ai-phase mobile M3 type1 User manual

Outstanding Features
Ai-Phase family is an overall measuring system for thermal properties of all materials from insulators to metals. Ai-
phase mobile product line are high-performance machines full of originality, designed under 9 concepts as follows:
󲻌
1. Wide temperature wave frequency from 0.001Hz to 2 kHz 
2. High Speed Response Sensor and Heater in-house development
3. Thin and/or Small sample μｍ, mg order
4. Short measuring time several minutes order
5. Compact size and light weight easy hand caring and transportation
( delivery service shipping and repair)
6. Easy maintenance units are easily changed for new one
7. Without experience full automatic, user friendly software
8. Saving energy design USB bus power - drive
9. ISO standardized method ISO22007-3 and -6
󰼉ai-phase mobile M3 type1
Overview of commercial appaltus

1 : Let’s start 
Please connect
Main Amplifier,
Sample Holder,
Power supply by USB
and PC
then
Switch on
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Precautions for handling of Type 1
• In principle, Type1 machine has specifications suitable
for measurement at room temperature.
• Power is supplied when connected via USB, so no
power connection is required.
• The orange protective ring prevents the sensor from being
damaged due to the arm falling. Remove it.
• Lift the arm by hand and slowly move it to the other side．
Slowly when lowering, too.

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sensor
Arm(
stopper
heater
Thickness(
meter
The(black(dot(in(the(center(is(the(sensor.
0.5x0.2mm

Set up of device
• M3 type1 is driven by a USB bus power.
• However, if you do not use temperature controller, it will work
only with USB bus power.
• The arm stopper may be used at the shipment to avoid trouble
during transportation.
• (Note) If the red lamp is lit, it means that the arm has
stopped at a certain distance.
• Turn the dial as clockwise and lower the arm until the LED
lamp goes out.
• The liquid crystal display on the main unit is as shown on the
left.
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Launching the software
• (2) Connect the main unit to a PC with a USB cable.
• (3) Switch on the power of the device.
• (4) Open the EXE file in the main folder. The measurement
screen(auto mode) appears.
• (5) The LCD screen of the main unit changes to “tc_get”.
(6) Hold for 10 minutes or more for warming up.
The driver is on the DVD. Please install if necessary.
Reset of this device with the power button.
USB port recognition differs depending on the PC model and Windows type.
Details are on the next page.
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Baseline check before start 
（manual mode)
• Check the temperature setting. Press the “manual mode” .
• Put a weight on the tip of the arm.
• Measure under conditions of described in this figure.
Press the “start” button.
• The upper plots is the amplitude(arbitrary unit, log scale)
and the lower is the phase(deg.) described as a function of
frequency.
• At this time, make sure that it matches the baseline (solid
line). If even one point does not match, cleanup the
surface of the electrodes and try again.
• If they still do not match, refer to chapter 5 and 4.
• This procedure also serves as a warm-up, be sure to
execute it when starting up.
• You can stop in the intermediate of measurement.
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6
Defined((from4(to(400Hz

Initial Parameters of automatic
measurement for this device
Open the option column and choice “StratUp”
This is the initial set of parameters of auto measurement.
PhaseLag1, 2 are important for automatic measurements.
Lag1=170-200, Lag2=210-240
Fine adjustment becomes necessary when heat diffuses in the
plane direction, such as the oriented or heat conductive sample.
If the start frequency is changed depending on the sample, the
measurement time may be shortened.
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Device check (auto mode)
• (1) Zero reset have to perform without sample.
• (2) Place a weight on the tip of the arm to close contact.
 100g for normal, 50g or not use for soft material.
• Be sure to remove the weight when raising the arm.
• (3) Push down the left pedal and the arm will rise slowly.
Insert the sample and release your finger. Or lift the arm by
hand and slowly move it to the other side．
• (4)Set the sample in the center black part.
• (5) Put the weight on again．
• (6) Wait for about 10 seconds until it stabilizes.
• (7) Press the auto mode and press the start button.
• (8) You will be notified by sound when the measurement is
complete.
• The standard sample of this device is attached
• PI (Kapton500H) film of 0.125 mm.
• Diffusivity is ca.1.18x10-7 (room temperature ) ,
• 
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Test(data(for(zirconia(500(plate(
The frequency, actual frequency, and amplitude of Lag1 and Lag2 are shown respectively.
The sensor sensitivity depends on the temperature, but the amplitude is proper around 1000.
First, measure the attached zirconia plate in auto mode.
The thickness is exactly 500 microns. The slight
deviation is due to the deformation of the PET
protective film, etc. Also, since it is a differential
transformer system, it may change over time due to
changes in the environmental temperature. It fluctuates
between 495-505 as a 1% error.
The thickness can also be entered manually. You can
lock it, for example by using a micrometer value.
Make sure that the plot is linear on the screen during
zirconia measurement and that the calculated thermal
diffusivity is around 1.15 to 1.24x10-6m2S-1. The
solid black line is the baseline value of the blank,
which is the phase lag (device constant) derived from
the sensor, heater, interface resistance, protective
film, etc.
After turning on the power, it will automatically
become the default baseline. 

2. Screen of software
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You(can(also(use(a(sound(to(indicate(during(the(measurement.(ai-phase(sound(signals(
the(progress(and(completion(of(the(plot.(This(is(the(work(of(Kunihiro(Kawano,(a(
composer(who(is(also(a(founding(member(of(our(company.

Data table
Integral time for measurement
Limit of applied voltage
Zero reset thickness* lock(check)
Measured diffusivity
Calculated conductivity α・Cp
Relaxation time from the gradient
= measured value
α= (thickness)2/ τ
* you can write arbitrary value
Upper Measurement status
Middle Density* Specific heat* from keyboard
Lower You can write comments at any time
Software screen Auto mode
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Measurement status
Color selection of plots
Choice of automatic or manual
Push for start

Auto measurement parameters
IntegTime normally 5sec 50sec used low frequency.
Start Freq. Free. Depends on the baseline type.
AmpMin  The voltage automatically increased up to this limit.
PhaseLag1 Gives low frequency phase. Ex 190 (170-200)
PhaseLag2 Gives high frequency phase. Ex 230 (210-240)
Retry normally 10
FreqStep automatically increased if necessary
StartVolt normally, 1V, automatically increase if necessary
LimitVolt limit voltage in automatically increase
TWG Check to keep the micro heater on all the time.
Logging FileName the file name of the auto log.
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USB port

Configration 
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Not used in M3 type1
Baseline
fitting parameters Usually 0,
60 for thick samples
Baseline function
Thickness gauge

Parameters in Manual Measurement
• Manual measurements are essential for baseline
measurements. In addition, the number of integrations is larger
and the accuracy is improved compared to automatic
measurement.
• The initial settings of this device are as shown on the left. Two
frequencies specified by Auto are entered, and it can be freely
determined based on 1.2V, 20 divisions and 20 seconds of
“Integ.” time.
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Preparation of reference materials
• There is no authorize standard material for thermal diffusivity.
We use zirconia 500 microns (manufactured by Mitsutoyo), 
which has a stable thickness as standard.
The thermal diffusivity is about 1.18X10-6m2s-1 around
room temperature.
• We recommend that you decide on your own standard sample
and judge by comparing with these standards．
Examples(room temperature)
Glass 〜4.5〜x10-7 m2s-1
Polyimide Kapton 1.0-1.2x10-7m2s-1
For thickness calibration
Steel thickness gauge 0.1mm, 1mm etc.
PI film of 7.5, 25, 50, 75,125 micron meter.
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3: Thickness Gauge 
First, press the zero point.
Second, insert the standard sample
and press the auto button.
Check the thickness.
If there is a difference of 1% or
more, adjust according to the
following procedure.
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Arm stopper󰲶󰲶for keeping constant distance
• The arm stopper acts as a spacer that provides a gap between
the micro heater and the sensor.
• This is applied to the measurement of liquid, powder and
molten samples.
• Turning the dial clockwise lowers the stopper (reduces the
gap) and raises it counterclockwise (larger gap).
• It is about 0.5 mm with one rotation of the dial.
• When the arm and stopper come into contact, the lamp lights
up and the gap is fixed. The height is measured with the
thickness gauge of the main body
• At the end of measurement, raise the arm, turn on the
lamp, and then turn off the power. You can prevent
damage due to collision during transportation.
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Gap
Red LED lights up
during operation

4: Sampling and Measurement
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Sensor(size(
(0.5x0.2mm

Precautions for data acquisition
• 30 minutes after turning on the power. Temperature field
instability due to initial heat generation
• Confirmation of baseline Measurement and replacement under
the conditions of use.
• Adjust the film thickness gauge firmly, because there is a drift.
• Carefully pinch dust, surface scratches, sample warp
• 10 seconds after sandwiching the sample and probe to avoid a
creep phenomenon.
• Thermal diffusivity measurement uses the thickness measured
last
• Measured 3 times without changing the placement conditions
at all. Confirmation of stability
• Measurements least 10 times in one sample, and the prospect
of 30 times for precise measurement.
• Exclude data that deviates significantly from the average and
do not add it to the average calculation.
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Sample setting
• Cleaning the sample surface
And apply a very thin layer of grease on both sides．
• Lower the arm without sample and take the zero point.
• Place the sample so that it contacts the sensor (black dot)
Put the weight on the tip of the arm．
• Set to auto mode and press the start button.
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