Doctor Step-By-Step Guide 5-3

plus Reporter
Step-by-Step Guide for

Doctor Portable
Analysis Software
Revision 5.3
July 2010
3 Raw Holdings
East Calder
West Lothian EH53 0HY, UK
T: +44 1506 885000
F: +44 1506 885501
W: www.iconresearch.co.uk
NOTICE
Information contained in this document is believed to
be accurate and reliable. However, due to ongoing
product developments and revisions, Icon Research
Ltd cannot guarantee the accuracy of this document
after the date published nor can it accept
responsibility for errors or omissions.
This document, and the software and/or hardware

which it describes, is subject to change without notice.
Icon Research Ltd acknowledges that various

products or trademark names referred to in this
document are subject to copyright and/or trademark
by their respective registered holders.
CONTENTS
Button Functions
New Features in Version 5.10 Software
CHAPTER 1 - Installation and Quick Start Guide .................................................. 1-1

1.1 Installing Doctor Software ............................................................................. 1-1
1.2 Getting Started .............................................................................................. 1-2
1.3 Some Tips ..................................................................................................... 1-3
CHAPTER 2 - Starting Off ...................................................................................... 2-1

2.1 Making a Database ....................................................................................... 2-1
2.2 System Preferences ...................................................................................... 2-3
2.3 Filling in Database Details ............................................................................. 2-4
2.4 Downloading Data ......................................................................................... 2-9
2.5 COM Settings .............................................................................................. 2-10
2.6 Setting the TDC position for the results....................................................... 2-13
CHAPTER 3 - Analysis Functions .......................................................................... 3-1

3.1 Opening a Database ..................................................................................... 3-1
3.2 Tests.............................................................................................................. 3-3
3.3 Selecting Tests for Multiple Engines – Fleet Comparisons ........................... 3-8
3.4 Types of Graph............................................................................................ 3-10
3.5 Graph Tools................................................................................................. 3-14
3.6 Tables.......................................................................................................... 3-20
3.7 Bar Graphs .................................................................................................. 3-24
CHAPTER 4 - Database Functions ........................................................................ 4-1

4.1 Data Sources................................................................................................. 4-1
4.2 Moving Data .................................................................................................. 4-5
4.3 Copying Data................................................................................................. 4-7
4.4 Deleting Data................................................................................................. 4-8
4.5 Archiving and Sending Data .......................................................................... 4-9
4.6 Combining Databases ................................................................................. 4-13
4.7 Splitting Up Databases ................................................................................ 4-13
4.8 Altering Data (Recalculation)....................................................................... 4-14
4.9 Editing a Sample ......................................................................................... 4-15
4.10 Exporting ..................................................................................................... 4-17
4.11 Password Protection ................................................................................... 4-18
CHAPTER 5 - Report Generator ............................................................................ 5-1

5.1 Overview ....................................................................................................... 5-1
5.2 Preparing Results for Analysis ...................................................................... 5-4
5.3 Producing a Report ....................................................................................... 5-6
Button Functions
Button Functions
New database.
Open an existing database or convert previous version database or archive.
Close the active screen (e.g. if looking at Traces, this will take you back to the
database tree).
Download tests from the Doctor instrument.
Toggles showing the Database Tree while in Traces, Tables or Bar Graphs.
View Traces of selected results. The type(s) of graphs displayed are the same
as the last used selection.
View Table of selected results.
View Bar Graphs of selected results.
Show Pressure versus Angle graphs for selected results. (Graph Mode only)
Show Pressure versus Volume graphs for selected results. (Graph Mode only)
Show Rate of Change of Pressure versus Angle graphs for selected results.
(Graph Mode only)
Show Fuel Pressure or Vibration versus Angle graphs for selected results.
(Graph Mode only)
Open the Traces selection tool.
Opens a tool to modify the selection and settings of the scalars.
Display a Cursor on the active traces. (Graph Mode only)
Favourite Zoom buttons. (Graph Mode only)
Open the Trace Identification tool. Allows point and click to highlight a
trace. (Graph Mode only)
Notebook tool for recording notes.
Reporter tool for generating reports automatically.
Print the current screen. Traces are WYSIWYG, Tables and Bart Graphs allow
print preview and adjustment of settings.
Displays information about the program and the registered user.

• Reporter Module added - allows basic reports to be printed or created as pdf.
• Diagnostic Analysis available - a licence is required to activate this feature.
• Default password protection for new databases extended.
• Extended range of pre-programmed user values added.
• Compatible with Vista and Windows 7 (XP Compatibility mode).
• Results for Dual Pickups when used on engines with prime number, or prime
number multiples improved. See Release Note below.
Release note:
The program has now been optimised to produce enhanced results for engines with dual pickups, and
teeth numbering a prime number or prime number multiple (e.g. 68, 117 etc.). Old results may be updated
by re-calculation, however in some cases (where a 180° shift had been introduced to the offset) this will
result in less accurate results. In these cases, the old results should be left untouched. New results may
require a 180° shift if an automatic 180° shift had been applied by an earlier version of the program. If you
have any questions regarding this, or wish us to review your data, please send an archive to
[email protected] .
Chapter 1 – Installation and Quick Start Guide
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CHAPTER 1 - Installation and Quick Start Guide

1.1 Installing Doctor Software
IMPORTANT: Your computer must have Microsoft® Windows XP™, Windows Vista™
or Windows 7™ installed in order to run DOCTOR Analysis Software.
1. If you have an earlier version of the Doctor analysis software on your PC, it is
best to uninstall this before installing the new version. To do this, use Windows
Explorer to locate C:\Program Files\Doctor32. In this folder you will find the file
UNWISE.EXE. Double click on the file to uninstall the earlier version.
2. Insert the Doctor installation CD, click on Software followed by Install Doctor
Analysis Software, and follow the on-screen instructions. (If the CD does not
launch automatically, click on setup.exe in the CD root folder).
3. Run the program by clicking on the Doctor Portable shortcut icon that will
appear on your desktop. Alternatively use Start … All Programs … Doctor ...
Doctor Portable.
4. To enable the Reporter to produce pdf files, you will need a pdf writer
application such as Adobe Acrobat™ installed on your PC. If you don’t have
this, you can install CutePDF Writer™ which is on the CD. To install CutePDF
Writer, insert the Doctor installation CD, click on Software followed by Install
PDF Writer. Click on the Install CutePDF Writer button. (Click No when
asked if you want to install PS2PDF from the web during the installation).
Then install Ghostscript Converter™ which is in the same location on the
CD.
5. If you purchased the Database Setup Service, the database for your engines
will be on a separate CD. Copy the file to the location on your PC where you
wish to keep your data. This can be in any convenient
location, but we suggest that you put it in the C:\Doctor\Doctor Portable folder.
Double click on the file to open it in the Doctor program. The Doctor program
will automatically open the file the next time you use the program. Remember
to archive your initial results and send them to [email protected] for
correction.
1-1
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1.2 Getting Started

1. The first time the program runs, the Samples database will open. If you have
purchased the Database Setup Service, copy the file from the supplied CD or
memory stick to the location where you wish to keep your data. Double-
clicking on the database file will open it automatically. Note that a database
cannot be opened directly from a CD. On subsequent runs, the program opens
up the last used database with the last used engine highlighted.
2. To start looking at results, select an engine or select a test or range of tests in

the right hand pane. The data tree can be expanded or collapsed in the same
manner as Windows Explorer by double clicking in the or boxes next to
the words. Then click on the Graph Mode button .
3. The Graph Mode selection box on the graph allows you to choose the test or
the cylinder you want to see.
4. To select compatible engines from the same ship or from other ships, click on
the Database Tree button. You will see the database hierarchy, the
available tests and the traces in separate panes. As you choose tests, they will
be shown on the graph. To return to a full screen graph, click the button
again.
5. You can zoom in on a graph by clicking and dragging. The graph types can be
selected using the buttons at the top. A cursor can also be selected.
6. In the graphs, you can get back to the original trace size by double clicking in
the graph area.
7. You can also look at results in the Tabular Mode and Bar Graphs Mode.
The buttons for these are and .
8. To print or make a pdf report from your results, highlight the test you wish to
make a report for and click on the button on the toolbar to start the
procedure. You may need to select CuteWriter or Adobe in order to make a
pdf. Note that the results must have been correctly set relative to TDC to
produce valid reports.
1-2
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1.3 Some Tips

All the usual Windows screen sizing and iconising commands are available.
Use the cursors to display the actual values in numbers or the comparative values as a
bar graph at any point on a set of traces. Use the left and right arrow keys on the
keypad to move the cursor.
You can look at the results from any individual trace. Click on the ID button then point
and click on the trace you want to see the results for. The up/down arrows on the
keyboard let you change the selection.
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1-4
Chapter 2 – Starting Off
______________________________________________________________
CHAPTER 2 - Starting Off

2.1 Making a Database
If you received a database with your system, refer to section 1.1 for installation and
running.
If you did not purchase the database set-up service, you will need to make a database
for your results. To do this, you need information about your engine or engines as
follows:
Item Req’d Comment

Engine type and designation Y
Number of engines Y
Engine Configuration Y In-Line or V
Number of Cylinders Y For V engines enter number per bank
Bore Y
Stroke Y
Length of con rod between centres Y Needed to calculate volume from crank
angle
Max continuous rated power in kW N Add about 7% for 2-strokes and 10% for
4-stroke auxiliaries to give Max Indicated
Power
Firing Order Y For V engines, only 1 bank required
Valve timing and spill port timing N
V angle Y V engines only
Engine rotation direction Y V engines only. The choice is From A to
B or From B to A.
Cylinder number format N V engines only (A1 to B12 etc.)
Injection Snap pressure N For Fuel Pressure measurement systems
to be used as injection start and finish
pressure
The items with a Y (yes) in the Req’d (required) column are essential.
With this information to hand, use the File…. New command from the drop down
menus, or use the New Database button .
Fill in a name for your new database. You can select where you want to keep your
database, including on another network drive from the dialogue box below. In this
example, it is being kept in the same folder as the program itself.
2-1
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Click on Save and your database has been created.
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2.2 System Preferences

Your database is ready to have details entered; however first, the System Preferences
should be entered. The window that appears allows selection of location (ship or land),
the type of instrument you have (with or without fuel pressure / vibration) and the units
you prefer to use – metric or imperial.
Note that throughout this guide the selection for Ship Based systems has been used.
For Land Based systems, key words are replaced. An example of this is that Ship is
replaced with Plant.
You may go back and change your System Preferences for a database at any time
using the File… System Preferences command.
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2.3 Filling in Database Details

Initially it will show the operator and ship levels.
To edit the operator name, use Edit… Operator.
Enter the name of your company, along with contact details and click OK
Next, select Edit… Ship.
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Enter the name of the ship along with contact details and click on OK.
Next, use Edit… Add Engine.
This is where you fill in all the data you found earlier. When you have completed the
fields, as shown above, click on OK. Note that you can enter valve timing details at this
time, as well as Table Fields. These can be added later without problem and are
explained later in this manual.
On clicking OK, the next item is to fill in the firing order.
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The firing order is entered by clicking on the

buttons in the top field in turn. Start with 1 and
enter the order. The result will appear in the
Entered Order field at the foot of the dialogue
box. The picture below shows the firing order
partly entered.
When complete, click OK and the next item will be to set the TDC Trigger Reference
angle. It is unlikely that this will be known at this stage, so just press OK to proceed.
The next step is to enter the sensitivity for the pressure sensor. Sensors are supplied
with a calibration certificate which states the sensitivity at 4 different conditions – low
pressure with low temperature, high pressure with low temperature, low pressure with
high temperature and high pressure with high temperature. Since measurements are
normally made with the pressure sensor at elevated temperature and pressure, it is
best to take the high temperature, high pressure figure.
2-6
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Note that it is possible to enter a sensitivity

for each cylinder on the engine. This option
is for on-line systems where a sensor is
fitted to each cylinder. For portable or
installed systems, enter the sensitivity in
the box under Set All To, press the Set All
To button and the same sensitivity will be
entered for all cylinders.
After the Transducer Sensitivity window, and if you have a system with fuel pressure or
vibration capability, a window will appear allowing the sensitivity for the fuel pressure
sensor or for the accelerometer to be entered. Again, set the same value for each
cylinder using the Set All To buttons. This window allows for entry of the offset angles
as well, but again, these probably won’t be known until after initial tests have been
made.
Once all these

parameters
have been
entered, and
the last OK
button pressed,
the engine will
be created in
the database.
Your database should now look something like the example below.
2-7
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You can add further engines, ships and operators to your database as required.
2-8
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2.4 Downloading Data

Once the database is set up, data from the instrument can be downloaded into it.
Connect the EPU (Engine Processor Unit) to your PC with the serial cable provided. If
you do not have a serial port on your PC, it can be connected to a USB port using the
USB to Serial adapter supplied with all new systems. Note that the driver for the
adapter must be installed before connecting the adapter to your computer.
First, highlight the engine for which you wish to download results then click on the
button.
Note: you will only be able to download data using a fully licensed copy of the Doctor
software. The first time you download, the following window appears. Enter your serial
number to continue.
2-9
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2.5 COM Settings

The COM port that is selected by default is COM 1. If this is not the one you are using,
it is possible to change the port. If you know the COM port number for the socket you
have used, you can enter it, however if you don’t know, you can keep trying until one
works.
There are 8 COM port selections to choose from. Note that if you are using a USB to
serial adapter, you will always need to change from the default setting of COM 1.
If you are using a USB to Serial adapter, you can use Control Panel… System…
Hardware… Device Manager and locate the COM port that has been allocated to your
USB adapter.
If connection is unsuccessful, you will see the following window.
From the drop down menus, select Download… Coms Setup and choose the COM
port you need. Click OK and try downloading again.
Click on the button after the correct COM port has been selected.
If there is data in the instrument, a window like the one below will appear, showing the
available data and the cylinders in the selected engine.
2-10
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Select the first store for the test on the target engine by clicking next to it and select
Cylinder 1 in the same manner. There is now a choice of buttons. Logbook accesses
the notebook for the engine and any notes about the engine that may be useful can be
entered at this time.
The Select button will couple the selected data with the selected cylinder. The Auto
Connect button will connect each available cylinder to a data set from the EPU. So
long as data was taken in order, this is the quickest option to use. The select option is
normally only used for special tests where individual cylinder readings have been taken
for some reason.
2-11
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Click on Transfer, and you will need to enter the scavenge pressure (boost pressure).
For in-line engines, just enter one value in the top section and for V engines, enter a
value for each bank. This dialogue box also lets you enter the date of the test as the
day you are downloading may not be the same day the test took place.
Click OK and your results will be transferred into the database. During transfer of data,
a tick mark will progress from one result to the next until all results have been
transferred. It is advisable to wait until the process is complete before doing anything
else on the PC.
2-12
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2.6 Setting the TDC position for the results

Icon will set the TDC position for you if you send an archive of your initial readings to
[email protected] This is part of the service offered when you purchase a
Doctor system. It has the benefit of a backup database being kept at Icon and will be
sure to start you off with the right offset and accurate power figures for your engines.
The following section explains how this is done and allows system operators, and
particularly those who use the Doctor on multiple engines, to set the TDC position
themselves.
Before your results will be meaningful and report power for the cylinders correctly, it is
essential to set the TDC position. The position your traces appear in initially is the
result of where the master marker was placed on the engine’s flywheel. It doesn’t really
matter where this position is, as an offset is almost always needed.
To start, you first need to view your results. After downloading, the engine will already
be highlighted. Click on the button and the traces of your results will appear.
The traces here are obviously out of position, and it is a simple job to get these correct.
First, zoom in on the traces by clicking and dragging a rubber band box around the
section of the traces with elevated pressure. Then select the cursor tool, using the
button on the toolbar. The screen should then look something like the one below.
2-13
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Now move the cursor using the left and right arrows on your keyboard until it is at the
correct TDC position. On this engine this is easily identified as the smooth hump just
before the ignition points for the cylinders at about -36º. The cursor window confirms
the position.
2-14
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From the drop down menus, choose Analysis… Adjust Trigger Rel To TDC. This
function is protected by a password by default. The password is “doctor” in lower case
letters as the initial setting, but this may be changed if required.
Enter the password and you will be able to continue.
The value to enter in this case is 36. The cursor was at -36º when it was on the correct
position for true TDC, and so we need to make this position zero. Adding 36º to -36º
gives zero. In general, the value to enter is the cursor value but positive if the cursor is
at a negative angle and negative if it is at a positive one.
The end result should be as below with the TDC line passing through the compression
peak of the traces. Here the picture has been re-zoomed to show TDC, and the cursor
has been re-positioned to TDC.
2-15
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Note that the same offset should be applied to all cylinders except in exceptional
circumstances.
Not all engines are as easy to adjust and the following sections give guidance in how to
cope with these situations.
Adjusting by Setup of TDC Pickup
For this method, the best starting position will be obtained if the marker is opposite the
sensor when the engine is positioned at No.1 cylinder TDC. This gives a nominal offset
of 0°.
There will normally be a correction to make to the angle offset, even if everything is
aligned perfectly during setup. This is because the pressure wave from the cylinder
takes a small but significant time to travel along the passageway to the indicator cock
and pressure sensor. It is possible to estimate the delay in degrees and the following
formula provides a reasonable correction.
Delay in Degrees = Distance from inside of cylinder head to pressure sensor (in
meters) x RPM divided by 100.
Since the actual delay depends on the temperature of the gas in the passageways this
is only approximate. The pressure wave will travel faster in hotter gas and causes less
delay. The geometry of the passageways also has an effect and this is difficult to
predict.
2-16
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Adjustment by Taking Motored Readings
In practice, the surest way to determine the best angle to use as an offset is to take a
motored reading from one healthy cylinder when the engine is hot and running at its
normal speed and if possible, power. Note that a cylinder with leakage will not give a
true indication of TDC. Transfer this reading into the analysis software and look at the
shape of the trace. Zooming in at the top of the trace in the Pressure versus Angle
trace and using a cursor will help here. Position the cursor at the peak of the trace,
slightly to the left if there is a choice of maximum values.
In this case, a zero offset on a motored reading produced a trace which is in an

incorrect position. The peak of the trace should coincide with the TDC line and the
current setting would show a fairly large value for the power in the cylinder.
The angle at the cursor position is the required amount of offset but the entered value
should have the opposite sign. For example, if the cursor is at –14º, then 14º will need
to be added to put the zero line (TDC) in this position.
To correct the position, from the

Analysis… menus select Adjust
Trigger Position Relative to TDC…
and the following dialogue box will
appear. You will need to enter a
password and the default one is “doctor”
and should be changed once you are
happy with your setup. See the section on Password Protection for details.
2-17
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Entering a positive angle will

move the trace to the right
and a negative angle will
move it to the left. The power
produced by a motored
cylinder can be either positive
or negative depending on
engine conditions. The power
value in either case should be
small. The trace will now
appear as shown after 14°
adjustment.
As the graph shows, the peak has now been moved to correspond with the TDC line
and the calculated power is reduced to almost zero. A small amount of power may be
shown even when TDC is in the correct position and this can be either positive or
negative.
In most cases, it is more convenient to adjust all the cylinders at the same time. This is
done by starting with a graph showing all cylinders and using the Set All To button to
apply the same change to all the cylinders. Clicking on the Traces And New Data
button will adjust your database settings so that the traces will always be in the correct
position for future readings. You can check the Engine Details dialogue box to ensure
your change has been registered.
In this case of an individual trace, it was easy to identify the correct position for TDC
since this was a motored reading and TDC should be at the peak pressure. In many
engines it is not possible to take a motored reading as the turbocharger could surge, or
in many cases it is difficult to pull off the fuel from an individual cylinder. In cases such
as this, the Derivative or Rate of Change of Pressure trace can be used.
2-18
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Adjusting TDC Position Using the Derivative Trace
If it is not possible to take a motored reading, the Derivative or Rate of Change of

Pressure trace can be used as a guide. On a motored reading, the Pressure versus
Angle trace is flat at TDC so the rate of change of pressure is zero. This means that the
Derivative trace value will be zero at TDC. On a reading taken under load, the
Derivative trace will be descending towards zero and will rise steeply at the firing point.
If the descending part of the trace is extrapolated, the point at which it would cross zero
can be estimated and the TDC position determined.
In the example below, the Derivative trace has been used to highlight the position of
TDC. Note that the Derivative traces in this example do not cross the zero axis of the
derivative value but some cylinders approach it closely. The bottom of the graph was
set to give a value of 0 bar/° to make the visual extrapolation easier.
In this case, an offset of 7° applied to all cylinders would bring the traces to their correct
positions. Use the Set All To button in the dialogue box to move a group of traces.
Note that the dialogue box will also allow you to enter a different offset for each
cylinder. This is required in some engines where the crankshaft has deliberate offsets
between cylinders and on damaged engines where the crank has been twisted (e.g.
after the engine has been turned with water in one of the cylinders).
2-19
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In some cases, firing occurs even earlier, and in these cases a visual extrapolation
needs to be made over a greater distance as in the traces below.
This set of traces has already been moved to the correct position and it can be seen
that the extrapolated Derivative traces would cross the zero line at TDC. Note that on
this V-engine, the compression pressure and compression gradients are different for
the two banks. This is caused by unbalanced boost pressures, but nevertheless it can
be seen that the Derivative traces for both banks will cross zero at the same angle.
The cursor has been positioned next to the highest point of the compression rate of
change before ignition and it is at an angle of –12º. In many engines, experience has
shown that this peak normally occurs at around –12º to –13º. In some engines, this is
really the only pointer that can be used to identify TDC correctly. The following graph
illustrates this point.
2-20
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When going through this procedure, several positions can easily be tried until you are
satisfied with the TDC position. To ensure that future readings will be taken with the
same offset applied, in the dialogue box for Adjust Trigger Relative to TDC, there is
an option for Traces And New Data. If this is selected, the engine parameters will be
automatically adjusted to apply the new offset to future data during download. If this
has not been done during the last angle change, it will be necessary to alter the offset
angle in the Engine Data dialogue box under the Trigger Parameters… button.
Remember to use the Set All To button to apply the offset to all cylinders.
Your results are now in good shape to be fully analysed.
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2-22
Chapter 3 – Analysis Functions
______________________________________________________________
CHAPTER 3 - Analysis Functions

3.1 Opening a Database
The Doctor program will automatically start in the database you were last looking at. To
open another database, you can either close the one you are in using the button,
or you can have as many databases as you want open at the same time.
Click on the button and the following dialogue appears.
Select the location and the database file you want to open.
If you would like to convert a database from an earlier format, use the Files of type:
drop down at the foot of the dialogue box. The selections are shown in the following
picture.
3-1
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More information on types of databases that can be opened is available in the section
on Data Sources.
With a database open, you are ready to look at the results in it. There are several types
of results – Graphs, Tables and Bar Graphs. These are useful for analysis and let you
see the data on your engine quickly and easily. They allow comparison of the results
for the whole engine for any particular cylinder, comparison of a cylinder’s results over
a period of time as a trend, or any combination of these. It is possible to compare
different engine results on the same screen, which is very useful, when an operator has
several engines of the same type.
For fleet analysis, it is possible to copy and paste operators, ships or engines into a
single database. See the section on Database Functions for more details.
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3.2 Tests
Results are stored in the database(s) as tests. Each test covers as many cylinders on
an engine as were measured at the time of the test. Normally, this will be the whole
engine, but in certain circumstances there could be cylinders missed or a series of
tests could have been made on a single cylinder for some particular reason.
Selecting Tests
The first method is with an engine highlighted. The last engine you were looking at will
be highlighted when you open the program. If you want a different one, use the mouse
button to point at it and click the left button to highlight it.
To start the Graphs, point to the button in the toolbar and click the left mouse
button. The results displayed will automatically be the most recent test as in the screen
below.
Note that pressing the button will go directly to the Table of results for the selected
engine and pressing the button will go directly to the Bar Graphs of results.
In the example below, the option for Graphs has been used.
The traces shown will be the last type or types of graph you were looking at. In this
case, the Pressure versus Angle traces are shown for the latest test. You can select
and deselect sets of results by clicking on the date in the buttons on the left of the
Traces box.
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To see a trend for a cylinder, click on the cylinder number. To see any individual result,
click in the white box which is in line with the date and the cylinder number you want to
see. You can click on any combination of complete tests, trends or individual cylinders.
The pop-up box can be moved around so that it does not cover any useful part of the
graph (or table or bar graph). Click and hold on the bar where the label Traces is seen
and drag the whole box to where you want it. Let go of the mouse button and it will stay
where you have put it.
In the graph below, the latest result has been switched off and the trend for cylinder 5
selected. The pop-up box has been moved as well to avoid covering the title. The
Pressure versus Volume traces have also been selected by pressing the button.
If you want to see the screen without the pop-up box, you can switch it off by clicking
the X in the top right corner. You can always switch it on again by pressing the
button in the toolbar.
The Show Speed and Show Power check boxes allow the speed and power for each
test to be shown next to the test date and test number in the Traces selection box.
These are very useful for selecting tests at similar conditions for comparison. The
settings used for these are remembered for each engine.
An additional feature of the Traces selection pop-up facility is for V-Configuration

engines and there is a button that allows you to select one bank at a time. In the
following screen, the B bank has been selected and the A bank is not shown. To see
the A bank, click the Bank Select button in the pop-up box. The next screen will show
the whole engine and clicking again will show just the A bank. The same selection
procedure applies to Tables and Bar Graphs.
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Reference Tests
It is often useful to have a reference test for an engine. For 2-stroke main engines in
particular, several references can be useful at different RPM settings for the engine. On
other engines with constant RPM, references at specific load conditions can be useful.
Often the results for these are from the tests taken at sea trials. If sea trial results are
not available, tests under good conditions when the engine is known to be in good
repair will do just as well.
To designate a test as a reference, first highlight the test that you want to designate as
a reference in the Measurement Selection pane of the database view.
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Right click with the mouse on the test and select Reference Test from the list of
options that appears. Alternatively, this can be done from the Edit…. Reference Trace
selection in the drop down menus. As many tests as you want can be selected as
references in this way.
When selected for viewing, the Reference Test dates and test numbers appear in bold
in the Traces selection box.
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3.3 Selecting Tests for Multiple Engines – Fleet Comparisons

In a database with multiple operators, ships and engines, it is possible to view results
for any combination of engines of the same type at the same time. That is to say you
can look at a group of 4-strokes or a group of 2-strokes, but you can’t look at 4-strokes
and 2-strokes at the same time.
To set up a selection of tests, the following methods can be used.
Select an engine and the tests for that engine can be seen in the right hand pane of the
database view. You can select all the tests for an engine using the Select / Deselect
All check box at the top of the right hand pane.
Note in the view below that one trace has been marked as a Reference. As many
Reference traces as needed may be set in a database. See the section on Reference
Traces.
You can select as many tests from as many compatible engines as you like. If an
engine is not compatible with the initial selection, there will be no check boxes next to
the test descriptions in the right hand pane.
To see the traces for your selections, click on the button. Note that you could
select the Tables or Bar Graph view at this stage as alternatives.
The traces will be shown with a different colour for each engine. If you wish to see
individual cylinders with a colour for reach cylinder, it is necessary to view only a single
engine.
In the example below, tests for 3 engines have been selected. One of the tests was a
reference test and its entry in the Traces box is shown in bold print.
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To edit your selection of tests, click on the button. You can add or remove tests
and see the result in the right hand pane. To return to the full screen graphs, click on
the button again.
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3.4 Types of Graph
The buttons allow you to select graph types. The first of these is the
Pressure versus Angle graph, sometimes referred to as a Draw Card and is selected
with the button.
The next selection is the Pressure versus Volume graph. This is sometimes referred to
as a closed loop diagram or an Indicator Card. The area of this graph if converted to a
rectangle and laid along the bottom of the graph will have a height equivalent to the
MIP (Mean Indicated Pressure) for the cylinder.
An example of this is shown below.
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The Pressure versus Volume graph is used to calculate power. This is also known as
an Indicator Card. A zoom from 0 bar to say 10 bar provides a Light Spring Diagram.
The graph of Rate of Change of Pressure versus Angle graph is useful for identifying
the ignition point accurately and for assisting in determining the correct position for
TDC. Note that the true ignition point on the pressure trace is one step after the
minimum point on the derivative trace.
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Graphs of Fuel Pressure Versus Angle and Pressure Versus Angle are shown together
here. These are very helpful in diagnosing pump, injector and fuel system condition. It
is possible to overlay several graph types at the same time – the only graphs that
cannot be seen together are the Rate of Change of Pressure versus Angle and the
Fuel Pressure or Vibration versus Angle.
Vibration versus Angle graphs are useful for checking valve timing, diagnosis of valve
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bounce, and many other conditions. The results are dependent on the position of the
pickup. Fuel system elements can also be checked using vibration.
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3.5 Graph Tools

There are a number of tools that aid analysis once traces are being viewed. These can
be used to modify how the traces are viewed on the screen; they can pick cylinders
from overlays and show the variations between selected traces at any point.
Cursors
Each type of graph can display a cursor. The cursors are enabled using the button
on the toolbar. The screen will look something like the one below.
The cursor will appear on whichever type of graph is showing. If there is more than one
type of graph showing, the cursor starts on the graph type which is farthest left on the
buttons on the toolbar.
There is a selection of buttons in the pop-up box. These allow you to select the graph
type for which you want a cursor displayed. If the graph type is not already there,
clicking its cursor button will bring it on to the screen.
The buttons are and the two arrow buttons allow you to
move the cursor one step at a time. To jump multiple steps, hold the CTRL key on your
keyboard down while clicking on the arrow button. If you want to move faster, use the
arrow keys on your keyboard.
The button on the right lets you change the display in the pop-up box from a bar graph
to numerical values.
The pop-up and the cursors can be removed by closing the pop-up box with the X in
the top right corner.
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Zooming
It is often useful to magnify part of a graph or set of graphs to see more detail. This is
done using the mouse to click and drag a box around the area you want to look at.
Imagine a box around the area you want to enlarge. Point the mouse arrow to one
corner of the box, click and hold the left mouse button and drag to the far corner of the
imaginary box. A dotted line box will follow your moves. Let go of the left mouse button
when you have surrounded the area you want. A zoom screen could look like the one
below. The cursor has been left on and moved to the right, its pop-up box moved to a
convenient place and a bar-graph of the cursor values is displayed.
You can always get back to the full size graph by double clicking anywhere in the
graph area.
The bar graph shows the relative values of each graph with the low values to the left. In
this example, cylinder 6 has the lowest pressure and cylinder 1 the highest. The overall
variation is shown as 3.8 bar and the angle of the cursor is -2°. Cursors are a valuable
tool in identifying which cylinder is showing a variation. The graphs are coloured and
the colours match the test description in the pop-up box. The value (high or low) also
helps to identify which graph is which.
Favourite Zooms
Certain zooms are very useful for analysis and you may want to be able to bring them
up quickly. The Favourite Zooms buttons let you do this. First you need to
allocate a zoom button and then pressing the button will automatically bring up the
chosen zoom. Note that the Favourite Zooms can be locked by a password. You may
need to enter the password to change stored zooms. See the section on passwords.
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To allocate the zoom from one you have made by clicking and dragging, select the
View drop down menu and go the Save as Zoom selection and choose Zoom 1, 2 or
3. A shortcut is to press Ctrl 1 on the keyboard for zoom 1 for example. This action will
make the zoom button active and pressing the button will zoom automatically.
Zooms can be changed by repeating the above process if you want something else.
Zoom values are stored for each engine separately.
For more exact zooming and selecting different axis values for each parameter, select
the zoom tool from the Display drop down menu under Define Zoom … , or use the
shortcut Ctrl Z on the keyboard. This brings up the following screen.
Fill in the axis values you want displayed and use the Store as buttons to store the
zoom. This box also lets you set the limits for each axis and allows zooms to be
cleared. Click OK when finished.
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Identifying a Trace
Identifying a trace among a group of traces is made easy with the Trace ID function.
This is activated using the button. Click once on this button and then move the
mouse pointer to the graph area. The pointer will have ID next to it. Point to the trace
you wish to identify and it will be highlighted with dots, and a pop up box will contain
the details for that trace. If there are a lot of parameters selected for the trace, you can
scroll through them in the pop up using the slider bar at the right hand side. The screen
will look like the one below when a trace has been selected.
In the Traces box, the trace that has been selected is highlighted in blue.
Another way of using the ID function is to click with the right mouse button on one of
the tick marks in the Traces popup.
You can move between traces by using the up and down arrows on your keyboard.
Notebook
The notebook can be accessed by clicking on the button. The notebook can take
notes for tests, engines or for all engines on a ship.
In the database view, if a ship is highlighted, the note made will be specific to the ship
(all engines). If an engine is highlighted, the note will be specific to that engine. If a test
is highlighted, the note will be specific to that test.
The example below shows a note being entered for a test.
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Another way of linking a note to a test is from the Traces view. When all cylinders for
one test are displayed, click on the Notes button and the note will be linked to that test.
If multiple tests are displayed, the note will be linked to the engine.
When in the notebook, if a note is linked to a test, you can click on the View tab below
the note and the traces for that note will be displayed.
The Filter for selected traces only selection will hide notes that are not related to the
samples that are available for viewing in the Traces window.
Notes may be modified by double clicking on them. This brings up the edit screen with
the existing text displayed.
Display Preferences
You can select some preferred ways to view traces using the pop up box below. Select
Display… Display Preferences from the drop down menus, or right click on the graph
area and select Display Preferences.
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This pop up allows you to change axis labels in terms of their name and by using the
Font button, the appearance can be changed by using a different font, colour etc.
The width of the trace lines can be increased, and the number of colours used matched
to the number of cylinders on the engine being viewed.
The Range on Cursor Bar Graphs area allows entry of fixed ranges. The cursor bar
graphs normally auto scale such that the centre line is the mean and the largest
deviation cylinder’s result will touch one or other side of the bar graph area. In cases
where variations are small, this may look like there are large variations and so it is
possible to set the scale on these bar graphs to a fixed value. In this way, the mean will
still be at the centre, but the bars will only extend as far as the scaled amount.
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3.6 Tables
The information shown in the graphs is also available in numerical format in the
Tables.
Viewing Tables
Tables of results are provided to give numerical information on the tests. To see the
table of results for the selected traces, click on the button in the toolbar. A screen
like the one below will be shown.
The table gives many of the standard values which are

useful in assessing engine condition. Power results have a
total, which is useful for single tests on a whole engine.
The tests that are shown on the table can be selected in
just the same way as for traces.
Click on the button to bring up the pop-up box that will

let you choose the results you want. The different results
can be switched on and off as they may not all be
required. To do this, click on the button and the box to
the right is shown. The Move Up and Move Down buttons
allow you to change the order of the results.
Click once to turn off an item and once more to switch it on

again. Note that you will need the password to activate
this function if the “Scalars which are Selected for Display”
option has been locked. See section on Passwords.
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Automatically Calculated Results
There are 16 standard values and 2 selectable values that can be shown as described
in the following table.
Item Description Comment

RPM Engine speed
Pscav Scavenge or boost pressure Manual input at download
MIP Mean indicated pressure
Power (kW) Power in kilowatts
Power (hp) Power in horsepower
Power (ps) Power in ps – metric horsepower
Pmax Peak pressure
Ang of Pmax Angle of peak pressure
Ptdc Pressure at TDC
Ang of Ign Ignition Angle Shows -999 if not identified
correctly. Can be altered
manually.
Ign Delay Ang Delay from spill port closure to ignition Shows 0.00 if Ang of Ign
incorrect.
Max Pr Rise Highest rate of pressure rise
Ang of Max Pr Rise Angle at max pressure rise
Pow Rel to MCR Cylinder and engine output as % Requires indicated MCR to be
entered.
Inj Ang Angle of fuel injection Fuel pressure traces only.
Inj Duration Duration of fuel injection Fuel pressure traces only.
User Angle 1 Pressure at a selected angle Defaults to TDC if no angle
entered.
User Angle 2 Pressure at a selected angle Defaults to TDC if no angle
entered.
User angles
Click on the button and from the Table Values pop up,
select User Angles…. to see the window opposite.
You can enter 2 angles at which you want to see values in

the tables and bar graphs. These can be given a name as
in the dialogue box on the right. These are often used to
compare compression on engines that fire ahead of TDC
and to provide a comparison of the expansion traces at a
point well after ignition.
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Manual Data Input
It is possible to enter data into tables

manually for items that the Doctor does
not measure. A typical example of this
would be exhaust gas temperature.
Each user entered parameter can be

given a name, unit, and the number of
decimal places required for accurate
entry.
From the Table Values pop up, select

User Values….
Click on Add to enter a new value.
To delete a value, first highlight the

description then click on Delete.
A large number of user variables are

included in all databases created by
version 5.10 software or later. Several of these are selected by default, including Texh,
Turbo (RPM) and Rack.
Exporting Tables
This is for special use only to allow tabular data to be used by other applications.
Do not use this for regular transferring of results for review or correction. Please
see Archiving and Sending Data.
A table of results may be exported as a text delimited file. To do this, right click on a
table of results and select Export. In the pop up that will appear, choose the
destination for the file and give it a name. The default is Export.txt, but any name may
be entered.
The resulting file is comma and tab delimited and is easily opened up with programs
such as Microsoft Excel. These files are not able to be opened by Doctor software.
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Table Fonts
To change the fonts used in your tables, right click on a table and select Tabular Font.
This selection is also available from the Display…. drop down menu. The following
dialogue box allows changes to be made to the way tables are presented.
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3.7 Bar Graphs

The information from tests is available as bar graphs. These allow very fast
identification of the results that differ from the average. To view bar graphs of results,
click on the button.
Bar graphs are shown as the top of a conventional bar graph with a line drawn through
the mean value for the parameter. This saves space as the lower part of a bar graph
contains little real information and this allows a large number of results to be shown on
a single screen.
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The appearance of the bar graphs may be changed by right clicking on the bar graph
and selecting Bar Graph Fonts…. This selection is also available from the Display….
drop down menu.
The bar graphs may be adjusted to scale automatically, or scales may be imposed on
them. To access the pop up that this is done from, right click on a bar graph and select
Bar Graph Hi Lo Limits. This selection is also available from the Display…. drop
down menu.
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The Set All To Auto button is useful if you are not sure what ranges have been set for
some of the parameters. It is also useful for databases converted from earlier formats
where limits have been set that are no longer required.
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Chapter 4 – Database Functions
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CHAPTER 4 - Database Functions

The database used for the Doctor analysis software is Microsoft Access. The file
extension that has been used for Doctor files is .IDB (short for Icon DataBase).
By using a standard database, many functions become available to users. It is even

possible to use Access to look at the raw data within a Doctor database. Note that
settings in a database should not be altered in Access. Any changes made in Access
may result in an error when the database is next opened by the Doctor software.
Once the program is installed on a PC, double clicking on a file with an IDB extension
will automatically open the file in the Doctor program providing the file is a valid Doctor
database.
4.1 Data Sources

Doctor data can be accessed from a number of sources. These are described below.
New Data
Downloading from a Doctor portable or installed instrument will provide new data. The
section on Downloading Data describes how this is done.
Existing Version 5 Databases
Databases may be opened using the method described in the Analysis section.
Alternatively, from Explorer, or from My Computer, you can double click on the file
name for the database you want to open.
Version 5 Archives
Archives from Doctor Version 5 are databases in their own right and can be opened up
in the same way as a database. This is very convenient when receiving an archive by
Email, as it can easily be checked by double clicking on it before it is integrated into the
main database.
Pre-version 5 databases
Version 5 analysis software can import data from earlier versions of the Doctor
program. This will work for databases created in version 3.X software and above. For
earlier versions of the software, first use version 3.29 software to convert the data to a
format that Version 5 can convert.
Due to the way in which engine details were entered in pre-version 4 databases, the
engine details will be incomplete in that the fields for Bore, Stroke and Con Rod Length
will show as zero. This does not affect the results and the ability to download new data
into the database. New databases made from version 4 databases will have all these
fields filled in correctly.
Note: Pre-Version 4 databases will require Bore, Stroke and Con Rod Length to be
entered correctly in Engine Details. If this in not done, any new data downloaded from
a Doctor instrument will be invalid. Any re-calculation on old data will require correct
entry of the full engine details to give correct results.
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When a database is converted, the integrity of the results is checked. If there are
problems with any of the results, the converter will attempt to fix these. If repair is not
possible, the faulty results will be omitted from the new database. A report that itemises
any anomalies is produced and can be viewed at the time of the database update, or at
any later time.
Note for operation over a network: The upgrade process requires previous versions
of the Doctor database code to run. All restrictions that applied to versions 4.21 and
earlier will apply. It is strongly recommended that the data that is to be converted is first
moved to the local drive before conversion. To convert files without first moving them to
the local machine, the drive must be mapped to the target machine. File names must
be kept to 8 letters or less.
Steps To Open A Pre-Version 5 Database
Click on the Open Database button.
Navigate to the folder that contains the database you wish to convert. At the bottom of
this window, select Pre V5 Database. The files in the database will then become visible
as in the picture below.
Highlight any of the files that are visible, and click on Open.
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The next window requires you to select the destination for the new database that will
be created. Note that the new database has already been named for you. The name it
is given is the same as the name of the folder that contained your old database.
The default destination for your new database is the same as the folder above the one
that contained your old database. You can choose a different location if you wish.
Alter the name and destination if you wish and click Save. Your new database will be
created.
During conversion, data is checked for any errors and if any are found you will be
advised. Errors will normally be corrected, or the data with problems will be omitted
from the new database. If errors are found, the following message appears:
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If you choose to view the message, it will indicate the problems found. The message is
saved in any case for viewing at a later date.
Your new database will now be open and ready for use.
Version 4 Archives
Data can be imported from archives created in version 4 of the Doctor.
When a Version 4 archive is converted, the integrity of the results is checked. If there
are problems with any of the results, the converter will attempt to fix these. If repair is
not possible, the faulty results will be omitted from the new database. A report that
itemises any anomalies is produced and can be viewed at the time of the database
update, or at any later time.
Note for operation over a network: If the file to be upgraded (source file) is on
another machine, the drive must be mapped to the target machine. File names must be
kept to 8 letters or less.
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4.2 Moving Data

Tests, Engines and Ships may be moved within a database that has multiple operators
in it. Click on the item you want to move and hold down the left button on your mouse,
then drag to the location where you want to move to. When you release the mouse
button, the item will be moved.
While the item is being dragged, a grey box next to your mouse pointer will indicate
that the target location is valid, and a circle with a diagonal line through it indicates that
the location being pointed at is not a valid location for the item.
If a Test is moved, this needs to have its hierarchy moved with it. In other words, if you
move a Test from one Ship to another, the second Ship will then contain a duplicate of
the Engine the Test came from. If it is moved to another Operator, a duplicate ship and
engine are inserted into the new Operator. The original Operator will still have the Ship
and Engine, but the Test that was moved will now only exist in the new location.
If you try moving a test into another engine, if the engine does not have identical
geometry, the move will not be possible. A message that informs you of the differences
will be displayed, and the only option is to cancel the move.
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In the example above, the target engine is different in several respects, and the move
is not allowed.
If an Engine is moved, it will be transferred to the new Ship (and new Operator if the
target is another Operator) along with all its Tests and it will cease to exist in the
original Operator.
If a Ship is moved to another Operator, all its Engines and Tests are moved with it and
it is removed from the original Operator. This is probably the most useful move as ships
are often bought and sold.
As an alternative to clicking and dragging, the same operation may be initiated through
the Edit drop down menu, or the option will appear in a pop up if you right click on an
Operator, Ship, Engine or Test.
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4.3 Copying Data

Tests, Engines and Ships may be copied between databases. First, you need to have 2
databases open at the same time. Once you have opened multiple databases, (2 or
more), use the Window…. Tile selection from the drop down menus and the screen
will look something like this.
Use click and drag to copy between the databases.
If a test is copied, its higher levels will be created in the target database. For example,
if a test is copied to another Operator, the Ship and Engine will be created under that
operator. If you point to a blank area in the target database, the Operator, Ship and
Engine will be created along with the Test you wanted to copy.
As an alternative to clicking and dragging, the same operation may be initiated through
the Edit drop down menu, or the option will appear in a pop up if you right click on an
Operator, Ship, Engine or Test.
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4.4 Deleting Data

Data may be deleted at any level in a database. Highlight the item you want to delete,
and then select Edit… Delete. Depending on your selection the following will appear
Delete Sample
Delete Engine
Here it is possible just to delete the Tests, or to delete the Engine with its results. It is
often useful to be able to create an empty Engine if making a new database. The
Engine could be copied from another Ship into the new database and then emptied of
results.
Delete Ship
Delete Operator
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4.5 Archiving and Sending Data

Data may be needed by several people in an organisation. Ships often send results to
the head office so that the Superintendent can see engine performance data.
Archiving
This is the way results are sent for correction and for review.
Highlight a test or the engine to archive all the results for that engine, or highlight the
ship to archive all engines. Click on the File…. Archive command from the drop down
menus.
The following window will appear. Select the date range for your archive and click OK.
The next Window allows you to choose the destination for the file and to name it.
Click Save and your archive is completed.
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Archiving and Emailing
If you wish to send the archive by Email, start by clicking on File… Archive and Email.
The same process is repeated, but when Save is clicked, you will get the following
screen.
If you use Outlook or Outlook Express, your normal address book will be available for
selection of the recipient, or this can be filled in manually. Click on Send, and the next
time you use your Email program, the message will be ready in your out-box for
sending.
Restoring
Archive files are databases in their own right and can be opened by double clicking on
the file when it is received, provided the Doctor program has been installed.
To keep data together, an archive file may be restored into an existing database. This
procedure is used widely to keep a full record of ship’s performance at a head office.
Each month, the archive of the latest data is sent form the ship and restored into the
database at the head office.
Open the target database, and then click on File… Restore Archived Data command.
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Select the location and the file you want to restore. Click on the file to select it then
click on Open.
Select the dates you want to restore and click on Restore. The data will be added to
your database. If there is duplicate data in the archive, the following message will be
seen. You can choose whether to overwrite or not.
If engine details have been changed, either in the source database for an archive, or in
the target database, a message will be shown, advising of the differences between the
databases. Differences can occur if TDC position had been adjusted, or if any engine
parameter such as Bore, Stroke, etc. has been altered. The changes may or may not
be valid, and so choices are given as shown below.
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In the above example, there are several differences between the engine in the target
database and the engine in the archive. There are three choices given.
Button A will add a new engine to your database. This will be labelled Copy2 to
differentiate it from the engine that is already there.
Button B will not copy anything for the engine that has differences. If there are other
engines in the archive it will proceed to restore them. If they too have differences, the
same procedure will be applied to allow you to choose what happens to the data in the
archive.
Button C will update the engine details in the target database to match the details in the
archive.
In the case where the engine details are updated, it is possible to update all results for
that engine to match the revised engine details. See the section on Recalculation
below.
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4.6 Combining Databases

A simple way to combine databases is to have your master database open and the
archive file available on your desktop. Make the master database window small enough
so that you can see the icon for your archive database on the desktop. Then click and
drag the archive file into your master database. The correct ship and engine(s) will
automatically be located for your results.
If there are any differences in the archive engine details and your master database
engine details, a message will let you what the differences are (see previous page).
The restore function provides another method by which databases can be combined.
See the section on restoring above.
4.7 Splitting Up Databases

To split up a database, use the File… Archive command to create an archive of part of
your database. you will then have the same data in the new archive file (which is a
database in its own right) and in the original file. To finish splitting up the data, it is then
necessary to delete the data in the original database. See the section on deleting for
details.
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4.8 Altering Data (Recalculation)

If mistakes have been made in the engine details when setting up a database, it is
possible to retrospectively correct the data. First, double click on the engine you need
to alter to get the Engine Details window.
Note that for databases that have been converted from Pre-version 4 Doctor
Databases, this procedure will have to be followed to enter the Bore, Stroke and Con-
Rod Length for the engine(s).
It is possible to adjust most of the parameters, however the type of engine, number of
cylinders and whether V or in-line cannot be corrected. Changing the firing order will be
effective for future readings, but will not be re-calculated for existing readings. All other
parameters may be changed. Highlight the tests to be recalculated and use Edit…
Recalculate Sample to make the adjustment. The following message will appear, click
on OK if you want to go ahead.
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4.9 Editing a Sample

Samples may have a description added to them and a number of other options are
available through the same route. Highlight the test to be edited and use Edit… Edit
Sample. The following window will appear.
In the Desc box, a description for the test may be inserted. This will appear next to the
test in the database tree.
The selection buttons for Cylinders allow the data for each cylinder to be displayed in
turn.
The User Values button will display the user entered data for the selected cylinder.
The Measurement Parameters button will display the raw pressure, angle and volume
values for the selected cylinder. These may be copied and pasted into another program
such as Excel.
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The Graph button will switch the display to the traces screen with the graph of the
selected cylinder displayed.
The OK button exits this window
The Cancel button will exit the window and ignore any changes that have been made.
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4.10 Exporting
This is for special use only to allow raw data to be used by other applications. Do
not use this for regular transferring of results for review or correction. Please
see Archiving and Sending Data.
Data may be exported to other software programs for special purposes. The data is
saved in a comma delimited format suitable for opening in a wide variety of packages.
Select the test you want to export and right click on it.
Click on Export Sample and the following window lets you choose a location and a
name for your exported data. This data includes all the raw pressure, angle and %
volume data for all the cylinders in the test.
4-17
_______________________________________________________________
4.11 Password Protection

A password is set by default to lock up the TDC offset correction tool. The default
password is “doctor” in lower case letters.
If a password locked function is selected, the following message appears.
Enter the password and you will be able to continue.
It is possible to apply password protection to a number of areas of the program. To do

this, use the File… Change Password selection from the drop down menus.
This window also allows the password to be changed. Passwords are stored in the
database in an encrypted format, so archives and copies of databases will have
password protection as set up by the last user.
On new databases after version 5.10, password protection is applied to all items apart
from Defining Zooms and Selecting Displayed Scalars.
4-18
Chapter 5 – Report Generator
_______________________________________________________________
CHAPTER 5 - Report Generator

5.1 Overview
Reports on paper are often useful for sharing information gathered by the Doctor
system. A report consists of the following:
• A summary section. If the diagnostic capability has been purchased, the
summary page or pages will include diagnostics and optional status indicators.
• A trace of the Pressure versus Angle and Pressure versus Volume traces for
the entire engine
• A trace of a zoom on the Pressure versus Angle traces around TDC, with the
Derivative traces overlaid. For V engines, one of these is produced for each
bank.
• The Table of Results.
• The Bar Graphs of Results.
These last two items have defaults, but will include any items that have been selected
to be viewed within the database by the user. A sample report with diagnostics is
shown below. This report has 5 pages, however, the number of pages will vary from
report to report.
5-1
_______________________________________________________________
5-2
_______________________________________________________________
5-3
_______________________________________________________________
5.2 Preparing Results for Analysis

Automated diagnostics require the traces for a test to be in good condition and properly
adjusted for TDC position. Also, the ignition point for each cylinder must be correctly
identified.
Quality of Traces: Validity checks are incorporated and can identify readings taken
with the indicator cock closed, faulty indicator cocks, clogged indicator passageways,
and a variety of other conditions that can affect the accuracy of results. The diagnostic
routines will identify most questionable traces, however in some cases suspect
readings may not be identified. Traces should be checked visually to ensure they are of
good quality with no “electronic” interference, or no effects from clogged indicator
passageways or faulty indicator cocks. The traces should be smooth and free of
glitches.
Position of Traces: The TDC reference must be correctly set. If traces are not
positioned correctly relative to TDC, then the calculated power will be incorrect. Please
see section 2.6 for instructions on how to do this. Please note that TDC setting is a
service offered by Icon Research and is free of charge on new systems for initial
readings. Send an archive copy of your database to [email protected] for this
service.
Ignition Points: The ignition point for each trace must be correct for the analysis
module to work properly. The Doctor program automatically identifies ignition points but
the algorithm used can occasionally fail to find an ignition point especially if the traces
are of poor quality. In these cases the system will report the text ??? and prompt you to
enter a value. In a very few other cases the program may identify ignition incorrectly,
and in these cases, you should alter the value that the system has generated in the
Table of Results. Double click on the entry in the table and a new value can be entered
as shown below.
5-4
_______________________________________________________________
Ignition points can often be best identified using the Derivative or Rate of Change of
Pressure traces and by zooming in on the traces around the TDC area. Note that the
true ignition point on the Cylinder Pressure trace is the point immediately after the low
point on the Derivative trace.
When the Reporter starts, there is an option to enter an angle at which compression
values will be compared. With engines that fire after TDC, this should be 0° and for
those that fire before TDC it should be 1° before the earliest firing cylinder. If the
ignition points have been correctly identified, or adjusted to be correct as above, there
is no need to alter this value. If you think that the ignition points may be incorrect, this
value may be adjusted prior to producing a report.
5-5
_______________________________________________________________
5.3 Producing a Report

Reports are initiated by selecting a test in the right hand pane of the database window.
Once the test you want to make a report for is highlighted, the Generate a Report
button becomes highlighted. This button is the third from the right in the toolbar.
Click the button to initiate a report.
The tick box for Include Diagnostic Statements can be left blank for basic reporting.
If ticked, diagnostic statements will be included. A licence is required to do this and the
first time a report is requested with diagnostic statements, a serial number will be
requested.
5-6
_______________________________________________________________
Your serial number will be on the CD cover or memory stick that your software came
on. If you had your software delivered electronically, it will come in an Email to you.
Note that you may already have a serial number to enable downloading of data from
the Doctor instrument, but you should enter the new one to enable diagnostics.
The tick box for Show Status Indicators is now available. If this is ticked, you will see
the following window and you must click on OK to show you have read and understood
the indicator system.
It is possible to print directly to a printer, or to create a file in pdf format. To print a

hardcopy of the report, simply select the printer you wish to use. To create a pdf file,
you will need a pdf writer application such as Adobe Acrobat™ or similar on your PC.
If you don't have a pdf writer installed, you can install CutePDF Writer™ that is
provided on the Doctor installation CD. Refer to section 1.1 in this manual for
installation instructions. You may have to use the Properties button to select the
correct paper size initially to match your printer or the size of paper that you wish your
file to be on.
Note that you can add your own remarks in the User Comments box prior to printing
and these will appear on the report.
5-7
_______________________________________________________________
The centre section of the Report Generator window shows the angle at which
compressions will be compared at. For engines that fire after TDC this is always TDC,
however if your engine fires ahead of TDC, then the comparison will be made just prior
to any cylinder firing. This angle may be adjusted here if desired. Please see section
5.2 above for more detail. The More Info... button gives the following explanation.
After you are satisfied with the settings, click on Print and your report will be produced
and either saved as a pdf file, or printed out, depending on the selection made.
5-8

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Step-by-Step Guide for

This document, and the software and/or hardware

Icon Research Ltd acknowledges that various

New Features in Version 5.10 Software

CHAPTER 1 - Installation and Quick Start Guide .................................................. 1-1

CHAPTER 2 - Starting Off ...................................................................................... 2-1

CHAPTER 3 - Analysis Functions .......................................................................... 3-1

CHAPTER 4 - Database Functions ........................................................................ 4-1

CHAPTER 5 - Report Generator ............................................................................ 5-1

Open an existing database or convert previous version database or archive.

Download tests from the Doctor instrument.

View Table of selected results.

View Bar Graphs of selected results.

Open the Traces selection tool.

Opens a tool to modify the selection and settings of the scalars.

Display a Cursor on the active traces. (Graph Mode only)

Favourite Zoom buttons. (Graph Mode only)

Notebook tool for recording notes.

Reporter tool for generating reports automatically.

Displays information about the program and the registered user.

New Features in Version 5.10 Software

• Reporter Module added - allows basic reports to be printed or created as pdf.

• Diagnostic Analysis available - a licence is required to activate this feature.

• Default password protection for new databases extended.

• Extended range of pre-programmed user values added.

• Compatible with Vista and Windows 7 (XP Compatibility mode).

CHAPTER 1 - Installation and Quick Start Guide

1.2 Getting Started

2. To start looking at results, select an engine or select a test or range of tests in

1.3 Some Tips

CHAPTER 2 - Starting Off

Item Req’d Comment

Click on Save and your database has been created.

2.2 System Preferences

2.3 Filling in Database Details

To edit the operator name, use Edit… Operator.

Next, select Edit… Ship.

Next, use Edit… Add Engine.

On clicking OK, the next item is to fill in the firing order.

The firing order is entered by clicking on the

Note that it is possible to enter a sensitivity

Once all these

2.4 Downloading Data

2.5 COM Settings

If connection is unsuccessful, you will see the following window.

2.6 Setting the TDC position for the results

Enter the password and you will be able to continue.

Adjusting by Setup of TDC Pickup

Adjustment by Taking Motored Readings

In this case, a zero offset on a motored reading produced a trace which is in an

To correct the position, from the

Entering a positive angle will

If it is not possible to take a motored reading, the Derivative or Rate of Change of

Your results are now in good shape to be fully analysed.

CHAPTER 3 - Analysis Functions

Click on the button and the following dialogue appears.

An additional feature of the Traces selection pop-up facility is for V-Configuration

3.3 Selecting Tests for Multiple Engines – Fleet Comparisons