LUDLUM 4525 User manual

LUDLUM MODEL 4525
RADIATION PORTAL MONITOR
OPERATOR’S MANUAL
May 2018
Version 3.7.8
39653N08/39653N09 or higher
39651n31/39651n40 or higher

LUDLUM MODEL 4525
RADIATION PORTAL MONITOR
OPERATOR’S MANUAL
May 2018
Version 3.7.8
39653N08/39653N09 or higher
39651n31/39651n40 or higher
LUDLUM MEASUREMENTS,INC.
501 OAK STREET,P.O. BOX 810
SWEETWATER, TEXAS 79556
325-235-9432,FAX:[phone]

STATEMENT OF WARRANTY
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. warrants the portal monitor covered in this manual to be
free of defects due to workmanship, material, and design for a period of 24 months from the
date of delivery. The calibration of a product is warranted to be within its specified accuracy
limits at the time of shipment. Accessories such as computers, Universal Power Supplies (UPSs),
cameras, network equipment, etc., are warranted by the individual manufacturer, and are not
covered by Ludlum Measurements.
This warranty excludes the replacement of instruments, detectors, or parts that are
broken due to excessive physical abuse, acts of nature such as lightening, or used for purposes
other than intended.
There are no warranties, express or implied, including without limitation any warranty
of merchantability or fitness, which extend beyond the description of the face thereof. If the
product does not perform as warranted herein, the purchaser’s sole remedy shall be repair,
recalibration, or replacement, at the discretion of Ludlum Measurements. In no event will
Ludlum Measurements be liable for damages, lost revenue, lost wages, or any other incidental
or consequential damages, arising from the purchase, use, or inability to use product.
RETURN OF GOODS TO MANUFACTURER
If equipment needs to be returned to Ludlum Measurements, Inc. for repair or
calibration, please send to the address below. All shipments should include documentation
containing return shipping address, customer name, telephone number, description of service
requested, and all other necessary information. Your cooperation will expedite the return of
your equipment.
LUDLUM MEASUREMENTS, INC.
ATTN: REPAIR DEPARTMENT
501 OAK STREET
SWEETWATER, TX 79556
866-420-9732 325-235-9732
FAX [phone]
PORTAL MONITOR TECH SUPPORT 800-717-9506 (24 hours) or 325-235-9732

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................1
2. FEATURES..............................................................................................................................................................5
3. RADIATION............................................................................................................................................................7
WHAT TO DO WHEN THE SYSTEM ALARMS................................................................................................................9
FALSE ALARMS IN RADIATION PORTAL MONITORS ....................................................................................................9
4. INSTALLATION AND SETUP ...........................................................................................................................13
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS...........................................................................................................13
IP ADDRESSES AND PORTS........................................................................................................................................13
IP ADDRESS SETUP ...................................................................................................................................................13
RPM NIC CONFIGURATION ......................................................................................................................................14
TEST NETWORK ........................................................................................................................................................15
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION........................................................................................................................................16
DATA LOCATION.......................................................................................................................................................17
SHARING THE SUPERVISOR FOLDER..........................................................................................................................17
STATION CONFIGURATION -SUPERVISOR..................................................................................................................18
STATION CONFIGURATION -ECHO ............................................................................................................................18
STATION CONFIGURATION -DATA VIEWER ..............................................................................................................19
SUPERVISOR RPM SETUP..........................................................................................................................................19
POWER-DOWN PROCEDURE ......................................................................................................................................20
SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT.............................................................................................................................21
5. NETWORK COMMUNICATION ......................................................................................................................23
6. SYSTEM CHECKS...............................................................................................................................................24
INITIAL INSTRUMENT CHECK ....................................................................................................................................24
OPERATIONAL CHECK...............................................................................................................................................24
ANNUAL CHECKS......................................................................................................................................................26
MAINTENANCE..........................................................................................................................................................26
7. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................................................................27
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS FOR NORMAL USE....................................................................................................27
WARNING MARKINGS AND SYMBOLS .......................................................................................................................28
REPLACEMENT OF FUSES...........................................................................................................................................29
CLEANING PRECAUTIONS..........................................................................................................................................29
8. SOFTWARE OVERVIEW - SUPERVISOR......................................................................................................30
MAIN DISPLAY WINDOW ..........................................................................................................................................30
FAILURES ..................................................................................................................................................................32
ALARM WINDOW ......................................................................................................................................................36
SEARCHING FOR RPMS.............................................................................................................................................41
ASSIGNING RPMS TO A LANE ...................................................................................................................................41
SETTING PARAMETERS..............................................................................................................................................43
OPTIONS....................................................................................................................................................................51
SD CARD LOGGING...................................................................................................................................................53
CHANGING THE PASSWORD.......................................................................................................................................61
EVENT LOG...............................................................................................................................................................61

9. SOFTWARE OVERVIEW –DATA VIEWER..................................................................................................63
SEARCHING DATA.....................................................................................................................................................63
FINDING A SPECIFIC VEHICLE ...................................................................................................................................64
CREATE MDB...........................................................................................................................................................65
VEHICLE DATA .........................................................................................................................................................65
BACKGROUND DATA.................................................................................................................................................71
EVENT LOG DATA.....................................................................................................................................................72
DATA VIEWER OPTIONS............................................................................................................................................73
PRINTING REPORTS ...................................................................................................................................................73
10. RPM OPERATION.............................................................................................................................................74
CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS......................................................................................................................................74
POWER ON SELF TEST (POST) ..................................................................................................................................74
NORMAL OPERATION ................................................................................................................................................75
INSTRUMENT WARNING ............................................................................................................................................75
INSTRUMENT FAILURE ..............................................................................................................................................76
11. FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS .............................................................................................................77
MAIN ELECTRONICS (INSIDE MASTER DETECTOR ASSEMBLY)SPECIFICATIONS.........................................................77
INDOOR-MOUNTED COMPUTER SPECIFICATIONS.......................................................................................................78
DETECTOR SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................................................................................80
OPTIONAL SYSTEM ACCESSORIES .............................................................................................................................80
12. DATA ARCHIVING...........................................................................................................................................81
ARCHIVE/BACKUP PROCESS......................................................................................................................................81
13. TROUBLESHOOTING......................................................................................................................................83
TROUBLESHOOTING RPM-TO-COMPUTER CONNECTION...........................................................................................85
TROUBLESHOOTING COMPLEX NETWORK CONNECTION WITHOUT WIRELESS ..........................................................86
TROUBLESHOOTING NETWORK CONNECTION WITH WIRELESS .................................................................................87
TEAM VIEWER (LUDLUM QUICK SUPPORT) ..............................................................................................................87
14. CHANGES ...........................................................................................................................................................89
15. RECYCLING.......................................................................................................................................................96
16. PARTS LIST........................................................................................................................................................98
PARTS FOR REPAIR....................................................................................................................................................98
CONSUMABLES..........................................................................................................................................................98

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 1 May 2018
Introduction
The Model 4525 Radiation Portal Monitor (RPM) is a sophisticated system
with very sensitive gamma and optional neutron detectors for detecting small
amounts of radiation. The sophistication of the RPM provides the user with the
best chance of avoiding radiation. The RPM performs these functions with
minimal disruption to the normal processes of handling materials inbound and
outbound. Model 4525 systems are normally operated in a pass-through (or
drive-through) configuration with a scan occurring while the vehicle is passing
through the portal.
Several configurations are available. The most common RPMs are shown in the
photos below.
Model 4525-7000
Model4525-14000
Section
1

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 2 May 2018
Model 4525-10500
Model 4525-21000
The indoor wall-mounted Model 4525 computer uses software to display and
store data from up to four Model 4525 RPMs via a 10Base-T Ethernet
connection or 802.11g wireless connection.
The software is composed of the following components:
1. Supervisor Station –Responsible for communication and controlling
the RPMs. All installations must have one Supervisor station.
2. Echo Station –Provides a remote view of the Supervisor display.
There can be multiple Echo stations.
3. Data Viewer - The Data Viewer application can be installed on
multiple computers to provide the capability to view previous
occupancies and to print profile and summary reports.

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 3 May 2018
The software provides audible and visual indications of the current status of the
RPMs. These include radiation alarms, background failures, power failures, low
battery, and infrared failures.
The software supports a network-attached camera, which allows an image to be
captured when a vehicle enters or exits the RPM. The image can be set to
trigger from 0 to 9 seconds to provide some flexibility for various camera
mounting schemes. These images are stored as standard JPEG files and may
be captured for every occupancy or only for occupancies that alarm.
In addition to the software, an optional hardware remote may be included,
which has status lights and a reset switch. The hardware remote can be used to
reset alarms and view the current status when the Supervisor computer is not
available or located in a area that is not near the RPM. When an alarm occurs,
pressing the RESET button once will silence the audible alarm. Pressing the
RESET button a second time will clear the alarm. Holding the RESET button
down for approximately 10 seconds will reboot the RPM.
Optional system accessories include a strobe/horn, an external video camera in
weatherproof enclosure, and detector stand sets.
When a radiation alarm occurs, the Supervisor and any Echo stations will
sound an audible alert. Once the vehicle has cleared the RPM, an alarm
window will be displayed showing a profile graph of the occupancy, which
detector panels in the RPM alarmed, and a camera image if available. The
profile graph plots the background during the occupancy with the Y-Axis
representing the gamma reading while the X-Axis represents the length of the
vehicle. Vertical lines indicate the beginning and end of the occupancy.
If enabled, the system will determine if the alarm is a Naturally Occurring
Radioactive Alarm (NORM). NORM consist of materials enriched with
radioactive elements found in the environment, such as uranium, thorium, and
potassium and any of their decay products such as radium and radon. These
types of alarms are characterized as having a high background over the entire
length of the occupancy rather than the "spike" of a typical gamma alarm.
All data are stored into a Microsoft Access database. The following tables are
used:
Alarms.MDB –Stores all occupancy data including readings and
alarm status for alarming occupancies.
NoAlarms.MDB –Stores all occupancy data, including readings
and alarm status for all occupancies.

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 4 May 2018
Background.MDB –Stores background values for all active
RPMs once every minute.
EventLog.MDB –Stores information about the current status of
the software and RPMs.
The databases can be configured to be automatically archived at midnight to a
user-specified drive. During the archive process the free space on the hard
drive is checked. If the amount of free space drops below 20%, the archived
databases and image files are automatically purged beginning with the oldest
data first.
If the RCM4300 Ethernet board is installed instead of the RCM3700, the RPM
has the ability to log data to an internal SD card in the event that
communication is lost with the Supervisor computer. Once communication is
restored, the logged data is automatically transferred.

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 5 May 2018
Features
Visual and audible indication for radiation alarms and RPM failures.
Password protection for setting RPM parameters and software
options.
Counters for each lane display the number of vehicles, number of
radiation alarms, and over-speeds that have occurred since the
counters were reset.
Network camera supports either streaming or static images.
Ability to monitor lanes from remote Echo stations in addition to
the Supervisor station.
Data can be saved for each occupancy or only occupancies that
alarm.
Images can be saved for each occupancy or only occupancies that
alarm.
Custom site location can be printed on reports and saved to
database.
A serial number can be set up for each lane and saved to the
database.
Automatic daily backup of all database tables to a user-defined
folder.
Each lane can be setup to print a report on all vehicles or just
vehicles that alarmed.
Section
2

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 6 May 2018
User-defined upper and lower threshold value can be used to
display three user-defined watermarks on the alarm report.
Automatic purging of the oldest data if hard drive space falls below
20%.
User-defined caption can be set up for each lane and is saved to the
database.
View, print, and search records in the live or archived databases
using the Data Viewer software.
A pop-up window with audible alarm indicates high or low
background alarms or a problem with the sensors.
System status messages recorded to event log database.

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 7 May 2018
Radiation
Radiation in recycled material has become a matter of growing concern.
Whether the radiation is natural or artificial, the potential for injury and lost
revenue in the workplace exists. For steel mills the threats of multimillion-dollar
clean-ups, worker injuries, and lawsuits are staggering. For scrap metal suppliers
the expense of rejected loads and potential for worker injury is becoming higher
every day.
Radiation is an energy given off by an unstable atom as it decays. Many
radioactive materials, such as radium, uranium and others occur naturally and are
found in the ground. These and other sources of naturally occurring radiation
make up what is commonly referred to as background radiation. This is low level
radiation that is always present. We are all exposed to background radiation
every day with no ill effects.
The problem, therefore, is not in detecting radiation in scrap metal but detecting
excessive radiation in scrap metal. Many factors have to be considered when
attempting to do this. Background radiation is not constant. It is continuously
changing due to cosmic events, weather, and other influences.
1. The farther away from the source of radiation, the less you will be able
to detect radiation from that source. The measurement of the radiation
Section
3

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 8 May 2018
level varies as the inverse square of the distance from the source. For
example, a source of a certain size will read a certain amount at a
distance of one foot. If the distance is doubled (two feet from the
source), the reading will only be 25% of that obtained at one foot.
2. The more time the detectors have to look at the source, the better the
reading. For this reason, the slower the vehicle passes through the
Radiation Portal Monitor (RPM), the better the chance of seeing a
potential source.
3. The amount of scrap and its density play a large role in the detectors’
ability to see a potential source. The more material there is between the
source and the detectors, the harder it is for the detectors to see it. The
higher the density, the harder it is for the detectors to see it as well.
4. The larger the detector, the more sensitive it will be.
5. A well shielded detector will be able to detect smaller changes in
radiation levels than an otherwise equivalent unshielded detector. By
shielding the sides and back of the detectors, we are able to block out a
large part of the background radiation, thus increasing the sensitivity of
the detector to the small changes in radiation levels caused by a source.
When taking all of the above circumstances into consideration it can be
determined that the best way to monitor loads is to have large detectors as close
to a lightly packed small load that is moving through the system as slowly as
possible. Another factor to consider is that the system should be able to monitor
background radiation at all times and make adjustments to the alarm to keep it
as close to the background as possible without causing a false alarm.
Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) is a big problem. Oilfield
pipe, hot water heaters, and industrial piping will sometimes contain scale that is
radioactive. Most alarms are the result of NORM. Medical tests that use a
radioactive dye or tracer are yet another problem. Patients can be released from
the hospital reading several thousand µR/hr or less than 100µSv/hr, and set off
RPMs 30 m (100 ft) away. A third problem is that of radiographers and certified
welders who use a powerful radiation source to check their material or welds for
cracks. This radiation is powerful enough to set off RPMs 3 km (2 miles) away.
When installing your RPM, check with your neighbors and ask them to point
their source(s) in another direction.

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 9 May 2018
What to Do When the System Alarms
Note:
It is advisable to contact your state health authorities prior to an incident
of radioactive materials so that the steps required by the pertinent
authorities may be expedited in the event of such an incident. Additional
information and suggestions may also be found on the internet at
www.crcpd.org and www.isri.org.
The following is a suggested procedure; local procedures and
regulations may take precedence.
1. If possible, have the vehicle pass through the RPM again after resetting
the alarm. If the alarm is repeated, you will want to locate what is
causing the alarm.
2. Secure a portable radiation detector, and turn the instrument on to the
lowest range. Turn the instrument on in a known area, and make sure
that the background radiation level is normal. Also, check the batteries
to make sure they have a good charge.
3. Proceed toward the vehicle, increasing the range if necessary, to keep
the meter needle from pegging full-scale.
4. Circle the load slowly, trying to get the front part of the radiation
detector as close as possible to the load. Also, look for any radiation
symbols, or anything that appears as though it may contain radiation. If
possible, get a contact reading.
If you are able to identify the load as being a man-made source shielded with
lead, call your RSO and isolate the load. More often than not, the offending
material will be NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material). Your
company will need to decide what to do with NORM: whether to reject it or
hold it aside.
False Alarms in Radiation Portal Monitors
When one buys a radiation detector, it should seem reasonable that you will
be able to use this detector to warn you of any "bad" radiation.
Unfortunately, the radiation world is really about shades of gray, as you
soon find out. Especially with very sensitive equipment, "false" alarms are
generated and must be sorted from "real" alarms. This article, written by a
design engineer, is meant to assist with that determination.

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 10 May 2018
Knowing a little bit about how the portal system works is important. One
of the first things to learn is that there is a certain level of background or
ambient radiation that is present all around us. Cosmic radiation is one
source of this radiation, but a bigger contribution is from the dirt and rocks
around us. Single atoms of radium or uranium are scattered widely
throughout the earth, and are measurable with sensitive detectors. And this
background radiation level is different at different geographic locations
AND changes all the time, mostly due to precipitation. So the background
radiation level must be constantly monitored, and the portal system must
dynamically set an alarm point above this background level.
The second thing to keep in mind is the relative amounts of change in the
radiation level, as seen by the detector. For instance, consider the standard
portal radiation detector: a big "slab" of plastic scintillator, well-shielded by
one inch or so of steel shielding on five sides. A standard alarm point might
be just a 15% increase of background. When a large vehicle drives through
the system, the mass of the vehicle blocks some of the ambient background
radiation, actually reducing the radiation level seen by the detector by up to
40%. Most sensitive systems then have to dynamically change the alarm
point as the vehicle drives through, and look for anomalous "spikes" or
"bumps" in the radiation level. For right now, the point is that the amount
of radiation that we are looking for is roughly ONE-THIRD that of the
change caused by the presence or absence of the vehicle itself. Also, note
that the changes in background radiation due (especially) to precipitation
can increase the radiation level seen by the detector by 300%. So relative to
the alarm point, these changes in the radiation level due to vehicle shielding
or environmental changes are quite big.
That being said, the following is a brief list of the causes that routinely cause
"false" alarms in portal monitors:
1. Environmental Changes: Especially at the beginning of a
rainstorm, the background radiation level can increase by 300%.
Obviously, detection of a 15% increase during this same timeframe
may result in some alarms. The best recommendation is to pass the
vehicle through a second time, or base your decision on the best two
of three passes. Other than multiple passes, keeping the portal
system clear of vehicles and watching for a “stable” background
reading from the detectors is most likely the only helpful suggestion
to reduce this type of alarm.
2. Vehicle in Buffer Zone: If a vehicle is allowed to pull up and stay
close to the radiation detectors, then that vehicle may reduce the
background radiation level as seen by the detector. We have seen
reductions of about 15%, or very nearly the same as the alarm point.

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 11 May 2018
Therefore, if this vehicle drives off at the same time that another
vehicle is within the portal, the radiation detector sees the increase in
background radiation, and alarms. Our recommendation is for
vehicles to stay out of the 3 m (10 ft) immediately before, after, and
behind the detectors. Vehicles should only enter the buffer zone
while driving through at a constant, slow speed.
NOTE: Either of these first two alarms may be verified by looking
at the radiation profile of the vehicle. The first and last samples
should be very similar if the background radiation has not changed
while the vehicle was present.
3. Voids: If the scrap metal has been loaded unevenly on the trailer,
especially when dense bales are set on the axles with empty space
between axles, an alarm may occur when the radiation detector sees
the drop in radiation level as caused by the dense bale, and then sees
the increase in radiation level as the empty space is encountered.
Inspection of the scrap loading or screening with a portable detector
may allow this determination to be made. Our portal system can
avoid this problem if the bales are stacked on a flat-bed trailer, but
not if the bales are inside a roll-off trailer.
4. Driver with Medical Tests: If the radiation profile shows a large
increase at the very beginning of the vehicle, the driver should be
screened with a portable radiation detector to determine if he is
“hot.”This will not happen with X-rays, but with stress tests,
colonoscopies, and other tests involving radioactive “dyes.”These
radiation levels can be very big. A reading with a hand-held radiation
detector may be 1000 times the background reading. Such an
individual may be "hot" for weeks, with the radiation reading
declining a little each day.
5. Drive-By Medical: Many sites are located very close to a major
road, and the alarm may be triggered by drive-by vehicles with
people who have had medical tests. Again, because they are so "hot"
they only need to be within 46 m (50 yd) or so to set off the alarm.
Alternatively, a worker on-site will have a test of this nature, and the
alarm will be triggered intermittently until that worker is identified.
This kind of alarm may be very aggravating and difficult to diagnose.
6. Welds: Some welding rods are “thoriated,”usually containing about
2% thorium. Thorium has an isotope that is radioactive, and the
weld can thus be “hot.”This is also difficult to diagnose, but can be
done if the vehicle is surveyed with a portable detector once the load
has been removed from the trailer.

Model4525GateMonitor Operator’s Manual
Ludlum Measurements, Inc. Page 12 May 2018
7. Dirt and Scale: Some dirt and scale buildup has natural (NORM)
radiation, and can set off the radiation alarm if enough is
accumulated in the bottom of the trailer. Again, like above, the
cause will only be revealed if the "empty" trailer is surveyed.
8. “Spike”or radiographic alarms: A spike alarm, where only a
single 0.1 second sample is much higher than normal, is indicative of
either a software malfunction or possibly an alarm caused by
radiography. Radiography is used to inspect pipe or thick steel
structures for cracks, and thus requires high levels of radiation. Such
radiography can set off these sensitive portal systems from a mile
away. Some radiography is done in fixed locations, which is
unfortunate if in close proximity to your portal system. But it is even
harder to diagnose when temporary radiography work sites are set
up, and are gone before they can be located. The best diagnostic
tool is an independent radiation detector, maybe a handheld type
that can be referred to whenever the alarm is detected.
With all these possible reasons for radiation alarms, many users do have a
two-of-three passes procedure, and/or use portable radiation detectors to
assist in determining the location or type of alarm.