ARMSOFT SOFTWARE

On starting most Armfield software packages, the user is met by a simple presentation which gives them an overview of the capabilities of the software and explains in simple terms how to navigate around the software and summarises the major facilities complete with direct links to detailed context sensitive ‘help’ texts.

A toolbar is displayed at all times, so users can jump immediately to the facility they require. The toolbar shows a selection of icons (standard for all Armfield Software) and pop-up text naming the icon when the cursor is placed over it.

Example of Standard Toolbar

The Mimic Diagram screen is the most commonly used screen and gives a graphical representation of the experiment, with continuously updated display boxes for all the various sensor readings, directly in engineering units.

Where appropriate, calculated values are also displayed on the Mimic diagram, again updated continually. These calculated values can be derived from one of more of the sensor values.
Pop-up text appears when the cursor is placed over a sensor display.

Sampling can be Automatic or Manual. In automatic sampling, samples are taken regularly at the requested interval. In manual sampling, single samples are taken at operator request (useful when conditions have to be changed and the equipment let stabilise in the new condition).

The software comes pre-configured to default to the method and sampling rate most applicable to the product, but can be changed.

As the data is sampled, it is indexed by either sample number or time, and stored in spreadsheet format, updated as the data is sampled. The table also contains columns for any calculated values. New sheets can be added to the spreadsheet for different data runs. Sheets can be renamed.

Extremely powerful graph plotting tools are available on all Armfield software, allowing the user to display just about anything they wish, including dual y axes, points or lines, displaying data from different runs, etc. The automatic formatting and scaling is normally used but can be overridden.

Other powerful operator facilities on the Armfield data logging software include:

- Data scaling and multiple point calibration of the sensor readings
- Control of data update rates and digital filtering
- Graphical display of sensor readings over the last two minutes
(useful for ascertaining when the equipment has stabilised after a change).
- Bar graph display of sensor values
- Manual Data Entry
- Addition of user notes

Data can be saved as Armfield format data files (for reading back into the Software at a later date) or exported as Microsoft Excel files.

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The educational software packages include all the general and data logging functions described above, but also include much more educational information regarding the equipment and the experiment, including the background theory and instructions on how to perform the investigations.

The educational software packages include all the general and data logging functions described above, but also include much more educational information regarding the equipment and the experiment, including the background theory and instructions on how to
perform the investigations.

The range of top level presentations is extended to include additional presentations on the equipment, the theory and the laboratory procedure. Again these are linked directly to more comprehensive explanations in the Help text.

More use is made of calculated values, which on some products may be linked to the student answering multiple choice questions relevant to the topic. Hints are provided to the student if required.

The Help facilities include full details on the associated hardware. including setting up the equipment, using the equipment, taking the results, processing the results, theoretical background, etc.

Control Facilities
Some products include the facility to
control the Hardware from the Software.

Simple, open loop control is implemented by means of an input box on the Mimic diagram display.
The required output value can be typed in or set by using up-down arrow buttons.

Where closed loop control of a variable is required, the software can implement closed loop proportional, integral, derivative (pid) control algorithms.
This gives the user of optional manual or automatic (pid) control, and allows the pid values to be changed.

Simple on-off controls are implemented by button switches on the Mimic diagram. These are used to switch on power supplies, pumps, etc. or to control the status of solenoid valves.

The software can also automatically generate a series of ‘Watchdog’ pulses, required by some Armfield hardware, ensuring that the hardware shuts down safely in case of a software or communications failure.

Some products are not suitable for automatic data logging, and require the results to be recorded manually from primary instrumentation such as manometers or thermometers. For these products the -301 range of software offers all the functions described above apart from the data sampling.

The readings are manually typed into the manual data entry boxes, and logged into the spread sheet by the ‘go’ button. All the facilities such as calculations, graph plotting etc. are available, as are the extended Help and the Presentations screens.

All current Armfield data logging products interface to the computer using USB interfaces. This is often a separate unit, sold with the software, (E.g. IFD5, IFD6, IFD7). Other products have the USB interface built into the main equipment, and the software is included as standard with the product. For these products, use of a computer may be essential, or it may be highly desirable as some facilities or data are not accessible without the computer.

The use of USB means that any current or projected Windows based PC can be used. There is no need to open the PC or fit anything inside. Even if all the USB ports are full, expanders are very cheap and readily available. The hardware and software are fully compatible with Windows 98, ME, 2000 and XP operating systems. Similarly the software (provided on CD) is simple to install and get running.

USB based datalogger, externally plugged in to any windows computer. No need to open the computer

Hardware can be interfaced to third party Software, such as LabView or MatLab

Full help text with instructions on using the software

Integrated presentations, with links to help text

Integrated educational presentations and extended Help texts for the experiment being performed, including theory, description of equipment, operation, processing of results, etc.

Standard toolbar for easy navigation around the software features

Graphical representation of experiment and/or equipment

Real time display of sensor values and (where appropriate) calculated values

Graph plotting with automatic formatting and scaling

User can override automatic formatting and scaling

Flexible plotting of all parameters

Ability to plot data taken on different runs on the same graph

Graphs updated in real time

Manual and Automatic sampling modes

User control over sampling rate and duration

Optional digital filtering with different weightings

User adjustable multi-point sensor calibration

Optional bar chart display of sensor values

Optional recent history display of sensor values

Facility to enter data values manually where appropriate

Facility to append notes to logged data

Spreadsheet display of logged values, and where appropriate calculated values, updated as sampled

Data export to Excel

Manual computer control of hardware where appropriate

Closed loop computer control where appropriate, including selection of P, I and D parameters

High speed data capture for fast transients (where required)