Screening Services and Training                                                                                                                                    Last Update 11/09/2005
25092 Natama Ct                                                                                                                                Originally written by Screening Systems, Inc.
Laguna Hills, CA  92653-5607

How to:  Data Log with the SSCTM-2000 Controller Software.

System parameters, product response parameters, earth time, and date stamp data logging are built into the SSC-2000 software.  This capability enables the periodic recording of selected data items.

The resulting data file makes a valuable record of a test’s progress and is useful when troubleshooting suspected system problems.  When a problem does occur and data logging is enabled, the data log file should immediately be saved as a named file.  If data logging was not enabled when the problem occurred, it should be set up and enabled during subsequent system operation so as to capture the data during the next occurrences of the problem.

The following is the preferred procedure to be used when selecting and acquiring data for diagnostics purposes.

Before running a profile in “Control” mode or a test in “Manual” mode, left mouse on the “Datalog” pull-down menu and select “Output file format”.

This will bring up the “Data Logging Output Parameters” pop-up window that contains two “fields” windows.

The “Datalogging Record Fields” window on the right holds a listing of all the system and profile parameters that may be periodically saved during the test. Left mouse on each parameter to be selected. A check mark appears in the column at the left of the window. When finished selecting all the desired parameters, left mouse on the “UPDATE” button.  This will cause a copy of the selected parameter descriptions to be placed in the left window named “Selected Record Fields”.

Standard configuration buttons are available in the center column between the two windows.  To select one of these configurations instead of the individual parameters, left mouse on the appropriate button and verify that the desired parameters are listed in the left window.

The number of seconds between data logging scans may be selected using the windows within the “Update Rates” box at the top center of the panel.  A convenient setting for the rates is six seconds.  This setting yields a time base on the X-axis of a data plot that is in 1/10 minutes.

However, when trying to capture an intermittent problem it is better to set the “Update Rates” to one second.  Although this generates larger data files, it gives a better chance of capturing data while the problem presents.  To maintain a consistent time base, we recommend setting both windows to the same value.  “Soak” refers to all parts of the temperature profile that hold a constant temperature command while “Ramp” refers to all parts of the profile that command a temperature change.  Set the “Action on Pass” and “Action on Fail” slide switches found in the “DataLog File” to “Query”.  This gives the operator the option to save or delete groups of data during several tests.

To save Analyzer data, data used to plot Acceleration Spectral Density, left mouse in the white circle at the lower left corner of the panel.  This will place a black dot within the white circle. Next, using the mouse, set the “Analyzer Update Rate” to “Fast as Possible”.  When ‘Save Analyzer Data” is selected, data is saved to a separate file only when the Analyzer pop-up window is displayed and the Analyzer is “On”.  This keeps the resulting Analyzer Data Logging file size to a minimum.

To exit the panel and save the parameters you have just selected, left mouse on the “Exit” button and select “Yes” to the resulting “Save Configuration ?” message.

Once back in the “Manual” or “Control” mode screen, left mouse on the “Datalog” pull-down menu item and select “Enable”.  This will enable the data logging process. For the “Manual Mode”, the data logging starts as soon as the mode is entered and continues until it is exited or the data logging is disabled. For the “Control Mode”, the data logging starts and stops with the “Run/Hold” button.

The “Restart Data Logging” window appears when:” Run” is changed to “Hold”; an error stops a test;  “End of Test” is reached; “Reset” is selected; or “Save data” is selected from the ”Datalog” pull-down menu.  This window allows the operator to Discard, Append, or Save the existing data log file.  When “Save to File” is selected the standard Windows “Save As” panel appears and the operator is prompted to enter a file name with the default “.csv “ extension. When there is Analyzer Data to be saved, it is automatically saved in a separate file with the same name as the above file name.csv but it is renamed file name-alz.csv.

If the data-logging file is accidentally discarded instead of saved, going immediately to the SSC folder using Windows Explorer and copying the SSC-2001.csv file using a different file name will retrieve it.  The file named SSC-2002.csv is the data log file after a second save or discard operation and the file SSC-2003.csv is the data log file after a third save or discard operation.  Thus, the operator has three chances to save logged data before it is permanently lost.

For technical assistance with a system problem, send the just generated file name files and the file “ssc-err.log” to Screening Services and Training via e-mail.   scrserv@cox.net