Check-line MINI-MAX Operation Manual
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Check-line MINI-MAX Operation Manual

Bolt tension monitor
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CHECK•LINE
®
BY ELECTROMATIC
OPERATION MANUAL
ELECTROMATIC Equip't
M
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BOLT TENSION MONITOR
P/N P-156-0002
Rev1.1, September 2005
Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.checkline.com
ELECTROMATIC
Equipment Co., Inc., 600 Oakland Ave., Cedarhurst, NY 11516 – USA
Tel: 800-645-4330 (USA & Canada)
Tel: (516) 295-4300
Fax: (516) 295-4399

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  • Page 1 CHECK•LINE ® BY ELECTROMATIC OPERATION MANUAL ELECTROMATIC Equip't BOLT TENSION MONITOR P/N P-156-0002 Rev1.1, September 2005 Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.checkline.com ELECTROMATIC Equipment Co., Inc., 600 Oakland Ave., Cedarhurst, NY 11516 – USA Tel: 800-645-4330 (USA & Canada) Tel: (516) 295-4300 Fax: (516) 295-4399...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    F YOU RE NEW TO FASTENER MEASUREMENT CHAPTER 3 QUICK STA RT GUIDE ................3 ......................3 VERVIEW MINI-MAX ................ 3 ETTING THE READY MINI-MAX ................3 ETTING UP THE ........6 REATING A ROUP TO TORE EASUREMENTS ...............13 ETTING THE...
  • Page 4 ............35 RANSDUCER CONTACT REQUIREMENTS ..................36 OLT END REFLECTORS CHAPTER 7 TRANSDUCER SELECTION ..............38 ................38 ELECTING THE RANSDUCER CHAPTER 8 MEASURING SYSTEM ZERO (CALIBRATION) ......39 ....................39 NTRODUCTION ...............40 ALIBRATION ERO MISNOMER ..................40 SING A STANDARD BOLT & T ......62 ALIBRATION ERO BARS RIPLE IDED LASS...
  • Page 5 14.1 I ........150 NTRODUCTION TO ROUP SPREADSHEET FORMAT 14.2 C ................150 REATING A NEW ROUP 14.3 S ..................157 TORING A READING 14.4 V ........158 IEWING STORED MEASUREMENTS AND WAVEFORMS 14.5 D ..................161 ELETING A GROUP 14.6 E ....................162 DITING A GROUP 14.7 C ) ............165 HANGING THE ACTIVE GROUP...

  • Page 7: Chapter 1 Warranty And Safety

    1.2 Safety Using the MINI-MAX while standing in water or in a wet environment can result in serious electric shock, injury, and even death. Operating the MINI-MAX with damaged or inadequate cables and power source can result in serious electric shock, injury, and even death.

  • Page 8: Chapter 2 About This Manual

    The MINI-MAX measures load on the fastener by measuring the amount the fastener stretches. As load is applied to the fastener, it stretch’s just as a spring would stretch.

  • Page 9: Chapter 3 Quick Start Guide

    MAX. 3.3 Setting up the MINI-MAX Please Read: In this section the MINI-MAX will be setup in its simplest form. Remember this is only a quick start guide to get the user up and measuring bolts. Before we setup the gauge to measure basic elongation, the following assumptions must be made: A preset material type will be used.
  • Page 10 Dakota Ultrasonics Selecting the Quick Start Setup 1) Press the ON/OFF key to power up the MINI-MAX. 2) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the SETUP menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 11 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Selecting the Units Note: The Quick Start setup, selected in the previous section, automatically defaults to english units – inches. Follow the procedure below to change the units to metric, if needed. 1) Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the MATL menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.

  • Page 12: Creating A New Group To Store Measurements

    ESC to cancel selecting the material type. 3.4 Creating a New Group to Store Measurements Now that the MINI-MAX is all setup, this section will explain how to get started measuring unloaded initial lengths. In order to do this, we need to create a group that contains bolts.
  • Page 13 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Creating a Group Name 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the DATA menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 14 Dakota Ultrasonics 8) Use the CLR key to backspace if necessary. 9) Repeat steps 6 - 8 until the Group Name is completed. 10) Press the OK key to save the Group Name and return to the Group List Items menu, or ESC to cancel entering the Group Name. Creating a Group Note 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until NOTE is highlighted.
  • Page 15 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 4) Press the ENTER key to select a character and advance to the next field of the Group Note. 5) Use the CLR key to backspace if necessary. 6) Repeat steps 3 - 5 until the Group Note is completed.
  • Page 16 Dakota Ultrasonics 6) Press the OK key to save the NUM BOLTS and return to the Group List Items menu, or ESC to cancel entering the NUM BOLTS. Note: If a number greater than 250 is entered, an error message box “VALUE IS OUT OF RANGE”...
  • Page 17 “NOT ENOUGH MEMORY“ will be displayed. Press the OK or ESC key to return to the Group List Items menu. It may be necessary to free some memory in the MINI-MAX at this time. Selecting the Auto Increment Direction The Auto Increment feature gives the user the ability to specify which direction to advance the cursor after storing a reading.
  • Page 18 Dakota Ultrasonics 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until INCR. DIR is highlighted. 2) Use the LEFT & RIGHT arrow keys to toggle the Increment direction NONE, NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, or WEST. 3) When the correct Increment direction is displayed, continue on to the next section “Saving the Group”.

  • Page 19: Setting The Approximate Length

    3.5 Setting the Approximate Length In order for to utilize the AUTO SET feature of the MINI-MAX, when measuring reference lengths, the MINI-MAX has to know where to start looking for the detection. We can accomplish this by entering an approximate length into the...
  • Page 20 Dakota Ultrasonics in both directions of the approximate length for the detection signal. approximate length is a very valuable feature that can be used to pin point a specific detection area. This feature will be further discussed later in the manual. Setting the Approximate Length using the Hot Menus 1) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items.
  • Page 21 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the AUTO menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.

  • Page 22: Measuring Reference Lengths

    Dakota Ultrasonics 3.6 Measuring Reference Lengths At this point, the MINI-MAX is setup and ready to start measuring reference lengths. We’ve already setup a bolt group to store the reference length data, and now need to display the group storage locations prior to making measurements.

  • Page 23: Measuring Elongations

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Important Note: Always be sure to attach the transducer in the same exact location if it will be removed in between reference lengths and elongation measurements. This will eliminate any potential sound path error caused by moving the transducer to a completely different location on the bolt, thus causing potentially erroneous measurements.
  • Page 24 Dakota Ultrasonics error caused by moving the transducer to a completely different location on the bolt, thus causing potentially erroneous measurements. Be consistent and as methodical in your methods as possible. This will help to avoid transducer placement errors. 1) Press the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the target cell cursor to the desired storage location.

  • Page 25: Chapter 4 Keyboard, Menu, & Connector Reference

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Chapter 4 Keyboard, Menu, & Connector Reference 4.1 Menu Key (Operation & Sub Menus ) The Menu key activates the primary menu structure containing 10 menu tab groups. These tab groups then contain sub menu items, or functions. The sub menu items have been organized in tab groups according to how closely they are related to the individual tab group names.
  • Page 26 Dakota Ultrasonics Activating and Getting Around in the Menu Items Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the desired tab group is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.

  • Page 27: Cal - Menu

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 4.2 CAL – Menu Zero Mode: The MINI-MAX is zeroed in much the same way that a mechanical micrometer is zeroed. There are three zero mode options available in the MINI- MAX – FIXED, ONE POINT, and TWO POINT. Selecting the proper mode is dependent on the application requirements.

  • Page 28: Geom (Geometry) - Menu

    Load Factor: The conversion factor from elongation to Load. This value is typically determined by performing a field calibration and running a regression or vector using the MINI-MAX or utility software. Alternatively, the load factor can be determined using the bolt calculator in the utility software.

  • Page 29: Disp (Display) - Menu

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Area: The cross sectional area of the fastener being measured. Used to convert load to stress. Set to zero if the user is not measuring the quantity in terms of stress. This sub menu item enables the user to edit the area at anytime. Refer to section 11.1 for further info.

  • Page 30: Auto - Menu

    Refer to section 12.4 for further info. Threshold: Enables the user to set the sensitivity level of the MINI-MAX. The amplitude of the signal must reach and exceed the threshold level before a measurement is detected.

  • Page 31: Setup - Menu

    Default Setup: Loads a basic default setup. Use only as a last resort when the setups in the MINI-MAX have been corrupted and a computer is not accessible to restore previously save setups. Refer to section 15.4 for further info.

  • Page 32: Util (Utilities) - Menu

    MINIMAXview software for a complete electronic manual. Restore Setups: Enables the user the ability to restore the setups currently saved on a PC to a MINI-MAX via RS232 port. Refer to the help section of the MINIMAXview software for a complete electronic manual.

  • Page 33: Clr (Clear) Key

    MINIMAXview software for a complete electronic manual. Restore Grid: Enables the user the ability to restore groups currently saved on a PC to a MINI-MAX via RS232 port. Refer the help section of the MINI-MAXview software for a complete electronic manual.
  • Page 34 Dakota Ultrasonics Press the MEAS key multiple times to tab right through the menu fields, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left through the menu fields, until the desired hot function is highlighted. Now that you’re familiar with activating and moving amongst the hot function fields, let’s have a look at how to adjust or change the values of these fields: Adjusting the Values of the Hot Menus 1) Use the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT arrow keys to increase and...

  • Page 35: Ok Key

    The AUTO SET key attempts to locate the detection of the signal or end of bolt. This feature will only operate when an approximate length has been entered into the MINI-MAX. This feature will prove to be very valuable, avoiding manual the tedious process of manually trying to locate the detection point.

  • Page 36: On/Off Key

    Transducer Connector Refer to Diagram: The transducer connector, temperature sensor (option), and battery cover/probe zero disk are located on the MINI-MAX’s top end cap. The transducer connector is of type Lemo “00”, and the temperature sensor connector is of type Lemo 1 5 pin.
  • Page 37 MAX to a standard AT serial port on a PC. The cable supplied with the MINI- MAX is a Lemo to 9 pin serial cable. Note: This connector is also used to upgrade the MINI-MAX with the latest version of firmware.

  • Page 38: Chapter 5 Theory Of Operation

    While the concept is comparatively simple and ultrasonic measurement can produce astoundingly accurate results, the selection of the optimum bolt and transducer, and their coupling can be difficult. The MINI-MAX minimizes these difficulties to the greatest extent possible: • The variable width pulser system can send the maximum amount of energy to the ultrasonic transducer, allowing the broadest possible range of transducers for a given application.

  • Page 39: Features Of The Mini-Max

    State of the Art in the measurement of the actual clamp load produced by tightening a fastener. The MINI-MAX can measure time, elongation, load, stress, or %strain in bolts of virtually any material from 1 inch to 4 feet in length. By storing the reference waveform and displaying it for comparison while the elongation is being measured, the MINI-MAX minimizes operator training.

  • Page 40: Chapter 6 Bolt Preparation

    6.1 Use of ultrasonic couplant Sonic energy of the frequency used by the MINI-MAX travels well through solid materials and most liquids. It does not travel well through air. This variable resistance to the passage of sonic energy is called sonic impedance. It is the...

  • Page 41: Transducer Contact Requirements

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 6.2 Transducer contact requirements The goal is to transmit as much sonic energy as possible from the transducer into the bolt, and to send that energy, to the greatest extent possible, down and back the center of the bolt, as shown in Figure 1.

  • Page 42: Bolt End Reflectors

    Dakota Ultrasonics • Bolt ends with recessed grademarks, as shown at left of Figure 3. Couplant can be used to fill recessed grademarks. Small indentations cause some loss of signal strength, but normal measurement is still possible. Large or numerous indentations cause the signal to be too weak for a reliable measurement.
  • Page 43 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Figure 4 Rough reflective surface Figure 5 Non Parallel reflecting Surface Figure 6 Reflection in a bending bolt...

  • Page 44: Chapter 7 Transducer Selection

    Chapter 7 Transducer Selection 7.1 Selecting the Transducer Transducer selection is a very import part of getting the best results from the MINI-MAX. The frequency and diameter of transducer should be carefully selected using the following information: • Select the largest diameter transducer that will seat completely on the end of the bolt.

  • Page 45: Chapter 8 Measuring System Zero (Calibration)

    System Zeroing is only required if: • More than one MINI-MAX or transducer will be used while measuring a set of bolts. If the same MINI-MAX and transducer are used, the amount of the delay is constant.

  • Page 46: Calibration / Zero Misnomer

    However, this is not the case. The linearity of the unit and material type of the bolts are not calibrated following a zero procedure. This is a misnomer. • The MINI-MAX should be sent in for calibration by Dakota Ultrasonics, or other authorized service representative, on a periodic basis to verify proper operation of the instrument.
  • Page 47 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Creating a Group Name to Document Probe Zero Data Note: Select a name that references this group to Probe Zero Data. 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the...
  • Page 48 Dakota Ultrasonics 6) Use the UP, DOWN, LEFT, & RIGHT arrow keys to highlight the appropriate alpha characters. 7) Press the ENTER key to select a character and advance to the next field of the Group Name. 8) Use the CLR key to backspace if necessary. 9) Repeat steps 6 - 8 until the Group Name is completed.
  • Page 49 Note: A group can contain up to 250 bolts. There must be at least 1 bolt in a group. If multiple bolts will be used to zero the MINI-MAX, you will need to create multiple bolts in the group. In some cases the user will opt to use a bolt that is a representative bolt from each application, rather than just an arbitrary bolt.
  • Page 50 Dakota Ultrasonics 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until NUM BOLTS is highlighted. 2) Press the ENTER key to display the Digits Edit Box. 3) Press the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll the highlighted value. 4) Press the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the digit locations.
  • Page 51 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Selecting the Number of Readings Per Bolt Note: A bolt can have up to 51 possible measurements and 1 initial length (L-REF). There must be at least one reading per bolt. Since this group is...
  • Page 52 “NOT ENOUGH MEMORY“ will be displayed. Press the OK or ESC key to return to the Group List Items menu. It may be necessary to free some memory in the MINI-MAX at this time. Selecting the Auto Increment Direction The Auto Increment feature gives the user the ability to specify which direction to advance the cursor after storing a reading.
  • Page 53 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Saving the Group Once all the parameters are set, the user has the option of saving or canceling the new group. 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until CREATE NEW GROUP? is highlighted.
  • Page 54 Dakota Ultrasonics Selecting the Bolt Material Type 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the MATL menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 55 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Now that a bolt group has been created and material type selected to save and document the probe zero data, this next section will go through the process of obtaining the information needed to use the standard bolt for a probe zero calibration bar.
  • Page 56 Dakota Ultrasonics 5) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until TYPE is highlighted. Press the ENTER key to display the list of bolt types. 7) Press the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the bolt material types until the appropriate bolt type is highlighted.
  • Page 57 APROX LEN is highlighted. Note: This is the approximate physical length of the fastener or bolt. This tells the MINI-MAX where to turn on the receiver and look for an echo. The area scanned will be +/- 5% from the approximate length.
  • Page 58 Dakota Ultrasonics 20) Press the OK key to set the Approximate Length and return to the menu screen, or ESC to cancel entering the Approximate Length. 21) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until AUTO SET is highlighted.
  • Page 59 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 1) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right and the ESC key multiple times to move left until the LOC cell is highlighted.
  • Page 60 Note: Only one of the next two sections should be selected and performed. Performing a Probe Zero Calibration Note: User has selected this section because the MINI-MAX, transducer, or transducer cable has changed. 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the...
  • Page 61 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 5) Press the ENTER key to display the One Point Zero Edit Box. 6) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the One Point List Items until PHYSICAL LEN is highlighted. 7) Press the ENTER key to display the Digits Edit Box.
  • Page 62 Dakota Ultrasonics 10) Repeat steps 8 & 9 until the PHYSICAL LEN value is correctly displayed. 11) Press the OK key to return to the One Point Zero List, or ESC to cancel entering the PHYSICAL LEN value. 12) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the One Point Zero List Items until VELOCITY is highlighted.
  • Page 63 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 19) Press the ENTER key to display the Digits Edit Box. Note: Enter the temperature coefficient value of the bolt that was documented in the previous section. Reminder: The value was written down and scribed on the side of the bolt. It is the temperature coefficient used for the probe zero bolt.
  • Page 64 Dakota Ultrasonics 25) Press the ENTER key and the length value currently being measured, will appear in the ULTRASONIC LEN field. 26) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the One Point Zero List Items until CALC ZERO is highlighted. 27) Press the OK key to set the Zero Value and return to the menu screen, or ESC to cancel entering the Zero Value.
  • Page 65 Adjusting the Temperature to Match the Zero Value Note: User has selected this section because the MINI-MAX, transducer, or transducer cable has not changed and the zero value does not match. Note: Let’s assume that the group containing the probe zero calibration data is not the current group open.
  • Page 66 11) Scroll the cursor to the next blank cell for the probe zero bolt. This will always be a cell located in columns B – ZZ. As soon as the user has scrolled to blank cell, the MINI-MAX will switch into elongation mode and use all the data from the probe zero bolt initially stored.
  • Page 67 15) Continue to scroll the temp value until the elongation reads 0.0000. When the value is at 0.0000 the MINI-MAX is officially zeroed and ready to store or document the zero data prior to making measurements. 16) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right and the ESC key multiple times to move left until the LOC cell is highlighted.

  • Page 68: Calibration / Zero Bars & Triple Sided Glass Block

    This will allow the user to easily verify the zero value and make any necessary changes to the MINI-MAX, by adjusting the zero value or temperature depending on the circumstances or conditions.
  • Page 69 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 2) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until NEW is highlighted. 3) Press the ENTER key to display the New Group Edit Box. 4) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until NAME is highlighted.
  • Page 70 Dakota Ultrasonics Note: Be sure to include a note that describes and references the Probe Zero data and bolt. 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until NOTE is highlighted. 2) Press the ENTER key to activate the Alpha Edit Box. 3) Use the UP, DOWN, LEFT, &...
  • Page 71 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 7) Press the OK key to save the Group Note and return to the Group List Items menu, or ESC to cancel entering the Group Note. Selecting the Number of Bolts in the Group Note: A group can contain up to 250 bolts. In this case, the number of bolts in the group can be thought of as the number of reference points on the calibration standards.
  • Page 72 Dakota Ultrasonics Selecting the Number of Readings Per Bolt Note: A bolt can have up to 51 possible measurements and 1 unloaded reference length (L-REF). There must be at least one reading per bolt. Since the group is being created to store probe Zero Data and verify linearity on a periodic basis prior to measuring or starting a new application, consider selecting all 51 readings.
  • Page 73 If there’s not enough memory available to create the group, an error message box “NOT ENOUGH MEMORY“ will be displayed. Press the OK or ESC key to return to the Group List Items menu. It may be necessary to free some memory in the MINI-MAX at this time.
  • Page 74 Dakota Ultrasonics Selecting the Auto Increment Direction The Auto Increment feature gives the user the ability to specify which direction to advance the cursor after storing a reading. 4) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until INCR.
  • Page 75 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Saving the Group Once all the parameters are set, the user has the option of saving or canceling the new group. 5) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until CREATE NEW GROUP? is highlighted.
  • Page 76 Dakota Ultrasonics 1) With the menu items still active from the previous section, press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the CAL menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 77 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 9) Press the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the digit locations. 10) Repeat steps 8 & 9 until the PHY LEN 1 value is correctly displayed. 11) Press the OK key to return to the Two Point Zero list, or ESC to cancel entering the PHY LEN 1.
  • Page 78 This procedure is demonstrated in the next section. Setting up the MINI-MAX for Measurement 1) With the menu items still active from the previous section, press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the GEOM menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 79 Note: This is the approximate physical length of one of the cal bars. This tells the MINI-MAX where to turn on the receiver and look for an echo. The area scanned will be +/- 5% from the approximate length. For this example, 3”...
  • Page 80 This will help to eliminate any potential measurement errors caused by changing the sound path. 13) Press the ENTER key and the MINI-MAX will locate and measure the Ultrasonic Length of the first cal bar.
  • Page 81 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Note: Once the length is inserted in the ULTRASONIC 1 field , it also needs to be documented or stored in our Probe Zero group. The next step is documentation. 19) Press the MEAS key twice to activate measurement screen. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right, and the ESC key multiple times to move left until the LOC cell is highlighted.
  • Page 82 “In Spec” at a later time. It’s important to note that user should never have to change or re-calculate the probe zero value again, unless the MINI-MAX, transducer, or cable has been replaced. If the transducer or cable has changed, and the probe zero value re-calculated, the change in the zero...
  • Page 83 MINI-MAX. In other words, the primary reason the probe zero is out of spec is because the physical temperature of the probe zero calibration standards has changed.
  • Page 84 APPROX LEN is highlighted. Note: This is the approximate physical length of the first calibration standard. This tells the MINI-MAX where to turn on the receiver and look for an echo. The area scanned will be +/- 5% from the approximate length.
  • Page 85 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 13) Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the AUTO menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items. 14) Use the and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until AUTO SET is highlighted.
  • Page 86 Dakota Ultrasonics Note: Since this is the 1 verification following the initial measurement of the Probe Zero Cal Bars, the cursor should be located on a cal standard in column B. 20) If the elongation is +/- .0001” and “In Spec”, Press the ENTER key to save the current reading in the highlighted cell location, storing all the current probe zero verification data.

  • Page 87: Chapter 9 Temperature Compensation

    The thermal expansion of the fastener and the ultrasonic change in velocity as a result of temperature are two separate effects. However, for the purpose of the MINI-MAX, they are combined in a single factor known as the Temperature Coefficient (Tc). The sections that follow outline the procedures for selecting and using the temperature compensation mode with the accessory temperature sensor.

  • Page 88: Semi Automatic Mode

    Dakota Ultrasonics 2) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until TEMP MODE is highlighted. 3) Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the temperature mode options. Once the MANUAL temperature mode is displayed, press the MEAS key to return to the measurement screen.
  • Page 89 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor adding a manual step to the procedures. The semi automatic mode answers requirements such as these. Selecting Semi Automatic Temperature Mode 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the...

  • Page 90: Automatic Mode

    9.4 Automatic Mode The automatic mode constantly monitors and compensates for temperature when the accessory temperature sensor is attached to the MINI-MAX and placed on the joint or fastener being measured. While this mode eliminates the need to manually insert or initiate a temperature measurement, it also requires that the user be very cautious that the sensor is properly attached to the joint or fastener, and not accidentally removed or misplaced during the measurement process.

  • Page 91: Chapter 10 Bolt Material Calibration

    Chapter 10 Bolt Material Calibration 10.1 Why do we need to calibrate The preset bolt types in the MINI-MAX contain average factors for the material type. These are approximate values only. In a tightly controlled application where extreme accuracy is required, it is necessary to obtain all the information possible about the fasteners being measured.
  • Page 92 Dakota Ultrasonics 3) Press the LEFT & RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the quantity until ELONG is displayed. 3) Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the MATL menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 93 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 7) Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the AUTO menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items. 8) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until APPROX LEN is highlighted.
  • Page 94 Dakota Ultrasonics transducer in the same location. This will help to eliminate any potential measurement errors caused by changing the sound path. 16) Press the ENTER key and the Ultrasonic Length of the bolt will be displayed. Note: Alternatively, the Auto Set key can be pressed to activate the Auto Set routine.

  • Page 95: Stress Factor Calibration

    Examples of such devices include the following • Length measurement function of sophisticated tensile test machine • Mechanical or electronic height gages • Averaged values of length measurement with mechanical and electric micrometers. • A Dakota Ultrasonics MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor.
  • Page 96 Sonic Stress Factor is to be determined. NOTES: • The Dakota Ultrasonics MINI-MAX must be calibrated, or zeroed, as described in the Zero Calibration procedure section 8.4. • The Velocity Calibration should be performed prior to determining the Stress Factor.
  • Page 97 Note: The following steps assume that the user has performed the steps in the previous section and calibrated the velocity. Therefore, the velocity has been adjusted, approximate length already entered, and the MINI-MAX is currently setup and ready to measure in elongation mode.

  • Page 98: Temperature Factor Calibration

    Dakota Ultrasonics 8) Apply a drop of couplant to the bolt or transducer, and attach it to one end of the bolt. Rotate the transducer clockwise and counter clockwise applying a small amount of pressure to eliminate any excess couplant between the transducer and bolt.
  • Page 99 The MINI-MAX always measures a fastener at 68° F. If the temperature of the fastener is currently being measured at 108° F, the MINI-MAX will compensate, or correct, the measurement back to 68° F. Note: This is an arbitrary temperature range only.
  • Page 100 Note: The following steps assume that the user has performed the steps in the previous section and calibrated the velocity. Therefore, the velocity has been adjusted, approximate length already entered, and the MINI-MAX is currently setup and ready to measure in elongation mode.
  • Page 101 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 3) Record the ultrasonic length “L ” of the sample bolt at the above minimum temperature - 48 4) Repeat step 1 - 3 at the target temperatures (T through T ) – 48, 68,...

  • Page 102: Chapter 11 Load Measurement

    The cross sectional area of the bolt is defined as the average area of a fastener under stress. This factor is only used in the MINI-MAX’s calculation of load. It has no effect on stress or elongation, time, or strain, and is directly proportional...
  • Page 103 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor load measurement will also be off by 5% proportionally. For a cylindrical bolt with the same geometry, the area may be approximated as follows: D = minor diameter of the bolt, allowing for  ...
  • Page 104 Dakota Ultrasonics C L A M P L E N G T H 1 / 2 T H E D I A M E T E R 1 / 2 T H E D I A M E T E R E F F E CT I V E L E N G T H CLAM P LEN GT H 1 / 2 T H E D I AM ET ER...

  • Page 105: Calibrating A Load Factor (Field Calibration)

    A f i eld calibration is accomplished using a tensile tester, load cell, or other calibrated load device to compare known loads against ultrasonic elongations. The MINI-MAX is equipped with a self- calibrating feature that uses a linear regression or vector equation to produce a best-fit line through the known loads, minimizing error.

  • Page 106: Performing A Field Calibration

    (1/3, 2/3, & Max). This should be considered the minimum requirement when performing a field calibration. The following procedures also assume that the user has performed the probe zero operation and the MINI-MAX is setup and ready for measurement.
  • Page 107 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Note: Select a name that references this group to Field Calibration Data. 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the DATA menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 108 Dakota Ultrasonics 6) Use the UP, DOWN, LEFT, & RIGHT arrow keys to highlight the appropriate alpha characters. 7) Press the ENTER key to select a character and advance to the next field of the Group Name. 8) Use the CLR key to backspace if necessary. 9) Repeat steps 6 - 8 until the Group Name is completed.
  • Page 109 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Note: Be sure to include a note that describes and references the Field Calibration data and bolt. 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until NOTE is highlighted.
  • Page 110 Dakota Ultrasonics 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until NUM BOLTS is highlighted. 2) Press the ENTER key to display the Digits Edit Box. 3) Press the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll the highlighted value. 4) Press the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the digit locations.
  • Page 111 If there’s not enough memory available to create the group, an error message box “NOT ENOUGH MEMORY“ will be displayed. Press the OK or ESC key to return to the Group List Items menu. It may be necessary to free some memory in the MINI-MAX at this time.
  • Page 112 Dakota Ultrasonics Selecting the Auto Increment Direction The Auto Increment feature gives the user the ability to specify which direction to advance the cursor after storing a reading. 7) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until INCR.
  • Page 113 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Saving the Group Once all the parameters are set, the user has the option of saving or canceling the new group. 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until CREATE NEW GROUP? is highlighted.
  • Page 114 Dakota Ultrasonics Storing the Reference Length 7) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right and the ESC key multiple times to move left until the LOC cell is highlighted. 8) Press the ENTER key to display the Group View Box.
  • Page 115 Note: The following steps assume that the user has previously selected a similar material type for the list of materials and the approximate length of the bolt has been entered. Therefore, the MINI-MAX is currently setup and ready to measure in elongation mode.
  • Page 116 Dakota Ultrasonics 4) Apply approximately 1/3 of the maximum load, which is to be placed on the bolt under actual working conditions. 5) Measure and record the Ultrasonic Length at Load 1 by pressing the ENTER key. The Digits Edit Box will be displayed. Note: Load 1 should be stored in column B.
  • Page 117 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 17) Measure and record the Ultrasonic Length at Load 3 by pressing the ENTER key. The Digits Edit Box will be displayed. Note: Load 3 should be stored in column D. 18) Enter the Known Load value by pressing the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll the highlighted value.
  • Page 118 Dakota Ultrasonics 3) Press the ENTER key to run the calculation and display the confirmation screen. 4) Press the OK key to accept the calculation, or the ESC key to cancel and return to the CAL menu. 5) Press the MEAS key to return to the measurement screen. Note: The new Load Factor and Offset values can be reviewed and edited in the GEOM tabbed menu item.

  • Page 119: Chapter 12 Measurement And The Waveform Display

    Display 12.1 Quantities of Measurement The MINI-MAX has the ability to measure in a number of measurement quantities: Time (nanoseconds), Elongation, Load, Stress, and Strain (in terms of %). While there are a number of quantity options available, the easiest and most fail safe quantities to consider are Time and Elongation.

  • Page 120: Display View Options

    L-REF (reference length). If tolerance values were setup in the MINI-MAX, the user could use the limit bar and alarm lights to view when the fastener was in the required tolerance region, and avoid having to constantly...
  • Page 121 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor RECT (rectified) Large Digits Large Digits & Limits Bar Changing Display Options 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to...
  • Page 122 Dakota Ultrasonics tab left, until the DISP menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items. 2) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until VIEW is highlighted. 3) Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the view options. Once the appropriate view is displayed, press the MEAS key to return to the measurement screen.
  • Page 123 A) Stability of Reading Indicator – Indicates the stability of the return echo on a scale of 1 to 6 – the solid bars displayed in the figure above indicate a repeatable signal. If the MINI-MAX is displaying a reading from memory, the repeatability indicator will be replaced by the text “MEM”.
  • Page 124 A) Stability of Reading Indicator – Indicates the stability of the return echo on a scale of 1 to 6 – the solid bars displayed in the figure above indicate a repeatable signal. If the MINI-MAX is displaying a reading from memory, the repeatability indicator will be replaced by the text “MEM”.
  • Page 125 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor E) Echo Signal – Graphical full wave form representation of the return echo displayed as an amplitude (vertical or “Y” axis) plotted against time (horizontal or “X” axis), this time is then converted to a physical measurement in terms of a specific quantity.

  • Page 126: Adjusting The Display

    A) Stability of Reading Indicator – Indicates the stability of the return echo on a scale of 1 to 6 – the solid bars displayed in the figure above indicate a repeatable signal. If the MINI-MAX is displaying a reading from memory, the repeatability indicator will be replaced by the text “MEM”.
  • Page 127 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Adjusting the Width using the Hot Menus 1) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right and the ESC key multiple times to move left, until the WIDTH cell is highlighted.
  • Page 128 Dakota Ultrasonics Adjusting the Width using the Tabbed Menus 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the DISP menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 129 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Starting delay The starting DELAY, or starting length, is the value displayed on the bottom lower left side of the display in both RF and RECT (Rectified) views. The DELAY will also be represented in the DIGITS (Scan Bar) view, as the length. The starting length is the minimum length that can be viewed on the display.
  • Page 130 Dakota Ultrasonics Press the OK key to return to the measurement screen, or ESC to cancel entering the DELAY. The user can also access and adjust the delay from the tabbed menus. However, this method is more tedious than making the adjustments using the Hot Menus.

  • Page 131: Gain

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 7) Repeat steps 5 & 6 until the Delay number is correctly displayed. 8) Press the OK key to set the Delay and return to the menu screen, or ESC to cancel entering the Delay.
  • Page 132 Dakota Ultrasonics 1) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right, and the ESC key multiple times to move left until the GAIN cell is highlighted. 2) Press the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the highlighted value.

  • Page 133: Threshold

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the TUNE menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 134 Dakota Ultrasonics user does not increase it at that time, when the fastener is put under a load, the same peak jumps can occur. Even though the threshold can be adjusted at a later time to correct the peak jump, errors can be overlooked during the measurement process.
  • Page 135 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor The user can also access and adjust the Threshold from the tabbed menus. However, this method is more tedious than making the adjustments using the Hot Menus. The procedure using the tabbed menus is outlined below: Adjusting the Threshold using the Tabbed Menus 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab.

  • Page 136: Gate

    Another potential issue is general transducer or low frequency noise. In this type of situation, the noise interferes with the MINI-MAX, and is high enough in amplitude to cause the MINI-MAX to detect on the noise rather than the true return reflection. The diagrams below illustrate both cases: Note: In order to adjust the gates they must be activated.
  • Page 137 GATE. The start point of GATE has been adjusted to just beyond the noise (A) so that the MINI-MAX ignores the noise and detects the true back wall (C). Note: the MINI-MAX will only detect on signals that are located inside the dimensions of the GATE (B).
  • Page 138 Let’s assume that (A) is the actual true reflection off the end of the bolt, and the MINI-MAX is detecting on the echo at (B). However, the signal has a horrible first cycle and is relatively week.
  • Page 139 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 3) Alternatively, press the ENTER key to display the Digits Edit Box. 4) Press the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll the highlighted value. 5) Press the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the digit locations.

  • Page 140: Interpreting The Waveform

    When a load is applied on a bolt, the velocity of the fastener decreases. Any deformations in the joint (bending) will disrupt the sound path and potentially cause an overall decrease in signal amplitude. When this occurs, the decrease in amplitude can cause the MINI-MAX to lose the first cycle altogether. If the fist...
  • Page 141 For this reason, selecting the proper phase is very important. The Auto Set feature built into the MINI-MAX will do a lot of this work for you. However, it’s always a good idea to understand how to interpret the waveform.

  • Page 142: Manually Locating The Echo

    The echo can be manually located by simply adjusting the delay and width values of the MINI-MAX. While this is process is very tedious and will most often not be used because of the Auto Set feature, it should be explained for general control of the instrument.
  • Page 143 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor the Length is known, use the digits edit box to enter the value and save time. 1) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right and the ESC key multiple times to move left, until the DELAY cell is highlighted.

  • Page 144: Automatic Echo Optimization

    WIDTH. 12.9 Automatic echo optimization The MINI-MAX is equipped with a built in Auto Set feature for echo optimization. The Auto Set uses a variety of algorithms, evaluating the positive and negative and negative cycles, and selects the best phase (polarity) to use for measurement.
  • Page 145 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Setting the Approximate Length using the Hot Menus 1) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right and the ESC key multiple times to move left, until the ALEN cell is highlighted.
  • Page 146 Dakota Ultrasonics Setting the Approximate Length using the Tabbed Menus 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the AUTO menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 147 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Using Auto Set Note: If the Approximate length has been entered into the MINI-MAX, the Auto Set feature can be run simply by pressing the AUTO SET key on the bottom left side of the keypad.

  • Page 148: Unloaded Length And Elongation Measurements

    Dakota Ultrasonics 12.10 Unloaded length and Elongation measurements The entire procedure to effectively prepare, setup, and measure is located in the quick start guide in Chapter 3 . Please refer to this section for further instructions.

  • Page 149: Chapter 13 Additional Features

    Chapter 13 Additional Features 13.1 Pulse Width The MINI-MAX is equipped with an adjustable pulse width option. Pulse width; refers to the duration of time the pulser is left on. This time results in increased energy sent into the test material. There are three width options (SPIKE, THIN, and WIDE).

  • Page 150: Alarm Mode

    Dakota Ultrasonics 13.2 Alarm Mode The Alarm Mode feature of the MINI-MAX provides the user with a method of setting tolerances, or limits, for a particular application requirement. This feature may be convenient for those users who want to have a quick verification without having to constantly watch the display for a specific value to appear.
  • Page 151 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor tab left, until the UTIL menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items. Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until ALARM STATUS is highlighted. Use the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to toggle the ALARM STATUS on/off.
  • Page 152 Dakota Ultrasonics If only one limit will be used, press the MEAS key to return to the measurement screen and begin taking readings. Otherwise, continue on to set the ALARM HI LIMIT.

  • Page 153: Polarity

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Setting the Alarm HI Limit 1) Assuming the ALARM STATUS is ON, use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until ALARM HI LIMIT is highlighted. 2) Press the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the value. When the correct alarm value is being displayed, proceed to step 8 .

  • Page 154: Rectified Waveform (Filled/Unfilled)

    Dakota Ultrasonics Toggle Polarity (+/-) Note: Before toggling the Polarity, the MINI-MAX should be set to the RF display view option. The RF view will give the user the best opportunity to correctly view the positive and negative cycles of the waveform. Please refer section 12.2 for information on selecting the Display Views.
  • Page 155 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Toggle Rect Wave (filled / Unfilled) Note: Before toggling the Rect Wave, the MINI-MAX should be set to the RECT display view option. Please refer to section 12.2 for information on selecting the Display Views.

  • Page 156: Chapter 14 Data Storage - Setup, Edit, & View Groups

    Data is stored in the MINI-MAX in a spreadsheet like format called a GRID. A GRID is simply a table of readings. In the case of the MINI-MAX they will be discussed in terms of a GROUP. The location in a group is specified by giving a row and column coordinate.
  • Page 157 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Creating a Group Name 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right, and the ESC key multiple times to tab left, until the DATA menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 158 Dakota Ultrasonics 6) Use the UP, DOWN, LEFT, & RIGHT arrow keys to highlight the appropriate alpha characters. 7) Press the ENTER key to select a character and advance to the next field of the Group Name. 8) Use the CLR key to backspace if necessary. 9) Repeat steps 6 - 8 until the Group Name is completed.
  • Page 159 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 3) Use the UP, DOWN, LEFT, & RIGHT arrow keys to highlight the appropriate alpha characters. 4) Press the ENTER key to select a character and advance to the next field of the Group Note.
  • Page 160 Dakota Ultrasonics 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until NUM BOLTS is highlighted. 2) Press the ENTER key to display the Digits Edit Box. 3) Press the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll the highlighted value. 4) Press the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to scroll the digit locations.
  • Page 161 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Selecting the Number of Readings Per Bolt Note: A bolt can have up to 51 possible measurements and 1 initial length (L-REF). There must be at least one reading per bolt. 1) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until NUM READS is highlighted.
  • Page 162 “NOT ENOUGH MEMORY“ will be displayed. Press the OK or ESC key to return to the Group List Items menu. It may be necessary to free some memory in the MINI-MAX at this time. Selecting the Auto Increment Direction The Auto Increment feature gives the user the ability to specify which direction to advance the cursor after storing a reading.

  • Page 163: Storing A Reading

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Saving the Group Once all the parameters are set, the user has the option of saving or canceling the new group. 5) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the new Group List Items until CREATE NEW GROUP? is highlighted.

  • Page 164: Viewing Stored Measurements And Waveforms

    Note: Every time a reading is saved to memory, the waveform data is automatically saved with the reading. 14.4 Viewing stored measurements and waveforms It is sometimes necessary to go back and view, or toggle, the stored readings and waveforms using the MINI-MAX without a PC. The following procedures outline this process:...
  • Page 165 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Viewing Stored Readings & Waveforms 1) Press the MEAS key once to activate measure menu items. Press the MEAS key multiple times to move right and the ESC key multiple times to move left until the LOC cell is highlighted.
  • Page 166 Dakota Ultrasonics Note: Refer to section 12.2 Display View, to toggle the view options. 5) The user may opt to clear a specific reading and save a new one at any time. Press the CLR key in the appropriate cell location to clear the reading, take a new measurement, and press the OK key to save the new reading.

  • Page 167: Deleting A Group

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 14.5 Deleting a group Deleting One or All Groups from Memory Deleting One Group 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the DATA menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.

  • Page 168: Editing A Group

    Dakota Ultrasonics tab left until the DATA menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items. 2) Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to scroll through the sub menu items until DELETE ALL GROUPS is highlighted. 3) Press the ENTER key to activate the confirmation screen. 4) Press the OK key to delete All Groups from memory, or the ESC key to abort.
  • Page 169 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor Editing a Group 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the DATA menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 170 Dakota Ultrasonics 5) Press the ENTER key to activate the Alpha Edit box – Only used when editing the NOTE. 6) Use the UP, DOWN, LEFT, & RIGHT arrow keys to highlight the appropriate alpha characters. 7) Press the ENTER key to select a character and advance to the next field of the Comments.

  • Page 171: Changing The Active Group

    12) Press the MEAS key to return to the measurement screen. 14.7 Changing the active group (Open) The user may have transferred group templates from a PC to the MINI-MAX, or setup groups using the MINI-MAX at an earlier time. The name of the currently active group is always displayed at the bottom of the Hot Menu Items in measurement mode.
  • Page 172 Dakota Ultrasonics 6) Press the OK key to load the group from memory. 7) Press the MEAS key to return to the measure screen.

  • Page 173: Chapter 15 Setups - Create, Store, Edit, & Recall

    MINI-MAX. The factory setup is a general setup Only . It has been provide to serve as an excellent starting point for the user. The following...
  • Page 174 Dakota Ultrasonics Opening a Setup 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the SETUP menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.

  • Page 175: Saving A Setup

    MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor 15.3 Saving a Setup Once the MINI-MAX parameters and features have been adjusted for an application, the user may elect to save these setting to a specific setup location for future use. This can potentially save time and reduce error between users.
  • Page 176 Dakota Ultrasonics Saving the Setup 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the SETUP menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.

  • Page 177: Using The Default Setup

    Save Setup function can also be considered an Edit Function. 15.4 Using the Default Setup The default setup feature was added to the MINI-MAX to use, as a last resort, if there are no setups stored in the gauge –factory or otherwise. The only time this...
  • Page 178 Dakota Ultrasonics back into the MINI-MAX. This gives the user the ability to load and modify a basic setup as follows: Using the Default Setup 1) Press the MENU key once to activate the menu items tab. Press the MENU key multiple times to tab right and the ESC key multiple times to tab left until the SETUP menu is highlighted and displaying the submenu items.
  • Page 179 MINI-MAX Ultrasonic Bolt Tension Monitor...

  • Page 180: Chapter 16 Using The Utility Software

    Refer to the help section in MINIMAXview, for the complete operating manual, setup, and operation. 16.3 Upgrading the Firmware The MINI-MAX has the ability to be flash programmed from anywhere in the world. As new features, bugs, and additional software requests become available, Dakota offers the user the ability to upgrade the firmware without having to ship the unit back to the factory, or authorized service center.
  • Page 181 Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.checkline.com ELECTROMATIC Equipment Co., Inc., 600 Oakland Ave., Cedarhurst, NY 11516 – USA Tel: 800-645-4330 (USA & Canada) Tel: (516) 295-4300 Fax: (516) 295-4399...

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