What if my force gauge does not work because of too many overloads?
All our force gauges have an overload protection of 200% of the full scale of the sensor. Nevertheless, each time you measure more than 120% of the full scale, the Centor will count this as an overload.
After 10 overloads, the force gauge is locked in a safe mode.
To unlock your gauge, you have to send it to us to perform a complete diagnostic to check that the accuracy of your instrument is still in the tolerances.
Can both Centor Dual sensors be external?
Normally the Centor Dual has an internal sensor and a connection for one external sensor.
If you require two external sensors please contact Andilog Technologies sales department for the appropriate cable.
Can data be sent to a computer?
Yes data can be sent through the serial RS-232 connection to a computer. RISC or Caligraph software can be purchased to make the data acquisition and display easier.
What input and output capabilities of the Centor?
The Centor can send serial RS-232 data at a rate of 50 Hz. The serial port if properly configured is also capable of receiving serial commands. A + or - 1 volt analogue output of force is alternately available. TTL compatible or o to 5 VDC output controls are available for limit control. These outputs will change state when a limit is reached. A switch or pedal input is available to control configurable Centor actions. If you have different communications needs please contact us by pressing contact-us menu.]
Where can i found the overload counter?
The over laod counter can be seen on the AUTOTEST screen when you turn on the Centor. The display shows "Overl". then the number of overloads just below the offset value.
What do I do if my Centor is unusable due to excessive overloads?
Your Centor must be returned to Andilog Technologies for evaluation. The health of your Centor will be determined and the over load restriction will be removed. You may wish to purchase Centor Manager software to perform these same functions locally and avoid the instrument return down time.
Why can I only use one Centor output interface at a time?
The Centor acts like a small computer. The first priority is to acquire force data and store the peak sampling at 1000 Hertz. There are not enough computer resources to acquire the data and run both the analogue and RS-232 outputs. You must select which one you want before you run the test.
How does the data transmission to a PC work?
The Centor force and torque gauges contain a serial bidirectional interface. ASCII characters can be sent and received with the RS-232 or V.35 protocol. RSIC and Caligraph software are available to help you manage, store, retrieve and display results.
Is the update rate different between the analog and digital interface?
The update rate is the same for all interfaces. All interfaces are updated at a rate of 50 Hz.
Is the RS-232 communications cable avalaible anywhere?
The serial communications cable is special for the Centor. The Centor multipurpose I/O port contains 15 pins in two rows. There are several separate channels for this connector. This is not a common connector. Please contact Andilog Technologies to purchase a serial communications cable.
What do the first 3 lines in the statistic menu mean?
M/BLK 1 means you are doing one test per block. If you want to test a different number samples per block you have to enter the specific number. TESTER 01 means the tester identification doing measurement. You can enter 00 through 99. The third line displays the UNIT of measurement.
Where can I see the measured values in the statistics menu?
If you have done some tests, you can see the values in the menu STATISTICS located under the first 3 lines. If you have defined blocks, the values are separated per block and identified with a block number.
Mes/Samp 3
Oper. 01
Unit N.
STATS MXI
Samp 002
Mea +4.19
StDev +0.39
S/M +0.09
001 +4.760
001 +3.865
001 +3.947
002 +4.048
Here, each block consists of 3 values. One block has been measured. Only one test of the second block is done. In the measured values are too many for the display, move the display by means of the down and up arrow keys..
You can display the values any time after a test is complete. However the instrument can’t memorize more than 100 values.
What is the advantage of RISC or Caligraph software?
The Centor only has data storage room for 100 values. If you want more than 100 values saved you must off load the values through the serial port. Not doing so will overwrite the First value with the next test. RISC or Caligraph software will allow you to copy the data from your Centor to the computer storage media for safekeeping.
How can I transfer data to my computer while still remaining portable?
The Data stick is a portable data storage unit. It connects to the 15 pin multipurpose connector on the side of your Centor. Pushing one button on the Data stick will transfer the latest reading or calculation to a flash data card in the Data stick. The storage capacity of the Data stick depends on the size of the flash memory card. The card can be removed at a convenient time and installed in your computer card reader to recover the data. The Data stick can also store the Centor configuration for fast reprogramming of the Centor should it be necessary.
Is it possible to have 2 external SPIP interfaces?
There is only room for one external SPIP interface. The internal SPIP interface must remain connected and can not be removed.
How can I set up my own profile in RSIC and save it?
Start in the left upper corner and click on NEW. Then you can give a name to your profile. Go to the first under profile; click on NEW, enter what you need, and click on SAVE. As long as the parameters in a profile aren’t saved the lines have a red background. Once they are saved they have a blue background. If you have created and saved all three under profiles (the first lines of each profile still have a red background), you click in the left upper corner on SAVE and store the complete profile. You will see that the red lines change into blue.
How can off center forces influence the measurement?
Up to 10% of its capacity, the sensor can survive off center forces without being damaged. However it is clear how these forces influence force readings in low ranges. The load cell performs best when placed directly in line with the applied force. Pulling straight up or pushing straight down is best for the instrument safety and accuracy
Why is the external sensor more expensive than the internal sensor ?
The external sensor requires an additional SPIP module. It also requires attachments at the top and bottom of the load cell.
Why is the resolution of the Centor 1 in 10,000 instead of a binary number?
The Centor has a 24 bit ADC. The reading from the ADC is divided by 1000 to arrive at a resolution of 1 in 10,000.
How do I display statistics for computed values?
You must have COMPUT enabled. You must have run more than one test to calculate statistics. Press the M key. Use the up or down arrow keys to highlight STATS. Press the TDX key. Press the X key do not erase. Press the X key. The statistic values are displayed on the main screen. Press the MAX key until CPI is displayed in the lower right corner. Now press the M key. You will notice STATS are displayed as computed values.[
How much data can the Centor store?
The Centor Star or Dual can store 100 maximum data points and 100 calculated data points. If you want more storage the Data stick provides a portable storage solution. If you save more than 100 tests, the first test will be over written with the new data.
Can the capacity of a SPIP sensor be increased or decreased?
Sensor capacity is governed by the physical sensor makeup. The sensor maximum capacity cannot be changed. If you want a different capacity sensor please contact Andilog Technologies Sales department.
Is there an easier way to export the data to the PC?
Centor configuration for the Star or Dual is made easy with the Data Stick Configure software, RSIC software and an RS-232 connection to the Centor. After setting and saving the configuration it can be loaded into the Centor.