhead, female-to-female

1062110 7800/7825 GPIB bulkhead mount

812757 2800/4800 GPIB board

ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Using ThermoTrak II with Local Networks


Section 3:

Using ThermoTrak II with Local Networks

Using this software to operate the chambers on your ThermoTrak II network requires good working

knowledge of each chamber and Thermotron controller on the network. For more detailed information,

refer to each chamber’s operating and programmer/controller manuals.

To set up communication on your ThermoTrak II network, you should also be able to configure port

communication, which requires knowledge of Windows operating system and interface protocols.

Installing ThermoTrak II

ThermoTrak II software may be downloaded from the Thermotron web site. Follow the five steps below to

download and install ThermoTrak II:

1. Open your web browser and navigate to:

http://www.thermotron.com/_customer/downloads/thermotrak-software-upgrade-and-

generic-manual

2. Begin downloading the software by right-clicking on the file name and choosing ‘Save Target As…’

3. Open the file using zip-capable software such as WinZip.

4. For further instructions, view the “readme” file using Microsoft Notepad.

5. For your ThermoTrak II serial number, enter the serial number of your chamber as well as the two-digit

number of the month you received your chamber. For example, if your chamber serial number is

60354 and the month you received your chamber was September, your ThermoTrak II serial number

will be 6035409. Please record this serial number, as you will need it to obtain additional software

updates.

ThermoTrak II Software Specifications

Thermotron controllers supported 2800, 3800, 4800, 6850, 7800, 7825, 8200, 8800, 8825

Interface capabilities RS-232, RS-485, GPIB, TCP/IP (Ethernet)

Maximum number of controllers Up to 32

Maximum control channels 4 (controller-dependent)

Data log/graph resolution Adjustable per controller: 2 to 3,600 second increments

Maximum graph/data log display readings 32,000 per logged item

Maximum data log file Limited only by hard drive space

Operating system required Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2000, ME, NT 4.0, 98, 95

Using ThermoTrak II with Local Networks ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


Adding and removing a chamber

To begin with, at least one chamber must be defined and configured as available to ThermoTrak II. Note

that you are not limited to only one network of chambers. For example, you can define a 9600 baud GPIB

network of chambers on COM 1, and also define a 19200 baud RS-485 network of chambers on COM 2.

ThermoTrak II can monitor and operate up to four multidrop networks at a time, each with a maximum of

15 instruments (GPIB) or 32 instruments (RS-485).

1. The Available Chambers window is always open. If the window is hidden by other windows, open the

Windows menu and click Available Chambers.

2. Right-click anywhere in the Available Chambers window and click Add Chamber. This will open the

Edit Chamber Configuration dialog box. From the Chamber Info tab you can define the parameters

required to communicate with the chamber.

3. Select the chamber’s controller type. NOTE: If your

3800, 8200, or 8800 controller is set to emulate a

legacy instrument’s command set using the

controller’s command compatibility setting, choose

the legacy instrument as the Controller Type.

For example, if your 3800’s command compatibility

setting is 2800, set the ThermoTrak II Controller

Type to Thermotron 2800.

4. Select the appropriate computer interface, baud

rate, port, and address settings. The parameters set

here must match the computer interface settings

at the chamber controller.

• If the chamber is part of a network of

chambers, enter a unique address value for

that chamber in the Address field. The RS-232

interface does not support any protocol for

addressing, so you must use either RS-485 or

GPIB.

• If you select the TCP/IP interface, enter the

appropriate IP address in the IP Address field

and a valid TCP port in the TCP Port field. The

computer and controller must be on the same

subnet. If you need assistance, contact your

system administrator.

If you are using an Ethernet-to-serial converter, the ThermoTrak II IP address and TCP port settings

must match those of the converter. For more information, see “Using an Ethernet-to-Serial

Converter Box” in Section 2 of this manual. NOTE: 3800, 8200, 8800, and 8825 controllers have

built-in Ethernet capabilities.



• If you select the Demo interface, ThermoTrak II will not attempt any communication with that

chamber. Instead, the software will fill in the chamber’s status with random values, allowing you to

use all of ThermoTrak II’s features for evaluation, training, or demonstration purposes. A Demo

chamber also is useful for creating profiles that later will be assigned to other chambers.

5. To enable error checking if you are defining a chamber with a 7800 (display module software version

V1.09.01 or higher), 3800, 8200, 8800, or 8825 controller, check Enable Checksum.

6. Select the desired level of remote access from the drop-down menu. You can select No Remote

Access, View Only Access, or Full Remote Access. For additional information, see Section 6 of this

manual.

7. Once the communication parameters are defined, click the Test button.

• If ThermoTrak II can communicate with the chamber, you will see the chamber’s identification

string and a software version number displayed in the text fields.

• If there is a communication problem, a message will say “No response from chamber” in the ID

String box. This means either you have a faulty cable connection somewhere, or the

communication parameters are incorrect. You may change any of the parameters to retest the

settings as often as you like. If you need more information on hardware configuration, refer to

Section 2 of this manual.

NOTE: The more chambers you define on the network, the longer it takes ThermoTrak II to scan

the entire network one time.

8. Once the chamber is properly defined, enter a descriptive name in the Chamber Description text

field. You also can enter a serial number in the Serial # field. NOTE: The 3800, 8200, 8800, and newer

versions of the 7800 controller software set the serial number automatically.

9. To save the configuration and add the chamber to the Available Chambers window, click OK.

10. To remove a chamber from the list of available chambers, right-click the chamber name in the

Available Chambers window and click Remove Chamber. NOTE: You must close all chamber status,

data, and graph windows before deleting a chamber.

NOTE: The remainder of this section describes using ThermoTrak II with standard chamber controllers. For

information on using ThermoTrak II with non-standard controllers, see the following sections of this

manual:

• Thermal shock controllers: Section 4

• Thermotron oven controllers: Section 5

• Non-Thermotron controllers: Section 7



Viewing and editing chambers

The Available Chambers window shows all the chambers you have defined, along with basic status

information about each chamber. NOTE: The Available Chambers window is always open. If the window

is hidden by other windows, open the Windows menu and click Available Chambers.

Each row shows the following information about each chamber listed:

• Network status icon: A green icon means ThermoTrak II is communicating with the chamber. A red

icon means ThermoTrak II has encountered one or more communication errors.

NOTE: If the network icon turns red, it doesn’t necessarily mean bad communication. Instead, there

may be one or more commands the controller can’t interpret. For example, older 7800 controller

software doesn’t support the stop code command. ThermoTrak II can still operate such a controller,

but will display a red network status icon now and then.

• Chamber: This is the descriptive name of the chamber you typed in when you initially defined the

chamber. See “Adding and Removing a Chamber” earlier in this section. If the chamber is not part of a

local network, the word REMOTE will appear before the chamber name.

• Profile: If a profile is associated with this chamber, the profile filename is shown here. See “Creating

and Editing Profiles” later in this section.

• State: This field will indicate the chamber is either Running, Holding, Stopped, or Offline.

• Process variables (PV): These fields display the current value of the first four process variables. Not all

chambers have four process variable channels configured, so only the configured channels will display

any value.



The Available Chambers window provides a quick overview of all your chambers and their status. To see

more detailed information about a selected chamber, double-click the chamber name in the Available

Chambers window. This will display the Chamber Status window for that chamber.

The Chamber Status window includes the following information about the selected chamber. (NOTE: Not

all controllers support all of the following types of information. For example, 2800/4800 controllers do not

support stop codes.)

• Current Interval and Next interval

• Total Time of the current interval and time Remaining in the current interval

• If the controller is a 7800, 8200, or 8800, the current parameter Group set at the controller

• Which Loop is being executed out of how many loops assigned to the current interval

• Process Variable reading from inside the chamber

• Current Set Point

• Output Throttle

• Initial Value and Final Value for the current interval

• +/- Deviation between the process variable and the set point

• Current Options selected for this interval

• Last Stop Cause

• Which auxiliaries are enabled in each Aux Group

NOTE: Channels showing “grayed-out” values are configured, but not active during the current interval.

For example, a humidity channel would be grayed out while product temperature control (PTC) is enabled.



Along the top of the Chamber Status window are the network status icon and six buttons that open other

dialog boxes:

• Network status icon: A green icon means ThermoTrak II is communicating with the chamber. A red

icon means ThermoTrak II has encountered one or more communication errors.

NOTE: If the network icon turns red, it doesn’t necessarily mean bad communication. Instead, there

may be one or more commands the controller can’t interpret. For example, older 7800 controller

software doesn’t support the stop code command. ThermoTrak II can still operate such a controller,

but will display a red network status icon now and then.

• The Edit Chamber button will take you back to the Edit Chamber Configuration dialog box, where

you originally defined each chamber (see “Adding and Removing a Chamber” earlier in this section).

Here you can make changes to a chamber configuration if your network setup has changed, or if you

want to change the chamber’s descriptive name. You can also access the graphing and data logging

parameters from here, which are described in “Graphing and Data Logging” later in this section.

• The Edit Profile button opens the Profile Editor, used to create and edit chamber profiles. For more

details, see “Creating and Editing Profiles” later in this section.

• The Manual Mode button opens the Manual Mode panel, used to operate a chamber in manual

mode. For more details, see “Running in Manual Mode” later in this section.

• The Monitors button opens the Monitors dialog box. Here

you can tell ThermoTrak II which monitor channels and/or

internal channels (if any) you have configured on your

chamber. NOTE: Not all controllers support monitor and/or

internal channels.

ThermoTrak II will only query a chamber for monitor or internal

channels you tell it to. If you leave a monitor or internal

channel unchecked, ThermoTrak II will not attempt to query the

chamber for its value, and will record 0.0 as its default value.

NOTE: If you enable a monitor channel in ThermoTrak II that is

not configured in the controller, you will simply see 0.0 as the

value.

• The Run Params button opens the Run Parameters dialog

box, which allows you to define profile execution parameters.

For more details, see “Assigning and Running a Profile” later in

this section.

• The Lock/Unlock button allows you to lock and unlock the

chamber controller. Use this feature if you do not want anyone

to change the controller mode from the controller’s keyboard

or display. For more details, see “Assigning and Running a

Profile” later in this section.

NOTE: Locking the controller itself at the display has no effect on ThermoTrak II operation. Doing so

only locks the display, not the computer I/O ports.



Viewing and editing control parameters

CAUTION: Incorrect parameter values could damage your equipment and/or product. The controller

was factory-tuned and should not need to be re-tuned unless the product requirements change enough

to affect the performance of the chamber. For information on tuning your controller’s control parameters,

refer to your controller’s instruction manual.

NOTE: Control parameters can be configured only for 3800, 7800, 8200, and 8800 controllers.

1. To view or edit a selected chamber’s control

parameters, with the Chamber Status window

highlighted open the Options menu and click

Control Parameters. Here you can view and edit

any parameter in any parameter group.

• The proportional bands (PBand/Gain) are

programmed in the same units—such as

degrees Celsius or percent relative humidity—

as the process variable.

• The Integral bands are programmed in

seconds.

• Throttle limits (ThLimit/Offset) are

programmed in percentages.

2. To view or edit one of the other control parameter

groups, click the appropriate Group name.

NOTE: Only 7800, 8200, and 8800 controllers have more than one group of control parameters.

3. To save any changes, click the Send Changes button. To exit without saving any changes, click the

Cancel button.



Creating and editing profiles

A profile is a description of a test. ThermoTrak II’s Profile Editor can be configured for use as either a form or a

spreadsheet. Both profile editor styles are illustrated on the following page. To change the profile editor style,

open the Options menu, click General Options, and select Form or Spreadsheet in the Profile Editor Style

field.

Once a profile is saved to disk, you can associate that profile with any chamber available to ThermoTrak II. The

software will appropriately translate your profile to the specific controller you assign it to. For example, if your

profile contains a three-channel profile, and a controller can use only two of the channels, ThermoTrak II assigns

only the two channels that apply to the controller’s configuration.

Keep in mind that some options are not compatible with all controllers. For example, a 2800/4800 controller

does not support the purge option, while an 8800 controller does. However, no harm will result from uploading

to a 2800/4800 controller a profile with the purge option enabled.

The same flexibility holds true for available auxiliary outputs. For example, a 4800 controller can use three

groups of four auxiliaries, while a 6850 controller can use two groups of eight auxiliaries.

• If you program all three auxiliary groups of the 4800 in the profile, ThermoTrak II sends only the first two

groups to the 6850.

• If you program all eight auxiliary outputs in the two groups of the 6850, ThermoTrak II sends only the first

four outputs of each group to groups 1 and 2 of the 4800.

If a profile using guaranteed soak is transferred between ThermoTrak II and an older controller (2800/4800,

6850, or 7800), the profile is converted. If the profile is being loaded into ThermoTrak II from an older controller,

ThermoTrak II will compress each pair of ramp-and-soak intervals into one interval to make them compatible

with ThermoTrak II. If the profile is being saved to an older controller, ThermoTrak II will split each guaranteed

soak interval into two intervals: one ramp and one soak. For example, if you create a profile in ThermoTrak II

that is five intervals long and contains two guaranteed soak intervals, the profile will be seven intervals long

when sent to a 7800.

NOTE: The following procedure assumes you have a good working knowledge of each chamber and

Thermotron controller on your ThermoTrak II network. For more detailed explanations of the concepts involved

in creating profiles, refer to your chamber controller manual.

Using the profile editor

1. Double-click on a chamber name in the Available Chambers

list. This will open the Chamber Status window for that

chamber.

• To edit a profile already associated with the selected

chamber, click the Edit Profile button on the Chamber

Status window.

• To create a new profile, either click the New Program

button on the toolbar, or open the File menu and click

New Program.

2. When creating a profile, first click the Channel Setup tab and

define the configuration of the chamber’s channels. Set each

channel as it is configured on your chamber, either as a

temperature channel (including product temperature control

channels), or as a humidity, altitude, or other type of channel.



3. Once the channels are set up, click the Interval Setup Form profile editor

tab. Here is where you will enter your profile interval by

interval.

4. Both profile editor styles include a profile preview graph

that updates itself as you create a profile.

• Temperature channels appear as solid lines.

• Non-temperature channels appear as dashed lines.

• Vertical dashed bars highlight the currently selected

interval.

• To switch between an interval-based graph and a time

proportional graph, click Interval or Time in the

Graph Type field.

• To hide the preview graph, click the Hide button. To

show the preview graph again, click the Preview

button.

5. To start with, define initial values for the first interval.

CAUTION: Check the specifications listed in your chamber

manual for acceptable ranges for temperature and other

process variables.

• In the form profile editor (above), enter the initial

values your profile requires in the Initial Value fields. Spreadsheet profile editor

• In the spreadsheet profile editor (below), the four fields

on the left side of the dialog box represent the initial

values of channels 1 through 4. Fill in the initial values

as your profile requires.

6. For each interval you may select either guaranteed soak

(GSoak) or normal operation. If you are using the form

profile editor, select GSoak or Normal from the Operation

field pull-down menu. If you are using the spreadsheet

profile editor, click the cell next to Operation at the top of

the grid and select either GSoak or Normal.

• In an interval with guaranteed soak (GSoak) enabled,

ThermoTrak II will immediately set the set point equal

to the interval’s final value and then wait until the

process variable is within the deviation band of the

final value. Once the process variable is within the

deviation band, the interval time will begin counting

down. For multiple channel programs, all non-zero

deviation bands must be satisfied before the interval

time will begin counting down.



• Normal indicates the interval is based on time, so you must enter a non-zero time for the interval.

During a timed interval, the controller increases its set point based on the time allotted to reach

the final process variable. During process variable pull-ups or pull-downs, this creates a smooth

ramp between the initial and final set points. During process variable soaks, the controller

maintains the process variables at constant levels for the duration of the timed interval.

7. In the fields labeled Final Value (form) or FV (spreadsheet), enter the final values (set points) for this

interval.

8. In the fields labeled Deviation (form) or Dev (spreadsheet), enter the deviation value based on the

following definitions:

• During GSoak (guaranteed soak) intervals, the interval time will begin counting down once all

process variables are within their deviation bands. NOTE: A GSoak interval may never begin if the

deviation settings are too narrow.

• During Normal (timed) intervals this is the deviation alarm band: the allowable difference between

the process variable and the current set point. For example, a humidity system may have an alarm

band of ±5% relative humidity (RH). During the interval, the relative humidity of the chamber must

be within ±5% RH of the current humidity set point.

9. In the fields labeled Interval Time (form) or Time (spreadsheet), enter the assigned duration of the

interval (in hours:minutes:seconds format).

10. The fields labeled Next Interval and Loops (form) or Next and # Loops (spreadsheet) allow you to

include programmed looping in your profile.

• Next Interval indicates the interval to transition to after completion of the current interval.

• # Loops is the total number of times the programmed loop will be executed.

For programmed looping, the Next Interval value is valid only if it is less than or equal to the number

of the current interval, and if the # Loops value is greater than 1. The interval will actually loop back to

the target interval the # Loops value minus 1. The following rules apply to looping:

• The target interval may be the target of another loop, but must not cross into another loop.

(When a loop is crossed, the target interval is between the beginning interval and the ending

interval of the loop).

• Nested looping is legal. In nested looping, one loop starts and finishes inside another loop. Both

loops can have the same target interval.

• The final value of the looping interval should be the same as the initial value of the target interval.



11. To set the auxiliary outputs, options, and/or

refrigeration mode per interval, click the Edit

Options button. The options dialog box for that

interval will open. Auxiliary outputs and options

such as product temperature control (PTC),

humidity, or cascade refrigeration can be turned

on and off per interval (if your chamber has these

features installed). After selecting the desired

options for this interval, click OK.

12. Once an interval is defined and all options set, click

the Add/Insert button (form) or the New Interval

button (spreadsheet) to add another interval to

your profile, and repeat steps 6 through 11.

NOTE: In the form profile editor you can use the

four arrow buttons (located to the right of the Edit Options button) to jump to the first, previous,

next, or last interval of your profile. To insert an interval immediately after any interval you are viewing,

click the Add/Insert button.

NOTE: In the spreadsheet profile editor a scrollbar will appear at the bottom of the form once the

profile exceeds three intervals.

13. Both profile editor styles allow you to edit and clear interval data:

• If a mistake was made in a previous interval, you can select any field in that interval to edit any

values you need to (including the options).

• To delete the current interval in the form profile editor, click the Delete button.

• To clear all data from all intervals in the profile, click the Clear All button (form) or the Clear Data

button (spreadsheet).

14. When you are done creating or editing the profile, do one of the following:

• To keep the profile and any changes you made to it, click the OK button. This associates the

profile with the currently selected chamber.

• To exit the profile editor without keeping any changes you made, click the Cancel button.



15. To save the profile to disk, do one of the following:

• If you want to save changes to a previously

saved profile, either click the Save button on

the toolbar or open the File menu and click

Save. The changes will be saved to disk.

• If you are creating a new profile, either click

the Save button on the toolbar or open the

File menu and click Save or Save As. The Save

As dialog box will open.


saved profile under a different profile name,

open the File menu and click Save As. The Save As dialog box will open.

• If you want to save either a new or a previously saved profile in the format used by 7800

controllers, open the File menu and click Save As. The Save As dialog box will open.

16. In the Save As dialog box you can enter a file name and select a file format. By default ThermoTrak II

saves all profiles with a *.PRF file extension. To save the profile in the *.PRG format used by 7800

controllers, click the arrow at the end of the Save as type field to display the file type pull-down

menu.

17. Now that the profile is saved to disk, you can associate the profile with any other chamber available to

ThermoTrak II. (See “Assigning and Running a Profile” later in this section.) The software will

appropriately translate your profile to the specific controller you associate it with.

18. You can also save a profile directly to the programmer/

controller using the Upload Program selection from the

File menu.

a. To upload a program from the host computer to the

programmer/controller, highlight the selected

chamber’s Chamber Status window, then open the

File menu and click Upload Program. The Upload a

Program window will open listing the programs

currently stored in the selected chamber’s controller.

b. Select the slot you wish to upload the current program

into, then click OK. The program will be associated

with the selected chamber.



19. Because 8200/8800 controllers do not have

program slots, selecting Upload Program from

the File menu opens the Program Files dialog.

From here you can navigate to the folder you wish

to upload the current program into.

Loading a program from a chamber controller

With ThermoTrak II you can download a program stored in the memory of a chamber controller and

associate it with any other chamber available to ThermoTrak II. NOTE: You can download a program only

when the selected controller is in stop mode.

1. To download a program from a chamber controller and

associate it with a chamber, highlight the selected

chamber’s Chamber Status window, then open the File

menu and click Download Program. The Download a

Program window will open listing the programs currently

stored in the selected chamber’s controller.

2. Select the program you want to download, then click OK.

The program will be associated with the selected chamber.

3. Because 8200/8800 controllers do not have

program slots, selecting Download Program from

the File menu opens the Program Files dialog.

From here you can navigate to the folder

containing the program you wish to download.



4. To save the program and associate it with other

chambers, open the File menu and click Save As.

The Save As dialog box will open asking for a

filename.

• By default ThermoTrak II saves all profiles with

a *.PRF file extension.

• To save the profile in the *.PRG format used by

7800 controllers, click the arrow at the end of

the Save as type field to display the file type

pull-down menu.

5. Now that the profile is saved to disk, you can

associate it with any other chamber available to ThermoTrak II. (See “Assigning and Running a Profile”

later in this section.) The software will appropriately translate your profile to the specific controller you

upload to.



Assigning and running a profile

1. To load a saved profile and assign it to a chamber,

with the selected chamber’s Chamber Status

window highlighted either click the open folder

icon on the toolbar, or open the File menu and

click Open. This brings up the Open dialog box

and lets you open any *.PRF profile, associating it

with the selected chamber.

To open a profile in the *.PRG format used by 7800

controllers, click the arrow at the end of the Files

of type field and click 7800 Profiles (*.prg). Select

the desired profile from the list of *.PRG filenames.

2. Once you have a profile associated with a chamber, you can run the profile immediately by clicking the

Run button on the Chamber Status window for the selected chamber. (If the selected chamber’s

Chamber Status window is highlighted, you also can run the profile by opening the Control menu

and clicking Run.) When you do, ThermoTrak II uploads the entire profile to the controller and initiates

program execution. When the profile starts running, the Run button turns green.

You can open and close a chamber’s Chamber Status window without affecting the operation of the

controller or interrupting the communications between the controller and ThermoTrak II.

You can change the profile while it is running and save it to the disk; however, the changes will not

take effect until the next time you run the profile. The current profile will continue to run until it is

finished or stopped, then when you start it again the new settings will take effect. If you load or save a

profile in ThermoTrak II it uses that name as the program name currently assigned to the chamber,

even if the chamber is running a different program.



To modify the profile’s run parameters before running the profile, or to set up a delayed start, see

steps 6 through 8 below.

3. To place the chamber’s controller in hold mode while a profile is running, click the Chamber Status

window’s Hold button. The controller enters hold mode and the Hold button turns yellow. To exit

hold mode, you can either click the Hold button again, or click the Run button. The controller starts

the program running from the same interval and time as when you placed it in the hold mode.

4. To place the chamber’s controller in stop mode while it is running or holding, click the Chamber

Status window’s Stop button. (If the Chamber Status window is highlighted you also can stop

running the profile by opening the Control menu and clicking Stop.) The profile stops running and

the Stop button turns red.

5. The Chamber Status window’s Lock/Unlock button limits the use of the controller.

• To allow users at the controller to view but not change the controller’s status, click the

Lock/Unlock button. The button’s label will change to Locked.

• To unlock the controller, click the button again. Its label will change to Unlocked.

6. By default ThermoTrak II loads the associated profile to the

controller’s first program slot and begins the profile at

interval 1. To modify these settings, click the Run Params

button. The Run Parameters dialog box will open.

7. Specify which program slot you want the profile loaded in

and which interval you want the profile to start with, then

click OK.

CAUTION: The starting interval is a chamber-by-chamber

setting, not a profile-by-profile setting. If you start a profile

on a chamber at interval 5, then all profiles you run on that

chamber will start at interval 5 until you change the value in the Start program at interval field.

8. The Delayed Start function starts running the profile associated with the chamber at a pre-set time.

To set up a delayed start, click Delayed Start in the Run Parameters dialog box, enter the date and

time you want the profile to begin running, then click OK.



Running in manual mode

Manual mode allows you to operate the chamber’s controller functions. Manual mode operates the

chamber using set point and ramp rate (rate of change) settings. You can enter manual mode only when

the chamber controller is in stop mode.

1. Click the Manual Mode button on the selected chamber’s Chamber Status window. The Manual

Mode window will open.

2. From this window you can enter the new Set Point and Ramp Rate, set the Deviation alarm band,

and select the desired group of control parameters (Param Group) and auxiliary outputs (Auxiliary

Groups).

3. To change the chamber options, click the Options

button. The Manual Mode Options dialog box

will open. From here you can select options such

as product temperature control, humidity, or

cascade refrigeration (if your chamber has these

options installed). To save any changes, click OK.

4. To begin running in manual mode, click the

Run/Step button. Both the run indicator on the

Manual Mode window and Run button on the

Chamber Status window will turn green, with a dark green M indicating manual mode.

5. To place the chamber in hold mode, click the Hold button on the Chamber Status window. Both the

hold indicator on the Manual Mode window and Hold button on the Chamber Status window will

turn yellow. To resume running from hold mode, click either the Run or Hold button on the Chamber

Status window.

6. To stop running in manual mode, click the Stop button on either the Manual Mode or Chamber

Status window. Both the stop indicator on the Manual Mode window and Stop button on the

Chamber Status window will turn red.



Setting up event notification

You can set up each chamber on your network to automatically report a number of events and alarms by

sending an e-mail message. For e-mail notification to work, ThermoTrak II must be on a local network

running an e-mail server.

NOTE: Alarm reporting is not available for 2800, 4800, or 68XX controllers.

1. In the Available Chambers window right-click the

chamber name and click Edit Chamber. The Edit

Chamber Configuration dialog box will appear.

Click the Event Notification tab.

2. To enable event notification for this chamber, click

the Enable Event Notification box.

3. Select which events you wish to be notified on.

NOTE: Different models of chamber controllers

support different events. The events list will show

only the events supported by the chamber you are

configuring.

4. To set up e-mail notification, click the E-mail

Setup button. The E-mail Notification Setup

dialog box will open. From here you can select and

test the e-mail settings.



Graphing and data logging

1. To set up graphing and data logging, click the Edit

Chamber button on the Chamber Status window, or

right-click the chamber name in the Available

Chambers window and click Edit Chamber. The Edit

Chamber Configuration dialog box will open.

NOTE: If the Available Chambers window is hidden

by other windows, open the Windows menu and

click Available Chambers.

2. Click the Data Log tab. From here, you can select the

information you want displayed on the graph and

saved to the data log text file. Every time you make a

change to these settings, the data log file will create

a new header line showing the new options selected.

NOTE: The Data Log is illustrated on page 3-20.

3. Next, click the Log Settings tab. From here you

select the settings for the data logging functions.

4. Along with ThermoTrak II’s Data Log window (see

step 13 below), you can have data sent to a data log

text file by clicking Log to file and either entering

the path and name of a new data log file, or clicking

the Browse button to locate an existing file.

If you choose to log data to a text file, you will be

able to open the file as delimited data in a standard

spreadsheet program.

5. To tell ThermoTrak II to clear all data from the data

log file when a profile starts running, click Clear Log

On Run.

6. To tell ThermoTrak II to log data only when the

chamber controller is in run mode, click Only Log

When Running.

7. To choose how often you want to sample the

chamber status, click the Log data every [ ]

seconds field and enter a number of seconds from 2

to 3,600 (one hour). ThermoTrak II will inform you

how much graphable memory is available.



ThermoTrak II allocates enough memory from Windows to store 32,768 graph plot points per

chamber. If you start a profile that runs longer than the available graph memory, ThermoTrak II will

throw out the oldest plot point to make room for the new plot point.

For example, if you choose to log data every two seconds, ThermoTrak II will inform you that you have

18 hours of graph memory available. After running a 19-hour test you will only have data for the last

18 hours of the test, with the first hour’s data thrown out to make room for the last hour’s data.

NOTE: Regardless of the amount of graph memory available, any data log text file you created in

step 4 above will not throw out any values and is limited only by your available hard drive space.

8. Next, click the Graph Settings tab. From here you

select the settings for the graph functions:

• The X Axis represents an amount of time in

days:hours:minutes format. For example, to see

a one-hour slice of the graph, select an X axis

minimum of 0:00:00 and a maximum of

0:01:00.

To allow the graph to move as new plot points

are sampled, click Scrolling. When scrolling is

enabled, instead of setting an X axis minimum

and maximum, you select a time span to view

in days:hours:minutes format.

To label the graph’s X axis with real times and

dates, clear the Use relative times check box.

• The Y Axis represents the minimum and

maximum process variables that will be

displayed on the graph. For example, a

temperature/altitude chamber might need a

scale of -80 to +800 to display low

temperatures and high torr values.

• The Graph Settings tab also allows you to

name process variable, set point, throttle, internal, and monitor channels, and to assign different

line styles to them.

9. When you have all your graph and datalog parameters defined, click the OK button.

10. To view the graph while a profile is running, click the Graph button from the Chamber Status

window. The Data Graph window will be displayed. (Refer to the illustration on the following page.)



As your testing moves along, more and more plot points will be sampled from the chamber status. As

this happens, your graph will be updated and re-plotted. A color-coded bar above the graph indicates

chamber operating mode (green = run, yellow = hold, red = stop).

If you clicked Scrolling in the Log Settings tab, the graph will move as new plot points are sampled,

which allows you to always view the most recent data at the end of the graph.

To disable automatic scrolling, right-click inside the Data Graph window and

deselect Scrolling Graph.

To manually scroll the graph, left-click-and-hold anywhere inside the graph and

move your mouse back and forth. You should see the graph re-plotting itself in

response to your mouse movements. Technically you’re changing the X axis

view, but it’s easier to think of it as scrolling the graph.

You also can scroll the graph by clicking the left and right arrow buttons in the

window’s bottom right corner. NOTE: Clicking either button when scrolling is enabled will deselect

Scrolling in the Log Settings tab and re-establish the most recent X axis minimum and maximum

settings.

To move forward or back 24 hours, right-click inside the Data

Graph window and select Forward 1 Day or Back 1 Day.

11. To change the colors used in the data graph, right-click inside the

Data Graph window and select Graph Colors. In the dialog box

that opens you can select colors for the background, grid, label,

frame, and (using the top pull-down menu) the colors used to plot

process variables, set points, throttles, and monitor channels.

12. To copy the current graph view to the Windows clipboard, right-

click inside the Data Graph window and select Copy.



13. To print the graph while the Data Graph window is the active window, click the printer icon on the

toolbar, or open the File menu and select Print.

14. To change your settings, right-click inside the Data Graph window and select Properties.

15. To view the data log while a profile is running, click the Data button from the Chamber Status

window. The Data Log window will be displayed.

The Data Log window will display the items you selected in the Data Log tab (step 2 above), and will

add another row of information as often as you chose in the Log Settings tab (step 7 above). Every

time you make a change to your data log settings, the data log file will create a new header line

showing the new items selected.

Depending on the items you selected in the Data Log tab, the following headings will be used in the

data log header lines:

• DATE: Date data was logged • SP: Set point

• TIME: Time data was logged • THTL: Throttle setting

• INTERVAL: Interval number • IC: Internal channel process variable

• TIME LEFT: Time left in interval • MON: Monitor channel

• PV: Process variable

16. To keep the data log display focused on the most current data, right-click

anywhere in the Data Log window and click Always View Current.

17. To change the data log display font, right-click inside the Data Log window

and click Font. Thermotron recommends using a fixed-width font, such as

Courier, for the Data Log display.

18. While the Data Log window is the active window you can select some or all

of the data, with or without units, and copy it to the Windows clipboard.

• To select some of the data in the Data Log windows, use a mouse to click-and-drag a selection.

• To select all of the data in the Data Log window, right-click on the window and click Select All.

• To copy the selected data with its associated units, right-click and select Copy with Units.

• To copy the selected data without its associated units, right-click on the window and select Copy.

This is useful for pasting data into a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel.

19. To print the data log while the Data Log window is the active window, click the printer icon on the

toolbar, or open the File menu and select Print.

20. To remove all data from the data log file, open the Options menu and click Clear Data Log. A window

will open asking if you are sure you want to clear the data log. Click Yes to confirm your decision.

21. To change your settings, right-click on the window and select Properties.



Customizing ThermoTrak II

The ThermoTrak II window can be modified to suit your needs. To view or hide the Toolbar, Status Bar, or

Usage Log, open the View menu and click the item you want to change.

Changing the options

1. Open the Options menu and click General Options.

The Options dialog box will open to the General tab.

2. In the Temperature Units field you can set

ThermoTrak II to use either the Celsius or Fahrenheit

temperature scale. This setting is independent of the

chamber controller’s temperature scale setting.

3. In the Date/Time Format field you can select United

States or European.

• United States-style dates use a month-day-year

format.

• European-style dates use a day-month-year

format.

• Changing the format affects only the Data Log and Usage Log views.

4. In the Profile Editor Style field you can select Form or Spreadsheet. Both styles are illustrated in

“Creating and Editing Profiles” earlier in this section.

5. In the Log Usage field you can disable or enable the Usage Log by selecting either no or yes. For

more information, refer to “Viewing and Clearing the Usage Log” below.

6. Click the Connection tab to view and/or change the

network settings. NOTE: For information on using

ThermoTrak II with remote networks, see Section 6 of

this manual.

a. To lock or unlock the local host upon client

connection, select yes or no in the Lock local host

field.

b. To allow or prevent multiple connections to

ThermoTrak II, select yes or no in the Allow

multiple connections field.

c. To allow ThermoTrak II to disconnect from a

remote network, check the Disconnect After box

and enter a value into the Minutes field. NOTE: When set this automatically disconnects you from

the server after a set amount of time.



7. To change the colors used in the data graph, click the

Graph Colors tab. You can select colors for the

background, grid, label, frame, and (using the top pull-

down menu) the colors used to plot process variables,

set points, throttles, internal channels, and monitor

channels.

8. To save any options changes you made, click the OK

button. To exit without saving any changes, click the

Cancel button.

Viewing and changing the access level

The current access level is indicated on the right side of the status bar at the bottom of the ThermoTrak II

screen. If the status bar is hidden, open the View menu and click Status Bar.

ThermoTrak II operates in one of two access levels: user mode or manager mode. User mode has the

following limitations:

• Users cannot add or remove chambers, modify chamber communication settings, or change control

parameters.

• Users cannot modify profiles, but they can load profiles from the disk or the chamber controller.

Manager mode is password protected. If there is no manager password set, ThermoTrak II opens in

manager mode. If a manager password is set, ThermoTrak II opens in user mode and the password must

be entered to change to manager mode.

1. To change the current access level, open the Options

menu and click Access Level. The Change Access

Level dialog box will open.

2. Select Manager or User in the Choose Access Level

field.

• If you are changing from manager mode to user

mode, click OK. No password is necessary.

• If you are changing from user mode to manager

mode, and a password has previously been set, enter the password and click OK.

3. To set a password, click the Change button. The Change

Password dialog box will open. Enter the old password (if no

password has been set before, leave the field blank), then enter

the new password twice and click OK.

4. To save any access level changes you made, click the OK

button. To exit without saving any changes, click the Cancel

button.



Viewing and clearing the usage log

When enabled, the usage log tracks ThermoTrak II activities by time, chamber name, and chamber serial

number.

1. To enable the usage log, open the Options menu and select yes in the Log Usage field.

2. To view the usage log, open the View menu and click Usage Log. The Usage Log History window will

open.

3. To print the usage log, with the Usage Log History window highlighted either click the Print button

on the toolbar or open the File menu and click Print.

4. To save the usage log, with the Usage Log History

window highlighted either click the Save button

on the toolbar or open the File menu and click

Save. The usage log will be saved as a tab-

delimited *.TXT file, which can be directly opened in

a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel.

5. To clear the usage log, open the Options menu

and click Clear Usage Log. NOTE: If the usage log

is open when you clear it, the log will not appear

cleared until you close and reopen it.



ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Using ThermoTrak II with Thermal Shock Controllers


Section 4:

Using ThermoTrak II with

Thermal Shock Controllers

The 8825 and 7825 programmer/controllers are specially designed for use with Thermotron thermal shock

chambers. There are several significant differences in the ThermoTrak II interface because of the nature of

thermal shock chambers. This section describes those differences.


The Available Chambers window provides a quick overview of all your chambers and their status. To see

more detailed information about a selected chamber, double-click the chamber name in the Available

Chambers window. This will display the Chamber Status window for that chamber.

The Chamber Status window includes the following information about the selected chamber:

• The current temperature of Load #1 and Load #2 (if applicable)

• The number of the current cycle and the total number of Cycles

• The current Soak method

• Which Auxiliaries are enabled

• Current Set Point of all boxes. NOTE: Red text indicates that a product basket is present in that box.

When all of the text is black, a product basket transfer is in progress.

Using ThermoTrak II with Thermal Shock Controllers ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


• Current Box Temp

• Current Test Temp

• Output Throttle

• The current Soak Time of each product basket

• The amount of soak Time Left for each product basket

• Cause of the Last Stop

NOTE: Not all thermal shock chambers support all of the types of information listed above. For example, a

vertical two-zone chamber has only two temperature zones while other thermal shock chambers have

three temperature zones.

To the right of the Chamber Status window an image graphically displays the type of thermal shock

chamber as well as the current position of the product basket(s).

Vertical two-zone Horizontal three-zone

Vertical double duty Horizontal double duty

NOTE: The dark teal color represents the current position of the basket. (Double duty chambers contain

two product baskets.) During transfers the graphic acts as a short animated clip indicating the basket

movement to another zone.

Below the image of the type of thermal shock chamber is the

Temperature Profile Mode button. Click this button to enter

temperature profile mode. For more details, see “Running In Temperature

Profile Mode” later in this section.

Along the top of the Chamber Status window are six buttons that open other dialog boxes:

• The Edit Chamber button will take you back to the Edit Chamber Configuration dialog box, where

you originally defined each chamber (see “Adding and Removing a Chamber” in Section 3). Here you

can make changes to a chamber configuration if your network setup has changed, or if you want to

change the chamber’s descriptive name. From here you can also access the graphing and data logging

parameters, which are described in “Graphing and Data Logging” later in this section.

• The Edit Test button opens the Test Editor, used to create and edit thermal shock tests. For more

details, see “Creating and Editing Tests” later in this section.

• The Manual Mode button opens the Manual Mode panel, used to operate a thermal shock chamber

in manual mode. For more details, see “Running In Manual Mode” later in this section.



• The Monitors button opens the Monitors dialog box.

Here you can tell ThermoTrak II which monitor channels

and/or internal channels (if any) you have configured on

your chamber.

ThermoTrak II will only query a chamber for monitor or

internal channels you tell it to. If you leave a monitor or

internal channel left unchecked, ThermoTrak II will not

attempt to query the chamber for its value, and will record

0.0 as its default value.

• The Run Params button opens the Run Parameters

dialog box, which allows you to define test execution

parameters. For more details, see “Assigning and Running

a Test” later in this section.

• The Lock/Unlock button allows you to lock and unlock

the chamber controller’s keyboard. Use this feature if you

do not want anyone to change the controller mode from

the controller’s keyboard. For more details, see “Assigning

and Running a Test” later in this section.



Viewing and editing thermal shock control parameters

CAUTION: Incorrect parameter values could damage your

equipment and/or product. The controller was factory-tuned

and should not need to be re-tuned unless the product

requirements change enough to affect the performance of the

chamber. For information on tuning your controller’s control

parameters, refer to your controller’s instruction manual.

1. To view or edit a selected chamber’s control parameters,

with the Chamber Status window highlighted open the

Options menu and click Control Parameters. Here you

can view and edit any parameter in any parameter group.

• The proportional bands (PBand/Gain) are

programmed in the same units—such as degrees

Celsius or percent relative humidity—as the process

variable.

• The Integral bands are programmed in seconds.

• Throttle limits (ThLimit/Offset) are programmed in

percentages.

2. To view or edit the control parameters for a box or load, click the appropriate box or load.

3. To save any changes, click the OK button. To exit without saving any changes, click the Cancel button.

Viewing and editing thermal shock operating parameters

The operating parameters screen allows you to set up the

automatic operations for the thermal shock chamber. For

addition information, refer your programmer/controller

instruction manual.

1. To view or edit a selected chamber’s operating parameters,

with the Chamber Status window highlighted open the

Options menu and click Operating Parameters. Here you

can view and edit any parameter.

• Pre-transfer Cool Time: The number of seconds

before transfer the controller locks the cooling output

on at 100% to help compensate for the loss of cooling

during a basket transfer.

• Post-transfer Cool Time: The number of seconds

after transfer the controller locks the cooling output on

at 100% to help compensate for the loss of cooling

during a basket transfer.

• Post-transfer Purge Time: The number of seconds

the controller will leave the purge output energized

after transfer.



• Aux Cool Frame Time: The time frame the controller uses to split up the ON and OFF times for

the auxiliary cooling output.

• Aux Cool Duty Cycle: The percentage ON time the controller will apply to the above frame time.

• Defrost at end of test: Allows you to program a defrost period at the end of a test. You should

enable this function if the thermal shock chamber does not have a few hours of down time

between tests, or if your location has high humidity.

• Defrost every ‘N’ cycles: Allows you to program a defrost period every ‘n’ cycles, where ‘n’

represents a numerical value. Use this function if you are running long tests or if your location has

high humidity. To disable this function enter a zero.

• Defrost Setpoint: The temperature the cold box will go to during the defrost period. Thermotron

uses a set point of +40.0°C. You may need to adjust the temperature to compensate for the

humidity levels in your area.

• Defrost Timer Period: The number of minutes the cold box will remain in defrost mode.

Thermotron uses a time period of 30 minutes. The time will vary according to the humidity levels

in your area.

• Wait while defrosting in: Allows you to select which box the shuttle should wait in during

defrost:

� Default: Shuttle will wait in whatever box it was in when defrost started.

� Cold Box: Shuttle will always wait in the cold box during defrost.

� Hot Box: Shuttle will always wait in the hot box during defrost.

• Add Precondition Half-Cycle: Allows you to disable the pre-condition half-cycle that Thermotron

has always performed as part of a normal thermal shock test. If Yes is selected the thermal shock

chamber will act as it always has, with a pre-condition half-cycle performed at the start of the test

to allow the boxes to get to their test temperatures. If No is selected the chamber will not perform

this pre-condition half-cycle.

2. To save any changes, click the OK button. To exit without saving any changes, click the Cancel button.



Creating and editing tests

The Test Editor is used to create and edit thermal shock chamber tests. Once a test is saved to disk, you

can associate that test with any thermal shock chamber available to ThermoTrak II. The software will

appropriately translate your test to the specific controller you assign it to. For example, if your test

contains three temperature zones, and a controller can use only two of the zones, ThermoTrak II assigns

only the two zones that apply to the controller’s configuration.

NOTE: The following procedure assumes you have a good working knowledge of each thermal shock

chamber on your ThermoTrak II network. For more detailed explanations of the concepts involved in

creating tests, refer to your chamber controller manual.

Using the test editor

1. Double-click on a chamber name in the Available Chambers list. This will open the Chamber Status

window for that chamber. NOTE: If the Available Chambers window is hidden by other windows,

open the Windows menu and click Available Chambers.

• To edit a profile already associated with the

selected chamber, click the Edit Profile button

on the Chamber Status window.

• To create a new profile, either click the New

Program button on the toolbar, or open the

File menu and click New Program.

NOTE: Thermal shock tests are edited in form style

only.

2. To start with, set the test temperature, offset

temperature, and pre-conditioning time for all

available boxes.

• The Test Temperature is the required

temperature of each box. To produce the set

point ThermoTrak II adds the offset value or

pre-condition value to the test temperature.

ThermoTrak II operates the thermal shock

chamber to maintain the hot and cold box temperatures at the set point temperature.

• The Offset Temperature is the number of degrees past the test temperature the hot or cold box

may deviate to achieve the test temperature at the product.

� In double-duty chambers the offset value is added to the test temperature to produce a set

point for each box. The boxes will be at this set point temperature before the product enters

the box.

� In vertical two-zone or horizontal three-zone chambers, the offset value is added to the test

temperature only when the basket is in the box. When the basket is not in the box, the pre-

condition offset value is added to the test temperature.

The hot box offset value must be a positive number, and the cold box offset value must be a

negative number. (An offset value of 5 for the hot box and -5 for the cold box is a good place to

start.) If you do not want the set point to be different from the test temperature, enter zeros.



• In vertical two-zone or horizontal three-zone chambers, the pre-condition offset value is added to

the test temperature only when the basket is not in the box. NOTE: This field does not appear

when product temperature control (PTC) is enabled.

NOTE: Check the specifications listed in your chamber manual for acceptable ranges for temperature

and other process variables.

3. Set the Soak Time (in minutes and seconds) and Auxiliaries for all available boxes. The soak time is

the total time in minutes and seconds on the “soak timer” for each box. See Soak Method below for

information on how the soak timers are used.

NOTE: The time values for vertical two-zone and horizontal three-zone chambers are for the hot and

cold box, while in double duty chambers these values are when both baskets are in the up/left

position or down/right position.

4. In the Cycles field, enter the total number of cycles in the test.

5. From the Soak Method drop-down menu, select the type of soak to be used for the test:

• Time Only — The timing starts when the basket completes its transfer into the respective box.

Once the timer starts, it counts down to 00:00 and then transfers the basket to the other box.

• Time + Temp — After the basket completes its transfer, the controller will wait until the boxes are

at their required test temperatures before it starts timing. This usually takes only a minute or two.

After the boxes reach their test temperatures, the timer starts timing. When the timer counts to

00:00, the controller will check to see if the load is at the test temperature. When the load reaches

the test temperature, the controller will transfer the basket to the other box.

• Temp + Time — The controller waits until the load temperature (sensed by the sensor traveling

with the basket) reaches the programmed test temperature before starting the timer. Once the

timer starts, it counts down to 00:00 and then transfers the basket to the other box.

6. From the PTC drop-down menu, select whether or not product temperature control (PTC) is enabled

during the test. During normal thermal shock testing, the product temperature will lag behind the box

air temperature. When PTC is enabled, you must program two test temperatures: one for the hot box

and one for the cold box. The controller then senses the temperature at the product and operates the

heating or cooling system at a faster throttle and higher set point to make up for the temperature lag.

The PTC software increases temperature performance at the product by computing the two air

temperature set points based on the load test temperatures, the offset, and the gain parameters. For

more information on PTC gain parameters, refer to your programmer/controller technical manual.

NOTE: PTC is not available for double-duty thermal shock chambers.

7. When you are done creating or editing the test, do one of the following:

• To keep the test and any changes you made to it, click the OK button. This associates the test with

the currently selected thermal shock chamber.

• To exit the test editor without keeping any changes you made, click the Cancel button.

8. To save the test to disk, do one of the following:

• If you want to save changes to a previously saved test, either click the Save button on the toolbar

or open the File menu and click Save. The changes will be saved to disk.



• If you are creating a new test, either click the

Save button on the toolbar or open the File

menu and click Save or Save As. The Save As

dialog box will open.


saved test under a different test name, open

the File menu and click Save As. The Save As


• If you want to save either a new or a

previously saved test in the format used by

7825 controllers, open the File menu and click Save As. The Save As dialog box will open.

9. In the Save As dialog box you can enter a file name and select a file format. By default ThermoTrak II

saves all thermal shock tests with a *.TES file extension. To save the test in the *.TST format used by

7825 controllers, click the arrow at the end of the Save as type field to display the file type pull-down

menu.

10. Now that the test is saved to disk, you can associate the test with any other thermal shock chamber

available to ThermoTrak II. (See “Assigning and Running a Test” later in this section.) The software will

appropriately translate your test to the specific thermal shock chamber you associate it with.

11. You can also save a test directly to the programmer/controller using the Upload Program selection

from the File menu.

a. To upload a test from the host computer to

the programmer/controller, highlight the

selected chamber’s Chamber Status window,

then open the File menu and click Upload

Program. The Upload Thermal Shock Test

window will open.

b. Enter the number of the test slot you want to

upload the current test into, then click Upload. The test will be associated with the selected

chamber.



Loading a program from a chamber controller

With ThermoTrak II you can download a test stored in the memory of a thermal shock controller and

associate it with any other thermal shock chamber available to ThermoTrak II.

1. To download a test from a chamber controller and

associate it with a chamber, highlight the selected

thermal shock chamber’s Chamber Status

window, then open the File menu and click

Download Program. The Download Thermal

Shock Test dialog box will open.

2. Enter the number of the test you want to

download, then click Download. The test will be associated with the selected chamber.

3. To save the test and associate it with other thermal

shock chambers, open the File menu and click

Save As. The Save As dialog box will open asking

for a filename.

• By default ThermoTrak II saves all tests with a

*.TES file extension.

• To save the profile in the *.TST format used by

7825 controllers, click the arrow at the end of

the Save as type field to display the file type

pull-down menu.

4. Now that the test is saved to disk, you can associate it with any other thermal shock chamber available

to ThermoTrak II. (See “Assigning and Running a Test” later in this section.) The software will

appropriately translate your profile to the specific thermal shock chamber you upload to.

Assigning and running a test

1. To load a saved test and assign it to a thermal

shock chamber, with the selected chamber’s

Chamber Status window highlighted either click

the open folder icon on the toolbar, or open the

File menu and click Open. This brings up the Open

dialog box and lets you open any *.TES profile,

associating it with the selected thermal shock

chamber.

To open a profile in the *.TST format used by 7825

controllers, click the arrow at the end of the Files

of type field and click 7825 Tests (*.tst). Select

and open the desired profile from the list of *.TST

filenames.



2. Once you have a test associated with a thermal shock chamber, you can run the test immediately by

clicking the Run button on the Chamber Status window for the selected chamber. (If the selected

chamber’s Chamber Status window is highlighted, you also can run the profile by opening the

Control menu and clicking Run.) When you do, ThermoTrak II uploads the entire test to the controller

and initiates program execution. When the test starts running, the Run button turns green.

You can open and close a chamber’s Chamber Status window without affecting the operation of the

controller or interrupting the communications between the controller and ThermoTrak II.




profile in ThermoTrak II it uses that name as the program name currently assigned to the chamber,

even if the chamber is running a different program.

To modify the test’s run parameters before running the test, or to set up a delayed start, see steps 6

through 8 below.

3. To place the chamber’s controller in hold mode while a test is running, click the Chamber Status

window’s Hold button. The controller enters hold mode and the Hold button turns yellow. To exit

hold mode, you can either click the Hold button again, or click the Run button. The controller starts

the program running from the same interval and time as when you placed it in hold mode.

4. To place the chamber’s controller in stop mode while it is running or holding, click the Chamber

Status window’s Stop button. (If the Chamber Status window is highlighted you also can stop

running the test by opening the Control menu and clicking Stop.) The test stops running and the

Stop button turns red.



5. The Chamber Status window’s Lock/Unlock button limits the use of the controller’s keyboard.

• To allow users at the controller to view but not change the controller’s status, click the

Lock/Unlock button. The button’s label will change to Locked.

• To unlock the controller’s keyboard, click the button again. Its label will change to Unlocked.

6. By default ThermoTrak II loads the associated test

to the controller’s first program slot and begins

the test. To modify this setting, click the Run

Params button. The Run Parameters dialog box

will open.

7. Specify which program slot you want the test

loaded in, then click OK.

8. The Delayed Start function starts running the test

associated with the chamber at a pre-set time. To

set up a delayed start, click Delayed Start in the

Run Parameters dialog box, enter the date and

time you want the profile to begin running, then

click OK.

Running in manual mode

Manual mode allows you to operate the thermal shock chamber’s controller functions. Manual mode

operates the chamber using set point settings. You can enter manual mode only when the chamber

controller is in stop mode.

1. Click the Manual Mode button on the selected chamber’s Chamber Status window. The Manual

Mode window will open.

2. From this window you can view the Box Temp, Throttle, and Set Point for all available boxes and the

temperature of product Load #1 and Load #2 (if applicable).



3. From this window you can also enter the Test Temp (or New Set Point), Offset, and Pre-Condition

temperatures, and select the desired auxiliary outputs (Aux). For vertical two-zone and horizontal

three-zone chambers you can also choose whether or not to enable product temperature control

(PTC).

4. To begin running in manual mode, click the Run/Step button. Both the run indicator on the Manual

Mode window and Run button on the Chamber Status window will turn green, with a dark green M

indicating manual mode.

5. To place the chamber in hold mode, click the Hold button on the Chamber Status window. Both the

hold indicator on the Manual Mode window and Hold button on the Chamber Status window will

turn yellow. To resume running from hold mode, click either the Run or Hold button on the Chamber

Status window.

6. To stop running in manual mode, click the Stop button on either the Manual Mode or Chamber

Status window. Both the stop indicator on the Manual Mode window and Stop button on the

Chamber Status window will turn red.

7. The transfer button(s) in the upper right corner changes

between a single button and two buttons depending on

the configuration of the chamber. Use this button to

move the product basket from one zone to another. For

two-zone and double duty configurations there is only

one other place for the basket to reside, thus only one

transfer button. On three-zone chambers, however, the basket has two places it may be transferred to

and thus two buttons.

Running in temperature profile mode

Thermal shock chambers can function as standard temperature

chambers running simple temperature-only profiles. These

profiles (tests) are always run in the cold box. Temperature

profile mode allows ThermoTrak II to operate a thermal shock

chamber cold box as a stand-alone temperature chamber.

1. To run a standard temperature profile, click the

Temperature Profile Mode button on the thermal shock

chamber’s Chamber Status window.

2. The selected chamber’s temperature profile Chamber

Status window will open. To create a temperature profile,

click this window’s Edit Profile button. A standard Profile

Editor will open.

3. The temperature profile mode works identically to the

standard ThermoTrak II chamber operation. For additional

information, see “Creating and Editing Profiles” in Section

3.



Graphing and data logging

There are a few changes on the data log tab for

selection of thermal shock-specific variables, such as

basket position and load. The rest of the graphing and

data logging is identical to the standard ThermoTrak II

graphing and data logging. See “Graphing and data

logging” in Section 3.



ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Using ThermoTrak II with Thermotron Oven Controllers


Section 5:


Thermotron Oven Controllers

Thermotron oven controllers are manufactured specifically for use with Thermotron ovens. Much of the

ThermoTrak II oven controller interface is identical to the ThermoTrak II interface for standard controllers,

but there are several significant differences because of the nature of ovens. This section describes those

differences.

Viewing and editing ovens

Oven controllers are set up the same as chamber controllers, and are listed in the Available Chambers

window. For information on adding and removing ovens, see “Adding and Removing a Chamber” in


The Available Chambers window provides a quick overview of all your ovens and their status. To see

more detailed information about a selected oven, double-click the oven name in the Available Chambers

window. This will display the status window for that oven.

Oven controllers use a scaled-down version of the chamber status window. The oven status window

includes the following information about the selected oven:

• Temperature reading from inside the oven

• Current Set Point

• Output Throttle

• Initial Value and Final Value for the current profile

segment

• Ramp Rate for the current profile segment

• Total Time of the current profile segment and Time

Left in the current profile segment

Along the top of the oven status window are two buttons

that open other dialog boxes:

• The Edit Oven button will take you to the Edit

Chamber Configuration dialog box, where you

originally defined each oven. Here you can make

changes to an oven configuration if your network

setup has changed, or if you want to change the oven’s

Using ThermoTrak II with Thermotron Oven Controllers ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


descriptive name. You can also access the graphing and data logging parameters from here, which are

described in “Graphing and Data Logging” in Section 3.

• The Edit Profile button opens the Profile Editor, used to create and edit oven profiles. For more

details, see “Creating and Editing Oven Profiles” later in this section.

Creating and editing oven profiles

Oven controllers have their own profile editor. Oven profiles are made up of segments, with each segment

consisting of a temperature and a time. Oven profiles are managed the same as chamber profiles. You can

create and save them to the hard disk and load them in later.

NOTE: The following procedure assumes you have a good working knowledge of each oven on your

ThermoTrak II network. For more detailed explanations of the concepts involved in creating profiles, refer

to your oven controller manual.

1. Double-click an oven name in the Available Chambers list. This will open the status window for that

oven. NOTE: If the Available Chambers window is hidden by other windows, open the Windows

menu and click Available Chambers.

• To edit a profile already associated with the selected oven, click the Edit Profile button on the

status window.

• To create a new profile, click the New Program button on the toolbar, or open the File menu and

click New Program.

2. The Profile Editor will open. Here you will enter your profile segment by segment.

3. The profile editor includes a

profile preview graph that updates

itself as you create a profile.

• The temperature appears as a

solid line.

• Vertical dashed bars highlight

the currently selected

segment.

4. In the field labeled Temp enter

the temperature for the first

segment.

CAUTION: Check the specifications listed in your oven manual for acceptable temperature ranges.

5. In the field labeled Time enter the duration of the segment in hours:minutes:seconds format.

6. To add another segment to your profile, click the New Segment button. NOTE: Once the profile

exceeds 10 segments, a scrollbar will appear at the side of the form.

7. If a mistake was made in a previous segment, you can select any field in that segment to edit any

values you need to.

8. To clear all data from all segments in the profile, click the Clear Data button.

9. When you are done creating or editing the profile, do one of the following:

ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Using ThermoTrak II with Thermotron Oven Controllers


• To keep the profile and any changes you made to it, click the OK button. This associates the

profile with the currently selected oven.

• To exit the profile editor without keeping any changes you made, click the Cancel button.

10. To save the profile to disk, do one of the following:


saved profile, either click the Save button on

the toolbar or open the File menu and click

Save. The changes will be saved to disk.

• If you creating a new profile, either click the

Save button on the toolbar or open the File

menu and click Save or Save As. The Save As



saved profile under a different profile name,

open the File menu and click Save As. The Save As dialog box will open.

11. In the Save As dialog box you can enter a file name. By default ThermoTrak II saves all oven profiles

with an *.OVN file extension.

12. Now that the oven profile is saved to disk, you can associate it with any other oven available to

ThermoTrak II.

Assigning and running an oven profile

1. To load a saved oven profile and assign it to an

oven, with the selected oven’s status window

highlighted either click the open folder icon on the

toolbar, or open the File menu and click Open.

This brings up the Open dialog box and lets you

open any *.OVN profile, associating it with the

selected oven.

2. Once you have a profile associated with an oven,

you can run the profile immediately by clicking the

Run button on the status window for the selected

oven. (If the selected oven’s status window is

highlighted, you also can run the profile by

opening the Control menu and clicking Run.)

3. The Starting Segment dialog will open. Enter the number of the

segment you wish to start the test at, then click OK.

4. ThermoTrak II will upload the profile to the oven controller and

initiate program execution. When the profile starts running, the

Run button turns green.

Using ThermoTrak II with Thermotron Oven Controllers ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


Note that you can open and close an oven’s status window without affecting the operation of the

oven controller or interrupting the communications between the oven controller and ThermoTrak II.




profile in ThermoTrak II it uses that name as the program name currently assigned to the oven, even if

the oven is running a different program.

5. To stop the profile, click the oven status window’s Stop button. (If the oven status window is

highlighted you also can stop running the profile by opening the Control menu and clicking Stop.)

The profile stops running and the Stop button turns red.

Viewing the oven events log

Oven graphing and data logging is identical to standard controller graphing and data logging. See

“Graphing and Data Logging” in Section 3.

One feature unique to oven controllers is the oven events log. The events log records various program

events, such as test started, test complete, starting next segment, and so on. To view the oven event log,

click the Events button on the oven status window.

To print the oven events log, click the Print button on the toolbar.

ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Using ThermoTrak II with Remote Networks


Section 6:


Remote Networks

ThermoTrak II provides the ability to control chambers remotely through another copy of ThermoTrak II.

To do this, one PC must be set up as a server. The client can then connect to the server PC and gain

control of the chambers connected to it. Any remote chambers added to the client’s Available Chambers

list can be operated as if they were local chambers.

A server is limited to no more than ten TCP connections and one modem connection at a time. If at any

time communications fail for any reason, a notification box will pop up on the client PC.

Enabling access to a local network

The PC that is connected to the chamber(s) will function as the ThermoTrak II TCP server. Your IT

department is responsible for setting up the server PC to receive Internet connections.

• The PC should be part of your local area network (LAN).

• The PC should have a unique IP address assigned to it.

• The LAN should be accessible from the Internet.

ThermoTrak II uses port number 11500 to communicate via TCP over intranets and the Internet. If you are

using a firewall on your LAN, set it up to allow requests to be made on port number 11500.

CAUTION: Whatever your firewall settings, you remain responsible for your network’s security.

1. To enable remote access to your local network, open

the Remote Access menu and click Server Setup.

The Remote Access Server Configuration dialog

box will open.

2. Click Enable Remote Access Server.

3. Select an access method:

• If you click Listen to TCP, the client will need to

know your IP address or computer name if using

DHCP. See your network administrator for details.

• If you click Listen to Modem, select the modem

to use from the pull-down list. The client will

need to know what phone number to dial to

connect.

NOTE: You can listen for connections via TCP and/or a modem. ThermoTrak II supports up to ten TCP

clients and one modem client simultaneously.

4. Entering a password in the Server Password field will require a client to supply that password when

trying to connect. This will prevent unwanted access to your local network as a whole.

Using ThermoTrak II with Remote Networks ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


5. When a client is connected to your server, the connection button will appear on your toolbar.

Clicking the button will bring up the Client Status box (show on the next page), which shows when

the client is connected.

From this dialog we can see that our only client is

connected to Chamber 2 at full access and Chamber

1 at view access. We could disconnect this client at

any time by selecting it and clicking the Disconnect

button. NOTE: The 1 and 2 refer to the number of the

chamber in the server’s available chambers list.

Enabling and disabling access to a specific chamber

Once you have enabled access to your local network,

you must also enable access to the individual

chambers connected to your server. This allows you to

provide access to some of your chambers while

denying access to others.

1. In the Available Chambers window right-click the

chamber name and click Edit Chamber.

2. Select the desired access level:

• No Remote Access disables remote access to

the chamber.

• View Only Access lets the client monitor the

chamber’s status, but does not let it control

the chamber.

• Full Remote Access lets the client take full

control of the chamber.



Disconnecting a client

1. You may immediately disconnect a client at any time

by clicking the connection button on your toolbar

and clicking the Disconnect button when the Client

Status window opens. This will immediately end the

client’s connection, restoring control back to your

local PC.

2. You also can disconnect the client at any time by

opening the Remote Access menu, clicking Server

Setup, and clicking OK. You will be asked if you really

want to disconnect the client.

Connecting to a remote server

The following instructions assume you are connecting to the server from somewhere on the local area

network. To connect to the server from somewhere not on the LAN, you must manually connect to the

Internet through your Internet service provider (ISP) before performing the following steps.

1. To connect to a remote server, click the Connect

to Host button on the toolbar, or open the

Remote Access menu and click Connect to Host.

The Remote Access dialog box will open.

2. Select a connection type:

• If you click TCP/IP, enter the server PC’s IP

address in the IP Address field, then click OK.

You can also enter a computer name to

connect remotely as well as the actual IP

address. This is helpful for computers

connected to a network that has a dynamic IP

addressing scheme.

• If you click Modem, enter the server PC’s phone number in the Number field, then click OK.

NOTE: If you wait too long to make a selection, the server will disconnect you and you will need to

connect again. Also note that connecting through the Internet may cause long delays when

communicating due to the unpredictable nature of the Internet. Excessive line noise on modem lines

also may disrupt communications when using a direct modem connection.

3. If the server requires a password, enter it in the space provided.



4. The Remote Chamber List will appear, listing each

chamber on the remote server by type of

controller, chamber serial number, description, and

access mode. Any chamber without remote access

enabled will display as ACCESS DENIED and you

will not be able to select it.

5. Highlight the chamber you want and select the

desired access mode level. There are two options:

View Access or Full Access. View access allows

the client to monitor the chamber’s status but

does not let it control the chamber. Full access

allows the client to take full control of the

chamber.

NOTE: This selection is merely a request for view or full access and does not guarantee the client will

receive full access. The server maintains an internal list of all of the clients connected to it, which

chambers they are accessing, and what access level they have to each chamber. The server allows only

one client to have full access to a specific chamber. What this means is that if Client #1 connects to

Chamber A with full access, any other clients that request full access to Chamber A will be denied and

connected as view access. Likewise if Client #1 connects to Chamber A with view access, another client

could receive full access later on. One and only one client will ever receive full access to a specific

chamber. At a bare minimum a client will always be connected as view access.

6. The remote chamber will be added to your local Available Chambers list with the word REMOTE

indicating it is a remote chamber. If full access was granted to the client, the chamber can now be

operated as if it were a local chamber.

Once the client is connected the Connected to:

window is displayed and remains active

throughout the duration of the connection.

This window lists all of the chambers the client is

connected to and what access level has been

granted to each chamber. This provides a constant reminder of the access levels for each chamber in a

network.

7. To add another remote chamber, click the connect button again and select a new chamber. If you are

already connected you will immediately see the list of chambers available to you.

Downloading chamber information

To download data from a remote chamber, with the selected chamber’s Chamber Status window

highlighted open the Remote Access menu and click Download Chamber Data.



Disconnecting from a server

1. To disconnect from a remote server, click the Disconnect from Host button on the toolbar, or

open the Remote Access menu and click Disconnect from Host.

2. When you disconnect from the remote server, or whenever you exit ThermoTrak II, all remotely

monitored chambers will disappear from your Available Chambers list. If you wish to monitor the

same chambers, you will need to establish a new connection each time you start ThermoTrak II.

Locking/unlocking a local host

ThermoTrak II includes the option of locking any chambers that are being remotely accessed. If a chamber

is locked out in ThermoTrak II and a local user tries to operate it, a dialog box will pop up, letting the user

know the chamber is locked due to a client connection. (When locked, chambers with 3800, 78XX, 8200, or

88XX controllers will be put into access level 0.)

To lock or unlock the local host upon client

connection:

1. Open the Options menu.

2. Click General Options.

3. Click the Connection tab.

4. Select yes or no from the Lock local host pull-

down menu.

5. Click OK.



ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Using ThermoTrak II with Non-Thermotron Controllers


Section 7:


Non-Thermotron Controllers

ThermoTrak II can be enhanced to provide limited support for chamber control systems not manufactured

by Thermotron. If you wish to use ThermoTrak II with a non-Thermotron controller, Thermotron can quote

the cost of developing a custom *.DLL file for you.

This section describes the major differences in using ThermoTrak II to monitor Thermotron and non-

Thermotron controllers. For general information on using ThermoTrak II, see Section 3.

Adding and removing a chamber

To begin with, at least one chamber must be defined and configured as available to ThermoTrak II. Note

that you are not limited to only one network of chambers. For example, you can define a 9600 baud GPIB

network of chambers on COM 1, and also define a 19,200 baud RS-485 network of chambers on COM 2.

ThermoTrak II can monitor and operate up to four multidrop networks at a time, each with a maximum of

15 instruments (GPIB) or 32 instruments (RS-485).

1. The Available Chambers window is always open. If

the window is hidden by other windows, open the

Windows menu and click Available Chambers.

2. Right-click anywhere in the Available Chambers

window and click Add Chamber. This will open the

Edit Chamber Configuration dialog box. From the

Chamber Info tab you can define the parameters

required to communicate with the chamber.

3. Select Other as the controller type and enter the

name of the *.DLL file for your controller type in the

Custom Controller File edit box. The *.DLL file should

be located in the same directory where ThermoTrak II

is installed. Next, select the appropriate computer

interface, baud rate, and COM port. Remember that

the parameters set here must match the computer

interface settings at the chamber controller.

• If the chamber is part of a network of chambers,

enter an address value for that chamber in the

Address field. The RS-232 interface does not

support any protocol for addressing, so you must

use either RS-485 or GPIB.

Using ThermoTrak II with Non-Thermotron Controllers ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


• If you select the TCP/IP interface, enter the appropriate IP address in the IP Address field as well

as a valid TCP port in the TCP Port field. NOTE: The ThermoTrak II IP address and TCP port

settings must match the IP address and TCP port settings on the controller or, if the controller

does not directly support Ethernet, the Ethernet-to-serial converter.

• If you select the Demo network type, ThermoTrak II will not attempt any communication with that

chamber. Instead, the software will fill in the chamber’s status with random values, allowing you to

use all of ThermoTrak II’s features for evaluation, training, or demonstration purposes. A Demo

chamber is also useful for creating profiles that later will be assigned to other chambers.

4. Once the communication parameters are defined, click the Test button.

• If ThermoTrak II can communicate with the chamber, you will see the chamber’s identification

string and a software version number displayed in the text fields.

• If there is a communication problem, a message will say “No response from chamber” in the ID

String box. This means either you have a faulty cable connection somewhere, or the

communication parameters are incorrect. You may change any of the parameters to retest the

settings as often as you like. If you need more information on hardware configuration, refer to


NOTE: The more chambers you define on the network, the longer it takes ThermoTrak II to scan

the entire network one time.

5. Once the chamber is properly defined, enter a descriptive name in the Chamber Description text

field. You also can enter a serial number in the Serial # field.

6. To save the configuration and add the chamber to the Available Chambers window, click OK.

7. To remove a chamber from the list of available chambers, right-click the chamber name in the

Available Chambers window and click Remove Chamber. NOTE: You must close all chamber status,

data, and graph windows before deleting a chamber.


All of the same status screens and dialogs are available for non-Thermotron controllers that are available

for Thermotron controllers. However, some of the fields may not be relevant for your particular controller.

NOTE: For more information on viewing and editing chambers, see Section 3.

Creating and editing profiles

Creating and editing profiles for non-Thermotron controllers works exactly as it does for Thermotron

controllers. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when creating profiles for non-Thermotron

controllers. Not all controllers implement profiles the same way. For example, JC620 controllers use a

separate interval to start a loop, while Thermotron controllers do not. In ThermoTrak II, profiles must

always be created using the “Thermotron” way of doing things. ThermoTrak II will automatically convert

the profile as necessary when it sends it to your specific controller. A byproduct of this is that a profile

might show up as having 10 intervals in ThermoTrak II and 13 intervals when viewed on the actual

instrument. This is okay and is by design.

NOTE: For more information on creating and editing profiles, see Section 3.

ThermoTrak II User’s Guide Frequently Asked Questions


Section 8:

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of cable do I need for a ThermoTrak II Ethernet connection?

All 3800, 8200, 8800, and 8825 controllers support standard Ethernet cabling.

• To connect a chamber to a hub, use a standard straight-through Ethernet cable.

• To connect a chamber directly to a PC, use a standard crossover Ethernet cable.

My chamber is connected directly to a PC, not on a network. In ThermoTrak II I added a chamber,

selected the TCP/IP interface, set the IP address to match the 3800’s IP setting, and set the port.

I tried the test function and there was no response from the chamber. Can you offer any help?

If your chamber is connected directly to a PC, make sure you are using a standard crossover Ethernet

cable.

How can I update my ThermoTrak II software?

To download and install ThermoTrak II, follow these steps:

1. Open your web browser and navigate to:

http://www.thermotron.com/_customer/downloads/thermotrak-software-upgrade-and-

generic-manual

2. Begin downloading the software by right-clicking on the file name and choosing ‘Save Target As…’

3. Open the file using zip-capable software such as WinZip.

4. For further instructions, view the “readme” file using Microsoft Notepad.

5. For your ThermoTrak II serial number, enter the serial number of your chamber as well as the two-

digit number of the month you received your chamber. For example, if your chamber serial

number is 60354 and the month you received your chamber was September, your ThermoTrak II

serial number will be 6035409. Please record this serial number, as you will need it to obtain

additional software updates.

Why is the data graph different from the profile editor graph, including the colors?

The data graph shows what your chamber has done or is doing (depending on what part of the graph

you are viewing). The profile editor graph shows what your chamber will do when you run the profile

you are editing. Also, the data graph displays whatever process variables, set points, and/or throttles

you selected in the Data Log tab, while the profile editor graph displays only the set points you

entered in the profile.

The reason the colors are different is that you can change the colors displayed in the data graph, but

you cannot change the colors displayed in the profile editor graph.

Why does the chamber status window show a deviation of 1°C while the profile editor shows a

deviation of zero?

Any time you are not running a program the chamber status window reflects the value of the Manual

Mode deviation setting. Only when you are running a program will it show your current interval’s

deviation reading. This is why, when you stop the program, the deviation setting changes.

Frequently Asked Questions ThermoTrak II User’s Guide


What is the correlation between the chamber status window and the data graph?

The chamber status window always shows the current readings for your chamber. The data graph can

show both current and past readings. If you click Scrolling in the Log Settings tab, the graph will

move as new plot points are sampled, which allows you to always view the end of the graph (that is,

the most recent data). At any given time those readings at the end of the graph should be the same as

the readings in the chamber status window.

Also, the data graph displays whatever process variables, set points, and/or throttles you selected in

the Data Log tab, while the chamber status window displays all process variable, set point, throttle,

initial value, final value, and deviation readings.

What is the meaning of the colored bars above the data graph?

As your testing moves along, more and more plot points are sampled from the chamber status. As this

happens, your graph is updated and re-plotted. The color-coded bar above the graph indicates what

operating mode your chamber was in during the time displayed on the graph (green = run mode,

yellow = hold mode, red = stop mode).

I’m trying to use the Back 1 Day feature to see the data graph for a day when I ran a test, but the

date doesn’t change. Why?

Has ThermoTrak II been running and communicating with the chamber continuously since the test

began? You can only scroll the data graph back as far as ThermoTrak II has been running and

communicating with the chamber. If, for example, you started ThermoTrak II at 11:10 a.m. on January

26, you would not be able to scroll back to an earlier date and time than 11:10 01/26.

How can I print a data graph of an entire test on a single page?

The Graph Settings tab allows you to adjust the data graph’s X Axis. The X axis represents an amount

of time in days:hours:minutes format.

For example, say you have finished running a three-day test and you want to print a one-page graph

of that three-day period. To do so, perform the following steps:

1. Right-click inside the Data Graph window, select Properties, then select the Graph Settings tab.

2. Make sure the Scrolling check box is cleared.

3. Select an X axis Minimum of 0:00:00 and a Maximum of 3:00:00.

4. To label the graph’s X axis with real times and dates, clear the Use relative times check box.

5. Click OK.

6. Manually scroll the graph by left clicking and holding anywhere inside the graph and moving your

mouse back and forth until the graph displays the three-day period of the test.

7. Click the Print button.

Why is it that, after a test, the process variable no longer matches the set point?

The chamber status window always shows the current conditions of your chamber, even if a test is no

longer running. If your chamber has been operating above or below ambient conditions, it is now

drifting back toward ambient.

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