Instruction of Using VSoft: Viscometer Data Collection, Analysis

and Graphing Software

Software Installation
1. Start the computer and then put the USB disk with Viscometer Data Collection,
Analysis and Graphing Software and USB to RS-232 converter drive software into
the USB port. Double-click "My Computer", select the USB disk drive, click the
right button, and select "Open"
2. Open the folder of “USB to RS232 Converter” to enter “Windows” folder. Choose
one from the three sub-folders according to the windows version of your
computer. Double click the installation software (document) to execute the
program to convert USB into 232 installation.
3. Double-click "My Computer", select the USB disk drive, click the right button, and
select "Open". Enter the folder of “Viscometer Data Collection, Analysis and
Graphing Software” and then enter the folder of Debug. Double click Setup.exe to
install the software.
4. Install the module “.net” to your computer if necessary in order to ensure the use
and work of the software installation.
5. When installation is finished, an icon of Viscometer Data Collection, Analysis and
Graphing Software will show up on the desktop as well as on the programs of
Start panel.
Use of the software (The database of this software is Access2007. Before using the
software, make sure you have installed the Access2007 or more advanced
version.)
1. To ensure the accuracy of the data, cancel and close all the screen protection
and computer hibernation settings.
2. Plug the ET199 USB key of the software into the sub interface. (Note: ET199
USB key cannot be pulled out in the process of using the Viscometer Data
Collection, Analysis and Graphing Software.)
3. When the software of Viscometer has been installed, use USB to RS232
 converter to connect the Viscometer and the computer. Follow the steps to
install the protection frame and the spindle needed, then turn on the switch
on the Viscometer back of the main engine and enlighten the screen of the
Viscometer to standby. Control the button on the Viscometer panel and select
the number and speed of the spindle wanted, then rotate the ascending and
descending knob to immerse the spindle into the liquid based on your
requirement of the liquid level. Press the Measure button on the Viscometer
to begin measurement.
4. Double click the icon of Viscometer Data Collection, Analysis and Graphing
Software on the desktop, and the window of Viscometer Data Collection,
Analysis and Graphing Software will show up on the computer as follows.

Drag your mouse to alter the border of the screen. In this way, the main screen
will be enlarged or diminished. For easy observation and control, do not conceal
the Data Display Area and the button when shifting the upper and lower border
of the main interface.
5. Select the number of serial port number (not COM1) and click to open the serial
port. If all the above steps are correct, data such as Spindle No., Temp, Speed,
 Torque, Viscosity transmitted by Viscometer be shown on the digital display
area. No. 61 Spindle No. represents L1. No.62 represents L2. No.63 represents
L3. No.64 represents L4. The other numbers of spindles are consistent with the
number shown on the Viscometer display screen. If the data are not shown on
the screen, you should check whether the serial port has been incorrectly
selected. You can solve this problem by clicking the button of Close serial port
and start a new selection until you see the following display.

6. Choose the parameter (such as viscosity, temperature, speed and torque etc.)
according to the test requirement by selecting the pull-down menu
left-bottom to the axis plot before starting the sampling. The temperature
probe should be installed in using this software. Otherwise, temperature in
the data display area will display “0.0” and axis plot will display a horizontal
line at 0 ℃ for temperature. For this case, the value does not represent the
real temperature. When viscosity is chosen for Y axis, scientific notation will be
used if the viscosity is greater than 100000mpa.s. For example, 1E+05 is
100000, 1.1E+05 is 110000 and so on. Meanwhile, the value in data display
area is displayed in normal form. Click the case before Double Y Axis to enable
 two parameter curves display simultaneously. Refer to the picture as follows.

Click the button of Start Sampling to start the sampling. Once the data is collected,
the curve will be displayed in the axis plot. The color of the curve is the same as
the color of the Y axis. Meanwhile the button of Start Sampling changed to the
button of Pause Sampling. Click the button of Pause Sampling, sampling will be
paused. At this time, the button of Pause Sampling changed to the button of
Resume Sampling. Click the button of Resume Sampling to resume the sampling.
Refer to the picture as follows.

Refresh Curve Button: In the process of sampling, you can click the button of
Refresh Curve to start a new sampling. When the button of Refresh Curve is
clicked, a dialog will be displayed to confirm the request. Click “OK” to start a
new sampling job and the previous data will be removed. Click “Cancel” to
resume the previous sampling job. According to the design specification, the
 software can support sampling job for 10 hours. If user has special requirement,
contact with the company for technique support.
If the user prefer to adjust the sampling period manually, they can tick the
sampling period on the left-bottom of the interface and indicate the sampling
period in the text box appeared with the unit second.

7. Click Stop Sampling to finish sampling. The sampling data and curve should be
saved at the same time. (If you do not want to save the data, the system will
automatically delete the unsaved sampling data and curve when you start a
new sampling.)
8. If the button background of Save Data to Excel is green, it means the sampling
data has not been saved. The sampling data should be saved when sampling has
been finished. Click the button of Save Data to Excel to save the collected data
into the custom folder. Please refer to the example picture as follows.

When the sampling data has been saved, the button color of the Save Data to
Excel will turn to white and this button will be disabled temporarily.
9. If the button background of Save Curve turns into green, it means that the
sampling curve is not saved. The sampling curve should be saved right after
sampling. Click the button of Save Curve to open the interface of sample category.
(The list from left to right is the number of the type, type name and the remark). If
this category has already been built, select this category and click OK button to
 save the sampling curve into this category. Otherwise click Create a New Category
to create a new one. Refer to the picture as follows.

When the sampling curve is saved, the button background of Save Curve will turn
to white and this button will be disabled temporarily.
10．Click the button of Open Curve. In the Dialog of Curve, choose one category and
one curve and click Loading Curve (the category includes the number of type, the
type name, operator, supply factory, inspection institution and remark). You can
refer to the example picture as follows.
The creation time of the curve will be displayed on the right top of the curve
analysis graph. Tick the small case on the left column and the maximum and
minimum of the loading curve data will show up on the curve analysis graph.
Keep on ticking the other small cases on the left column and certain curve will
appear on the coordinate graph. Tick the small cases of different parameter on
the left bottom or right bottom of the coordinate graph so that the certain curve
will show up on the coordinate graph. This software helps to select groups of
curves to show up on the coordinate graph at the same time for easy
comparison and analysis. User can choose the parameter of X axis, Y axis and Y1
axis according to the requirement to display the curves.
Click the button of Max/Min Points to mark the maximum and minimum. Drag
the mouse arrow to shift the display bar of the maximum parameter and
minimum parameter. In this way, you can identify the data and the arrow color is
consistent with the related curve color. Refer to the picture as follows.
 Click the button of Curve Smoothing to smooth the curve. It will help you to
better observe and analyze the curve. The number of smooth times is not defined
and can be chosen freely based on your need. After clicking the button of Smooth
Curve, the button of Max/Min Points will be disabled.

11. Click the button of Add Label. The tag will be displayed on the left top and the
curve information will be shown. You can drag the mouse to move the tag. You
 can click Conceal Tag if necessary. These two buttons are in the same position
and be shown up alternatively.

12. Click the button of Manage Curve to enter the interface of management. In this
interface, you can create the category, modify the category, delete the curve,
alter the curve information, re-categorize the curve, import and export the
curve. All the operation mentioned above can be referred to from the
following picture.
 Click the button of New Category to create category by entering the information
of operator, sample name etc. Click the button of Change Category to modify the
information of the category. Click the button of Delete Category to delete this
category. Select the curve in the curve window and click the button of Delete
Curve will delete this curve. Click the button of Change Curve to change the
information of the curve selected. Click the button of Reclassify will change the
category of the curve selected. In reclassifying the curve, select and highlight the
curve in the curve window first. Then clicked the button of Reclassify, a button
marked “《” will appear between the category window and curve window. Select
and highlight the category in the category window. Finally, click the button
marked “《” to re classify that curve. Click the button of Export Curve to save the
curve in the software to other target disk. Click the button of Import Curve to
restore the curve saved in other target disk to this software.
13. Click Save Image to save and print screen the existing curve and save into the
folders based on your needs. (the image can be used to print). Click Print Curve.
The print dialog box will show up and you can start setting the printer and its
function to print the existing curve.
14．Click Close to close the serial port and click Exit on the left bottom to exit the
software.
15．Some Viscometer types of our company can be purchased with the specific
heater. If you need this software to collect and analyze the data and curve, you
can follow the instruction to connect the heater with Viscometer and the
computer. Follow the required steps to install and open the interface of
Viscometer Data Collection, Analysis and Graphing software, then tick the case
of Connect Temperature Control Heater and select the serial port that connects
the computer and the heater. Please refer to the following picture.
When the serial port is opened, the temperature transmitted by the heater will
show up on temperature toolbar of the data display area. Click Start Sampling
and the temperature curve will show up on the graph. The data on the screen of
the Viscometer will not be collected. To prevent the sampling work from faulty
operation, the case of Connect Temperature Control Heater will be disabled
when Start Sampling is clicked. Only if you click Stop Sampling, the case of
Connect Temperature Control Heater can be restored and used again.