RTI Cobia User manual

Reference Manual - English - v2016.12A
Cobia
RTI article number: 4760.001206

Welcome to the Cobia
The Cobia is an X-ray Analyser/Multimeter for
everybody working with Quality Assurance and
Service of X-ray systems.

Version 2016.12A
NOTICE
Microsoft, Windows, Win32, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
BLUETOOTH is a trademark owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., USA.
Notice
RTI Electronics Inc.
33 Jacksonville Road, Bldg. 1,
Towaco, NJ 07082,
USA
Phone: [phone] (Toll free)
Int. [phone]
Fax: Int. [phone]
E-mail
Sales: [e-mail]
Support: [e-mail]
Service: [e-mail]
Contact Information -
United States
RTI Group AB reserves all rights to make changes in the Cobia and the
information in this document without prior notice.
RTI Group AB assumes no responsibility for any errors or consequential
damages that may result from the use or misinterpretation of any information
contained in this document.
Copyright © 2014-2016 by RTI Group AB. All rights reserved.
Content of this document may not be reproduced for any other purpose than
supporting the use of the product without prior permission from RTI Group AB.
RTI Group AB
Flöjelbergsgatan 8 C
SE-431 37 MÖLNDAL
Sweden
Phone: Int. [phone]
E-mail
Sales: [e-mail]
Support: [e-mail]
Service: [e-mail]
Contact Information -
World Headquarters
http://www.rtigroup.comWeb site: Web site: http://www.rtigroup.com
III
Cobia - Reference Manual

Cobia - Reference Manual
Intended Use of the Cobia System
Accessory to diagnostic X-ray equipment to be used as an electrometer. Together with external
probes it is to be used for independent service and quality control, as well as measurements of
kerma, kerma rate, kVp, tube current, exposure time, luminance, and illuminance within limitations
stated below.
If installed according to accompanying documents, the product is intended to be used together
with all diagnostic X-ray equipment except for:
- therapeutical X-ray sources.
- X-ray equipment with tube potential below 18 kV.
- X-ray equipment on which the instrument cannot be mounted properly, e.g. equipment where the
beam field size is narrower than the active part of the detector.
- specific types of X-ray equipment listed in the instructions for use or in additional information
from the manufacturer.
With the X-ray installation in stand-by conditions without patients present, the product is intended
to be used:
- to provide the operator with information on radiation beam parameters that might influence
further steps in an examination but not an ongoing exposure.
- for assessing the performance of the X-ray equipment.
- for evaluation of examination techniques and procedures.
- for service and maintenance measurements.
- for quality control measurements.
- for educational purposes, authority supervision etc.
The product is intended to be used by hospital physicists, X-ray engineers, manufacturer's service
teams, and other professionals with similar tasks and competencies. The operator needs a short
training to be able to use the product as intended. This training can be achieved either by careful
study of the manual, studies of the built-in help function in measurement software or, on request,
in a short course ordered from the manufacturer.
The product is intended to be used inside X-ray rooms ready for clinical use and can safely be left
switched on and in any measuring mode in the vicinity of patients.
The product is NOT intended to be used:
- for direct control of diagnostic X-ray equipment performance during irradiation of a patient.
- so that patients or other unqualified persons can change settings of operating parameters during
and immediately before and after measurements.
In Germany, the Cobia can also be used for dose measurements in the context of legal metrology
(see the German user manual for more information).
Intended Use
IV
Version 2016.12A

Version 2016.12A
Contents
Cobia - Reference Manual
1
Table of Contents
1. ..................................................................................................... 4Introduction
.................................................................................................................. 41.1 About this Manual
.................................................................................................................. 41.2 Introduction to the Cobia
.................................................................................................................. 51.3 Computer Requirements
2. ..................................................................................................... 7Description of the Cobia
.................................................................................................................. 72.1 Product Overview
..................................................................................................................102.1.1 User Interface
..........................................................................................................102.1.1.1 Screen Description
..........................................................................................................122.1.1.2 Screen Indicators
..........................................................................................................152.1.1.3 Menu Overview
..........................................................................................................162.1.1.4 Keyboard Operation
..........................................................................................................162.1.1.5 Previous Measurements
.................................................................................................................. 172.2 Setting Up the Cobia for the First Time
.................................................................................................................. 172.3 Getting Started
..................................................................................................................172.3.1 Before Starting the Cobia for the First Time
..................................................................................................................182.3.2 Charging the Battery
.................................................................................................................. 192.4 Performing a Measurement
..................................................................................................................192.4.1 Measuring with the Internal Detector
..................................................................................................................212.4.2 Measuring with a General External Detector
..................................................................................................................222.4.3 Measuring with a Light Probe
..................................................................................................................222.4.4 Measuring with the Optional Internal MAS
..........................................................................................................232.4.4.1 Connecting the MAS Cable
..........................................................................................................242.4.4.2 Tube Current Safety Precautions
..................................................................................................................252.4.5 Measurement Settings
..................................................................................................................272.4.6 Error & Display Messages
.................................................................................................................. 292.5 Hardware and Specifications
..................................................................................................................302.5.1 Parameter IDs
..................................................................................................................312.5.2 Cobia Internal
..........................................................................................................312.5.2.1 General ..........................................................................................................322.5.2.2 Power & Communication Specifications
..........................................................................................................332.5.2.3 Specifications, Cobia
..........................................................................................................372.5.2.4 Typical Response, Cobia
..........................................................................................................382.5.2.5 Manual Energy Correction, Cobia
..................................................................................................................402.5.3 Cobia External Probes
.................................................................................................................. 442.6 Cobia Communication Protocol
..................................................................................................................442.6.1 General
..................................................................................................................452.6.2 Use Cases
..................................................................................................................452.6.3 Requirements
..................................................................................................................462.6.4 Command Structure
..................................................................................................................462.6.5 Reply Protocol, Simple
..................................................................................................................462.6.6 Reply Protocol, Multi-line
..................................................................................................................472.6.7 Parameter IDs
..................................................................................................................472.6.8 Reply Protocol, Errors
..................................................................................................................492.6.9 List of Commands

Contents
Cobia - Reference Manual Version 2016.12A
2
..................................................................................................................532.6.10 Cobia Start-Up
..................................................................................................................532.6.11 CRC-Calculation
..................................................................................................................542.6.12 Examples of Communication
.................................................................................................................. 552.7 Standards and Compliances
..................................................................................................................552.7.1 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
..................................................................................................................552.7.2 Waste Batteries and Accumulators
..................................................................................................................572.7.3 Manufacturer's Declaration of Conformity
..................................................................................................................582.7.4 Intended Use
..................................................................................................................592.7.5 FCC Certification
..................................................................................................................592.7.6 German Measurement and Verification Act (PTB Type Certificate)
.................................................................................................................. 602.8 Maintenance
..................................................................................................................602.8.1 Scheduled Calibration
..................................................................................................................612.8.2 Updating the System
..................................................................................................................622.8.3 Changing the Battery
3. ..................................................................................................... 64Measurement Principles & Theory
.................................................................................................................. 643.1 Waveforms and Triggers
.................................................................................................................. 663.2 Measurement Principle for the Cobia
.................................................................................................................. 673.3 Linearity
.................................................................................................................. 683.4 Reproducibility
4. ..................................................................................................... 70Problems and Solutions
.................................................................................................................. 704.1 Troubleshooting
.................................................................................................................. 714.2 Bluetooth
..................................................................................................................714.2.1 Bluetooth Passkey
.................................................................................................................. 714.3 How To Report a Problem
5. ..................................................................................................... 73Glossary
............................................................................................................. 74Index

Introduction
Chapter 1

Cobia - Reference Manual
1. Introduction
About this Manual
Version 2016.12A
4
1 Introduction
About this Manual1.1
This manual is divided into a few main parts.
1. A general description of the Cobia.
2. Some theoretical background and basic principles.
3. Descriptions on performing measurements with the system for different
modalities.
4. Troubleshooting tips and a glossary.
Users who use the Cobia with only a PC and Ocean 2014 are recommended to read at
least the following topics:
Introduction
Description of the Cobia
Measurements with the Cobia System
For the Cobia system, calibration data is stored inside the system.
Typographical Rules
Terms in bold face are references to texts on screenshots, like buttons and texts, and
menu items. Other special terms are italicized.
Introduction to the Cobia1.2
Congratulations to your purchase of a Cobia. You have now in your hand the most
user-friendly tool for X-ray analysis. It has been carefully designed to meet the needs
of both standard QA applications as well as advanced service/repair/calibration of
modern X-ray systems, while still being very simple and intuitive to use. Depending on
model, it can measure all the required parameters such as kVp, exposure time, dose,
HVL, Total Filtration, dose/pulse, dose rate, tube current, mAs, waveforms, and much
more.
To get to know your specific Cobia model, please read the User Manual that was
included with your meter. That manual is available in numerous languages.
This manual covers all models of the Cobia. An overview table of the capabilities of
the different models are given in section General .
The Cobia can be used in different ways:
All models can be used as a "meter" with the built-in display.
Some models can be used as a complete "QA-system" together with a PC and
the Ocean 2014 software.
Some models can be used as a measurement device for connecting and
31

Cobia - Reference Manual
1. Introduction
Introduction to the Cobia
5
Version 2016.12A
obtaining data into your own software (using specified communication protocol)
This manual describes the Cobia by itself. The PC software, Ocean 2014, is described
in a separate manual.
The Cobia system's main features are:
Very easy and intuitive to use
Accurate
Active Compensation - No manual corrections are needed
Automatic measuring modes for pulsed waveforms
Compact
USB and Bluetooth interface (some models)
Free upgrade of firmware
New and unique design
Free upgrades of the firmware (the software resident in the cabinet and measuring
modules) are available on RTI Web site at http://www.rtigroup.com.
If you have questions, comments, or feel that some functionality is missing, you are
welcome to contact us at RTI at [e-mail]. You can of course also call or
send a fax (see notice section for details).
Computer Requirements1.3
To run the Ocean 2014 Windows software, there are some requirements. Please see the Ocean
2014 manual for details.
In normal case when the Cobia runs standalone, no computer is required. But if the system of
the Cobia shall be updated, a special part of the Cobia that is called Cobia Updater is used. This
Cobia Updater requires a computer with the following requirements:
Minimum requirements
Computer with USB port, with support for USB mass storage devices (sometimes called USB
stick or USB memory)
Examples: Windows XP or newer (32-bit, or 64-bit), Apple Mac OS/X, Linux, etc.

Description of the Cobia
Chapter 2