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MCT4 Datalogging

See link below for a video tutorial of how to setup and use the datalogging function on the MCT4 control.

MCT4 Datalogging Tutorial Video


Below is a transcript of the audio for the linked video.


MCT4 Datalogging

This video will show how to set up or configure the data logging function, how to turn on and off the datalogging, and how to retrieve and view the data log on a computer.

To start setting up the data log options, press menu, then Data.

This is the main data log setup screen.

We will come back to this screen in a moment.

First, we should select what information is saved to the data log.

From the Data screen, press menu, then press Assign.

This is a list of available parameters that can be saved into a data log file.

This control has Loop 1 PV or oven temperature,

Loop 1 SP, or the current oven control setpoint,

Loop 1 % Output, or current percent heater output,

LIMIT PV, or the oven temperature as read by the independent high limit thermocouple.

Toggle the parameters that you want to record to the ON status, then press Save, and OK.

Press Menu, then Data, to return to the Data screen.

On the Data screen, The Length days field sets the size of the data log file.  Setting to 1, the control will create and start logging to a new file after 1 day or 24 hours of logging.

The Interval Seconds field sets how often the data is recorded and saved to the data log file.

The file name field is the prefix of the data log file name, followed by the date and time that the data log was started.  

The ID#1 and ID#2 fields are manually entered fields to identify the data log.  The information entered will be saved to the data log file.   These fields are typically used for process lot or batch information.

The Start toggle button when turned on, tells the control to start data logging as soon as the control is powered on.

The Program toggle button when turned on, tells the control to start and stop logging when a program is started and ends.  Note the File name field is ignored when this is on as the file prefix will be the profile name.

The Fixed Interval toggle button automatically calculates the Interval value based on what is entered in the Length field to keep the size of the data log file manageable.  If 1 is entered in the Length field, the Interval will automatically be set to 60 seconds.  If 7 is entered in the Length field the Interval is set to 420 seconds.

Pressing the Data button, will manually start or stop the data log operation.

For our example, we will set the fields to:

 Length to 1,

Interval to 10,

File Name to TEST5,

ID# 1 to 1 2 3,

ID# 2 to ABC,

We will also turn the Program toggle button ON.

Press the Home icon when all the fields are set.

We will now start program TEST4, and collect some data.

Refer to our other videos for more information on programming and running  programs.

To retrieve the data from the control, insert a USB memory stick into the USB port.

Press, Menu, then Data, then Menu, and USB.

Select the Export type of Data.

Selecting Copy will copy all the data log files to the USB and leave the original on the control memory.   Copy / Delete will copy all the data log files to the USB and delete the original on the control memory.  For this example, we will choose Copy / Delete.

Press Yes, and the data is transferred.

Note, this operation can take some time if there is a lot of data stored on the control.

Do not remove the USB memory stick while the transfer is in progress.

Moving the USB drive to a computer, you will see a folder named Data Files followed by the date and time that the data was copied out of the control.  

In the folder will be the .CSV datafile.

Note the prefix to the file name is TEST4, which was the Program name, not TEST5 which is what was entered in the file name field.

Opening the datafile with Excel, you will see a line of data for every 10 seconds as set in the data setup.

Each line contains the Date, Time, ID1, ID2, User Name, Loop1 PV, Loop 1 SP, Loop 1 output, and Limit PV values.

 

D
Dan is the author of this solution article.

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