Pbi Barocycler 2320ext User manual

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Barocycler 2320EXT

Pressure Cycling Technology (PCT)

Sample Preparation System

Operator’s Manual

Operator’s Manual Version: 2.4, June. 2017

Pressure BioSciences, Inc.

14 Norfolk Ave.

South Easton, MA 02375

508-230-1828

www.pressurebiosciences.com

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Notice

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Pressure BioSciences, Inc. assumes no

responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document. This document is believed to be complete and

accurate at the time of publication. In no event shall Pressure BioSciences, Inc. be liable for incidental,

special, multiple, or consequential damage in connection with or arising from the use of this instrument.

The Pressure Cycling Technology Sample Preparation System is designed for research use only and is not

intended for use in diagnostic procedures.

The instrumentation in the system described herein is covered by the following patents: U.S. Patent Numbers:

6,111,096; 6,120,985; 6,127,534; 6,245,506; 6,258,534; 6,270,723; 6,274,726; 6,448,065; 6,635,469;

6,696,019; 6,753,169; European Patent Numbers EP 814900; EP 924991; EP1112091, Australian Patent AU

745925; additional patents pending.

Use of the Barocycler 2320EXT Pressure Cycling Technology Sample Preparation System conveys no patent

rights, expressly or by implication, under any patent or patent application owned by Pressure BioSciences,

Inc., that covers the Pressure Cycling Technology Sample Preparation System, any composition, reagent or

kit, or any process. Specifically, but without limitation, no right, immunity, authorization, or license is

granted, expressly or by implication, for the process of Pressure Cycling Technology (PCT).

Software Modifications: The customer may not disassemble and recompile the software unless in agreement

with Pressure BioSciences, Inc. If there is any modification of the software by the customer, this agreement

becomes void.

Limitation of Liability: Except to the extent prohibited by local law, in no event will Pressure BioSciences Inc.

be liable for the direct, indirect, or other damages arising out of the use, inability to use, or the results of using

the software. The use of this software is entirely at your own risk.

Pressure BioSciences and Barocycler 2320EXT are registered trademarks of Pressure BioSciences, Inc. Other

company names and product names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.

means without the express written permission of Pressure BioSciences, Inc. Printed in the United States of America.

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Warnings and Safety Precautions

The following precautions should be followed to minimize the possibility of personal injury and/or damage to

property while using the Barocycler 2320EXT Pressure Cycling Technology Sample Preparation System.

Always Follow Good Laboratory Practices.

Use the System in a Proper Manner. Do not use the system and/or its accessories in a manner not specified by

Pressure BioSciences, Inc. If you do so, the protection provided by safety equipment may be impaired.

The System Must be Plugged into a Grounded Power Line. Ensure that all parts of the system are properly

grounded. It is strongly recommended that all parts of the system are connected to a common ground. Do not

attempt to bypass the earth ground connection. A serious shock hazard could result. Potentially hazardous

currents and voltages may be present inside the unit.

The pressure vessel hardware may be hot when operating at high temperatures. Appropriate personal protection

(insulating gloves or glove liners) must be used to protect skin exposure to hot surfaces.

The 24V DC power adapter supplied with the system is sealed and not intended to be serviced by the user. Do

not attempt to disassemble, service, or modify the power adapter. Contact Pressure BioSciences support in order

to get a replacement part if power adapter malfunctions.

There are no user serviceable parts inside the Barocycler 2320EXT housing. No user access is permitted

beyond the sliding door of the instrument. Do not attempt to open or disassemble the unit. Any service

beyond routine maintenance has to be performed by the manufacturer or other authorized service

facilities. Contact Pressure BioSciences Customer Service at 1-(508) 230-1828 or on-line at

www.pressurebiosciences.com to obtain a list of authorized service facilities near you.

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Table of Contents

1GENERAL INFORMATION 5

1.1 Warning Symbols 5

1.2 Overview and Theory of Operation 6

2INSTALLATION AND OPERATION 8

2.1 Powering up the System 8

2.2 Preheat the Barozyme Chamber 9

2.3 Loading the Sample Carrier and Chamber 9

2.4 Shutdown and Emergency Stopping 13

3Barocycler 2320EXT Software 13

3.1 Main Screen and Sub-menus 13

3.2 Advanced Features of the 2320EXT Software

3.3 User Management, GLP/GMP and Electronic Records Compliance.

4 Maintenance 23

4.1 General Maintenance 23

4.2 Confirm Quality of Compressed Air 25

4.3 Replacement and lubrication of chamber closure O-rings

4.4 Cleaning and Reassembly of Chamber Closure Valve 26

4.5 Contacting PBI Support 27

5TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE 28

5.1 Software Error Messages and Remedies 28

5.2 Hardware Troubleshooting 29

5.3 Sample Container Troubleshooting 30

APPENDIX A: Installation Requirements

APPENDIX B: Warranty 32

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1General Information

1.1

Warning Symbols

Notes, cautions and warnings are used to highlight certain operating procedures and recommendations.

A note indicates a special procedure, an exception to normal operation, or something else of specific interest

to the reader.

The following symbols describe the warning and cautions used in the operation of this instrument.

This symbol on the instrument indicates that the user should refer to the operating manual before attempting to

connect the power/interface cables and operate the instrument.

This symbol on the instrument states that high voltage or high current may be present when panels/covers are

removed. Any adjustment, maintenance, and repair of the opened apparatus under voltage should be avoided and, if

inevitable, must be carried out only by a skilled person who is aware of the hazard involved.

WARNING

The WARNING statement used throughout the manual presents dangers that could result

in personal injury, or in conditions that could cause damage to the instrument or the

reporting of erroneous results.

NOTE

The NOTE statement used throughout the manual highlights important information about

the instrument and its use.

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1.2

Overview and Theory of Operation

The Barocycler 2320EXT is a bench-top instrument designed for high pressure applications such as PCT-HD and

accelerated enzymatic digestion of proteins. The pressure chamber can accommodate up to 16 samples at a time in

PCT MicroTubes, or one sample at a time in PCT PULSE Tubes.

The Barocycler 2320EXT is capable of generating pressure up to 45,000 psi (45 kpsi). The instrument’s intensifier

amplifies air pressure to generate high hydrostatic (water) pressure. The air-water intensifier has an amplification

ratio of 450:1. Thus, every 1 psi of air pressure will produce approximately 450 psi of hydrostatic pressure in the

chamber. Water is supplied to the system from the Fill Bottle. A high pressure check valve (CV) separates the low

pressure section from the high pressure section of the system. System pressure and chamber temperature are

displayed on the software front panel. Pressure is read directly by means of a high pressure transducer. Temperature

is a measured via a thermocouple inserted into the wall of the chamber. Certain troubleshooting and diagnostic

functions are performed by the controller and error codes are displayed, should the controller detect a malfunction.

For detailed description of those functions and diagnostic error messages see the troubleshooting guide (Section 5).

The chamber closure features an internal check valve that is used to allow air or residual pressure to be purged from

the chamber.

Barocycler 2320EXT Sample Preparation System, front and back panels. Note that units equipped with electrical

heating option have plugs in place of Water Jacket ports.

The Barocycler 2320EXT is equipped with a built-in touch-screen panel computer running Microsoft® Windows®

7.0 Embedded Standard operating system and Barocycler 2320EXT software. The instrument software allows users

to input pressure (up to 45,000psi), pressure profile (ramping, waveform, or Barocycler mode), number of cycles and

temperature (see below for available temperature control options). The software is touch-screen friendly, but can also

be controlled with an external USB mouse. USB 3.0 and 2.0 peripherals can be plugged into the front panel USB

port. Most low power USB peripherals are fully supported when plugged into the USB port; however, peripherals

consuming high charging current (e.g., some Apple products, 3.5” external hard drives, etc.) require the use of an

appropriate powered USB hub and should not be plugged in or removed during instrument operation, to avoid

undesirable problems with data acquisition. The use of older (pre-USB 2.0) USB peripherals is not supported. Screen

cleaning can be performed by appropriate computer screen cleaning reagents when the instrument is powered down.

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Two models of the Barocycler 2320EXT are available. The Barocycler 2320EXT-EH is equipped with an electric

heating jacket for temperature control of the pressure chamber. Heating and cooling of the Barocycler 2320EXT-WJ

requires the unit to be connected to an external circulating water bath. Chamber temperature in the Barocycler

2320EXT-EH is controlled via the software interface. Note that units equipped with an electric heater do not have a

cooling function. These units can be run at temperatures from ambient to 95⁰C. When the electrical heating option is

installed, the –EH suffix is appended to the Model Number and two circular metal plugs can be seen on the back

panel. Units equipped with a water jacket have Model Number suffix –WJ and feature hose connectors at these

locations for attaching a circulating water bath. Heating and cooling of units connected to a water bath is achieved via

the water bath controller and cannot be set via the 2320EXT software. When connected to a circulating water bath,

the 2320EXT-WJ chamber can be heated up to 95⁰C or cooled down to as low as 0⁰C. Interconversion between these

two configurations is technically possible, but must be performed by specially trained personnel. Please contact your

local distributor or PBI Customer Service to learn more about the features and limitations of either configuration and

to arrange a conversion, if desired.

Barocycler 2320EXT Fluid Schematics. Water from the Water Bottle is pumped by the precharge pump through the

check valve to fill the system and displace air. The pressure intensifier extends and retracts to pressurize and

depressurize the system. A check valve inside the chamber closure is used to purge the chamber of residual air at the

start of each run, and to release residual pressure at the end of each run. Leak indicator tubes are attached to the

intensifier and the chamber to help troubleshoot potential critical leak points.

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2Installation and Operation

NOTE: The Barocycler 2320EXT must be installed by a PBI-trained professional. If the unit

must be moved after installation, please contact PBI for moving instructions. Any internal modifications

to the unit must be performed by PBI-certified service personnel. Such modifications include repairs and

conversion between electrical and water bath-based temperature control options.

2.1

Powering up the System

Barocycler 2320EXT utilizes external 24V DC 9.3A switching power adapter that supports power input

between 100 and 240 VAC, 50 or 60 Hz. Appropriate power adapter is supplied with the instrument. The

use of any other power adapters may present a risk of personal injury and will void instrument warranty!

A PBI field engineer or your local distributor will supply an appropriate AC power cord to match your

local electrical code requirements during the initial installation visit. Make sure the unit is plugged in to an

appropriate power outlet.

Press the Power button on the front panel of the Barocycler. The Button has a built-in Green LED light that

turns on to indicate that the system is powered up.

Wait until the system boots and logs in automatically into Microsoft Windows 7 Embedded.

NOTE: Automatic Logon for Default User is disabled on 2320EXT Software v1.3.5.1 and higher.

Administrator must set up user community. Default user cannot use the system. Non-default users

must have username to logon. Please contact your local network administrator to configure Windows

logon features accordingly. Enabling user-level security on the built-in computer will not affect

functionality of the Barocycler 2320EXT software. However, please be advised that PBI personnel will

NOT be able to recover a lost Windows user password once it has been enabled or changed – it is the

customer’s responsibility to maintain a record of the system password! If the Windows password is

lost, PBI will be able to re-install the operating system and instrument software to restore

functionality of the instrument at customer’s expense.

Open 2320EXT software by double-clicking on the desktop Barocycler icon or clicking the corresponding

shortcut on the Taskbar.

NOTE: Always shut down the built-in computer before powering down the Barocycler. Avoid

powering down the system without shutting down built-in computer first to prevent operating

systems issues arising from an improper shutdown. See Section 2.4 below for more information on

the proper system shutdown procedure.

WARNING: Improper operation of the instrument may cause serious injury to the user.

WARNING: Lifting and moving the Barocycler 2320EXT instrument require two persons!

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2.2

Preheat the 2320-EXT Chamber

Set unit to desired temperature and allow chamber to preheat.

If using a circulating water bath, set desired temperature,

make sure circulation is turned on, and allow unit to reach

the desired temperature.

If using a unit equipped with electric heating, press the

Settings button on the software main screen to open the

settings screen and set desired temperature. Return to Main

screen to initiate the heating. If desired, activate the Scroll

function (red arrow in Figure on the right) to monitor

chamber temperature on the graph during instrument pre-heat or idle operation.

While heating the chamber, insert the closure but NOT the closure pins so that the chamber is closed, but

not sealed. Heating the chamber to high temperature while it is sealed may result in a significant pressure

build-up inside the chamber due to water expansion, which can make it difficult or impossible to remove the

closure pins until the chamber has been cooled back to ambient temperature.

NOTE: Heating the chamber to high temperature while it is sealed may result in a significant

pressure build-up inside the chamber due to water expansion and steam, which can make it difficult or

impossible to remove the closure pins until the chamber is cooled back to ambient temperature.

On units supplied with the electric heating option, temperature can be set in the range between room

temperature and 95°C. Note that the 2320-EXT is not equipped with a built-in chiller. Setting temperature to

below ambient will not result in chamber cooling. Once the chamber is heated to the desired temperature, it

can take several hours for it to cool down. If more rapid cooling is desired, fill the chamber with cold water.

Replace water as needed until desired temperature is reached.

oUse appropriate personal protection when working with equipment or samples heated to high

temperatures. Protective eyewear and insulated gloves are recommended.

On units supplied with circulating water bath hook-ups, temperature can be set in the range between 0°C

and 95°C (depending on model of water bath being used).

NOTE: Avoid exceeding the specified temperature range of 0°C to 95°C when using external temperature

controlled option. Water freezing or boiling inside the instrument may lead to component damage and will void the

instrument warranty. Moreover, overheated water in the pressure chamber may result in a rapid discharge of steam

and personal injury.

2.3

Load the Sample Cartridges and Pressure Chamber, and Start the Run

NOTE: Only PCT MicroTubes or PCT PULSE Tubes from Pressure BioSciences should be used in the

Barocycler 2320EXT. Use of unapproved sample containers may result in tubes breaking and/or leaking under

pressure. In addition, fragments of broken sample containers may enter the fluid lines and cause malfunction of

the check valves that would require instrument disassembly and service.

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Load samples into MicroTubes as described in MicroTube Product Insert. Close MicroTubes using either

PCT MicroPestles (for tissue homogenization) or PCT MicroCaps.

oFor homogenization with PCT MicroPestle, place up to 3mg of solid tissue per MicroTube. Add 30µl

lysis reagent, and cap with a MicroPestle.

oFor liquid and suspension samples, place 50, 100, or 150µl of sample per MicroTube and cap with

MicroCap of appropriate length. Longer caps are used with smaller sample volumes to displace excess

air from MicroTubes prior to pressure cycling. Presence of a large volume of air will result in tube

denting under pressure.

Load MicroTubes into Cartridges as shown below. Space tubes evenly in Cartridges.

oIf running 8 samples or fewer, place all samples into one cartridge, leaving the second cartridge empty.

oIf running fewer than 4 samples in a cartridge, use blanks (be sure to fill blank tubes with water) in order

to distribute force evenly on the connector screw. Avoid using fewer than 4 tubes per cartridge as this

may result in bending of the connector screw. Blanks can be re-used multiple times.

Assemble Cartridges Head-to-Head (as shown below). Tighten the cartridge assembly so that the connector

is applying even pressure to all tubes (finger tight is sufficient, do not over-tighten!).

Make sure Cartridge End-caps are in place before dropping assembled Cartridge stack into pressure

chamber.

If necessary, pipet excess water out of chamber before inserting cartridges.

oIf water level in chamber is high (e.g., if chamber was previously run without Cartridges), the water may

overflow when the samples are inserted. This could lead to an unsafe condition due to wetting of the

nearby electrical or computer components.

Ensure that chamber has been preheated and has reached the desired temperature.

oUse appropriate personal protection when working with equipment or samples heated to high

temperatures. Protective eyewear and insulated gloves are recommended.

Insert assembled cartridges into the preheated 2320EXT Chamber.

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When samples are ready and Cassettes are assembled and inserted into the preheated pressure chamber, insert

the closure.

Make sure closure and chamber holes and recessed areas of the closure are lined up.

It may be necessary to press down on the closure valve button in order to fully insert closure into the

chamber.

Insert Closure Locking Pins.

Check water level in the Water Supply Bottle and refill if necessary. Tap or deionized water may be used in

the Fill Bottle.

oIf water bottle is allowed to run empty, air will be drawn into the tubing. In this event, it may be

necessary to prime the water line. See section 5.2 for instructions on priming the line.

Empty Waste Water Bottle if necessary.

oIf biohazard contamination is a concern, a disinfectant solution may be added to the fill and/or waste

bottle to disinfect water coming out of the pressure chamber.

Purge excess air from the Chamber by pressing the Precharge software button on the main screen while

pressing down on the closure valve button. The Precharge button turns on the charge pump for 4 seconds. It

may be necessary to repeat the Precharge operation until all air is purged from the chamber, as indicated by

the lack of air bubbles emerging from the chamber into the blue tubing.

Slide the top cover toward you over the

pressure chamber compartment until its full

stop.

NOTE: The instrument will not run while

the cover is open. If the “Cover not in

place” pop-up window is on the screen,

check the position of the cover, and then

close this warning window to proceed.

Select desired operating mode (Barocycler, Ramp or Waveform) from the pull-down menu.

Press the Settings button on the software main screen to open the settings screen and set pressure cycling

parameters. Note that contents of the settings screen will vary depending on the selected operating mode.

NOTE: Altering settings in one of the operating modes will neither alter currently selected settings of any

other modes, nor change the current run parameters if a program is already running.

To retrieve a previously saved program, press Load. Once the parameters are set they can be saved using

the Save key. A Save window will open. The default directory for saved parameter files is “My Documents”

(C:\Users\USERNAME\My Documents). Previously saved parameters can be loaded using the Load

button. All parameter files have the extension .pbi, although parameter files are instrument mode-specific.

For instance, loading a parameter file saved in Barocycler mode will change the instrument mode to

Barocycler and load the selected parameters into its Settings.

To run the pressure program, press the Run key on the software main screen. A Save File window will open

allowing the user to rename the system-generated pressure and temperature log file name (see Run Logging

below).

Activate Precharge while

holding down closure valve

button.

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During the pressure run the Run key will become the Pause key and the Stop key will no longer be grayed

out. When the Run stops, The Pause key will once again become the Run key and the Stop key will be

grayed out.

oA run in progress can be stopped at any time by pressing the Stop button on the screen. Pressing the Stop

button will stop the pressure cycling, depressurize the chamber, and reset the cycle counter and timer to

zero. Pressing the Stop button will NOT turn off the chamber heating.

oA run in progress can be paused at any time by pressing the Pause button. This will pause the run timer

and keep all of the parameters (pressure, temperature) at their respective levels at the time the Pause

button was pressed until the Pause button is pressed again. The run will continue where it left off. Note

that if the run was paused during the high pressure step, the chamber will remain pressurized and,

therefore, locked. The Pause feature should not be used to access the pressure chamber contents at any

time.

When the run is complete a window will pop up with the message “Run completed successfully!”

To open the chamber, first release the residual pressure in the chamber by pressing the closure vent button.

Note that the closure locking pins will not come out easily if the valve has not been opened, due to a

low level of residual pressure remaining in the chamber.

oRemove the Locking Pins and Closure.

oRetrieve the sample cassette from the chamber using the magnetic wand.

oTo disassemble cartridges, use the spanner tool to loosen the end caps and the connector.

Release residual pressure by

pressing the closure vent

button

Use Magnetic Wand to

lift cassette out of

Chamber

Use Spanner to

loosen End-caps

and Connector

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2.4

Shutdown and Emergency Stopping of the Instrument

During operation, it may be necessary to stop the instrument manually. Possible reasons for stopping the

instrument include:

-The system has to be transported to a new location.

- Power loss is expected due to Building maintenance or inclement weather conditions.

-The operator believes that the instrument is operating in a dangerous manner.

-Unusual noise is heard from the instrument.

-A large leak is observed from the instrument (e.g., fluid is observed on the laboratory bench or the floor).

-An unrelated emergency on site (e.g., fire alarm) requiring immediate evacuation of the facility.

To stop operation of the system and shut it down:

- Press the STOP button on the software main screen. Wait until the system is depressurized and STOP button is

greyed out.

-Press Windows Start Button and select Power → Shutdown. Wait until Windows shuts down and the

rectangular power indicator LED (visible through the small hole near the bottom left corner of the

touchscreen) turns from green to orange.

- Depress the main Power button on the front panel of the 2320EXT to power down the system. Unplug the

external 24V DC Power adapter from the wall outlet.

WARNING: THIS INSTRUMENT IS CONTROLLED BY A MICROSOFT WINDOWS®

COMPUTER. AVOID POWERING DOWN THE INSTRUMENT BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN

WINDOWS TO AVOID POSSIBILITY OF FILE CORRUPTION!

3Barocycler 2320EXT software

3.1

Main Screen and Sub-menus

Main Screen

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The Main Screen consists of the following controls and displays:

Operating Mode Selector (blue arrow): Select Barocycler Mode, Waveform Mode or Ramp Mode.

Pressure: Displays the current pressure in the chamber.

Temperature: Displays the current temperature in the chamber.

oNote that chamber should be preheated to desired temperature for at least 30 minutes before setting up

digestion reactions. Longer temperature equilibration time may be necessary for systems equipped with

an external temperature control option, i.e., circulating water bath.

Time: Total time elapsed from the beginning of run.

Cycles: Number of cycles completed out of total number of cycles set in the program.

Graph: Selecting this function will continuously display chart values, even if there is no run in progress.

Pressure/Temperature Graph: Graph of Pressure and Temperature in chamber versus elapsed time.

oRed trace: Temperature (scale on right)

oGreen trace: Set pressure (scale on left)

oBlue trace: Actual pressure (scale on left)

Adjusting the X and Y-axes(temperature or pressure scales). The scale of the X- and Y-axes can be

adjusted manually by clicking on one of the values and typing in a different value. For example, in the

Figure above, Clicking on the number 60 on the pressure axis (left-side Y-axis) and changing it to 40, will

cause the Y-axis to change from a 0-60 scale to a 0-40 scale (after changing the number, press enter or click

anywhere on the chart. This will adjust the axis to the new scale). Similarly, the time scale on the X-axis can

be expanded or contracted. Selecting Autoscale will adjust the scale of the axis as the run proceeds; so that

the entire run will be shown on the graph. Right-click on each chart axis to access the auto-scale feature

which can be toggled ON or OFF. Note: Autoscale feature must be turned off for manual scaling of that axis

to work.

Start and Pause Button: Pressing the Start button starts the pressure run. During the instrument run, the

Start button becomes the Pause button. Pressing the Pause button pauses the run and maintains parameters

(pressure, temperature) that were current at the moment this button was pressed until the Pause button is

toggled once again to continue the run.

Stop: Stops the pressure run and returns chamber back to atmospheric pressure (0 kpsi).

Load –loads previously saved protocol.

Save –saves protocol settings (mode, pressure levels, number of cycles, ramp rate, etc.).

Precharge: Turns on water flow from water source bottle for 4 seconds. In some cases, it may be necessary

to press the Precharge button more than once to fully purge the air from the chamber. Repeat the Precharge

procedure until no more air bubbles appear in eth blue tubing on the side of the pressure chamber. Let go of

the closure vent button before the Precharge pump stops to pre-pressurize the chamber. Positive pressure up

to 100 psi created by the Precharge pump ensures that the closure valve seals properly.

Service: Opens Service Screen.

oAbout – leads to an information screen that reports the software version installed on the system.

oContact - Clicking this button will take you to the Pressure BioSciences website. Enter “Product

Information” in the subject line. Please provide your name and email address, as well as a brief

description of your question or problem.

oThe Service screen also has several password-protected functions, including user management features

and system-wide settings, such as changing the pressure units, adjustment of thermocouple parameters,

and calibration of the pressure transducer output and pressure display. Some of the features that can be

accessed from the Service Screen are described in more detail in section 3.2.

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oManual – For manual control of the pressure intensifier, see Advanced Features of the 2320EXT

Software (section 3.2).

The Settings screen is used to set the pressure run parameters such as the pressure level, number of

cycles, temperature, etc. The Settings sub-menu is dynamically changed depending on the instrument

Mode selected.

Barocycler Mode Settings: In Barocycler mode, the

pressure profile is a square wave. The high-pressure level

can be set between 5 kpsi and 45 kpsi. Between

pressurizations, the chamber pressure will drop to “0 kpsi”

(i.e., ambient pressure).

Temperature –set the desired temperature for the pressure run.

Allow unit at least 30 minutes to reach the desired temperature.

(Accessible only on units with built-in electric heating option).

Pressure –high pressure level (5-45 kpsi).

On Time –the time (in seconds) system maintains high pressure during each pressure cycle.

Off Time –the time (in seconds) system maintains atmospheric pressure during each pressure cycle.

Cycles –the number of pressure cycles per run.

Ramp Mode Settings: Ramp Mode is a flexible application that gives users fine-tuned control of chamber

pressure over time using a table or graph interface.

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oGraph: Graphical editor offers an ability to draw the pressure profile on the touch screen. Inflection

points can be placed on the graph by tapping the screen at appropriate places. Software will interpret the

coordinates of the taps approximately. If more accuracy is desired, values for each point in the graph can

be edited using the Table feature accessible via the button in the top right corner of the graph.

oTable: To design the ramp pressure profile, set the time and pressure conditions by typing the values

into the table.

Time (h:mm:ss) and pressure

Set the time to reach the desired pressure. In the example below, the chamber is set to ramp

from 0 kpsi to 20 kpsi in 1 minute (i.e., the ramp is 20,000 psi per minute). Note that the time

values in the table also show tenths of a second. The tenths are optional, but can also be entered

into a program using a decimal point as a separator. If no separators are used, the integer values

are interpreted as seconds and parsed into a hh:mm:ss format, i.e., 312 = 00:05:12.0

Duplicate time values are not allowed in the Ramp mode program. The time values entered are

additive. The software will warn you if you have entered an invalid ramp pattern and you will

be unable to save the pattern until corrected.

Multiple ramp steps can be programmed during a single Ramp Mode run. Set the ramp conditions (as

described above) to reach a first pressure, then set conditions to ramp from the first pressure to a second

pressure, third pressure, etc. At each step, after the desired pressure is reached, it can be held steady for

the desired amount of time (see example below).

Time (h:mm:ss)

Pressure

(kpsi)

Explanation of step