Shimpo EFORCE FGS-200 User manual

Product Overview
Thank you for choosing the FGS-200PV motorized test stand. Read this manual
thoroughly rior to o eration. This holds im ortant information on the test stand
and its various functions. Kee this manual accessible for future reference.
The FGS-200PV is rated for 200 lbs ca acity. Some of the key features of this
stand:
• USB communication (USB 1.1)
• Force vs. Distance Gra h
• Force vs. Time Gra h
• Multi le test sets (se arated by sets)
• Programmable functions (To Load Test, Standard Test, Break Test)
• Intuitive gra hing functions (Gra h ca ture, cross hair oint check)
• Standard functions similar to revious test stand (Manual, Single, Jog,
Continuous, Program)
• Software is included with USB and FGS-FGV-200P communication cable
Compatibility
The FGS-200PV is com atible with the FGV-X/FGV-200HX force gauges
(excluding the FGV-500HX and FGV-1000HX models).
This test stand is also designed to work with the new FGV-XY series
Note: The test stand communicates to the force gauge via s ecial DB9 cable
(FGS-FGV200P) The baud rate of the test stand is set at 19200 baud, it is
required that the Force gauge attached should have the same baud rate set for
ro er communication.
See software section for PC interface requirements
Description of Parts
There are two limit switches located on the side of the column. This limit
switches serves as mechanical sto s for the force gauge bracket. This rovides
a secondary safety sto in case of wrong entry on the rogram arameter.
To o erate the limit switch, twist and ush to slide in lace.
Emergency Sto button located on the u er right section of the work table. This
is a master sto that will sto any movement and o eration from the test stand.
It overrides all control functions from the test stand including software o eration.
To reset sim ly turn counter clockwise and the button will release in lace.

.
Control Panel

How to set up communication with the Test stand
1. Set the force gauge to 19200 Baud rate
2. Attach the force gauge to the mounting bracket
3. Attach the force gauge to the test stand using the FGS-FGV200P cable.
4. Im ortant to follow the sequence of owering u the test stand
a. Turn on the Force gauge and allow initialization rocess
b. Turn on the force gauge, check if the model number of the attached
force gauge is reflected momentarily on the LCD.
c. Press Reset to reset to acknowledge the communication of the
force gauge.
Note: If the model number of the force gauge is not shown
a. Check the communication cable if it is firmly in lace.
b. Verify if the force gauge is set to the right baud rate
c. Restart the ower u rocedure make sure that the force gauge is turned
on first before the test stand.
5. Choose the HOME osition and ress the ZERO/HOME button to acce t
the new HOME osition.
6. Using the function keys (F4) select the required MODE for testing. Each
time F4 or MOD button is ressed a corres onding LED indicator lights u
on the front dis lay indicating the mode of the test stand. Pressing F4 or
MOD button after PROG, allows the user to go to the unit selection set
u . The following settings can be changed.
a. Distance – Millimeters or English units
b. Force – kg, lbs, N, oz, g (selection varies de ending on the
attached force gauge).
Note: Pressing the F4 or MOD button after changes are made, scrolls
thru the available selection.
The Function keys changes selection de ending on the window dis layed.
Descri tion of Different MODEs
1. MANU (Manual Mode) The sim lest mode from the test stand. This
allows the user to re osition the force gauge bracket anywhere in the
column. Can be used for sim le testing where one direction for test is
required.
Available Set u O tions
a. Force limits can be entered to sto the test stand from moving.
Entering zero value disables the force limit function.
b. S eed is selected based from SPEED A or SPEED B. (O eration –
manual adjustments using the s eed knobs).
O eration: The test stand moves based from the selected direction for test.
The test stand will continue to move towards the selected direction until
one of the conditions are met:
• One of the Limit switch has been activated

• The STOP Button is ressed
• The set forece limit has been breached.
2. JOG (Jog Mode) Adjustment mode the test stand bracket will move based
on the activation of the UP and DOWN button. Unlike Manual Mode the
test stand bracket will sto as soon as the direction buttons are de ressed
(momentary movement)
3. SING (Single Mode) Single o eration for both direction. The test stand will
not only erform com ression , but tension as well. The value for P1 and
P2 are based from which direction buttons is first ressed.
Available Set UP O tions:
• Force Limits for both direction
• Dwell or hold time after the required distance or force had been
detected
• Tare function.
O eration: The test stand will erform one com lete set of com ression
and tenstion test.
Note: The test stand s eed is manually adjsuted from the s eed knobs
The test stand will move to the first selected direction then afterwards
move to the o osite direction.
4. CONT (Continuous Mode) this is similar to Single mode with multi le
cycles.
Available O tions
• Force Limits for both direction
• Dwell or hold time after the required distance or force had been
detected
• Tare function.
• S eed can be entered using the key ads
O eration: The test stand will erform re eated sets of com ression and
tenstion test. Ideal for fatigue testing.
5. PROG ( Program Mode) There are 3 rogram modes set to the test stand
a. TOP – To Load Test
b. STD – Standard Test
c. BREAK – Break Test
TOP Load test is designed for bottle testing where a required amount of force
is needed within a articular dis lacement.
Under this mode there are five o tional test oints, which can be rogrammed
for down or u direction.

NOTE: Entering a zero value for distance on any of the test oints disable
that articular test oint.
Available Set up Options:
• Threshold – this value is used to determine if the com ression late
made contact with test sam le. It is recommended that a max
value of 0.2% of FS be used as the threshold value for testing.
• Cycles – number of re etition for test that requires more than one
test to be erformed on a articular cycle. Max cycle from the test
stand can be set to as high as 9,999 times.
• AP (A roaching Point Distance) - A roaching distance from the
set HOME osition. This function is very useful for testing sam les
with different heights. Setting the value to “0” disables this function
and sets the threshold value as the main control for determining
where the test oints starts (P1—P5).
• Force – force limits to revent the force gauge bracket to move
forward or backwards once the set force has been detected.
• Direction – UP or Down direction for testing.
• Time – or Dwell time once the set distance has been reached.
STD or Standard Mode
This is the same as the regular test stand, allows users to have a reload value
to be set on the test stand to simulate real a lication conditions.
Similar to the TOP load test it has the same arameters and available o tions
with the absence of the threshold value which is re laced by PL or reload.
• Cycles – number of re etition for test that requires more than one test to
be erformed on a articular cycle. Max cycle from the test stand can be
set to as high as 9,999 times.
• AP (A roaching Point Distance) - A roaching distance from the set
HOME osition. This function is very useful for testing sam les with
different heights. Setting the value to “0” disables this function and sets
the threshold value as the main control for determining where the test
oints starts (P1—P5).
• Force – force limits to revent the force gauge bracket to move forward or
backwards once the set force has been detected.
• Direction – UP or Down direction for testing.
• Time – or Dwell time once the set distance has been reached.
NOTE: In both test ty es if the value for distance is set to zero the rogram
ignores that test oint.
Im ortant to have the HOME osition redetermined before entering arameter
settings.

If the AP or A roaching distance is set wrong and the force gauge detects a
force rior to its com letion. The test sand will terminate and end the rogram
and will sto .
BREAK or Break Mode
The way the test stand determines the break oint is to it detects the ercent
dro from the Maximum eak value recorded.
From the diagram above the settings are as follows
Percent dro is set to 10 ercent
Detected max value to be 100g
NOTE: Recommend not to set the ercent dro less than 0.5%, this may trigger
false detection of the break oint (Noise and vibration from the movement).
Force
Distance
Tare ON/OFF
avairable.
Operating Distance;
100g – 10g = 90g, so after detect
below 90g, test is finished. and
then, go back to start oint
automatically.
MAXforce: 100g
final_force is based on ercentage of
MAXforce
Setting range : 0.5 – 100 %
MAXforce×final_force[%] = 100g x 10% = 10g
10g
90g
100m
m

Software for the F S-200
System Requirements
• Minimum 512 RAM
• Windows 2000 (service ack 4) or Windows XP (service ack 2)
• 1 Gigabyte disk s ace
• USB 2.0 ort
Materials
• FGS-FGV200P Communication Cable
• USB A to USB B Cable (6.6ft included in the test stand)
• Installation CD
Required programs:
The installation CD should have the EStand_USB driver folder
Files in this folder
• Usb_estand.dll
• Usb_estand.inf
• Usb_estand.sys
Program folder should contain the following files.
How to install the USB drivers?

There are two ways to install the USB drivers.
• Go the USB_Stand_dll folder and right click on the USB_estand.inf file.
Select install from the o tions available.
• De ending on the O erating system, you may need to install the USB
driver articularly on the USB ort that will be used.
a. Plug in the USB cable and allow the com uter to detect the new
hardware.
This will a ear on the window after the USB connection is detected.
Please select cancel on this window and look for the icon for the USB
device located on the bottom of the screen.
b. Double click on the Icon for the USB device

This window will a ear on the screen. The yellow mark indicates that the USB
device is not recognized.
c. Select ro erties
d. Select Reinstall Driver, and follow the Driver Wizard
e. Select Next to roceed. From the location of the device driver
select s ecific location as the o tion as shown on the next age.

f. Select Next and Have a disk button, browse to the location of the
USB driver folder

g. Select the usb_estand.inf file then o en. This will install the driver
to the articular ort where the test stand is connected.
Browse the location of the USB_stand dll folder.

Select finish to exit and com lete the installation for the USB driver.
To test the communication, go back to the software folder.
(Make sure that the icon for the test stand is extracted together with
the other files on the zi . This will revent OCX and runtime error from
occurring).
O en the folder and select EStand.exe icon to o en the rogram

The initial screen will a ear within 5 seconds with the force gauge
ty e information.
If the rogram will not communicate an offline error will a ear and the
force gauge information will not be reflected on the main screen.
• When this ha ens check the cable both the USB and the FGS-
FGV200P cable going towards the test stand.
• Sequence of owering u the devices are not correct. Turn off
the test stand and the force gauge.
o Turn on the force gauge
o Turn on the test stand
o O en the software
Note: If an OCX or runtime error a ears, lease check the Windows version
installed on the PC, this may need to be u dated to service ack 4 for Windows
2000 and Service Pack 2 for Windows XP.
Description of the Software
Initial window
Initial Window holds information on the software version and controller version. It
also works as a test for ro er communication from the test stand to the PC.
Main Window
The main window is a software re lica of the test stand front anel.
It holds information ertaining to the condition and mode of the test stand.

Available Menu on the Main Window
• File - exits out the rogram
• Color Scheme - changes the color of the window and its eri herals
• Language – this will be a future u date to reflect different language on the
main window. Current version English only
• Modes buttons are located on to of the window, selected mode is
highlighted in red (Screen above indicates that the software is in
Continuous mode).
• Status indicator and Status message indicates condition of
the set u
• Start and Sto button are available (de ending on mode
selected)
• Tare function for zeroing out the force gauge and
initializing the test
• Set Home button for changing the osition of the reference
oint or HOME osition.
• HOME button for immediate return to reference oint.
Modes

How to select the units for force and distance?
From the main window the units can be selected and changed. Force and
distance fields contain dro down windows for units of measure available. For
distance the fixed units are millimeters or Inches.
For Force, units vary de ending on the model number of the force gauge. For
small force ca acity (FGV-0.5X – FGV-2X) the available units are (Oz, g, lbs, N)
For models higher than 2 lbs (Kg, N, Lbs)
NOTE: Each the units are changed the previously saved data on the test
windows are erased. Only the existing values are converted to the selected
units.
O erating State

1
Description of Different Modes
Manual Mode
S eed can be adjusted from the main window. Enter value on the UP and Down
entry box.
Manual Mode or sim le UP/ Down Test has the following settings
Dro down selection box for
force and s eed

• Tension Limit force – sets the maximum amount of force allowed for ull
or tension test. Values entered have units based from the selected units
of measure from the main Window.
• Com ression Limit force – sets the maximum allowed com ression or
ush force.
Setting zero values on the tension and com ression limit force disables this
function.
If the limits are reached the test stand will sto o eration.
The UP and Down buttons allows the test stand to move in the selected direction.
It will continue to move until one or more of the following situation occurs.
• Limit Switch Activated (HI or Low).
• Sto condition is requested
• Set Limit force detected.
A warning message will a ear if the entered value is set beyond what the
attached gauge can measure. Caution is required to revent damaged on the
force gauge.

The gra h has an extension of the control features of the main window. Data
can be observe as the test rogresses.
Comments can be entered to easily identify results.
Table Data
Se arates the values based on the number of cycles.
• Table Ty e, has two formats oint by oint data or a summarize data
where max min and average values are reflected.
• Time Stam ing is available on all gra h window.
• A small summary table is also available for immediate review of each
cycle
• Table button sets the gra h in a table format without the gra h o tions.
• Clear button acts as a master reset for the mode. It erases all reviously
saved data.
• Print rints the current screen for easy ortability
• Save records the data set and the settings for the current test
• Load, loads reviously saved data.
raph Type: Allows the following graph types to be displayed on screen
• Force vs. Distance
• Force vs. Time

Note all saved data on the table can be retrieved using Microsoft Excel (.csv file
extension.
Jog Mode
Jog mode or sim ly fine adjustment allows o eration of test stand from the front
anel. The force gauge bracket moves de ending on the length of time the UP or
down buttons are ressed from the test stand front anel.
Single Mode
This test erforms one com lete set for both com ression and tension test.
S eeds for UP and Down Direction are entered from the main window.
NOTE: Point 1 and oint 2 is determined based from, which direction is first
selected.
Force gauge bracket goes back to initial osition after the test is com leted.