Mag-ic Probe WiFi User manual

Some users prefer to use a rice paper or other thin protective paper. You can also calibrate MAG-ic probe with
the rice paper inserted between the magnet and the probe. In this way the zero (0.00) value would include the
paper thickness and all measurements must be performed with the paper included.
You can also use the OFFSET function in the MAG-ic Probe Software to compensate for a thicker protective
cloth if required
MAG-ic Probe Device Overview
USB
Connector
Disclaimer:
Electronic Thickness Gauge
WiFi
WARNING !! - This device uses extremely strong NEODYMIUM magnets. These magnets can cause injury or
damage if misused. KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN!!. DO NOT OPEN or USE if you have a pacemaker or
other medical condition that may be affected by magnetic fields. The strong magnetic fields can erase computer
hard drives, magnetic access and credit cards, Use at your own RISK.
MAG-ic Tech or its owners neither assumes nor accepts any liability for damages resulting from the handling or
use of this equipment. With your purchase, the buyer agrees that he/she is responsible for all damages and
injuries caused by the use of this product , which include personal injuries , property damages and any other
damage whatsoever. The buyer must agree with the terms before using the product.
Pay special attention when using this device to measure finished instruments. The probe tip is fabricated from
Plastic and may scratch or leave marks on finished surfaces.
DO NOT DRAG THE PROBE TIP OVER FINISHED SURFACES!! To avoid scratches and marks, you should
slightly lift the probe before moving it. A good method is to lift the tip and place a piece of soft cloth under before
moving and removing the cloth at the new measuring location.
MAG-ic Probe uses magnetism to penetrate the material to be measured. A
probe is applied to one surface of the plate and a ball is applied to the opposite
side. These attract each other so when the probe is moved along the surface of
the material, the magnetic ball follows underneath and the MAG-ic Probe tool
will measure and display the thickness in both mils (1/1000th inch) and
millimeters (mm)
MAG-ic Probe WiFi is the newest variation of the MAG-ic Probe product line.
MAG-ic Probe WiFi features wireless communication to any device that has
WiFi capability including Smartphones, Computers and Tablets.
The device features -
• All in one construction - less wear & tear
• a USB connection for power and connection to a computer for use with the
MAG-ic Probe Software or to a battery for mobile use.
MAG-ic Probe WiFi is supplied with -
• USB Cable
• USB Battery pack for mobile use when not near a computer.
• 1/2” Sphere magnet
• 1/4” x 1/2” cylinder magnet
MAG-ic Probe can measure 0-600mils (0.6”) (0-15mm) using the 1/2” Sphere
magnet and 0-420mils (0.42”) (0-10mm) using the 1/4” cylinder. The cylinder is
used where access is restricted for example in violins, mandolins and violas.
Use the 1/2” sphere wherever possible.
1

WiFi
MAG-ic Probe WiFi Options
MAG-ic Probe WiFi has many options for displaying the measurements being made.
The primary design of MAG-ic Probe has always been to connect to a computer and use the
MAG-ic Probe Software to save all your measurements and measuring locations to a picture or
drawing of your instrument. This allows you to Save and Print the picture with measurements for
archiving or comparison to other instruments.
MAG-ic Probe connected to a computer
running the MAG-ic Probe Software
USB Battery
MAG-ic Probe WiFi MAG-ic Probe Display
Smartphone or tablet
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However, sometimes you may not need to save the measurements - maybe you just want to take
progressive measurements as you are sanding or forming a plate or maybe you are on the road
taking some sample measurements of that special instrument you want to duplicate. Or maybe you
are just “old school” and want to document everything manually.
In all of these cases, you simply need a display to show you the measurements in real-time. MAG-ic
Probe can use WiFi technology to provide those measurements on your phone or tablet or if you
favor the extremely simple solution then our new MAG-ic Probe Display unit will interest you.
See the MAG-ic Probe Display unit at www.magicprobe.net

MAG-ic Probe Sequence of operation.
MAG-ic Probe uses a sensor to measure the magnetic field strength of a target magnet, which
varies according to distance from the probe. The signal levels being measured are extremely
small and magnets are sensitive to changing temperatures.
Because your work environment may be changing all the time as AC systems turn on and off or
just daily temperature variations, it is necessary to perform a calibration procedure whenever you
start up the MAG-ic Probe. This procedure will try to compensate for changing temperatures to
ensure the highest accuracy.
PRO-Tip - Whenever starting up the probe, power it up and leave it to warm up and acclimatize
for about 3 minutes. Then unplug it and start it up again and proceed with the calibration
procedure.
No matter which method of operation you intend to use (MAG-ic Probe Software or simple
display), it is important to note that the probe initiates a startup sequence automatically when you
apply power. This sequence will continue even if you are not currently watching the output or you
delay getting the connection established.
The following is the sequence of startup and the output messages produced -
• MAG-ic Probe
•Connecting WiFi... (The WiFi radio is turning On)
•Webservice at 10.10.10.10 (MAG-ic Probe can be found at 10.10.10.10)
•Attach Ball (MAG-ic Probe waits for you to attach the target magnet)
•Please Wait 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 - (Wait while the probe reads the magnet strength)
•Remove Ball - (Remove the magnet at least 12” from the probe)
•Please Wait 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 - (Wait while the probe calibrates)
•Big Ball Detected (Successfully detects the size of the magnet found)
•Calibration Complete- (Calibration sequence completed)
• Attach Ball, Measurement Mode- (Attach the ball to the probe)
•Out of Range ! (Will display this until the magnet is in range again)
•0.00mm / 000Mils (Displays the live measurement or 0.00)
It helps to be aware of the above sequence because if you delay in getting the Serial COM port
connected or the Wi-Fi link established, you may miss some of the starting messages and then it
may be difficult to know the current step in the sequence.
PRO-Tip - Always power up the probe WITHOUT any target magnet attached. By leaving the
magnet off, the sequence will stop at the ATTACH BALL step above. This will allow you time to
complete the connections. Once you have the connection complete, you can attach the target
magnet and proceed with the calibration sequence.
3

MAG-ic Probe Software
MAG-ic Probe WiFi uses a sophisticated companion software that provides many useful features that allow you
to measure, document and visualize the object you are measuring.
There are 2 versions of the software available to download at www.magicprobe.net
Please watch the demonstration videos on the MAG-ic Probe Software page of the website.
MAG-ic Probe Lite Software allows you to upload a picture of the instrument or object you are measuring and
record your measurements and measuring locations directly to the picture. This can then be printed or saved for
future reference or comparison.
MAG-ic Probe PRO Software will allow you to take this a step further and actually produce a color contour map
of the surface you measured. This is a unique way to visualize the surface contour and is ideal to compare
different instruments at a glance. Many use this feature to document the progress of an instrument as the
surface goes though stages of fabrication.
In order to use MAG-ic Probe with a computer and the MAG-ic Probe software, the probe MUST be
connected to the computer USB port and the correct COM port number must be identified by the
following sequence.
MAG-ic Probe PRO
MAG-ic Probe Lite
Using MAG-ic Probe WiFi with a computer and MAG-ic Probe Software
4

USB Serial Connection
MAG-ic Probe WiFi uses a common USB driver to communicate with your computer. This
driver should be automatically installed by most Operating Systems.
This will list the Serial Ports currently
installed on your PC. Look for the
USB Serial Port (COM #) and note
the port number. If you double-click
this line, you should see a similar
properties window to the far-right
window.
If your computer does not automatically install the driver, you will need to install the driver
manually. In that case, please disconnect the MAG-ic Probe from your computer.
your operating system. It is best to use the Setup Executable from that page. There are also
installation guides available from that page to assist you with proper installation and diagnosing
problems.
Install the driver package as per the instructions on the FTDI Website. Once the drivers are
successfully installed, Connect the MAG-ic Probe WiFi to your computer USB port and you
should hear the computer beep and proceed as above.
Once you have the correct COM Port # you can proceed to open the MAG-ic Probe Software
you downloaded from the previous section.
In the software, select Port Selection & Re-Calibration from the Top Bar and select Serial
Port.
Select or Type in the Com Port # from above and click OK. If successful, the green “Comms”
light in the top-right should light us and the calibration messages should start appearing in the
When first connecting MAG-ic Probe WiFi to your computer, play
close attention to the monitor. You may hear a Windows Sound and
possibly a window similar to the one on the right. If it says the driver
is successfully installed, record the ComPort # as this is the number
you will need in the MAG-ic Probe Software.
Other wise Open the Control Panel and click on Device Manager.
In the Device Manager, click on the small triangle next to PORTS
(COM & LPT).
grey box at the center of the screen. If nothing appears, try attaching the magnet to the probe or removing it.
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Navigate to http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm and download the VCP Drivers for

MAC Serial Connection
/dev/cu.usbserial-6AD4BE
Please Note - The MAC software is provided for use but as Apple handle serial ports differently to Windows
computers, succesful connections can be tricky with different MAC versions. If you have problems try a different
USB port or try a powered USB Hub. The USB Drivers required and be found at
http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm and a troubleshooting document can be found at
http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/AppNotes/AN_134_FTDI_Drivers_Installation_Guide_for_MAC_O
SX.pdf
The below is provided for some basic assistance
MAC OSX does not easily list the available serial ports to the user or applications in the way that
Windows does. One method to find the Serial Port number is to use the TERMINAL application.
If the device is installed properly, you will see entries in the /dev directory:
/dev/cu.usbserial-xxxxxxxx
/dev/tty.usbserial-xxxxxxxx
where xxxxxxxx is a serial number of some kind. /dev can be accessed through the Terminal
application. The Terminal application can be launched
by selecting Go > Applications > Utilities > Terminal. Type the following lines in the Terminal
window to produce the file list:
cd /dev
ls-l
If in the list, you find usbSerial ports similar to the format above, please note or copy the entire string
for example /dev/cu.usbserial-6AD4BE
In the MAG-ic Probe Software, click on Port Selection and Recalibration and select Serial Port.
Select or type the entire line from above. If successful, the green light in the top right should light up
and the calibration messages will appear in the center of the screen.
6

Calibration - a Word about understanding magnetics
MAG-ic Probe uses magnets and magnetic sensors to measure the thickness of any non-ferrous
materials. This technique is very effective because magnetic fields can penetrate these materials with
no attenuation or deformation.
However, as with most technologies, some tolerance and knowledge is required for achieving the best
results.
ŸMagnetic fields generated by permanent magnets are very strong at the magnet surface, but
deteriorate very rapidly in a non-linear manner as the distance increases.
ŸMagnetic fields vary with temperature, even fractions of a degree will have an effect.
ŸMagnetic sensors also vary their output with temperature and suffer from internal fluctuations.
ŸFriction of the magnet on the material surface may cause it to not be centered on the probe tip
when moving the probe across the measured object.
ŸDust and surface anomalies may cause the probe to be off perpendicular with regards to the
external magnet.
ŸMagnetic fields are affected by metallic objects and even the Earths magnetic field can influence
your measurements.
Considering the above, and following the usage recommendations will enable you to get the most out
of your MAG-ic Probe. MAG-ic Probe is supplied with 2 magnets. The ½” ball provides the strongest
magnetic field and thus the highest resolution, and should always be your first choice. The smaller
magnet should only be used when access to the inside of a finished instrument is limited due to small
f-holes etc, for example violins and mandolins.
IMPORTANT - MAGNETS
MAG-ic Probe uses extremely strong Neodymium magnets. These magnets are brittle and can chip if
mishandled. Each MAG-ic Probe is carefully calibrated to the magnets supplied with it. a Large chip may affect
the accuracy of the device. The biggest cause of magnets chipping is when the 2 supplied magnets are allowed
to SNAP together or to steel objects. Please handle carefully. Best practice is to leave the magnets in the
storage case and when a magnets is required, hold the other magnet in place with 1 hand and use the tip of the
MAG-ic Probe to extract the required magnet from the storage case. Use the same method to replace the
magnet.
On startup, MAG-ic Probe provides a calibration sequence to detect the magnet size and to
compensate for small variations in field measurement tolerances like temperature and location.
This initial calibration is suitable for most quick measurements, for example when you are making a
few measurements during shaping or sanding and then re-measuring periodically. This basic
calibration can and should be repeated often if conditions change, by repeating the Initial Calibration
sequence below.
For more prolonged measuring and contour mapping sessions, see the Advanced Calibration
section.
7

Initial Calibration Sequence
In the MAG-ic Probe software, Click on the Port Selection and Re-calibration Menu and select Serial
Port
ŸSelect or type the correct COM Port # and click OK. The Green light on the top-right of the monitor
should light and the calibration messages will appear in the middle of the screen.
ŸIf you should exceed the measurement range of the selected magnet, the device will display an “Out of
Range” message.
ŸYour MAG-ic Probe is now calibrated and ready for measurement.
Once you have established the correct COM port number and have typed that into the Serial
Connection Settings box, you are now ready to do some measuring using the MAG-ic Probe
Software. Note that the COM port information should not change and once you have it entered
you can simply follow the steps below.
• Start without the Target magnet attached - If you missed the previous messages, the sequence should
be paused at “ATTACH BALL”
• Once you attach the target magnet to the probe, then 8 second countdown will commence and then
you will be asked to “REMOVE BALL”. Please move the magnet at least 2 ft away from the probe.
• This will initiate another 8 second countdown which should then successfully calibrate the MAG-ic
Probe.
• The display message will identify which target magnet has been detected and then the sequence is
complete. Place the magnet on the probe and the measurement in the top-left of the display should
show 0.00 or the current measurement.
8
For instructions on the MAG-ic Probe Software, please follow the tutorial videos
on the SOFTWARE page at www.magicprobe.net

ŸNOTE - It is not critical that the display should read absolute zero (0.00). However, in this case, repeat the
above procedure by removing and restoring power to start the calibration again. If after the second
calibration the device still does not display 0.00 but is close (1 - 3mil), continue with your normal
measurements.
Advanced Calibration
a More advanced calibration sequence is advised for prolonged measurement sessions. Temperature variation
is the biggest enemy of electronic measurement. Even the heat generated by a human hand will heat the
probe enough to affect your measurements. However, the maximum effect this would probably have on
measurements is in the order of 0.1mm - 0.2mm (4mil - 8mil). If this is important to you, please read on.......
When preparing for a more serious prolonged measuring session, such as mapping a complete top or plate
with many measurements, a two-step calibration sequence is advised. The goal of this 2-step process is to
only perform a calibration sequence, when the probe has reached peak operating temperature.
ŸPower the device ON either with Computer USB power or USB Battery power.
ŸHold the probe in your hand just as you would when doing measurements on your object. Your fingers will
transfer heat to the probe and after 3 - 5 minutes the probe internal temperature should be equal to your
finger temperature.
ŸNow perform the calibration sequence as before. This calibration should be performed with the probe
located above your instrument to be measured in order to closely approximate the final working condition.
ŸYour MAG-ic Probe is ready for use.
ŸIf temperature conditions change during the session or if you have to interrupt the session for a prolonged
period, repeat the above procedure.
Remove any metal from the work environment and within 3ft / 1m of your instrument. This includes
vices, bolts, tools. Look under your bench also.
Any ferro-magnetic material in the area can affect the magnetic field and therefore the
measurement.
9

Connecting the MAG-ic Probe to a Phone or Tablet via WiFi
If you do not need to save any measurements and simply want to display the measurements while you are
shaping an instrument or doing comparisons, the MAG-ic Probe WiFi can connect to any Smartphone, Tablet or
computer that has WiFi capability.
Introduction
WiFi is a wireless technology allowing devices to connect together in a network. Commonly in your home, your
internet provider placed a Router to provide your home with internet access. In most cases this router also
provides WiFi network so that you can connect phones, tablets, laptops and other devices like alarms, door locks
etc to the same network. This WiFi radio can also be called an Access Point or AP. This WIFi will have an SSID
Name” like “Jones Family WiFi” or “Spectrum C323FE34” etc. You configure your phone or tablet to join with this
AP name and you are then connected to the Network and in most cases the INTERNET. Every device on your
home network is identified by an IP ADDRESS, which is a set of 4 numbers separated by periods. These
numbers can vary but typically your home network devices would have an IP range like 192.168.1.1 through
192.168.1.254. Typically your router would be the first device and have the 192,168,1,1 address and your
personal devices would then have IP addresses 192.168.1.2 or 192.168.1.103 etc.
MAG-ic Probe WiFi options.
In the same way as above, the MAG-ic Probe WiFi can act as an Access Point or AP. You can configure you
phone, tablet or computer to join the MAG-ic Probe Access Point. Your phone or tablet will then be in a “network”
with the MAG-ic Probe and will be able to receive the measurement data from the MAG-ic Probe.
The following instructions are based on IOS (Apple) devices. Android procedures should be very similar as you
are simply connecting to a WiFi AP and then starting your Internet Browser app.
Connect the MAG-ic Probe to a USB power source. You can use the supplied battery or any available USB
power source like a computer or a phone charger.
The MAG-ic Probe automatically becomes an AP and assumes an IP address of 10.10.10.10.
This address is chosen for simplicity
WiFi
USB Battery
MAG-ic Probe WiFi
Smartphone or tablet
10

Power ON MAG-
ic Probe.
Go to Settings -
WIFI on the
phone and select
MAG-ic Probe
The phone will
try to connect to
MAG-ic Probe
AP
When connected
a check mark
appears next to
MAG-ic Probe
AP. You phone
has joined.
If you want to see
the IP address
your phone has
required touch
the info symbol
and scroll down
Open your
browser and in the
address bar, type
10.10.10.10 and
ENTER or GO
After a few
seconds the
MAG-ic Probe
page should
appear.
Attaching the ball
will start the 8
second
countdown
Remove the ball
at least 2 ft from
the probe
This starts
another 8 second
countdown
The size of the
detected ball is
displayed
Calibration is
completed
If the target
magnet is out of
range
Successfully
displaying live
measurements.
To repeat
calibration, touch
CALIBRATE
Note - This was the simple and
recommended method. Once you have
completed the measurements, power off
MAG-ic Probe and return your phone WiFi
settings to your home WiFi.
For advanced users - If you prefer your
MAG-ic Probe to join your Home WI-Fi, then
follow the instructions on the next page.
This is not required for most users.
11

For advanced users only!
How to connect MAG-ic Probe to your home WiFi
For most users, the procedure on the previous page is sufficient. However while your phone/tablet is connected to the
MAG-ic Probe AP, it is disconnected from your home WiFi. If this is not desirable even for the short periods that you are
measuring, it is possible to have MAG-ic Probe join your home WiFi. In this case MAG-ic Probe will obtain an IP address
from your home WiFi router. Then future connections can take place without connecting the phone to the MAG-ic Probe
AP
After completing
the previous
steps, touch the
NETWORK
SETTINGS
button
This displays a
list of WiFi
networks in your
vicinity. Select
your home WIFi
network
Enter your home
WiFi password in
the dialog.
MAG-ic Probe
will try to connect
with your home
WiFi
If the connection
is successful, the
message will be
displayed and the
New IP address
will be displayed.
Take note of this
new address. You
will need to type
this into the
browser again
after re-
connecting the
phone to your
home WiFi
Return to your
Settings - WiFi
page and select
your home WiFi.
This will return
your phone to
your home WIFi.
Now enter the new
IP address into the
browser address
bar and tough
ENTER or GO.
Note- your IP
address will be
different to this
sample address.
It may take awhile
for the web
browser to
establish a
connection with
the MAG-ic Probe.
If not, power down
the MAG-ic Probe
and then power
up again. Re-type
the new IP and
connection should
be established.
Ready to measure.
Future connections
should use the
same IP address
and connection
should be simple.
12

Usage Tips
Specifications
Measuring range (Large Magnet) 1 - 600mil (0-15mm)
(0-10mm High Resolution)
(Small Magnet) 0 - 420 mil (10.6mm)
Resolution 1mil (decreasing after 10mm)
Battery Voltage USB 5VDC
Power Consumption 10mA - 50mA
Contact Info
We welcome any feedback and suggestions. If
you have any problems with your device please
contact us.
email -
Phone [phone]
[email protected]
Accuracy 3 mil - 0.1mm
MAG-ic Probe WiFi is capable of measuring very small distances to 1/1000th inch. It should make sense then
that the probe should be absolutely square to the surface being measured and the opposing magnet. If the probe
is slightly tilted, the distance from the center of the probe to the target magnet will be slightly increased giving
rise to incorrect measurements.
In the MAG-ic Probe software, there is a HOLD function which can assist in ensuring that the current
measurement is the lowest measurement at the location. It is s good idea to use the HOLD function while making
small rocking motions at each measuring location to ensure the lowest measurement.
Please refer to the software tutorial video’s at http://www.magicprobe.net/mag-ic-probe-software-1/ for more
information.
Take care of the magnets, they are fragile and will shatter or splinter if allowed to SNAP together or to steel
objects.
Avoid major temperature changes after calibration. If for some reason there is a significant environmental
temperature change, re-calibrate the MAG-ic probe.
Depending on the thickness of the material being measured, it is possible the target magnet could “jump” over
reasonable obstacles like internal braces in guitars. This is not guaranteed and really depends on the size and
shape of the brace. You should know the internal pattern of braces and follow the easiest path for the magnet to
remain attached to the probe.
Remove any metal from the work environment and within 3ft / 1m of your instrument. This includes vices, bolts,
tools. Look under your bench also.
Any ferro-magnetic material in the area can affect the magnetic field and therefore the measurement.
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