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ELF User Manual

1. S N 053 1008 MAC O0 1E CO 08 60 8E IP 169 254 249 235 The Wireless Sensor Connection dialog closes and a new Real time window opens where you can monitor the sensor s force data shown below ASW OAR AB AS WOAGAT 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 60 Setting up an Access Point network Note The router must be non encrypted and dedicated for use with the WELF 2 system Personal and public networks will not work if 9 295 Window Help they are encrypted EJ Calibrate Uncalibrate 1 Follow steps 1 5 above Setting up an Ad Hoc Network eos ae 2 Goto Tools gt Configure WiFi Sensor shown at right paste 3 The Wireless Sensor Configuration dialog opens shown below e Change Sensitivity left Enter the name of the router SSID in the Network Name zeroPreload tare field and select Access point router as the Network Type shown below right Then press the OK button to accept the changes and close the dialog Configure WiFi Sensor iff a Note If you incorrectly type in the Network name and press OK you will have to reset the WELF Transmitter Refer to the Resetting the WELF Transmitter to the Default Ad Hoc Network section for information on how to do this Wireless Sensor Configuration Device 033 1008 169 254 299 235 Device 053 1008 169 254 299 235 Wireless Sensor Configuration Firmware wersion 1 Firmware wersion 1
2. a i CG di amp Local Disk Cs Work Tekscan movies fleoforce Organize New folder de iscan750 Date modified Type de Scan CONFORMat Hand J mobile590 Le movies J Baseball Synch Ji BPMs Ji CONFORMat calibration file 01 CLB 8 1 2013 3 54 PM QuarkXPr ad conformat dual di fleaforce de F Scan R Tests with Ker q File name calibration file 02 CLB Save as type Calibration Files clb a Hide Folders kh pan A call 15 If you wish to recalibrate the sensor during the same testing session you may either select File gt New to get a new Real time Window or select Tools gt Uncalibrate to reset the calibration of the current window A calibration will be saved between sessions unless Uncalibrate is selected 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 50 SENSOR PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS There are a number of characteristics of sensors which can affect your results This section contains a description of each of these conditions and recommendations on how to lessen their effects REPEATABILITY Repeatability is the ability of the sensor to respond in the same way to a repeatedly applied force As with most measurement devices it is customary to exercise or condition a sensor before calibrating it or using it for measurement This is done to reduce the amount of change in the sensor response due to repeated loa
3. WiFi Setings 1 WiFi Settings i Network mame WEF Network name RyanWELF_AP Network type Ad Hoc f Access point router Network type Ad Hoc F Access point router Alowed channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 3 10 11 Alowed channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 cous 4 Exit the software and turn the WELF Transmitter off and then on again Optional Repeat steps for each additional WELF Transmitter you wish to connect 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 5 Connect the PC to the router you specified in the software by clicking on the wireless icon in the lower right taskbar Expand the proper router network you specified earlier and click the Connect button shown below left A window indicates your computer is connecting to the Access Point network shown below right This may take a moment Once finished the network status indicates Connected Currently connected to Teksean com Internet access Wireless Network Connection e VersaTekWiFi 1096 all mA sil Y Information sent over this network might be visible to others F Connect automatically TEK quest ei TEK WLAN3 alll Open Network and Sharing Center 6 Turn on the WELF Transmitter s and open the software Click on the wireless icon in the software and select the WELF Transmitter s you wish to connect and press the Connect button Alte
4. A A z l E Save As i ee New folder CONFORMat Je conformat dual Le flesforce Le F Sean RA Tests with Ker di grip de Hoof Je Hoof amp Saddle movies e HR Mat Organize La di Sean y Matlab KEI Ls Local Disk C Work Tekscan movies flexforce Name 2d0s4100H 219563 H2 5f JO Seorhiienioe Er ql Type FLF File FLE File Date modified 11 2 2012 11 08 AM 11 2 2012 11 07 AM File name Save as type ELF Movie Files f1F ELF Dest Movee tli 2 Hide Folders 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L SH i 26 Save As ASCII saves the current Movie frame as an ASCII file with the extension csv Since these files are in ASCII comma separated value format they can be imported into a spreadsheet program e g MS Excel or they can be opened in a text editor or word processing program e g MS Word in order to review and manipulate the data 2 Save ds bellied Ji Local Disk C Work Tekscan movies flexiforce Organize New folder di Iscan Wifi Name Date modified Type de Bean B7 Le I5can603 de Gean lo di iseanb20 d iscan Hi de T5can CONFORMat Hand Le mobile590 Le Baseball Synch Sir Filename AAA Save as type ASCII Files c5v Oy 2d0s D100Hz cow 1112 2012 11 08 AM Microsoft sy 295 DB Hzcov 11 2 20121107 AM Microsoft a Hide Folders os sj ee The force data is displayed a
5. ELF Molt 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 17 HARDWARE INSTALLATION The ELF system hardware includes the Sensor Handle s ELFsoftware and the flexiForce sensor s If you are using the Multi Handle EZF system refer to the instructions included Connect one EZFhandle to each USB port you wish to use during testing The image below displays the USB connection for the ELF system ELF User Manual Rev L 8 2 2013 18 1 Connect the Handle s USB connector to an available USB port on the PC or laptop Or in a multi handle configuration you may choose to use a USB hub to connect your Handles Connect the Hub to the USB port of the PC or laptop Then connect each USB handle to the USB ports on the Hub 2 Insert the sensor into the Handle To do this ensure that the UP printed on the sensor is correctly oriented on the same side as the blue button on the handle and then press down the blue button Slide the sensor tab into the slot until it reaches its mechanical stop and release the blue button Do not force the sensor if it will not slide into the handle easily If the sensor will not slide in easily check that there is nothing inside the handle blocking the sensor and check that the end of the sensor is not bent or folded If the software has been installed and is running when the sensor is correctly inserted an audible beep will be heard and the Sensor OK icon on the Toolbar will be a green square otherwise it
6. Polarity OCD Center Positive Batte A patios pio 5hours bateie OOO batteries p to 5 hours battery life emperature F C 15 to 140 9 to 60 Prolonged use at higher end of temperature range should be avoided umidity 0 to 90 non condensing ressure psi kPa 1 7 to 14 7 11 6 to 101 3 sea level to 50 000 ft N Fe DN ar O B O a N 5 am n g gt pi O O O z S 5 S 5 O NN 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 56 INSTALLING THE BATTERIES To insert the batteries into the WELF Transmitter follow the procedure below 1 Using the small Phillips head 1 screwdriver unscrew the center screw located on the bottom rear of the Transmitter being careful not to strip the screw when loosening Remove the screw from the battery access door located on the bottom of the Transmitter shown below 2 Lift and remove the battery access door using the thumb notch to reveal the batteries inside the Transmitter Replace the three AAA batteries with a new set 4 Place the battery access door back onto the Transmitter Insert and screw the battery access door in place As you tighten the screw be careful not to strip the threads 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 57 SETTING UP THE WIRELESS ELF SYSTEM Software Installation The ELF and WELF 2 Systems follow the same software installation procedure Please refer to the Software Installation section for proper inst
7. flf lem A File View Tools Window Frar E Save As Teo Open Ctrl 0 Close Save As M Ctrl S GO Locat Disk C Work Tekcan gt movies Nestore Organize New folder Save ASCO l Ji CONFORMat Date modified Type di conformat dual ai fleoforce Ji F Scan RA Tests with Ker de grip Le Hoof E Jb Hoof amp Saddle movies C Je HR Mat 2 10s 2100Hz fH 11 2 2012 11 08 AM FLF File MENTA IEA 11 2 2012 11 07 AM FLF File Recent File de Pscan Je Matlab Filename ELM Mo je Save as type ELF Movie Files 1F ia Hide Folders 10 Click on one of the Playback Control icons on the toolbar at the top of the Movie window to play the movie forward or backward move one frame forward or backward move to the first or last frame or stop the movie ASWOABAb AS WOAGA 4 06 Frame 76 of 85 Time 9 38 of 10 5 secs secs 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 9 11 Select File gt Save ASCII to save the movie data as a text file ASCII files must be saved with the extension csv This data can then be viewed by importing it into a spreadsheet program such as MS Excel or by opening the text file in a word processing program such as MS Word _ r laca View Tools Window Frames Displayed Help Ea Save As rw De n oaae Ctr 0 O Jo Local Disk C Work Tekscan movies flexiforce Search flexif Close Organize x New folder 3 Sa
8. mode is the default mode for the WELF Transmitters Ensure your computer is capable of wireless transmission Consult your computer s documentation for more information 1 Turn on the WELF Transmitter using the On Off power switch located on the right side of the unit shown at right 2 Click the wireless icon in the lower right Windows taskbar as you would if you were connecting to a wireless network Select the WELF network shown in the images below Currently connected to Currently connected to Tekscan com Internet access Wireless Network Connection TT Tekscan com Internet access Wireless Network Connection gy VerssTekWiri 1036 VersaTekWiFi 1096 TEK WLAMI TEK WLANL RyanWELF_AP i RyamWELF_AP WELF WELF 1 TEK WLAMZ Al TER WLANZ Nene WELF Signal Strength Excellent Security Type Unsecured Radio Type Unknown SSID WELF Other Network all TEK WLAN3 ail TEK quest El TEK quest Other Network alll TEK WILAN3 Open Network and Sharing Center Open Network and Sharing Center Desktop Y h Ee RG E 205PM Soa 3 Double click the WELF network to expand it and then click on the Connect button shown below left A window indicates your computer is connecting to the Ad Hoc network shown below middle This may take a moment Once finished the WELF network indicates Connected shown below right Currently
9. multiple software restarts This 1s now fixed 3 WIRELESS HUB amp USB HANDLE WILL INSTALL UNDER VISTA Updated INF Tile for the wireless HUB and the new ELF USE Handle will allow for the devices to be recognized and installed under vista 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 16 When the installation is completed you will need to restart your system Click the Finish button and your system will be automatically rebooted You cannot start the EZF software without first restarting ELF Multi handle InstallShield Wizard Tekscan Installation of ELF Multi handle Click Finish to exit ELF Mult handle setup E Yes want borestart mp computer now O Ho wall testa my computer later Remove any dicks Irom their dives and then cick Finish lo complebe setup Back EE carcel The EZF splash screen will be shown below This indicates the ELF software is successfully loaded on your machine Economical Load amp Force system Data Acquisition System from Tekscan Inc Tekecan Inc is an 50 9001 registered company The installation process is now complete When your computer is rebooted the application can then be launched by clicking on the Start button at the bottom left of the screen and selecting Programs gt Tekscan gt ELF You can also launch the program by double clicking the ELF icon on your desktop provided you opted to place an icon on your desktop during the installation procedure
10. 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 5 3 Apply the test force to the sensing area of the sensors refer to the Sensor Loading Considerations section and ensure that the sensors are conditioned before use The force data will be displayed in the window in the default mode which is as a Strip Chart This shows the data in the form of a chart with elapsed time in seconds on the X axis and the selected units default is percentage on the Y axis ADMYOABAb ADMODABAR 4 Click on View gt Properties or click the right mouse button with the cursor over the Real time Window to open the Properties dialog box Make any desired changes to the display settings and click OK Properties Realtimel eto ic Strip Chart Scale Max E 100 E C Coumi Scale Mex 0 EA C Number 5 Ifyou would like to change the background color of the window select Tools gt Select Colors The Select Graph Colors dialog box will open and enable you to customize the background color Select Graph Colors Set Trace Color ADWDARAS Cancel Trace Color Background Color Defauk All Colors 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 6 6 Calibrate the sensor s so that an actual force range can be determined for the sensor s digital output 0 to 255 Refer to the Calibration section for the calibration procedure and guidelines It is also recommended that you perform a Sensitivity Adjustment which is described in t
11. As time elapses the numbers change to indicate changes in force i Gar IA a EA Realtimel leo aa Vie ez ee wer w i i A a 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 28 Toolbar This item is used to display or hide the Movie and Main Toolbars These toolbars can be toggled by clicking this menu item on and off If a Real time Window is active this menu item affects the Main Toolbar Ifa Movie window is active this menu item affects the Movie Toolbar Status Bar This item is used to display or hide the Movie and Main Status Bars These status bars can be togeled by clicking this menu item on and off If a Real time window is active this menu item affects the Main Status Bar If a Movie window is active this menu item affects the Movie Status Bar 5 0 s G L df Frame 82 of 85 Time 10 1 of 10 5 secs Properties opens the Properties dialog box shown following which allows you to change how the data is displayed on the screen Any changes made here will only affect the currently active Real time or Movie Window The Properties dialog box will also appear whenever you click the right mouse button over a Real time or Movie Window Properties Realtine 1 ae Yie Strip Chart Scale Max 100 a C Column ScaleMix FT 0 x Number Unts percentage r Pause DK Cancel Help Under View you can select whether to display the force data as a Strip Chart Column or Number Strip Chart shows the
12. I Scan E7 Le IScan603 Le IScanb10 de iscanb20 di iscan 50 EScan CONFORMat Handheld Installs de mobile590 o EJ calibration file 01 CLB No preview available E mmi TE Filename calibration file 01 CLB b k a a a A an cal Save Calibration allows you to save your current calibration as a file for future use When this item is selected a Save As dialog box appears and the calibration file can be saved with the specific file name and location of your choice Calibration files must have the extension clb The Sensitivity setting is also saved with the calibration file ee LS OW gt Wi amp Local Disk Cs Work Tekscan movies fleoforce Organize New folder de iscan750 7 Mame pl Date modified de bScan CONFORMat Hand J mobile590 de moves J Baseball Synch J BPMs Je CONFORMat E calibration file 01 CLB 8 1 2013 3 54 PM QuarkXPr Je conformat dual di fleaforce Li F Scan RA Tests with Ker z Filename calibration file 02 CLB Save as type Calibration Files clb Hide Folders 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 37 Select Colors allows you to customize the background color as well as the trace color for each EZF device in your View windows When this item is selected the Select Graph Colors dialog box appears By clicking on either Trace Color or Background Color an MS Windows color palette becomes available and you can select one of th
13. Percentage If a calibration has been performed you may select from a number of force units Fa i 4 Recording Parameters ph Recordng ype Infinite user ops at 8Hz Frame count at 6H Frame count Full contol Duration 5 Tigger and threshold Sensor Port COMS COM5 Tigger Force 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 33 ELF Hi Speed Recording Parameters If you have purchased the EZF Hi Speed system the software will record at a higher range of speeds up to 5760 Hz and your Recording Parameters dialog box will look slightly different Your choices for Recording Type include Infinite Frame Count and High Speed Recording Type Hispeed Frequency Hz Infinte 8 Hz user stops 60 C 1920 340 5760 Tools Menu Tools Menu when focus is on a Real time Tools Menu when focus is on a Movie Window Window d Tools Window Help Calibrate Select Colors Uncalibrate F Change Unit Load Calibration Save Calibration Select Colors Change Unit Change Sensitivity Zero Preload tare Configure WiFi Sensor 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 34 Calibrate Opens the EZF Calibration dialog box which enables you to calibrate the sensor and adjust the system sensitivity Refer to the Calibration section for the complete calibration procedure and a thorough description of the process Calibration Sony Calbration Options Best fit inear Se
14. REFUND accept Ihe teme of the license agreement Ydo not accept the lami of the license agreement katal ed _ lt Back Nees Corcel Next the installation program will copy the necessary files to your computer The default location is C Tekscan Elf however you can change this location by clicking the Change button and designating a destination of your choice on your computer s hard drive ELF Multi handie InstallShield Wizard Choose Destination Location Select folder where setup dl matal hes y Install ELF Muk hardle lo CAT ekscantelt Charge naal melo 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 14 At this point your computer has the necessary information to proceed with the installation of your EZF program Click the Install button to begin installing the program on your computer i ELF Multi TE Inst allShield Wizar Ready to Install the Program The wizard is ready to begin installation Click Install lo begin the installation it to review ce change any of your installation seltings click Back Click Cancel to esit Instali meld Tata TA La i 72 A progress bar will indicate the program is being successfully installed Note If at any time prior to this screen you wish to stop the installation process you can click the Cancel button Tom ELF Multi h andie Inst allShield Wizar Selup Salus ELF Multcha
15. Stopping the recording is found on the Toolbar using the Icons as shown below Reall Start recording A Recording in Progress prompt opens on screen to indicate a recording is taking place shown below Recording Recording in progress Note Before an actual recording is made the sensor should be Calibrated and Conditioned and a Sensitivity Adjustment should be done if necessary as described in later sections Any information recorded before these are successfully completed may be inaccurate The EZF software also allows you to trigger the start of a recording If you enter a value in the Trigger Force field under Record gt Settings recording will not begin until that force is exerted on the sensor Force threshold may be selected for each sensor so that a recording will not begin until the force reaches the threshold See the Calibration section for more details Recording Parameters iim Recording type Infirite user stops at BHz te ee AU A C Frame count at Hz Frame court 1 3649044489 1000 Full control Duration gt until stopped lr Tigger and threshold Senso ASWOABAG Trigger l 10 3 Unit percentas i Threshold i ELF User Manual Rev L 8 9 Select File gt Save As to save the movie Under File Name enter the desired file name e g test1 flf and select the destination path where you want to save your recording Recordings must be saved as ELF Movie Files with the extension
16. The available lights behave in the following way Power Light Blinks green to indicate the WELF Transmitter is powered Wireless Transmitter Light Blinks yellow to indicate the WELF Transmitter is transmitting wirelessly o Battery Light Blinks red to indicate battery life is low Blinking will increase in frequency as battery life is drained 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 54 Sensor Specifications SVDC CTR SENSOR FRONT 2 1MMXS 0MM JACK CONNECTOR PWR ON OFF STATUS SWITCH 55 14 1 BOTTOM 1 83 46 4 3 75 95 3 1 05 26 7 RESET BATTERY IT ACCESS NOTES En DOOR 1 DEVICE WEIGHT 15 3 3 OZ 95 G WIFI CHIP 2 USE AAA ALKALINE 1 5V BATTERIES ONLY 3 BATTERY OPERATING LIFE IS TBD 4 SENSOR CONN ACCEPTS 2 AND 3 PIN STAKED SENSORS 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 55 Software Compatibili indows 2000 XP ista 7 ensor Properties Thickness Length idth ensing Area 375 9 53 mm diameter Substrate Polyester ex Mylar Sensor Performance inearity Error lt 3 Line drawn from 0 to 50 load epeatabili lt 2 5 of Full Scale Conditioned sensor 80 of full force applied steresis lt 4 5 of Full Scale Conditioned sensor 80 of full force applied rift lt 5 per Logarithmic Time Scale Constant load of 25 Ib 111 N Specifications So LF Unit 2 5 VDC 200 mA MAX AC Adapter 100 240 VAC 50 Hz 60 Hz 0 3 A Output 5VDC 2 0 A AC Adapter Plug
17. conmected to Currently conmected to H Tekscan com Ta Tekscam com Internet access l Intemet access E Unidentified network ee Wireless Network Connection A Mo nari ceca VersaTekWiFi 1096 ersa l ekr ki q Wireless Network Connection TEK WLANL 7 so WELF Connected VELF_AP e Ryan WELF ml WersaTekWiFi 1096 WELF gt Connect toa Network TEK WLANL W Information sent over this network might be visible to others RyanWELF_AP ow TEK WLAN2 will Connecting to WELF TEK WLAN2 ail TEK quest el ha ll TA ES 5il Open Network and Sharing Center Open Network and Sharing Center 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 59 4 Open the WELF 2 software by clicking on the WELF 2 icon shown at right on your desktop or under your Program Files from the Windows Start button located at the lower left of your computer screen 5 When the software opens click the Connect to wireless sensor icon on the software Toolbar shown below Pyn i A File View Tools Help O oe Bal IA o Go 200 Gp E A Connect to wireless sensor This opens the Wireless Sensor Connection dialog shown below middle The serial number for the Transmitter is visible in this dialog Note that it may take a moment to recognize the WELF Transmitter Once recognized select the WELF Transmitter and click the Connect button shown below left
18. e Displays in strip chart column graph e Internal triggering or digital readout e Sampling rate up to 200 Hz e Wireless connection setup Ad Hoc High speed version available up to 6 000 Hz and Access Point router network e WiFi certified 802 11b radio 802 11b g n capability compatible COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION Following are the components that ship with the WELF 2 system 1 WELF Transmitter 1 AC Adapter Optional Also Included 3 FlexiForce WB201 Sensors eo am ma A ZL Ear eet ol 3 AAA Batteries 1 Phillips head 1 screwdriver Note You can use a 2 pin sensor with the WELF Transmitter however you must ensure that the two pins are connected to the right side pin connections the two pins closest to the On Off Power Switch 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 53 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS The WELF Transmitter is powered via three AAA alkaline batteries such as Energizer E92 or the optional AC Adapter can be used if operation of the product is for extended period of time to save on battery life The following provides some guidance on expected performance Notes about the batteries used with the WELF Transmitter e These batteries are primary cells and are not rechargeable e Use only alkaline batteries Do not use any other kind of battery Use of other types of batteries may damage the WELF Transmitter e Once the batteries are discharged replace them with fresh batteries and dispose of the
19. menu or by clicking the right mouse button Menu Bar provides drop down menus used to control the program It is located at the top of the Main Window Note for more information see the Main Menu section 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 22 Toolbar provides some of the same options as the Menu Bar but with icons replacing drop down menus It is located directly below the Menu Bar at the top of the Main Window Note that not all items in the Menu Bar have a corresponding icon on the Toolbar Stop Change Decrease Connect to Open Recording Sensitivity Decimal wireless sensor ie a O O l zli Start Increase Zero Preload Recording Calibration Decimal Tare Note If you have the WELF system there will be an additional Connect to Wireless Sensor icon at the far right side of the Toolbar Refer to the Wireless ELF System section for further information Two icons on the Toolbar do not have corresponding pull down menus They are the Increase Decimal and Decrease Decimal buttons When sensors have been calibrated units of force will be shown Clicking these buttons will either increase or decrease the number of decimal places displayed by the software Main Status Bar will either say For Help Press F1 or will give a description of whichever Toolbar icon is under the cursor The Main Status Bar is located at the bottom of the Main Window Movie Window The Movie Window displays a previously recorded movie I
20. pressure data in the form of a chart with elapsed time in seconds on the X axis and the selected units on the Y axis Column displays the data as a single column with the force values on the Y axis Number displays the force data as a digital readout In the Properties dialog box you may also change the Scale Max Scale Min and Units Under Units the display units Percentage Grams Kilograms Newtons and Pound are selected Scale Min and Scale Max set the range of values that will be displayed Certain default maximum and minimum values will be displayed for the selected units and these values can be changed by clicking on the up and down arrows to the right of the numbers Selecting Pause causes the current Real time window to freeze or to ignore all commands When this is selected the word Pause will be added to the Title Bar of the window Movie windows cannot be paused 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 29 Record Menu Record Menu only available when focus is on a Real time Window y Tekscan Realtimel EW Record Tools Window p Start loro Stop Settings Start is used to make a recording movie When this is selected the software begins recording a movie of the current Real time window data using the settings that have been selected see the Settings menu item below When data is being recorded the Recording Recording message will appear shown at right and the Recording On icon on th
21. the sensing area to ensure that the entire load path goes through this area The puck must not touch any of the edges of the sensing area or these edges may support some of the load and give an erroneous reading The FlexiForce sensor reads forces that are perpendicular to the sensor plane Applications that impart shear forces could reduce the life of the sensor If the application will place a shear force on the sensor it should be protected by covering it with a more resilient material If it is necessary to mount the sensor to a surface it is recommended that you use tape when possible Adhesives may also be used but make sure that the adhesive will not degrade the substrate polyester material of the sensor before using it in an application Adhesives should not be applied to the sensing area however if it is necessary ensure that the adhesive is spread evenly Otherwise any high spots may appear as load on the sensor SATURATION The Saturation force is the point at which device output no longer varies with applied force The saturation force of each sensor is based on the maximum recommended force specified by Tekscan which is printed on system packaging or the actual sensor along with the Sensitivity Sensors are available in three force ranges Low Medium and High which have specified maximum forces of 25 150 and 1000 lbf respectively The sensor s effective force range up to the specified maximum can be altered
22. time window becomes the active window when it is opened If more than one Real time window is open the force data will be displayed in all windows in unison If the sensor has already been calibrated this calibration will also apply to the new Real time window Next Frame Movie Toolbar Playback Controls Plays the recording forward one frame each time it is clicked Number View Menu The Number option displays each COM port as numerical values Each numerical value is color coded to indicate the individual COM ports As time elapses the numbers change to indicate changes in force 0 Open File Menu The Open command displays the Open dialog box which allows you to open previously recorded movie files Only ELF movie files with the flf file extension can be opened P Piece Wise Linear Calibration This calibration connects each calibration point and interpolates between the values Play Backward Movie Toolbar Playback Controls Plays the recording in reverse Play Forward Movie Toolbar Playback Controls Plays the recording forward Playback Controls The Playback controls are used for movie playback functions The following functions are available First Frame Play Backward Previous Frame Stop Next Frame Play Forward and Last Frame See Movie Toolbar Playback Controls Port See COM Port Previous Frame Movie Toolbar Playback Controls Plays the recording in reverse one frame each time it i
23. used to move to any point frame in the movie 6 0 5 b L 4 Frame 82 of 85 Time 10 1 of 10 5 secs 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 24 THE MAIN MENU The Main Menu The Main Menu contains important commands you use to perform functions within the software Some menu commands can be found directly in the toolbar however not all commands found under the menu are located on the toolbar For this reason it is important to become acquainted with the commands found under each menu This section provides a thorough description of each command and dialog box found under these menus It is important to note that the Main Menu changes depending where your focus lies The reason for this difference is because there are some commands that can only be accessed from a Movie Window and others from a Real time Window For example if you have two windows open one a Real time Window and the other a Movie Window the Main Menu will contain a different set of submenus and commands The following display shows the difference between the two Main Menus The Main Menu as it appears when focus is on a Real time Window File View Record Tools Window Help The Main Menu as it appears when focus is on a Movie Window File View Took Window Frames Displayed Help File Menu File Menu when focus is on a Real time Window File Menu when focus is on a Movie Window E Co CC 2 ELF by Tekscan ELF Test Mowiefif 0 2 ELF by Tek
24. 3 ELF User Manual Rev L 71 T Temperature Sensitivity See Sensor Temperature Sensitivity Threshold Refers to a value within the Recording Parameters that is set by the user The Threshold may be set for each individual COM port so that each sensor has a different Threshold This may be used in combination with the Trigger Force value to begin recording when force is exerted on a specific sensor See Recording Parameters Tile Window Menu The Tile command arranges multiple windows in an overlapped fashion either vertically or horizontally Toolbar The Toolbar provides some of the same options as the Menu Bar but with icons replacing drop down menus It is located directly below the Menu Bar at the top of the Main Window Note that not all items in the Menu Bar have a corresponding icon on the Tool Bar Toolbar View Menu The Tool Bar option is used to display or hide the Movie and Main Tool Bars These tool bars can be toggled by clicking this menu item on and off If a Real time window is active this menu item affects the Main Tool Bar If a Movie window is active this menu item affects the Movie Tool Bar Trigger Force See Triggering Triggering Refers to the Recording Parameters dialog box This dialog box allows you to trigger the start of a recording based on a force value If you enter a value in the Trigger Force field and select the appropriate measurement units recording will not begin until that fo
25. 4 4266 Emal suppobteocan com Http wee tekacar con 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 41 SENSOR LOADING CONSIDERATIONS The following general sensor loading guidelines can be applied to most applications and will help you achieve the most accurate results from your tests It is important that you read the Sensor Performance Characteristics section for further information on how to get the most accurate results from your sensor readings SENSOR LOADING The entire sensing area of the FlexiForce sensor is treated as a single contact point For this reason the applied load should be distributed evenly across the sensing area to ensure accurate and repeatable force readings Readings may vary slightly if the load distribution changes over the sensing area Note that the sensing area is the silver circle on the top of the sensor only It is also important that the sensor be loaded consistently or in the same way each time If the footprint of the applied load is smaller than the sensing area the load should not be placed near the edges of the sensing area to ensure an even load distribution It is also important to ensure that the sensing area is the entire load path and that the load is not supported by the area outside of the sensing area If the footprint of the applied load is larger than the sensing area it may be necessary to use a puck A puck is a piece of rigid material smaller than the sensing area that is placed on
26. 4 hours You can use an air syringe however to significantly reduce this drying time Do not attempt to dry out the WELF Transmitter using any other method or you may destroy the delicate electronics e To properly clean the WELF Transmitter be sure to wipe it down with a 70 Isopropyl Alcohol solution To do this slightly dampen a cloth with the alcohol solution careful not to soak or saturate the cloth Then wipe the WELF Transmitter after each use TROUBLESHOOTING If you are having problems try some of the following solutions If this does not solve your problem contact Tekscan Customer Service e Try turning off your wireless internet connection The WELF 2 system may be experiencing interference with the wireless internet signal e Low battery life can result in connection problems A blinking battery light indicates if battery strength is low To test if this is causing the connection issue plug the optional AC adapter into the WELF Transmitter if you have obtained one to power the unit via external power or replace the batteries in the Transmitter e You may have your wireless adapter set to Static IP which is not supported To change these settings go to Start gt Control Panel gt Network and Sharing Center and click on the Change adapter settings from the left side menu options Then right click on the Wireless Network Connection icon and select Properties from the context menu Select the Internet Protocol Ver
27. A Calibration Calbraton Options f Best fit near Details Sensor AS WOABAB Piece wise inea Force uril newtons Mulhpont Calibration Approx mariage DZ 43 Cal Force 0 9807 4 i t Add Poir emove Paint 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 48 10 Repeat the steps with as many known loads as you wish 11 If you wish to discard any points click to highlight them in the Force Raw column Then select Remove Point Mulkpomt Calit ation Appros maxiange 2 05 0 3807 0 3807 0 3805 Cal Force 0 3807 ls T Ps Add Poirk Remove Point 12 If you have the Multi Handle EZF system continue selecting Sensor and adding as many known loads as you wish until at least one calibration point has been added for each sensor h 13 Once all Calibration points have been added for all Sensors click Finish The Real time window will now display force in units of force rather than raw force Sensor ADWDABA Dige uri newborns Help Raw E 0 3307 59 Sensirvily nS EA Realtime AS WOATAG ASWOABA 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 49 14 If you wish to save the calibration file for future use select Tools gt Save Calibration and enter the desired destination and file name in the Save As dialog box Calibration files must be saved with the clb file extension Sensitivity settings are saved with calibration files x Save As
28. OM ports sensors The color you choose will be used for all Movie and Real time windows and will be set as the default color To restore the original color select the Default All Colors button Sensing Area The Sensing area is the silver circle located on the top of the sensor Sensitivity Also referred to as Adjustable Gain This adjustment sets the data output range from the computer 0 to 100 to the actual force range output from the system handle In this way the usable force range of the sensor can be adjusted up to the rated maximum force Sensitivity settings are saved between sessions and are included with calibration files Sensitivity can be accessed directly from the Tools Menu or from within the Calibration dialog box Sensor Life Durability Sensor life depends on the application in which it is used Sensors are reusable unless used in applications in which they are subjected to severe conditions such as against sharp edges or shear forces FlexiForce sensors have been successfully tested at over one million load cycles using a 50 lb force Rough handling of a sensor will also shorten its useful life For example a sensor that is repeatedly installed in a flanged joint will have a shorter life than a sensor installed in the same joint once and used to monitor loads over a prolonged period After each installation visually inspect your sensors for physical damage It is also important to keep the sensing area of the sensor c
29. ROM Drive type d setup in the command line field of the Run dialog box then click OK The following images outline the installation process First the InstallShield Wizard will prepare your machine for proper setup ELF Multi handle InstallShield Wizard Preparing Setup Please wai while lhe InstallShield Wizard prepares the setup ELF Muuhi handle Setup is peparing the InstallShield irand which vall guide you through Ihe rest of the sebup process Please wait i E Inmaak The next screen you will see is the Welcome screen Click Next to continue with the Setup ELF Multi handie InstallShield Wizard Welcome to the InstallShield Wizard for ELF Multihandle The Inelals hielo Wizard wil install ELF MMulli hande on you compuler To continue chek Hed 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 13 You will be taken to the License Agreement page When you have read the License and agree to the terms click the Next button to continue with your installation ELF Multi handle InstallShield Wizard ELF Multi handle License Agreement Engish PLEASE READ THIS SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT LICENSE CAREFULLY BEFORE PRESSING THE AGREE BUTTON EY PRESSING AGREE YOU SRE FREEING TO BE BOUND EY THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE IF YOU DO NOT GAEE TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE PRESS DISAGREE AND IF ICSBLE RETURN THE TERSCAN SOFTWARE TO THE PLACE WHERE VOU OBTAINED IT FOR A
30. Tekscam O Devices recorded different number of frames RESETTING THE WELF TRANSMITTER TO THE DEFAULT AD HOC NETWORK If you have set up the WELF Transmitter to be used in an Access Point network and wish to return the unit to the default Ad Hoc network settings follow the instructions below 1 Using the small Phillips head 1 screwdriver unscrew the center screw located on the bottom rear of the Transmitter being careful not to strip the screw when loosening Remove the screw from the bottom battery access door see image at right 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 63 2 Lift and remove the battery access door using the thumb notch 3 Turn on the Transmitter 4 Using an object such as a pen press and hold the Reset button shown below until all three LED lights simultaneously illuminate on the front of the Transmitter When they do release the Reset button 5 Place the battery access door back onto the Transmitter again Insert and screw the battery access door in place As you tighten the screw be careful not to strip the threads 6 Turn the Transmitter off and then on again The Transmitter is now set to the default Ad Hoc network setting 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 64 EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE e The WELF Transmitter cannot be autoclaved e Do not let any liquid drip onto the electronics inside the WELF Transmitter If this occurs it may stop working and must be allowed to dry for 2
31. Tekscan ELF User Manual single Handle Multi Handle Wireless and Hi Speed Systems Economical load amp force system Tekscan ELF User Manual v 4 2x Economical load amp force system Tekscan Inc 307 West First Street South Boston MA 02127 Tel 617 464 4500 800 248 3669 fax 617 464 4266 Email marketing tekscan com web www tekscan com Table of Contents A O O ae be is sled ewan A AE 3 USO gece ss ean a A A a 3 INTRODUCTION oo tance a a ett alee ee Solero eM ORONO rl e A 4 GETING ASSIS IA NGE orn o dad 4 WICK SIAR AA a Oo E O a nae sesecarsaseteensnciee 5 INSTALLATION aaa 11 ELE GOMPONENT DN A Ni 12 SOFTWARE INSTALLATION de 13 HARDWARE NN ecu E AE E S EEN EAE AE E TEE tule beau dee een ouen tas ud A NEERA EAE 18 USB ELE SYSTEMESPEGIICATIONS Serono sunset Sole weanaoara roses Menaeteas 19 OV RV EW o A E ts ses ru cen aan wee aces ra E E E E EE eG A ReN ware E ac Sal as an ae 21 A ait angen caanuedehacelpaemanennian weal era aee lace teatiocetse 21 SENS OSHA NDE a mts a e a a ela ee ans ee neat Dee eye me 21 SGREEN IDISPIAY 4 2220 a o A 21 NG WO OW EEA ay T a i aoe cea en Ost gees ate ose cee 21 MOVERNOS asd O 23 IN A A A O eae a ak S 25 e e ed 25 EMO ds o de oda 25 Vew Meni A 27 P0 E 1 eas IE GEI E ATE et sacra see cea pe eae ee eee eee 30 LOIS VICI ra Fotis tas o e se do a do a a One roa ee E 34 WIN TTI CA ie ee ee REE ar TOES EU MEI nia ERY OPES COTE Tae TREE Pe TE ee 39 Frames D
32. ble If Triggering is in effect and Record is selected the Waiting for Trigger message will be displayed until the trigger force is reached Movies created by the ELF system are stored as flf files Status Bar Main The Main Status Bar provides the user with feedback about what is happening inside the ELF software It will either say For Help Press F1 or will give a description of whichever Toolbar icon is under the cursor The Main Status Bar is located at the bottom of the Main Window Status Bar Movie Window The Movie Window Status Bar is located at the bottom of the Movie Window and displays the Frame count the current frame number vs the total number in the movie Status Bar View Menu The Status Bar option is used to display or hide the Movie and Main Status Bars These status bars can be toggled by clicking this menu item on and off If a Real time window is active this menu item affects the Main Status Bar If a Movie window is active this menu item affects the Movie Status Bar Stop Movie Toolbar Playback Controls Stops playback Stop Record Menu The Stop command will cause the software to stop recording the active Real time window even if the correct number of movie frames as selected in Settings have not yet been recorded Strip Chart View Menu The Strip Chart option is the default display mode where force value is displayed on the Y Axis and elapsed time is displayed on the X Axis 8 2 201
33. by adjusting the system sensitivity refer to the Calibration section Decreasing the sensitivity setting 1 to 20 possible will increase the force range displayed as Approx Max Range and saturation force of the sensor and vice versa It is essential that the sensor s do not become saturated during testing 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 43 CONDITIONING SENSORS Exercising or Conditioning a sensor before calibration and testing is essential in achieving accurate results from your ELF system It helps to lessen the effects of drift and hysteres s Conditioning is required for new sensors and for sensors that have not been used for a length of time To condition a sensor place 110 of the test weight on the sensor allow the sensor to stabilize and then remove the weight Repeat this process four or five times The interface between the sensor and the test subject material should be the same during conditioning as during calibration and actual testing IMPORTANT Sensors must be properly conditioned prior to calibration and use 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 44 CALIBRATION The ELF system sensor acts as a variable resistor in a circuit This circuit produces a digital output value between 0 255 Raw based on the sensor resistance and the system handle s adjustable gain sensitivity Calibration is the method by which this digital output is related to an actual engineering unit such as pounds or Newtons If you are usi
34. ding and unloading FlexiForce sensors are generally repeatable within 2 5 once they have been conditioned A sensor is conditioned by loading it to 110 of the test weight four or five times Follow the full procedure in the Conditioning Sensors section LINEARITY Linearity refers to the sensor s response digital output to the applied load over the range of the sensor This response should ideally be linear and any non linearity of the sensor is the amount that its output deviates from this line A calibration is performed to linearize this output as much as possible FlexiForce sensors are linear within 3 HYSTERESIS Hysteresis is the difference in the sensor output response during incremental step loading and unloading without going back to zero between measurements at the same forces For static forces and applications in which force is only increased and not decreased the effects of hysteresis are minimal If an application includes load decreases as well as increases there may be error introduced by hysteresis that is not accounted for by calibration For a conditioned sensor with 50 of the full force range applied hysteresis is less than 4 5 of full scale DRIFT Drift is the change in sensor output when a constant force is applied over a period of time If the sensor is kept under a constant load the resistance of the sensor will continually decrease and the output will gradually increase It is important
35. discharged batteries in accordance with applicable laws e Ifthe WELF Transmitter is not to be used for an extended period of time remove batteries This avoids damage to the Transmitter if batteries leak e Use only Tekscan approved AC adapters cables and sensors ee High Gain Low Gain Maximum Force Maximum Force WB201 L Oto 1 WB201 L 0to1lb 44 WB201 L 0to1lb 44 N 0 to 25 0t025b 111 N 0t025b 111 N N WB201 M 0 to 25 Ib 111 N 0 to 150 lb 667 N WB201 H 0 to 150 lb 667 N 0 to 1 000 Ib 4 448 N The following table provides sensor performance recommendations Number of Handles of Handles Scan Rate TE Distance ae Sensors y WELF 2 basic system 200 8 WELF 2 High Speed system 6 000 A Note You can use a 2 pin sensor with the WELF Transmitter however you must ensure that the two pins are connected to the right side pin connections the two pins closest to the On Off Power Switch WELF Features e On Off Power Switch Turns the WELF Transmitter on or off The switch is located on the right of the Transmitter refer to Sensor Specifications table below e Sensor Input WB201 can be inserted via three pin sensor connection into the WELF Transmitter Sensor input is located at the front of the Transmitter refer to Sensor Specifications table below e LED Lights Three LED lights are located on the top front of the WELF Transmitter refer to Sensor Specifications table below
36. e Main Toolbar will become active the red circle will become Recording in progress grayed out and the square Stop button black color will become visible If Triggering is in effect and Record is selected the Waiting for Trigger message will be displayed until the trigger force is reached Movies created by the LF system are stored as fIf files Stop will cause the software to stop recording the active Real time Window even if the correct number of movie frames as selected in Settings have not yet been recorded Settings brings up the Recording Parameters dialog box which allows you to change the current recording parameters Under Recording Type there are three possibilities that may be selected Recording Parameters Recordina ype Indiribe uses stops at 8H O Frame count al BH Frame count Full contro Ouraten 5 Trager and threshold Sensor Por COM3 COM3 ll Tage Force Threshold Note The Frequency or acquisition rate is measured in Hertz Hz which is the number of times per second the sensor output is read by the software 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 30 Standard ELF Recording Parameters If you have purchased the standard ELF system the software will record at a lower range of speeds and your choices for Recording Types include Infinite Frame Count and Full Control below le Recording lype Infinite
37. e as ASCII File Menu The Save As ASCII command saves the current Movie frame as an ASCII file with the extension csv Since these files are in ASCII comma separated value format they can be imported into a spreadsheet program e g MS Excel or they can be opened in a text editor or word processing program e g MS Word in order to review and manipulate the data Save Calibration Tools Menu The Save Calibration command allows you to save your current calibration as a file for future use When this item is selected a Save As dialog box appears and the calibration file can be saved with the specific file name and location of your choice Calibration files must have the extension clb and can contain up to eight characters The Sensitivity setting is also saved by the calibration file Scroll Bar Movie Window The Scroll bar is located directly above the status bar in a Movie Window at the bottom of the movie window below the force data It can be used to move to any point frame in the movie Select Colors Tools Menu The Select Colors command allows you to customize the background color as well as the trace color for each ELF device in your View windows When this item is selected the Select Graph Colors dialog box appears By clicking on either Trace Color or Background Color a Windows color palette becomes available and you can select one of the standard colors or create your own custom color for each of the C
38. e standard colors or create your own custom color for each of the COM ports sensors The color you choose will be used for all Movie and Real time Windows and will be set as the default color To restore the original color select the Default All Colors button THE Le ST ATTE TTT ie a TT TEE T Select Graph Colors EA RA Set Trace Colg i id i 27 Seen AWOARAG a Cancel Trace Color Background Color Defauk All Colors ICI En Change Unit This feature allows you to quickly change the force units displayed in all windows To use this feature however you must have performed a calibration Otherwise all force will be displayed as raw values Change Unit pon k i Change Sensitivity This feature opens the Change Sensitivity Dialog box below You may adjust the sensitivity for each sensor COM port Use the drop down Select Buttons field to select the COM port Then drag the slider up and down until you are satisfied Adjust as many buttons as you like When you are satisfied click OK To return the system to the original sensitivity settings click the Default button When you change the Sensitivity a message will open up explaining that your calibration will be discarded if you have Calibrated the sensor If you want to continue click Yes _ e n CATAS 5 jo Changing sensitivity wall invalidate and discard calibration Do you want e to contin
39. er Manual Rev L 65 GLOSSARY A About Elf Help Menu The About Elf command displays a dialog window with information about the software version as well as contact information for Tekscan Adjustable Gain See Sensitivity B Best Fit Linear Calibration This calibration creates a best fit curve through two or more known force values After a known load is added as a calibration point select the Params button from the Calibration dialog for details about the calibration including slope offset and Correlation Coefficient 12 C Cal Force A value that is entered by the user on the Calibration dialog box This value is the calibration load that is placed on the sensor in order to convert the Digital output into Engineering Units Calibrate Tools Menu The Calibrate command opens the ELF Calibration dialog box which enables you to calibrate the sensor and adjust the system sensitivity See Calibration Calibration Calibration is the method by which this digital output of the sensor is related to an actual engineering unit such as pounds or Newtons If you are using the Multi Handle ELF system all selected COM ports must be calibrated with at least one point before Calibration can be completed Cascade Window Menu The Cascade command arranges multiple windows in an overlapped fashion Change Sensitivity Tools Menu The Change Sensitivity command opens the Sensitivity Dialog box You may adjust the sensitivi
40. essfully tested at over one million load cycles using a 50 Ib force Rough handling of a sensor will also shorten its useful life For example a sensor that is repeatedly installed in a flanged joint will have a shorter life than a sensor installed in the same joint once and used to monitor loads over a prolonged period After each installation visually inspect your sensors for physical damage It is also important to keep the sensing area of the sensor clean Any deposits on this area will create uneven loading and will cause saturation to occur at lower applied forces 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 52 THE WIRELESS ELF SYSTEM The Wireless Economical Load Force 2 WELF 2 system is a user friendly cost effective load measurement system This system combines FlexiForce sensors Wireless ELF electronics and Windows compatible software turning your PC or laptop into a force measurement instrument The Wireless ELF 2 system allows you to transmit force readings from your FlexiForce sensors to your PC without a direct cable connection The following section explains the setup and operation of this system Key Features include e Real time data capture e Connector Compatible with all FlexiForce 2 and 3 e ASCII output to data analysis software pin male sensors e Simple and storable calibration e Movie recording amp saving e Adjustable sensitivity e Multi point calibration e Multiple Handle capability available e Capability to tare a load
41. he Calibration section Calibration Calbration Options ae f Best fit linear eta Senzor AS WOABAB O Piece wise ines Force unit grams Cancel r Mulbpomt Calibration Cal Force 100 EL j Add Poirt me m 7 Select the desired recording parameters under Record gt Settings The default Recording Type is Infinite user stops at 8Hz but you are given the option to stop the recording after a specific number of frames You may also set recording frequency trigger and threshold as well as frames to record in this dialog box Recording Parameters Recording lyp Indiribe uses stops at BHz me rate 6200 H C Frame count at Hz Frame count 1 5165624 Full control Duration until stopped Trigger and threshold Senso ASWOABAS Trigger 00 z Threshold 00 g 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 7 8 8 2 2013 Click Record gt Start or the Start Recording icon on the Toolbar The system will begin recording data If you selected Infinite 8 Hz user stops as the recording type you must click Record gt Stop or the Stop Recording icon on the Toolbar to stop recording Otherwise recording will stop when the required number of frames have been acquired A AAA EW Record Tools Window He Ji Start loro Ji Start Stop a Stop tim Settings sia Settings An alternate method of Starting and
42. he right to make changes in the specifications of the product described within this manual at any time without notice and without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes FlexiForce and ELF are registered trademarks of Tekscan Inc Windows 2000 XP Vista MS DOS Word Notepad and Excel are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation QUICK START This is a quick look at how to use your EZF system This Quick Start procedure should be followed as a general outline it will give you the basics on how to view sensor force data in a Real time Window record this data play the recording back and analyze the data However you must read the entire manual before designing your application If you are using the Wireless ELF WELF system please refer to The Wireless ELF System section Note This procedure assumes that the ELF software has been successfully installed on your system In addition a familiarity with MS Windows is assumed 1 Make sure the sensors are inserted correctly into the handles Run the program by clicking the Start button at the bottom left of the screen selecting Programs and then clicking the ELF Multi icon shown at right ELF Multi 2 Anew Real time window will appear The size of this window will vary since MS Windows cascades new windows If the window is too small to view comfortably enlarge it by dragging an edge of the window with the cursor shown below ASV OAR AG ASWOAGAT
43. ion data When this item is selected a dialog box will appear giving the option of canceling the Uncalibrate operation Uncalibrate does not affect the Sensitivity setting If you wish to recalibrate the sensor during the same testing session select Tools gt Uncalibrate to reset the calibration of the current window The current calibration will be saved between sessions unless Uncalibrate is selected A dialog prompt will open asking if you are sure you want to uncalibrate It is usually a good idea to save your calibration file before you uncalibrate as there is no way to retrieve your calibration once you use this command and click OK in the message prompt below oA Ate om SS ee gt Thee will discard calibration data A you have it saved use Tools gt Load Calibration to load it back OK Cancel 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 36 Load Calibration allows you to use the calibration data from a previously saved file for your current Real time Window When this item is selected an Open dialog box appears and the calibration file can be located and opened Only EZF calibration files extension clb can be loaded The Sensitivity setting that was saved with the calibration file will also be loaded CQ di Local Disk C Work Tekscan movies flexiforce Organize New folder Li Iscan 700Alphad Name Le bcan 760Betal Le Escan 5823 Beta J bean Tetre J Escan Lite 5 83 21719 de Iscan WiFi
44. is plaved MENU 22 ER AA EI ADA AAA VERAS ENE 40 LOUD A A O a pada aad Ca 41 SENSOR LOADING CONSIDERATIONS c0cccenscccccccnccccncceusceusseaneeunseuaneuunseuasenuusnunssnunesugs 43 SENSOR LOADING wetepetacte neem e ee te ae o eG eR cal i e rl ea a atu 43 A A o o aca basevernceacueraiesereie re deacenamreedeotece 43 CONDITIONING SENSORS ad 44 CALIBRATION riadas 45 CABRON GN e Rated 46 CATIBRATION PROCEDURE A a O a a 46 SENSOR PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS 2 cccecceecccccccenccenscceusceueseuaneeunseunseuuesuessnanssugs 51 A 2652025 eat A A RO poste ice caacaene sence tuo neam aus nereae cine an Aaa 51 NA A A A AS AAN 51 IY S ES S KAE T ESNE N A ENOTE EAEE E POEET NN ENE EEEN EEEE ENES 51 A A O OE SEAE EN EE A A A 51 TEMPERATURE SNA id 51 SENSOR baew Ree ected Meigs eset EAE N E haat dna een baa EE EE EEE EN 52 THE WIRELESS ELE SYSTEM AAA 53 COMPONENT ID TN ater oatarefeneantiaetialaee bacteiaaa eae naaeu ane gadiaaenayemeaueaeueuatann 53 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 1 TECNICA Ne nieaeeern 54 INSTALLING THE BATTERIES 0 A E EF ET 57 SETTING UP THE WIRELESS BILE SYSTEMvcitubs o a o ODO E haat tas 58 RESETTING THE WELF TRANSMITTER TO THE DEFAULT AD HOC NETWORK occocccccnncnocnncnnnnnnannnnnnnennnnnnnnnnnnrnnrnnnnnnan 63 HOUIPMENT MAINTENANGE o snesiciescntonsoscocicicsacal dcooies o ccoicaioc aA lc lee ce 65 AN A A A O A ease aS aioe Nae 65 GEROSSA Risco ano 66 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 2 WELCOME ISO Teksca
45. ithin your ELF software Only one window can be selected at a time A window is selected by clicking on it and when selected the title bar will turn blue When a window is selected in this manner it is said to have focus Frame Count Refers to one of the Recording Parameter options When selected the number of Frames to Record may be entered at the bottom of the dialog box The recording will stop when this number of frames has been recorded regardless of the duration of the movie See Recording Parameters Frames Displayed A submenu of the Main Menu The Frames Displayed Menu provides various display options for the amount of frames shown within the Movie Window along the X axis In addition you can opt to view the Entire Movie within the window s display area H Handle The handle is a piece of hardware that gathers data from the sensor processes it and sends it to your computer through a USB port See ELF Hardware and COM Port Help Topics Help Menu The Help Topics command opens the help file associated with the Multi Channel ELF software About ELF opens the About ELF dialog box which displays the software and hardware device version numbers for your ELF system and gives you information on how to contact FlexiForce Hi Speed Recording Parameters Refers to the options available under the Recording Parameters dialog box If you have purchased the ELF Hi Speed system the software will record at a higher ra
46. lean Any deposits on this area will create uneven loading and will cause saturation to occur at lower applied forces 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 70 Sensor Temperature Sensitivity The operating range for FlexiForce sensors is from 15 F 9 C to 140 F 60 C FlexiForce sensor output may vary up to 0 2 per change in degree F approx 0 36 per change in degree C In general this change will be more significant if you combine high loads on the sensor with high temperatures For loads of less than 10 lbs the operating temperature can be increased to 165 F 74 C To ensure accuracy calibrate the sensor at the temperature at which it will be used in the application If the sensor is being used at different temperatures perform a calibration at each of these temperatures save the calibration files then load the appropriate calibration file when using the sensor at that temperature FlexiForce sensors should be stored at temperatures in the range of 15 F 9 C to 165 F 74 C Sensors The FlexiForce sensor is an ultra thin 0 005 flexible printed circuit It is 0 55 14 mm wide and 9 0 229 mm in length Sensors are available in three full scale force ranges Low 25 lbf Medium 150 lbf and High 1000 Ibf The active sensing area is a 0 375 diameter circle at the end of the sensor The sensors are constructed of two layers of substrate such as a polyester film On each layer a conductive material sil
47. mation as a movie and review and analyze it later There are a number of options for displaying the real time force data it can be displayed as a strip chart column graph or digital readout Recorded movie frames can be saved as ASCII text files which can be imported into a spreadsheet program or opened in a text editor or word processing program Real time data or movie frames can also be copied to the Windows clipboard and pasted into other applications as a bmp bitmap file GETTING ASSISTANCE Tekscan Inc will provide technical assistance for any difficulties you may experience using your EZF system Write call or fax us with any concerns or questions Our knowledgeable support staff will be happy to help you Comments and suggestions are always welcome FlexiForce a division of Tekscan Inc 307 West First Street South Boston MA 02127 1309 Phone 617 464 4500 Fax 617 464 4266 E mail flexiforceOtekscan com 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 4 Copyright O 2008 by Tekscan Incorporated All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced transmitted transcribed stored in a retrieval system or translated into any language or computer language in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Tekscan Inc 307 West First Street South Boston MA 02127 1309 Tekscan Inc makes no representation or warranties with respect to this manual Further Tekscan Inc reserves t
48. n focus is on a Movie Window 1 000 2 000 5 000 10 000 20 000 Entire Movie The Frames Displayed Menu provides various display options for the amount of frames shown within the Movie Window along the X axis In addition you can opt to view the Entire Movie within the window s display area The following image at right shows 50 frames within a movie ri ro y a eo A ELF Test Movie fif A A A AL aie A Al o gt gt ASWOABAB AS WOABAT Frame 2 of 85 Tire 10 1 of 10 5 secs 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 40 The following image shows the same movie but this time with the Entire Movie option selected El ajaj gt gt gt 100 5 60 34 di ASWOABAG ABWOABAT 20 03 1 85 3 5 5 5 35 fs 8 8 s 10 5 s 4 1 h Frame 35 of 33 Time 10 5 of 10 5 secs a Help Menu Help Menu same when focus is on either a Real time or Movie Window Help Topics About ELF Help Topics opens the help file associated with the Multi Channel EZF software About ELF opens the About ELF dialog box which displays the software and hardware device version numbers for your ELF system and gives you information on how to contact Tekscan shown below Economical Load and Force ELF System Version 4 2 00 Copyright 1997 2013 Tekacan Imc 307 West Fist St Boston M 02127 Telephone 617 464 4500 Fasc 617 46
49. n is registered to the following standard s e SO 9001 2000 e ISO 13485 2003 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L INTRODUCTION This manual describes how to use Tekscan s Economical Load amp Force ELF Multi Handle ELF and Hi Speed ELF systems These systems are ideal for designers researchers or anyone who needs to measure forces without disturbing the dynamics of their tests The FlexiForce sensors can be used to measure both static and dynamic forces up to 1000 Ibf and are thin enough to enable non intrusive measurement Each ELF system is comprised of FlexiForce s Microsoft MS Windows based software the associated electronics and FlexiForce sensors The ELF system hardware includes the sensor handle with USB adapter and the sensors One of the major advantages of this system is that it is simple to install and requires very little hardware The ELF sensors use a resistive based technology The application of a force to the active sensing area of the sensor results in a change in the resistance of the sensing element in inverse proportion to the force applied After a simple calibration is performed this force can be displayed on the screen in the measurement units that you choose such as Pounds or Newtons The ELF software is an 8 bit application that is compatible with Microsoft MS Windows 2000 XP Vista The software allows you to view a graphical representation of the force on the sensor in real time record this infor
50. ndle Setup is performing the requested operations Dee ee Le Instala med 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 15 The next screen that will appear offers you the options to place a shortcut icon on your desktop and view the README file ELF Multi handle InstallShield Wizard Tekzcan Installation of ELF Multi handle Click Finish to complete the ELF Mulli hardle Setup E Create a chorlcul for ELF Mull handle on the Desktop and FF View the README file Back Fish anzel If you elect to view the README file it will open in a MS Notepad window where you can read about new and updated information regarding the latest release of the ELF software P readme txt Notepad Fie Edit Format View Help fot esses al TEKSCAN ELF 3 40 README TXT FILE f November 2007 der rr A A A A A A A N a A E This file contains important information about Elf Version 3 40 It contains a description of all changes that were made to the software in the current version Tip If necessary choose word wrap from the Notepad Edit menu or wrap To window from the wordPad View Options menu to wrap the text within the document window A A e Inn A A a E l USB HANDLE SUPPORT The new UsSe based wired handles are supported in this version of the software 2 BUG FIX WELF HANDLE RECOGNITION PROBLEM UPON SOFTWARE RESTARTS The wELF transmitters and or the WELF hub might not be recognized dropped j upon
51. ndows is assumed so menu items that have the same function in standard Windows applications are not described in this manual Main Window When you initiate the ELF software program the Main Window is displayed on your computer screen The Main Window consists of the Menu Bar Tool Bar and Main Status Bar and may contain one or more Real time or Movie Windows The window that is selected is considered the active window Only one window can be active at one time and the title bars of the other windows will be grayed out The Main Window and its components are shown in the figure below 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 21 NOTE that the figure below shows a Multi Handle ELF system with two handles recording data Title Bar Main Menu Toolbar Real Time Window E ELF by Tekscan Realtimel File View Record Tools Window Help me l zlila spare po y et Legend Default Y Axis This is Percentage if Sensor were Calibrated measurement unit such as Pounds would be displayed 60 40 20 DS Default X Axis in Seconds 1 ELF Test Movie fif z Movie Window El sat al AE Playback Controls Movie Window ASW OARAG Movie Window Scrolbar moves the X Axis Timeline Not calibrated Main Status Bar Movie Window Status Bar Real Time Window displays the load applied to the sensor as it is happening in real time The Properties of this display can be changed in the File pull down
52. ng the Multi Handle ZF system all selected COM ports must be calibrated with at least one point before Calibration can be completed To calibrate apply a known force to the sensor The software then equates this applied force to the digital output that it reads and performs a linear interpolation between zero load and the known calibration load In this way the software determines the actual force range that matches the digital output range of 0 255 Raw To perform a multi point calibration apply at least two known forces to a sensor The Calibration p software then equates this applied force to Calbration Options Sah the digital output that it reads and performs o eee Detat Sensor ABWOABA El E one of two types of interpolation between dd Force unit grams Carcel zero load and the known calibration loads In Milo Calienta Hop this way the software determines the actual Approx max range 5395 force range that matches the digital output range of 0 255 Raw Sencilraiby e Best Fit Linear Calibration This calibration creates a best fit curve through two or more known force values After a known load is added as a calibration point select the Cal Force B00 Params button for details about the A calibration including slope offset tP Rossen and Correlation Coefficient r2 e Piece Wise Linear Calibration This calibration connects each calibration point and interpolates between the values Calibra
53. nge of speeds and your Recording Parameters dialog box will look slightly different Your choices for Recording Type include Infinite Frame Count and High Speed See Recording Parameters 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 67 Hysteresis Hysteresis is the difference in the sensor output response during incremental step loading and unloading without going back to zero between measurements at the same forces For static forces and applications in which force is only increased and not decreased the effects of hysteresis are minimal If an application includes load decreases as well as increases there may be error introduced by hysteresis that is not accounted for by calibration For a conditioned sensor with 50 of the full force range applied hysteresis is less than 4 5 of full scale I Increase Decrease Decimal Two icons on the Tool Bar do not have corresponding pull down menus They are the Increase Decimal and Decrease Decimal buttons When sensors have been calibrated units of force will be shown Clicking these buttons will either increase or decrease the number of decimal places displayed by the software L Last Frame Movie Toolbar Playback Controls Positions the recording at the end of the movie last frame Linearity Linearity refers to the sensor s response digital output to the applied load over the range of the sensor This response should ideally be linear and any non linearity of the sensor is the amount
54. nsor ASWDABAB Frish C Piece wise linea Force uril grams a Cancel Multipoint Calibration Help Serenity o Cal Force 100 4 mi i Add Pork eiei In the Calibration dialog box the calibration load is entered under Cal Force by typing in the value and selecting the appropriate units Grams Kilograms Newtons Pounds Clicking the OK button will then begin the calibration process The resulting calibration can be saved as a file by selecting Save Calibration under the same Tools menu Calibration Calbiaion Options Finish Best fit linear Details Sensor ASWOABA Fri C Piece wise linea Force uril grams Cancel Mulipont Calibration Help Approx mariage 5 Cal Force 300 a Fl j Add Poir Remove Point 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 35 Sensitivity or Adjustable Gain is also adjusted in the Calibration dialog box The Sensitivity should be adjusted whenever necessary to keep the force display in a usable range Sensitivity settings are saved between sessions and are included with calibration files The sensitivity adjustment is described in detail in the Calibration Procedure Calbration Options Best fit linear el Sensor ADNDABAS ee C Piece wise inex Force uril Cancel Multipoint Calibration Cal Force 300 Add Pork Uncalibrate This option removes the sensor s calibrat
55. ntil Stop if Infinite is selected or the approximate duration in seconds the recording will take to complete if Frame Count is specified Recording Parameters Fieconding lyp E Infirite user stops at BHz Frame rate 10 200 Hz 20 O Frame count at GHz Frame count 1000 TE contol Duration st 5 000000 M Trigger and threshold Sensor Port coms COMMS Tigger Force 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 32 The Recording Parameters dialog box also allows you to trigger the start of a recording If you enter a value in the Trigger Force field and select the appropriate measurement units recording will not begin until that force is exerted on the sensor Enter a zero in this field to disable triggering Only one Trigger Force value may be entered and will apply to all sensors being used for testing Recording Parameters Recordino lupe infirite user stops at BHz ame rate 10 200 H2 A Frame count al SH Frame count 1000 Full controll Duration Until Stop M Trager and threshold Sensor Port COM3 COM3 Tigger Force Unit Percentage i Threshold The Threshold may be set for each individual COM port so that each sensor has a different threshold This may be used in combination with the Trigger Force value to begin recording when force is exerted on a specific sensor Note If no calibration has been performed the only available units will be shown as a
56. ore calibrating it or using it for measurement This is done to reduce the amount of change in the sensor response due to repeated loading and unloading FlexiForce sensors are generally repeatable within 2 5 once they have been conditioned A sensor is conditioned by loading it to 110 of the test weight four or five times 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 69 S Saturation The saturation force is the point at which the device output no longer varies with applied force The saturation force of each sensor is based on the maximum recommended force specified by Tekscan which is printed on the system packaging or the actual sensor along with the sensitivity Sensors are available in three force ranges Low Medium and High which have specified maximum forces of 25 150 and 1000 lbf respectively The sensor s effective force range up to the specified maximum can be altered by adjusting the system sensitivity Decreasing the sensitivity setting 1 to 20 possible will increase the force range displayed as Approx Max Range and saturation force of the sensor and vice versa It is essential that the sensors do not become saturated during testing See Sensitivity and Calibration Save As File Menu The Save As command will save the current movie with the specific file name and location of your choice ELF movie files must have the extension flf This menu item can be used to save a movie file under more than one filename Sav
57. rce is exerted on the sensor Enter a zero in this field to disable triggering Only one Trigger Force value may be entered and will apply to all sensors being used for testing See Recording Parameters U Uncalibrate Tools Menu The Uncalibrate command removes the sensor s calibration data When this item is selected a dialog box will appear giving the option of canceling the Uncalibrate operation Uncalibrate does not affect the Sensitivity setting See Sensitivity W Z Zeroing Preload Tools Menu The Zeroing Preload command modifies the calibrated data to correct for residual pressure referred to as the Offset Load on the sensor at zero load This operation is useful if the sensor is under some load for the entire duration of the recording or if the sensor must be secured in place by hardware which would cause load to be detected by the sensor The raw data is not affected by the Zeroing Preload function but an extra calculation is performed when converting the raw data to calibrated data If the sensel is reading raw pressure it is set at zero raw before the calibration scale factor is applied Zeroing Preload is recommended only for single point calibration and may increase error when using a multi point calibration WELF The Wireless ELF System 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 72
58. red the active window or the window that has focus See Focus Only one window can be active at one time and the title bars of the other windows will be grayed out Menu Bar The Menu Bar provides drop down menus submenus used to control the ELF software program It is located at the top of the Main Window Minimum Requirements The minimum hardware requirements that your computer must meet in order to run the ELF software and operate the hardware successfully The minimum requirements are Pentium 300 MHz with 64 MB RAM and 5 MB of Hard Drive Space In addition a CD Drive One USB port per ELF handle and Windows Operating System one of the following 2000 XP Vista See Hardware Movie Toolbar Playback Controls This bar is located at the top of the Movie Window and consists of the movie playback icons and the Save As icon See Playback Controls Movie Window The Movie Window displays a previously recorded movie It consists of the display area scroll bar the Movie Toolbar with playback controls and the Movie Window Status Bar Multi Point Calibration Multi Point Calibration is a method in which at least two known forces are applied to the sensor and then calculated to convert Digital Output into Engineering Units See Calibration 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 68 N New File Menu The New command opens a new Real time window in addition to any other Real time or Movie windows that are currently open The new Real
59. rnately you do not need to select any WELF Transmitter s first if you wish to connect to all of them automatically In this case press the Connect All button Wireless Sensor Connection S N 053 1008 MAC 00 1E 0008 60 38 IF 192 169 1 102 S N 053 1020 MAC 00 1E 00406 60 99 IP 192 166 1 101 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 62 The Wireless Sensor Connection dialog closes and a new Real time window opens where you can monitor the sensors force data shown below ABWOABAG AS5WOA8A7 Note If you wish to rename a Transmitter double click on the Serial number for the Transmitter you want to rename shown on the right side of the Real time window above Then enter your name for the channel in the Name dialog that opens Names are saved along with the recording and are even saved across sessions if you close and reopen the software If you wish to revert to the serial number aga n double click and leave the name field empty in the Name dialog Note If a Transmitter drops out for a time you will receive the following prompt on screen This is because some Transmitters transmit more data more frames than the one that dropped out However all the data for all Transmitters is still recorded Only the data for the Transmitter s that dropped out will not be recorded for the duration of the drop out This can probably most easily be seen if you convert the data to ASCII data File gt Save ASCID ELF by
60. rs of substrate together to form the sensor The active sensing area is defined by the silver circle on top of the pressure sensitive ink Silver extends from the sensing area to the connectors at the other end of the sensor forming the conductive leads The sensor acts as a variable resistor in an electrical circuit When the sensor is unloaded its resistance is very high greater than 5 Meg ohm when a force is applied to the sensor the resistance decreases This resistance is read and an 8 bit analog to digital converter changes the output to a digital value in the range of 0 to 255 There are two types of FlexiForce sensors available as outlined in the chart below Specifications A 201 For use with your own electronics Force ranges A201 1 0 1 Ib A201 25 0 25 Ibs and A201 100 0 1000 lbs B 201 ELF Multi Handle ELF or High Speed ELF Force ranges Low 0 25 lb Medium 0 150 Ib and High 0 1000 Ib SENSOR HANDLE The sensor s tab is placed into the sensor handle The handle gathers data from the sensor processes it and sends it to your computer through a USB connection Note Our previous systems shipped with Serial handles It is not recommended to use both the Serial ELF and USB ELF handles simultaneously SCREEN DISPLAY This section is a comprehensive look at the LF screen display Each component of the display as well as each Main Menu option will be described in detail Note Familiarity with MS Wi
61. ructions The WELF 2 software splash screen ELF ECONOMICAL Loan amp FORCE SYSTEM Data Acquisition System from Tekscan Ine Tekscan Inc is an 150 9001 registered company Wireless Setup There are two methods to setup the Wireless system The Ad Hoc method is the default setting for new WELF Transmitters and is appropriate if you plan to use one Transmitter at a time The second Access Point method is recommended if you are connecting multiple Transmitters together and uses a wireless router to connect the Transmitters The following explains both of these setups Note that Windows 7 is used for the instructions below Other Windows gt Recording lyp operating systems may vary slightly in setup Infinite user slope at BH2 Frame rate 10 28000 C Frame count al EH Frame count Note also that the Recording Parameters are e Fico Duration s slightly different for WELF 2 systems than for ELF systems The following shows the Trigger and ihreshoki Recording Parameters for WELF 2 whichis gua Pont EHNE Tinge Force all contained on a single screen To access these parameters go to Record gt Settings Unit Percentage Threshold while you have a new recording open on screen The following dialog opens where you can select the Recording Type and Frame Rate for the WELF Transmitters 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 58 Setting up an Ad Hoc Network Note Ad Hoc
62. s clicked Properties View Menu The Properties command opens the Properties dialog box which allows you to change how the data is displayed on the screen Any changes made to the Properties will only affect the currently active Real time or Movie window The Properties dialog box will also appear whenever you click the right mouse button over a Real Time or Movie Window You can select a display option Strip Chart Column or Number and also change the Scale Max Scale Min and Units R Real Time Window A Real time Window displays the load applied to the sensor as it is happening in Real time The Properties of this display can be changed in the File pull down menu or by clicking the right mouse button Recording Parameters The recording parameters act as settings for your Movie Before you record a movie you should access the Recording Parameters dialog box by going into Record gt Settings Within this dialog box you can select what type of recording you are going to create Things that can be selected are the amount of frames speed of recording any triggering options that need to occur before the recording starts which sensor will trigger the recording and the type of units Pounds Newtons Kilograms etc Repeatability Repeatability is the ability of the sensor to respond in the same way to a repeatedly applied force As with most measurement devices it is customary to exercise or condition a sensor bef
63. s however many sensors you are measuring 1 16 the first is the elapsed time in seconds and the others are the applied force value in the selected units at that point shown below A data point is recorded each time the sensor data is read so many more data points are recorded when Fast Recording is used refer to the Settings menu item pO 7894737 5 263158 5 263158 _ View Menu View Menu when focus is on a Real time View Menu when focus is on a Movie Window Window EI SS 2 ELF by Tekscan Realtimel ELF by Tekscan ELF Test Movie fhi iew File Tools Window Frar Strip Chart Y Toolbar Colurnn Number Toolbar Status Bar Properties v Status Bar Properties 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 27 Strip Chart is the default display mode where force value is displayed on the Y Axis and elapsed time is displayed on the X Axis A PT j a2 CA Realtimel A ee 100 G0 75 AS WOARAB AS WOABA 60 2 40 5 20 7 0 Column displays each COM port individually with force value displayed on the Y Axis Each column is color coded to indicate the individual COM ports As time elapses the columns indicate changes in force E Reaktie fel es Mi y LB 100 9 80 60 Ss 40 9 20 7 0 ASV OAGAB ASWOARA Number displays each COM port as numerical values Each numerical value is color coded to indicate the individual COM ports
64. scan Realtimel 00 View Tools Window Frames Displayed Hell View Record Tools Window Help Open Ctrl O Open Cho Close Close 1 C Work ELE Test Movie flt Save As Ctrl S Save ASCI Exit 1 C Work ELF Test Movie fit Exit 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 25 Open displays the Open dialog box which allows you to open previously recorded movie files Only ELF movie files with the flf file extension can be opened a Organize New folder Le b Scan 5823Beta Le Iscan Tetra de EScan_Lite_5 83_21719 Le bean WiFi Sean B7 di Bcan603 I Bcan6l0 de iscanb20 Ji isean750 l D Escan CONFORMat Handheld Installs Ji mabile590 di movies Ji Baseball Synch T RPMS File name ELF Test Movie fif E Close causes the currently active Real time or Movie Window to close If a movie has been recorded but not Te Wi Local Disk C3 Work Tekscan movies flexiforce TUE e A Search flexiforce p 5 gt 0 0 Mime E _ 210s 100Hz ft Bd 9s BHzflf _ ELF Test Movie fIf No preview available E r m F saved the software gives the option of saving the movie file Save As will save the current movie with the specific file name and location of your choice ALF movie files must have the extension flf Your system may limit filenames to eight characters This menu item can be used to save a movie file under more than one filename
65. sion 4 TCP IPv4 setting and click the Properties button shown below left In the Internet Protocol Version 4 properties dialog ensure the Obtain an IP address automatically option is selected shown below right Then press the OK button to accept the changes and exit the dialog Wireless Network Connection Properties remeron Internet Protocol Version 4 TCP 1Pwd Properties hme Networking Sharing Connect using You can get IP settings assigned automaticaly if your network supports J Compact Weeleas4G USB Network Ad this capabikty Otherwise you need to ask your network administrator z p jii la for the appropriate IF settings Configure i Obtain an IP address automaticaly 5 Use the following IP address General Alternate Configuration The connection uses the following fem w US Client for Microsoft Networks 2 005 Packet Scheduler w El File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks M ot peret Protocol Version 6 TCP IP y6 DESS inmemet Protocol Version 4 TCP IP v4 4 Link Layer Topology Discovery Mapper 10 Driver l a Link Layer Topology Discovery Responder Obtain DNS server address automatically Install Ulrinsta Properties Description Trenemesion Control Protocalhnternet Protocol The defaut wide Eres network prolocel thal provides communication across diverse imerconnected networks Use the following DNS server addresses 8 2 2013 ELF Us
66. sly Note For the Hi speed Multi Handle ELF software using Windows 2000 XP Vista we would recommend that you use no more than 4 Handles If more than 4 Handles are required please contact us ELF User Manual Rev L 11 ELF COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION The following lists all the components that come with the ELF system 1 ELF USB Handle 1 Software CD single Handle systems E multiple Handle systems vary depending on requirements Standard length is 10 feet 3 FlexiForce B201 Sensors one in each of the three offered force ranges Low 0 25 Ib Medium 0 150 lb and High 0 1000 Ib The force range Low L Medium M or High H is indicated by one of the 3 checkboxes near the tab end of the sensor The 12 checkboxes near the sensing area containing one row of letters and one row of numbers are internal manufacturing batch codes and do not indicate anything about the force range or functionality of the sensor Note You may be required to purchase a USB Hub for multi Handle ELF systems Refer to the Installation section for a list of recommended USB Hubs 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 12 SOFTWARE INSTALLATION Before installing the EZF software close all other applications To install the software place the CD ROM in your CD ROM drive If the autorun exe does not start automatically click on Start at the bottom left of the screen and click on the Run menu item If you put the disk in the D CD
67. specified See Recording Parameters E ELF Hardware The ELF hardware consists of the sensor handle s ELF software and the FlexiForce sensor s ELF Software The ELF software is an 8 bit application that is compatible with Microsoft MS Windows 2000 XP Vista The software allows you to view a graphical representation of the force on the sensor in real time record this information as a movie and review and analyze it later There are a number of options for displaying the Real time force data it can be displayed as a strip chart column graph or digital readout Recorded movie frames can be saved as ASCII text files which can be imported into a spreadsheet program or opened in a text editor or word processing program Real time data or movie frames can also be copied to the Windows clipboard and pasted into other applications as a bmp bitmap file F Fast Recording Refers to one of the Recording Parameter options When Fast Recording is selected the Frames to Record may be entered and the Recording Frequency Hz may be selected to the right In Fast Recording applications recordings can be obtained at user defined frequencies between 10 and 200 Hz standard system For the High Speed ELF system frequencies as high as 5 7 kHz can be obtained See Recording Parameters First Frame Movie Toolbar Playback Controls Positions the recording at the beginning First Frame Focus The currently selected Window w
68. st fit linear Sensor ASWOABAB Piece wise inea Forte uril grams Cancel Mulipoint Calibration Help a Cal Force 100 Select Best Fit Linear calibration or Piece Wise Linear calibration Calibration ci Cabbrabion Options Best fit inear gt La Sensor ABW DABAB Fish O Piece wise inea Force unit grams Carcel Multipoint Calibration Hels Select the Sensor you wish to calibrate first If you have the Multi Handle ELF system all Sensors must be calibrated before you may select Finish before you can finalize the calibration and exit the dialog box without Canceling ELF User Manual Rev L 47 Calbration Options f Best fit inear I Sensor ATWOABAB Piece wise near Force unik orams Multipoint Calibration a Calibration Calibration O plione Best fit inea C Piece wise Inea Mukiooint Calibration Seniat 8 Load the sensor with a known force The key to an accurate calibration is applying a stable load Enter the known load in the Cal Force field If the applied force is not stable an error message will appear which requires you to either accept or cancel the current calibration It is recommended that you stabilize the force otherwise your calibration may be inaccurate In the example below we have loaded the sensor with a 1 pound weight at 20 Cal Force 03807 e t Da SA
69. t consists of the display area a scroll bar the Movie Toolbar with playback controls and the Movie Window Status Bar E ELF Test Movie fif GEA a ajala leb ADWOABAG ADWOASAT Frame 82 of 85 Time 10 1 of 10 5 secs 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 23 Movie Tool Bar This bar is located at the top of the Movie Window and consists of the movie playback icons and the Save As icon Play Play Save As Backward Stop Forward A ELF Test Movie flf Z A ELF Test Movie fif E ajia po E ajra m gt Z VIN First Previous Next Last 100 gt MA Frame Frame Frame Frame e The Save As icon allows you to save the current movie file under a different filename The Playback icons control the movie playback functions They are from left to right in the Movie Toolbar e First Frame Positions the recording at the beginning first frame e Play Backward Plays the recording in reverse e Previous Frame Plays the recording in reverse one frame each time it is clicked e Stop Stops playback e Next Frame Plays the recording forward one frame each time it is clicked e Play Forward Plays the recording forward e Last Frame Positions the recording at the end last frame Movie Window Status Bar is located at the bottom of the Movie Window and displays the Frame count the current frame number vs the total number in the movie Directly above this status bar is a scroll bar which can be
70. that its output deviates from this line A calibration is performed to linearize this output as much as possible FlexiForce sensors are linear within 5 Load Calibration Tools Menu The Load Calibration command allows you to use the calibration data from a previously saved file for your current Real time window When this item is selected an Open dialog box appears and the calibration file can be located and opened Only ELF calibration files extension clb can be loaded The Sensitivity setting that was saved with the calibration file will also be loaded M Main Menu The Main Menu contains important commands you use to perform functions within the software Some menu commands can be found directly in the toolbar however not all commands found under the menu are located on the toolbar the Main Menu changes depending where your focus lies The reason for this difference is because there are some commands that can only be accessed from a Movie Window and others from a Real Time Window For example if you have two windows open one a Real Time Window and the other a Movie Window the Main Menu will contain a different set of submenus and commands Main Window When you initiate the ELF software program the Main Window is displayed on your computer screen The Main Window consists of the Menu Bar Tool Bar and Main Status Bar and may contain one or more Real time or Movie Windows The window that is selected is conside
71. tion Calbrahon Options Best fit rear i Sensor ASWOABAS Force unil pounds Mulbpont Calibration Approx mariage 00835 Sersilrity p 1 Cal Force 0 22046 j Add Point i 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 45 NOTE if you have a Multi Handle ELF EL z system all handles must use the same Calbration Options j j Best fit linear ensor ASWOABAE type of calibration Linear and Best Fit _ i as Betas ees EEE cannot be mixed and matched id Force unit e Cancel Multipoint Calibration The Sensitivity or Adjustable Gain is also Force Raw adjusted in the ELF Calibration dialog box This adjustment sets the data output range from the computer 0 to 100 to the actual force range output from the system handle In this way the usable force range of the sensor can be adjusted up to the rated maximum force Sensitivity settings are saved between sessions and pie IA E aol included with calibration files _AddPoint Remove Pain CALIBRATION GUIDELINES The following guidelines should be considered when calibrating a sensor e Apply a calibration load that approximates the load to be applied during system use using dead weights or a testing device such as an MTS or Instron If you intend to use a puck during testing also use it when calibrating the sensor See Sensor Loading Considerations for more information on using a puck e Avoid loading the sensor
72. to near saturation when calibrating If the sensor saturates at a lower or higher load than desired adjust the Sensitivity e Distribute the applied load evenly across the sensing area to ensure accurate force readings Readings may vary slightly if the load distribution changes over the sensing area Note Read the Sensor Performance Characteristics section before performing a Calibration CALIBRATION PROCEDURE IMPORTANT Sensors must be properly conditioned prior to calibration and use 1 Ifyou are loading a previously saved calibration file from a Real Time Window shown below select Tools gt Load Calibration enter the calibration file name and path and click OK E Realtimet S esc AS WVOAGAG ASWOABA 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 46 2 8 2 2013 If on the other hand you wish to perform a Calibration first Change Sensitivity Sensor Poit ox load each sensor with a known force Click Tools gt Change Sensitivity shown at right If you have the Multi Handle ZZF system adjust sensitivity for each sensor if necessary by either dragging the slider up and down or entering an integer between 1 and 20 default is 12 The Sensitivity should be adjusted whenever necessary to keep the force display in a usable range Click on Tools gt Calibrate This brings up the Calibration dialog box shown below Calibration r Calibration Options e 7 Be
73. to take drift into account when calibrating the sensor so that its effects can be minimized The simplest way to accomplish this is to perform the sensor calibration in a time frame similar to that which will be used in the application In Flex Force sensors drift is less than 3 per logarithmic time TEMPERATURE SENSITIVITY The operating range for FlexiForce sensors is from 15 F 9 C to 140 F 60 C FlexiForce sensor output may vary up to 0 2 per change in degree F approx 0 36 per change in degree Celsius In general this effect will be more significant if you combine high loads on the sensor with high temperatures For loads of less than 10 lbs the operating temperature can be increased to 165 F 74 C 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 51 To ensure accuracy calibrate the sensor at the temperature at which it will be used in the application If the sensor is being used at different temperatures perform a calibration at each of these temperatures save the calibration files then load the appropriate calibration file when using the sensor at that temperature FlexiForce sensors should be stored at temperatures in the range of 15 F 9 C to 165 F 74 C SENSOR LIFE DURABILITY Sensor life depends on the application in which it is used Sensors are reusable unless used in applications in which they are subjected to severe conditions such as against sharp edges or shear forces FlexiForce sensors have been succ
74. ty for each sensor COM port Use the drop down Select Buttons field to select the COM port Then drag the slider up and down until you are satisfied Adjust as many buttons as you like When you are satisfied click OK To return the system to the original sensitivity settings click the Default button See Sensitivity Change Unit Tools Menu The Change Unit command allows you to quickly change the force units displayed in all windows To use this feature however you must have performed a calibration Otherwise all force will be displayed as raw values Close File Menu The Close command causes the currently active Real time or Movie window to close If a movie has been recorded but not saved the software gives the option of saving the movie file Column View Menu The Column option displays each COM port individually with force value displayed on the Y Axis Each column is color coded to indicate the individual COM ports As time elapses the columns indicate changes in force COM Port The hardware which connects the sensor to your computer Each sensor is designated a COM Port on your PC When you open a new Real Time Window you must select the Ports that are to be displayed in your Real Time Window such as COM 4 COM 5 etc Conditioning Exercising the sensor prior to Calibration and use To ensure the most accurate results it is always recommended to condition the sensor by placing 110 of the test weight on the sensor allo
75. ue Je 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 38 You then have the option to change the Sensitivity of the sensor Change Sanit ivity Serco Pont ox ABWOABAB Cancel Senay Default s Zeroing Preload This feature modifies the calibrated data to correct for residual pressure referred to as the Offset Load on the sensor at zero load This operation is useful if the sensor is under some load for the entire duration of the recording or if the sensor must be secured in place by hardware which would cause load to be detected by the sensor The raw data is not affected by the Zeroing Preload function but an extra calculation is performed when converting the raw data to calibrated data If the sensor is reading raw pressure it is set at zero raw before the calibration scale factor is applied Zeroing Preload is recommended only for single point calibration and may increase error when using a multi point calibration Configure WiFi Sensor Refer to The Wireless ELF System section Window Menu Window Menu same when focus is on either a Real time or Movie Window el g S E ls Help Cascade m Tie UY 1 Realtimel 2 ELF Test Movie flt Cascade arranges multiple windows in an overlapped fashion Tile arranges multiple windows in an overlapped fashion either vertically or horizontally 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 39 Frames Displayed Menu Frames Displayed Menu only available whe
76. user stops at BHz y rate 11 O Frame count al EH Frame count C Full contd Duration s M Trigger and threshold Sensor Port COM3 COM3 Trigger Force Unit Percentage When Infinite is selected recording will continue until Stop is selected from the Record menu or by clicking its icon on the Toolbar When Frame Count is selected the number of Frames to Record may be entered in the Frame count field on the right side of the dialog The recording will stop when this number of frames has been recorded regardless of the duration of the movie Recording Parameters 7 jr ceo Tigger and Ihreshold Sensor Port coma COM Tigger Force Unit Percentage Threshold omei Heb 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 31 When Full control is selected the Frames to Record may be entered and the Recording Frequency Hz may be selected in the Frame rate field to the right In Full control applications recordings can be obtained at user defined frequencies between 10 and 200 Hz standard system For the High Speed ELF system frequencies as high as 5 7 kHz can be obtained Recording Parameters Fieconding lyp infinite user stops at Hz Duration s M Tagger and threshold Sensor Port Coma COM Tmgger Force Unit Percentage Threshold mee o The Duration is listed below the Frame Count it will either say U
77. ve As b Iscan WiFi 7 Name k Date modified Type IScan7_B7 Save ASCO mann Ej 20s 100Hz csv 11 2 2012 1108 AM Microsoft 7 Ej 2319s 8Hz csv 11 2 2012 11 07 AM Microsoft 1 CAWeorld AELF Test Movie a 1c ar est Movie Le iscan620 Exit de iscan750 de 1 Scan CONFORMat Hand X mobileS90 y movies J Baseball Synch wit Hi File name Save as type ascu Files csv _ You have now completed the Quick Start section and should be acquainted with your ELF software The rest of the manual gives you specific instructions on how to set up and run your system 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 10 INSTALLATION For the ELF software to function properly your system must have the following minimum requirements Pentium 300 MHz 64 MB RAM 5 MB of Hard Drive Space CD Drive One USB 2 0 port per USB Handle Windows 2000 XP Vista To use the Multi Handle ELF software with multiple USB Handles one USB 2 0 port must be available for each ELF Handle used If you require a USB hub Tekscan recommends the following 8 2 2013 Belkin USB Plus Hub 7 Ports 49 99 Hi Speed USB 2 0 7 Port Hub http www belkin com Model F5U307 IOGEAR 29 95 MiniHub 4 port USB 2 0 Hub http Avww iogear com Model GUH264 The following displays the ELF system with USB Handles Note Our previous systems shipped with Serial handles It is not recommended to use both the Serial ELF and USB ELF handles simultaneou
78. ver is applied followed by a layer of pressure sensitive ink Adhesive is then used to laminate the two layers of substrate together to form the sensor The active sensing area is defined by the silver circle on top of the pressure sensitive ink Silver extends from the sensing area to the connectors at the other end of the sensor forming the conductive leads The sensor acts as a variable resistor in an electrical circuit When the sensor is unloaded its resistance is very high greater than 5 Meg ohm when a force is applied to the sensor the resistance decreases FlexiForce sensors have been successfully tested at over one million load cycles using a 50 lb force See also Sensor Life Durability Settings Record Menu Settings brings up the Recording Parameters dialog box which allows you to change the current recording parameters Under Recording Type there are three possibilities that may be selected See Recording Parameters Start Record Menu The Start command is used to make a recording movie When Start is selected the software begins recording a movie of the current Real time window data using the settings that have been selected see Settings menu item When data is being recorded the Recording In Progress message will appear shown below and the Recording On icon on the Main Tool Bar will become active the red circle will become grayed out and the square Stop button black color will become visi
79. will be grayed out Note Follow Static control procedures when handling the sensor while it is in use USB ELF SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS The following table outlines the specifications for the USB ELF system COMMUNICATION DATA ACQUISITION USB Powered OWER CONSUMPTION 25mA MAX at 5V WEIGHT Ibs kgs w cable 3 2 Oz 900 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 19 AMBIENT OPERATING CONDITIONS E UMIDITY psi kPa STORAGE AND TRANSPORT CONDITIONS TEMPERATURE F C UMIDITY RESSURE psi kPa 8 2 2013 14 to 131 10 to 55 Prolonged use at high e o should be avoided O to 90 non condensing y 7 to 14 7 11 6 to 101 3 sea level to 50 000 4 to 131 20 to 55 Short Term 41 to a 5 to 40 Pe Term O to 90 non condensing 1 7 to 14 7 11 6 to 101 3 sea level to 50 000 ft ELF User Manual Rev L 20 OVERVIEW This section outlines the Various Hardware and Software components that ship with your system SENSORS The FlexiForce sensor is an ultra thin and flexible printed circuit Sensors are available in three full scale force ranges Low 25 lbf Medium 150 lbf and High 1000 lbf The active sensing area is a 0 375 diameter circle at the end of the sensor The sensors are constructed of two layers of substrate such as a polyester film On each layer a conductive material silver is applied followed by a layer of pressure sensitive ink Adhesive is then used to laminate the two laye
80. wing it to stabilize and then removing the weight This process should then be repeated four or five times Conditioning your sensors helps lessen the effects of Drift and Hysteresis and is required for new sensors or sensors that have not been used for a length of time Copy Edit Menu The Copy command saves the current Real time or Movie frame to the MS Windows clipboard This data is saved in the clipboard as a graphic bitmap image of the current window Once copied to the clipboard this data can be pasted into other Windows applications by selecting Edit gt gt Paste 8 2 2013 ELF User Manual Rev L 66 D Drift Drift is the change in sensor output when a constant force is applied over a period of time If the sensor is kept under a constant load the resistance of the sensor will continually decrease and the output will gradually increase It is important to take Drift into account when calibrating the sensor so that its effects can be minimized The simplest way to accomplish this is to perform the sensor calibration in a time frame similar to that which will be used in the application In FlexiForce sensors drift is less than 3 logarithmic time Duration Refers to a setting within the Recording Parameters dialog box The Duration is listed below the Recording Type it will either say Until Stop if Infinite is selected or the approximate duration in seconds the recording will take to complete if Frame Count is

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