ATS 1600 Series Owner's manual

System Overview
Safety
Setup & Installation
Operation
Maintenance
Computer Controlled
Series 1600 Universal Testing Machine

2
Fifth Edition, August 2009
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Applied Test Systems, Inc. The software described in this document is
furnished under a license agreement or nondisclosure agreement. The software may be used or
copied only in accordance with the terms of the agreement. It is against the law to copy the
software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the license or nondisclosure agreement.
Comments or suggestions pertaining to the contents of this manual can be sent to:
Editor/Technical Manuals
Applied Test Systems, Inc.
154 East Brook Lane
Butler, PA 16002
Information supplied may be used by Applied Test System, Inc. without obligation.
© Copyright 1994, 1996, 2009, Applied Test Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Windows®, and Microsoft®are registered trademarks.

1600 Series Universal Testing Machine
Instruction Manual
Table of Contents
Unpacking..................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Warranty ....................................................................................................................................................................................................4
After-sale Support......................................................................................................................................................................................4
Section 1. Safety .............................................................................................................................................................................5
For Owners, Operators, and Maintenance Staff........................................................................................................................................5
Warnings ..............................................................................................................................................................................................6
Cautions ...............................................................................................................................................................................................6
Section 2. System Overview............................................................................................................................................................7
General Description...................................................................................................................................................................................7
A. Specifications ............................................................................................................................................................................7
B. Load Frame ...............................................................................................................................................................................8
C. Personal Computer ...................................................................................................................................................................9
D. TestVue®Software ...................................................................................................................................................................9
E. Sequence of Operation .............................................................................................................................................................9
Section 3. Set-Up & Installation.....................................................................................................................................................10
General....................................................................................................................................................................................................10
Unpacking UTM Equipment.....................................................................................................................................................................10
Connecting Equipment ............................................................................................................................................................................10
Software Installation ................................................................................................................................................................................11
Updating Software ...................................................................................................................................................................................12
Attach Accessory Equipment...................................................................................................................................................................12
Accessing TestVue®...............................................................................................................................................................................12
Setting Hardware Parameters .................................................................................................................................................................13
Channel Set-up ..................................................................................................................................................................................13
Setting Software Preferences..................................................................................................................................................................20
Creating Graphs ......................................................................................................................................................................................21
Creating Reports .....................................................................................................................................................................................21
Pre-Set Information .................................................................................................................................................................................21
Options ....................................................................................................................................................................................................21
User Definition .........................................................................................................................................................................................22
Section 4. Controls ........................................................................................................................................................................24
Manual Controls ......................................................................................................................................................................................24
Computer Control Functions....................................................................................................................................................................25
Section 5. Operation......................................................................................................................................................................26
General....................................................................................................................................................................................................26
Creating a Test ........................................................................................................................................................................................26
Viewing Test Specifications.....................................................................................................................................................................32
Adding a Test Description to an Existing Test.........................................................................................................................................32
Positioning the Specimen ........................................................................................................................................................................33
Running a Test ........................................................................................................................................................................................33
Manual Control...................................................................................................................................................................................39
Section 6. Obtaining Results .........................................................................................................................................................41
General....................................................................................................................................................................................................41
Generating a Report ................................................................................................................................................................................41
Printing a Report......................................................................................................................................................................................42
Creating a Report ....................................................................................................................................................................................42
Opening a Report in Microsoft Word .......................................................................................................................................................45
Generating a Graph.................................................................................................................................................................................45
Creating a Graph .....................................................................................................................................................................................47
Zooming In On a Graph...........................................................................................................................................................................48
Exporting Data to ASCII File....................................................................................................................................................................48
Section 7. Maintenance .................................................................................................................................................................51
Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................................................................51

Preface
Unpacking
Retain all cartons and packing materials until the unit is operated and found to be in good condition. If
damage has occurred from shipping, notify Applied Test Systems and the carrier immediately. If it is
necessary to file a claim, retain the packing materials for inspection by the carrier.
Warranty
All ATS, Inc. equipment is shipped with a warranty. Units have a warranty against defective parts and
workmanship for one full year from date of shipment. See the back page of this manual for details.
After-sale Support
If you have any questions concerning the operation of your unit, contact our Service Department. Before
calling, please obtain the serial number from the label on the equipment. The label is shown below.
Serial number__________________________________

Section 1. Safety
All Applied Test Systems Inc. equipment is designed to be operated with the highest level of safety. To
maintain the safe operation of this tester, ATS endevours to educate the operator about safety issues
surrounding certain parts of the tester. These safety issues are addressed through the use of labeling on the
equipment. The following labels may appear on your unit:
Burn Hazard
Hot Surface
Electrical Shock/
Electrocution
Hand Crush
Force From Above
Protective Earth
(Ground)
European Directive CE Mark
General
Danger
No Access For Unauthorized Persons
Read Operator’s Manual
For Owners, Operators, and Maintenance Staff
Read and understand all instructions and safety precautions listed in this manual before installing or operating
your unit. If you have any questions regarding operation of the unit or instructions in this manual, contact our
Service Department.

6
In addition to the safety warnings listed below, warnings are posted throughout the manual. Read and follow
these important instructions. Failure to observe these instructions can result in permanent damage to the
unit, significant property damage, personal injury or death.
Warnings
The following statements are warning statements. Unlike caution statements, warning statements alert the
operator to conditions that may injure personnel. Operators must be aware of these conditions in order to
prevent injuries that may occur while operating this equipment.
Thoroughly understand the safety features and operation of the equipment. This manual will
provide operators with safety concerns and general procedures. Be familiar with correct operating
principals and use good judgment. Also refer to the appropriate manuals for system component
safety instruction manuals.
Do not put your arms or head above or below the moving crosshead. Be aware that hazards
may occur beyond the immediate testing area.
If necessary, stop test operation. In case of an emergency, use the emergency stop button on the
Universal Testing Machine base in order to abort test operation.
Set the limit switches prior to test operation. The limit switches prevent the moving crosshead
from exceeding the pre-set range. Set the limit switches just above and below the ranges set for the
moving crosshead.
Use the appropriate protective equipment when operating the 1600 Universal Test Machine
with accessory equipment. Oftentimes the materials testing is conducted using high temperature
ovens and furnaces. Refer to individual operating manuals for further safety instructions.
Use the software's safety features. Set conditions that cause the test to be aborted if the limits are
surpassed.
Use a protective shield to avoid injury caused by test specimen failure. When performing
materials testing, the force of moving parts may cause the specimen to break and possibly injure
nearby operators. Because materials testing specimens vary so much, it is the responsibility of the
owner and user of the UTM to operate it safely.
Perform maintenance procedures safely. Disconnect power before performing maintenance
procedures.
Cautions
The following statements are caution statements. These statements alert the operator to conditions that may
damage equipment. Operators must be aware of these conditions in order to ensure safe operation of this
equipment.
Use caution when moving the UTM. In order to prevent damage to the UTM, only lift the load frame
by the housing base or by the moving crosshead. Never lift the load frame by the fixed crosshead.

Section 2. System Overview
General Description
The ATS 1600 Series Universal Test Machine (UTM) is designed to provide a versatile, fully integrated,
modular testing system (figure 1). The system consists of a load frame, a personal computer, the necessary
hardware, and TestVue®, ATS’s Window’s based test system software. This system has the following
capabilities:
 Performing compressive, tensile, and cyclic tests
 Acquiring multi-point data during tests (such as time, displacement, load, strain, and
auxiliary)
 Storing batch and specimen tests
 Analyzing and summarizing test results
 Presenting test results on-screen or on paper
 Rapidly selecting and converting between units of measurement
A. Specifications
The load capacity of the UTM depends on the model:
Model 1601 1,125 pound tabletop model (5.0 kN)
Model 1605 5,620 pound tabletop model (25 kN)
Model 1610-TT 11,250 pound tabletop model (50 kN)
Model 1620 22,500 pound floor model (100 kN)
Model 1630 33,720 pound floor model (150 kN)
Model 1660 67,400 pound floor model (300 kN)
The following minimum computer requirements must be met in order to run ATS's TestVue®software.
-Operating System: Windows 9X or better
-Standard PC or Laptop (no computer cards associated with this system)
-Serial Port or USB Port
Specifications subject to change without notice

B. Load Frame
The 1600 Series UTM Load Frame is constructed of a base, columns, an upper crosshead, and a moving
crosshead. Other essential parts include the manual control console and the crosshead limit system.
The UTM base houses an electronically controlled, variable speed motor and low-inertia drive system capable
of a wide speed bandwidth. A zero backlash ball screw drive system operates the moving crosshead, which
can be equipped with various testing accessories.
A manual control console is located on the side of the load frame for manual positioning of the moving
crosshead.
A crosshead limit system is provided with both fixed and user-adjustable stops. The fixed stops are factory
pre-set to prevent damaging crosshead over-travel conditions. This crosshead limit system provides a means
for the user to set custom travel limits on the crosshead based on specific test requirements.
CAUTION: Before operating, set the crosshead limits in order to prevent load cell damage.
Figure 1, Series 1600 Universal Testing Machine (UTM)

9
C. Personal Computer
The 1600 Series UTM functions are controlled by Personal Computer (PC) operating in a Windows®-based
environment. During testing, the computer controls all UTM functions and collects the data such as load,
speed and displacement information, as defined by the user. When tests are not being performed, the
computer permits the user to control the load frame functions using the PC keyboard, mouse or functions on
the control console, located on the UTM frame.
D. TestVue®Software
TestVue®is a Windows®-based software program that allows the operator to easily control the UTM system.
The software provides drop-down menus, radio-button selections, and data entry text boxes for easy update
and access to information.
The software is designed to run on a standard PC/Laptop computer connected to the UTM. During operation,
the computer communicates with the UTM to start/stop testing, monitor test progress and provide data
collection and analysis. The software is organized, so all information required to conduct particular tests is
stored in the personal computer. This design allows software enhancements or new releases to be easily
added to existing UTM's without the need for hardware additions or modifications.
TestVue®is capable of controlling all aspects of the UTM motion and testing. Specifically, the functions
include those listed below:
Crosshead Control / Motion
Test Control of UTM
Test parameter setup and control
Data acquisition and storage
  Test analysis and reporting
E. Sequence of Operation
Below is a description of TestVue's®operational steps. A more detailed description is found in the following
sections of this manual.
Figure 2, Sequence of Operation

Section 3. Set-Up & Installation
General
The purpose of this section is to give directions for initial equipment installation and setup.
These directions include how to unpack and position the Universal Test Machine (UTM)
and how to setup the software before performing tests.
Unpacking UTM Equipment
To unpack and prepare the UTM for operation, complete the following steps.
1. Remove the UTM and the computer from the crate.
2. Place the UTM load frame on the floor or a sturdy table, depending on the model type.
CAUTION: In order to prevent damage to the UTM, only lift the load frame by the
housing base or by the moving crosshead. Never lift the load frame by the fixed
crosshead.
CAUTION: If a forklift is used to move the UTM, make sure the forks are far
enough under the base to support it on both sides. If there is not adequate
support, the load frame may tip, or the components within the base may be
damaged.
3. Place the computer system on a work surface near the load frame.
4. Inspect the system for damage during shipment.
NOTE: If damage is found or suspected, notify the shipping company and contact
the ATS Service Department immediately.
Connecting Equipment
The following connection cables are shipped with the 1600 CC UTM. Use them for connecting the
equipment.
 Main power cable
 Load cell cable
 Communication cable
 Manual control cable
NOTE: Make sure the cables are undamaged and free of kinks.
1. Connect the main power cable from the bottom right (back) of the UTM base unit to the power supply.
CAUTION: Make sure the appropriate AC power connections are available to the load frame, the
control unit, and the PC. The load frame and computer must be properly grounded. Make
connections to a surge suppressor or a similar line-conditioning device in order to protect the internal
circuitry of both the computer and the load frame.
2. Connect the load cell cable from the back of the load cell, through the clamp located on the moving
crosshead, and into the appropriate connection under the manual control console.