MICRO-EPSILON FSC1/7 User manual

Operating Instructions
FSC1/7, FSC1000
PReliminary

MICRO-EPSILON
MESSTECHNIK
GmbH & Co. KG
Königbacher Strasse 15
94496 Ortenburg/Germany
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
email [email protected]
www.micro-epsilon.com
Layer thickness measuring device for insulators on metal and carbon fiber-reinforced
plastics (CFRP)

FSC1/7, FSC1000
Contents
1. Safety ................................................................................................ 5
1.1 Symbols Used ................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Warnings............................................................................................................ 5
1.3 Notes on CE Marking ........................................................................................ 6
1.4 Notes regarding FCC Approval ......................................................................... 6
1.5 Intended Use ..................................................................................................... 7
1.6 Proper Environment........................................................................................... 7
2. Overview ........................................................................................... 8
2.1 Structure, Functional Principle .......................................................................... 8
2.2 FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Technical Data............................................................... 9
3. Delivery ........................................................................................... 10
3.1 Unpacking, Included in Delivery...................................................................... 10
3.2 Storage ............................................................................................................ 10
4. Initial Operation.............................................................................. 11
4.1 Dimensional Drawings..................................................................................... 11
4.2 Battery Pack..................................................................................................... 13
5. FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation.................................................... 14
5.1 Switch-on Phase, Warm-up............................................................................. 14
5.2 General Controller Operation .......................................................................... 14
5.3 Measuring Program Start ................................................................................ 15
5.4 Setup, Parameters ........................................................................................... 16
5.5 Adjustment of the Measuring System ............................................................. 18
5.5.1 General ........................................................................................... 18
5.5.2 Load Adjustment Table................................................................... 19
5.5.3 Managing Adjustment Tables......................................................... 20
5.5.4 Performing an Adjustment.............................................................. 21
5.6 Performing a Measurement............................................................................. 26
5.7 Statistics........................................................................................................... 28

FSC1/7, FSC1000
5.8 Measurement Data .......................................................................................... 29
5.8.1 General info .................................................................................... 29
5.8.2 Displaying Measurement Data ....................................................... 30
5.8.3 Managing Measurement Data........................................................ 31
5.8.4 Saving/Exporting Measurement Data ............................................ 31
5.9 Ending the Measuring Program, Switching off the Controller ........................ 33
6. Liability for Material Defects.......................................................... 33
7. Cleaning, Service, Repair .............................................................. 34
8. Decommissioning, Disposal .......................................................... 34
9. License agreement, software ........................................................ 35

Page 5
Safety
FSC1/7, FSC1000
1. Safety
System operation assumes knowledge of the operating instructions.
1.1 Symbols Used
The following symbols are used in these operating instructions.
Indicates a situation that may result in property damage if not
avoided.
Indicates a user action.
iIndicates a tip for users.
Measurement Indicates hardware or a software button/menu.
1.2 Warnings
Avoid shocks and impacts to the sensor.
> Damage to or destruction of the sensor
Avoid exposure of sensor and controller to splashes of water.
> Damage to or destruction of the sensor/controller
Avoid exposure of sensor to aggressive media (detergents, cooling emulsions).
> Damage to or destruction of the sensor
Avoid bending, clamping and tensile stress of the sensor cable.
> Damage or destruction of the sensor cable

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Safety
FSC1/7, FSC1000
1.3 Notes on CE Marking
The following apply to the FSC1/7 and FSC1000:
- EU Directive 2014/35/EU
- EU Directive 2014/30/EU
- EU Directive 2011/65/EU, “RoHS” Category 9
Products which carry the CE mark satisfy the requirements of the EU directives cited and the European
harmonized standards (EN) listed therein. The EU Declaration of Conformity is available to the responsible
authorities according to EU Directive, article 10, at:
MICRO-EPSILON MESSTECHNIK
GmbH & Co. KG
Königbacher Straße 15
94496 Ortenburg/Germany
The measuring system is designed for use in industrial environments and meets the requirements.
1.4 Notes regarding FCC Approval
The FSC1/7 and FSC1000 are registered under the FCC identifier: 2AMBGMEMW02, equipment class
- Part 15 Class B Computing Device Peripherals and
- Part 15 Class C Low Power Communication Device Transmitter
with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
If sensor and/or controller are modified, the FCC approval becomes void.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful inter-
ference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.

Page 7
Safety
FSC1/7, FSC1000
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more
of the following measures:
- Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
- Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
- Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected
- Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help
1.5 Intended Use
- The FSC1/7 and FSC1000 are designed for use in industrial and laboratory applications. They are used
to measure the thickness of paint and other electrically insulating layers on substrates such as carbon
fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), CFRP with metallic lightning protection and metals.
- The system must only be operated within the limits specified in the technical data, see Chap. 2.2
- The system must be used in such a way that no persons are endangered or machines and other material
goods are damaged in the event of malfunction or total failure of the measuring system.
- Take additional precautions for safety and damage prevention in case of safety-related applications.
- The system is designed for battery operation; operating with a charger connected is not permitted.
1.6 Proper Environment
- Protection class: IP 40
- Temperature range
Operation: +10 ... +40°C (+50 ... +104 °F)
Storage: -0 ... +45°C (+32 ... +113 °F)
- Humidity: 20 ... 80% (non-condensing)
- Ambient pressure: Atmospheric pressure

Page 8
Overview
FSC1/7, FSC1000
2. Overview
2.1 Structure, Functional Principle
The FSC1/7 and the FSC1000 are suitable for thickness measurements of dielectric layers on
- CFRP,
- CFRP with lightning protection,
- metals
- and conductive or weakly conducting materials.
The device includes a sensor (handheld module) and a controller (control and display module). The system
operates based on microwaves. No coupling medium is required. One measurement takes less than 2 sec-
onds.
Fig. 1 Sensor Fig. 2 Controller

Page 9
Overview
FSC1/7, FSC1000
2.2 FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Technical Data
Model FSC1/7 FSC1000
Measuring range 0 to 500 µm 0 to 1000 µm
Linearity1£ ±3 μm £ ±5 μm 2
Repeatability £ 2 μm £ 4 μm
Duration single measurement < 2 sec.
Contact time for surface temperatures < 40 °C
< 3 sec for surface temperatures 41 ... 65 °C
Resolution of the display 1 µm or 0.01 mils
Active measuring area approx. 20 mm diameter
Coupling medium no coupling medium required
Substrates (selection) CFRP 3, CFRP 3 with lightning protection, metals
Power supply NiMh battery
Temperature Operation +10 ... +40 °C (+50 ... +104 °F)
Storage -0 ... +45 °C (+32 ... +113 °F)
Dynamic tilt prevention ON/OFF, Parameters
Statistical functions
(with recording and data export)
Min., Max., counter, median and standard
deviation
Measuring principle non-destructive due to microwaves
Operating frequency approx. 24 GHz
1) Adjustment based on support points, distance from support points max. 150 µm, regardless of the film
tolerance.
2) from 500 µm: also depends on the dielectric constant, typically <±3%.
3) With woven materials at least one layer; with laid materials at least two layers with different angles of the
respective fiber orientation.

Page 10
Delivery
FSC1/7, FSC1000
3. Delivery
3.1 Unpacking, Included in Delivery
1 Sensor including hand strap
1 Controller including shoulder strap
1 Exchangeable battery
1 Charger
1 Sensor cable with push-pill latching mechanism
1 Box with calibration foils
1 Operating instructions and test certificate
1 Carry case
Carefully remove the components of the measuring system from the packaging and ensure that the
goods are forwarded in such a way that no damage can occur.
Check the delivery for completeness and shipping damage immediately after unpacking.
If there is damage or parts are missing, immediately contact the manufacturer or supplier.
3.2 Storage
Temperature range storage: 0 ... 45 °C (+32 ... +113 °F)

Page 11
Initial Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
4. Initial Operation
4.1 Dimensional Drawings
68 (2.68)
123 (4.84)
48 (1.89)
54 (2.13)
Fig. 3 Sensor dimensions, in mm (inches)
Active measuring surface sensor

Page 12
Initial Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
128 (5.04) 43 (1.96)
230
(9.06)
238
(9.37)
Fig. 4 Controller dimensions, in mm (inches)

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Initial Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
4.2 Battery Pack
Connect the battery to the controller with the con-
tacts on the upper side, see Fig. 5.
iCharge the battery before initial operation. The bat- tery must not be charged during measurements.
Switch the controller off as defined before replacing
the battery.
Replacing the battery: Press the latching mechanism on
the battery together and pull it out.
Charging the battery: Connect the battery to the charger.
The LED of the charger signalizes the charging process.
Fig. 5 Controller with
battery
The state of charge of the battery is displayed on the controller screen, see Fig. 6. The display will light up
green with a state of charge from 20% to 100% and red for less than 20%. The controller will display a warn-
ing message when the remaining capacity is 10%. The controller will switch off automatically when the status
display reaches 0%.
The status display for the battery becomes visible approximately one minute after the controller is switched
on.
Fig. 6 Battery state of charge

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FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
5. FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation
5.1 Switch-on Phase, Warm-up
To prevent temperature and/or drift effects, which can lead to incorrect measurement results, proceed as
follows:
Switch on the controller.
The ON LED in the upper right corner will light up.
Connect the sensor with sensor cable to the Sensor connection on
the upper side of the controller.
iBefore operation, the measuring system requires sufficient time to adapt to the ambient temperature.
LED On
USB
Sensor
On button
5.2 General Controller Operation
The controller can be operated using the touchscreen or the keyboard.
The touchscreen is “resistive,” which means that it can also be operated
when wearing gloves or with a round stylus.
iDo not use any sharp objects on the touch screen and the key-
board in order to avoid damage.
Keyboard: Use the arrow keys to navigate the menu.
ENTER key: Activates the next menu
ESC key: Return to the previous menu.
The numeric field is used to enter, for example, a comment for a mea-
surement or the name for an adjustment.
Fig. 7 Controller Keyboard

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FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
5.3 Measuring Program Start
After switching-on, the controller displays the start page, see Fig. 8.
Fig. 8 Controller start screen Fig. 9 No sensor connection
The connection to the sensor is established when the sensor’s serial number is displayed at the bottom of the
screen, see Fig. 8. The device is ready for operation.
If a connection to the sensor cannot be established, this is reported, see Fig. 9.
If the connection to the sensor is interrupted, e.g. because the sensor cable is removed, this will be dis-
played, see Fig. 9. Press OK and connect the sensor cable with the controller to continue the measurements.

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FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
5.4 Setup, Parameters
In the Setup menu, see Fig. 10, settings can be configured via the pull-down menus.
Measurement unit µm / mils
Buzzer output On / Off An audible signal indicates successful/unsuccessful
measurement.
Date/Time Time in the format hh:mm:ss
Date in the format YYYY-MM-DD
Trigger Button / Key 1 / Both
Settings for triggering the measurement. Button: Start
measurement by pressing the button on the sensor.
Key: Start measurement by pressing keys 1, 2 or 3 on
the controller. Both: Start measurement by pressing the
button on the sensor or keys 1 to 3.
Measure count 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 All three parameters ensure repeatable measurement
results. Measure count sets the number of sequen-
tial individual measurements; the mean value from this
automatic series of measurements is displayed.
In the Measure delay menu, a break can be added
between the sequential measurements.
Max Delta defines the maximum permissible differ-
ence between the smallest and the largest measured
value in the sequential measurements.
Measure delay 0 / 100 / 200 / 300 / 400 / 500
ms
Max delta 5 / 7.5 / 10 / 12.5 µm
Style Dark contrast / Bright contrast Display

Page 17
FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
Gray highlighted fields
allow for a selection.
Fig. 10 Setup menu

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FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
5.5 Adjustment of the Measuring System
5.5.1 General
The Cal (calibration) menu makes it possible to load, manage and create adjustments.
Fig. 11 Cal (calibration) menu
Load Calibration Select and start existing adjustment table.
Manage
Calibrations
Manage, delete existing adjustment tables.
New Calibration Create new adjustment table. The measuring system can be calibrated on various sub-
strate materials. Potential substrate materials are, for example, metals, CFRP or CFRP
with lightning protection.
ESC Back to measuring mode
iCreate a separate adjustment table for each potential material, because the measurement on CFRP with settings for metal may, for example, lead to incorrect results.

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FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
5.5.2 Load Adjustment Table
Switch to the Load Calibration menu.
Fig. 12 Data set selection Fig. 13 Data set details
Select the desired file and confirm with the Load button.
Once an adjustment is loaded, a window will appear with the basic information regarding the adjustment, see
Fig. 13. After the Ok button is pressed, the window will close and the measuring mode will be activated.

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FSC1/7 and FSC1000 Operation
FSC1/7, FSC1000
5.5.3 Managing Adjustment Tables
You can manage existing data sets in the Manage Calibration submenu.
Possible options:
- Del Deletes the selected data set
- Load Loads the selected data set
- ESC Back to measuring mode
Fig. 14 “Manage Calibration” for loading or deleting