Eurotherm introduces powerful suite of PC-based software tools for data recorders

Citation

(2001), "Eurotherm introduces powerful suite of PC-based software tools for data recorders", Sensor Review, Vol. 21 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2001.08721aaf.007

Eurotherm introduces powerful suite of PC-based software tools for data recorders

Eurotherm introduces powerful suite of PC-based software tools for data recorders

Keywords: Software, Data, Recorder

Eurotherm, a leading manufacturer of data recorders, has introduced a powerful suite of software tools for use with the company's wide range of data recorders (see Plate 6). Using a standard PC running Windows 95, 98, or NT, engineers will be able to view on-line live data from a number of remote instruments. Data can be viewed, analysed, stored and transmitted across a variety of possible process applications.

Plate 6 Eurotherm has introduced a powerful suite of software tools for use with the company's wide range of data recorders. Using a standard PC running Window 95, 98 or NT, engineers will be able to view on-line live data from a number of remote instruments. Data can be viewed, analysed, stored and transmitted across a variety of possible process applications

The PC Software suite consists of three separate packages, called PC Chart, PC View and PC Review.

PC Chart is a pre-engineered package which provides remote on-line chart display and printing. Using this package, plant data may be viewed remotely using Modbus RTU over an RS232/485 link. A maximum of 75 inputs can be read from single or multiple recorders on the network, and inputs from different instruments can be grouped together for ease of monitoring plant performance. Auto-configuration of trend displays is achieved by utilising a user-friendly set up tool, and trend displays can be further modified to suit the user's application.

PC Chart can be used with all current Eurotherm Chessell data acquisition devices and recorders that support Modbus RTU, such as Models, 4100G, 4103, 4181, 4250 and 4000R.

PC View is a more powerful on-line package offering extra functionality and up to 300 inputs. Extra displays include a Panel Indicator module with bar graphs, alarm status and point displays. Alarm setpoints can be adjusted remotely, detailed alarm summaries and the status of group alarms can be viewed on-line.

PC Review provides chart viewing and printing for offline activity, including remote file transfer. It uses the packed data files from a data recorder's local storage media and imports them into a secure PC database. The chart view module within this package can look at data from one or more archive files. This can then be either printed in chart or tabular form or exported as a CSV file. Remote archiving is possible using RS232/485 serial communications, and if required, a modem.

All three packages in the PC software suite feature secure data storage. This feature meets the requirement of certain market sectors, in particular the Food and Drug Industry, which requires that stored information is tamperproof. Data from recorders is logged in a binary format, compressed using a proprietary algorithm, encoded and check summed to inhibit data tampering.

Further information is available from Rachel Tulett, Eurotherm Limited, Faraday Close, Durrington, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 3PL, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1903 268500; Fax: +44 (0)1903 695666; E-mail: info@eurotherm.co.uk; Web site: http://www.eurotherm.co.uk