SInar Moisture Analyzer Support, including custom calibrations

INSTRUMENT CALIBRATION

The available support document download gives detailed instructions on how to calibrate the instrument. Be sure to

follow the instructions relative to your particular instrument, including whether it is a newer version or an older one.

You will need a calibration sample which consists of a 180 gram sample of wheat, with a certified Code 0 Value.

This will help ensure the balance, and sensing componenets are reading correctly. You will also need a small digital

temperature probe to ensure the temperature sensor in the instrument (Small black metal bridge inside the cell.) is reading properly.Lastly, you should have an RS 232 to Serial Port Cable to connect to a computer.(A Serial Port to USB adapter is available) so that you can upload your moisture curve set to file for safe keeping. With the available MNET Software Package you can also transfer moisture curves to other Sinar Instruments, or create new ones.

PROCEDURE

Click the MNET Icon on the left. When the box opens, select Save to DeskTop. Next select Open.

You will have opened the zipped folder, and now see the folder MNET 8.0 BLANK DIRECTORY. Double click the

MNET Folder to enter the MNET Program, or the F4 Folder to enter the F4 Program.

NOTE: Mnet Software is a DOS Based Program, that is used to access the programming functions of the Sinar Moisture Analyzer. As with many DOS Based Scientific Programs, there are compatability issues with Windows Versions higher than 98.The F4 Software was developed as a means of fixing some of the communication problems that resulted from the newer versions of Windows. It is used primarily to download and upload calibration curves between the instrument and the computer.To utilize either software, it is recommended to use a computers serial port connection via the supplied RS 232 to serial port cable. A serial port to USB Converter Cable is available, if a serial port is unavailable, but does not work as well.Not all serial port to USB Converters work.

Double click the MNET folder, then the MNET Executable File, then EXTRACT ALL, then NEXT, NEXT, YES TO ALL, and FINISH. Now you'll see the MNET Folder in front of you.

NOTE: This is where the working MNET File is located. It would be best to save this folder to a memory stick, so that the location of a calibration file will be easily found. You'll see why this is handy later, but basicallly it's easier to type F:/MNET, than something like C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Desktop\MNET_8.0_BLANK_DIRECTORY\MNET 8.0 BLANK DIRECTORY\MNET

Open it, and double click the MNET Executable FIle. Then click RUN,. When the program opens, type lavender for the password. Now you are in the MNET Program. Select F1 through F8 for the various menus, and H for help in each menu. There are detailed instructions for MNET and F4 inside the folder as well. To enter the data, select F1.

NOTE: The curve directory F7 and curve set directory F8, are empty. Moisture curves are stored in F7, and sets of up to 25 moisture curves, are stored in F8. A curve set is what is loaded on to the instrument. Example: The standard curve set for coffee

includes a calibration for dried cherry, green, parchement, roasted, and ground coarse,medium,and fine. When the curves are

downloaded in to the AP 6060 which has seven visible channels, the curves populate the seven channel buttons on the instrument. There is a library of approximately 1,000 calibration curves available currently. Any number of them can be sent as a file, and uploaded in to the directory, and subsequently be downloaded in to the instrument.Some of the curves are of a proprietary nature, but most are of a generic origin, and may be utilized.

From the F7 (Curve Directory ) Screen , select an open curve slot. They will all be empty initially. Then from the F1 Screen, type C ,and enter the curve number, then hit enter. Then hit N to name the curve, and hit enter again. Now the values can be entered.

Once all of the available values are entered (Up to 32), the moisture curve is ready. Press U to update the file, and register it in the curve directory. Repeat this procedure for every moisture curve you decide to create.

Now select F8 and choose an open slot in the curve set directory. Choose a curve set below 900. 900 Series are used for temporary assignmnets when importing curves. Input the curve number in the F4 Screen, and press C to enter curve numbers one by one, in to a set. Then hit X to export the curve set to a named file. The file will now be visible in the MNET Folder, and you can close MNET out. To download the curve set to a machine, you can either follow the instructions in MNET, or with newer machines, utilize the F4 Software to download the curve set. In order to do this, you will need to drag the file in to the F4 Folder.

The Sinar AP 6060 uses capacitance to determine the moisture content of a sample, by creating a small electrical field inside the sample cell, and then measuring the loss of signal resulting from its' reaction with available moisture. If a sample was compressed to half it's size, there would be twice as much moisture in the loading cell, so it is important to ensure that the samples packing density is consistent. Factors affecting packing density are the particle size distribution and moisture content throughout the sample.

By using a weight balance to determine mass, samples can be introduced quickly without having to pre-measure them.

Although it's not required, premeasuring a sample prior to loading in the hopper, helps achieve even greater accuracy.

The normal tolerance on most commodities is +/- .3%, but +/- .1% is generally attainable when the samples volume is pre-measured. The bulk density cylinder (See right) measures exactly 1/3 liter, which is also the optimal volume for the sample cell. The Sinar AP 6060 is programmed to calculate bulk density, when the bulk density cylinder is used.

Inside the sample cell, is a small thermistor (Black Bridge) that measures the temperature of the sample, and a small PCB. The balance stem interface and balance stem require occasional cleaning so that the low voltage current is uninterrupted. (If you experience erratic readings, it is possible the screw on the side needs t be tightened.) The inside walls must also be kept clean of oils or residues.

INDIRECT METHODS HOW DOES THE INSTRUMENT WORK?

The Sinar AP 6060 measures the amount of moisture in the sample cell, but can only provide data initially, in it's own relative scale (CODE 0 VALUE).

The CODE 0 VALUE is the temperature corrected capacitance value, and needs to be correlated to an actual moisture percentage,

in order to provide meaningful data. The correlation is called the moisture curve or crop calibration.

Included SINAR MNET Software is then used to program the data points and corresponding moisture values in to the machine.

The more data points, the more robust the calibration. For an from limited data points, the chart function in ExCel can be used to establish a trendline, and then the formula values for the trendline can be used for entry in to MNET.

Then as more testing occurs, trendline values can be replaced by actual values to increase the accuracy of the calibration.

MNET will adjust the curve accordingly, as the new data is input.Revisions can be exported to a file, and uploaded to the instrument

via the RS 232 port on the side, with the included RS 232 to Serial Port Data Transfer Cable. A USB Adapter is available for computers with no serial port connection.

Because wheat displays ideal compatibility properties for use with a Sinar AP 6060, it has been chosen as the calibration standard. The wheat standard has a certified capacitance value on the label, and with a certified weight of 180 grams, can be used along with a digital temperature probe, to perform a hardware calibration on the instrument. The CAL/AUTO Button on the analyzer can be used to determine if the hardware needs to be calibrated. Any reading different than A000, signals the need for a hardware calibration.

As long as the hardware is calibrated, and the moisture curve calibration data is stored in the machine, it will give many years of trouble free service.

IMPORTANT TECHNICAL NOTE:

The SINAR AP 6060 maintains the curve data by using an internal RAM Chip, which is powered by a 3 Volt Lithium Back Up Power Module (Units after 2009 have an orange battery. Prior units have a larger red one) for when the batteries are low or not in the unit. It has a shelf life of approximately ten years, and should be replaced prior to that point. If the back up battery fails,

the analyzer will lose it's data, and no longer offer reliable readings.

For this reason and also if something breaks, especially with custom calibrations, the most recent moisture curves should be saved in file format. Then they can be re-loaded once the machine is operational again.