The Stepping Function (Optional) - GALAXIS SHOWTECHNIK PYROTEC PFE Advanced Mini 5 Outputs User Manual

5 The stepping function (optional)

The stepping function is used mainly if short firing delays are required.
Due to the high resolution of the delay programming the stepping function is ideally suited to generate
e.g. accelerated stepping sequences.
There are also lots of applications in pyromusicals and in the SFX business.
Right after power-on you can see if a device is equipped with this function. If the stepping function is
present 'S' will appear in the lower right corner of the display.
The following section describes the functional principle of the stepping function.
This stepping function is offering a completely new flexibility and is different compared to the devices
PFE Profi 3/10 Outputs.
A stepping delay can be assigned to every output. The device will wait for this period of time after firing
the programmed firing channel before the actual firing of the output will happen.
This stepping delay is called the 'Delay' parameter.
If you want to fire five outputs in a step sequence with a delay of one second you have to program
those five outputs with the same firing channel. You can use any outputs of the device, they do not
have to be adjacent. The firing of the firing channel will initiate the subsequent stepping sequence.
A zero delay (0.00s) is programmed to the first output so that this output will fire immediately.
The next output is programmed to 1.00s, the next to 2.00s and so on up to the fifth output which has to
be programmed with a delay of 4.00s. The first output will fire simultaneously with the firing of the
programmed firing channel. The other outputs will fire in steps of one second.
TIP
Fundamentally it does not matter which outputs are used for the stepping task. They do not have to be
in consecutive order. In addition, any number of stepping sequences can be executed simultaneously.
You achieve an accelerated stepping sequence by reducing the time difference between firings with
each step. The following example shows such a programming with five outputs:
Output No.: Programmed
firing channel:
1 34
2 34
3 34
4 34
5 34
In this example the difference to the consecutive ignition is reduced by 0.1s with every step.
Smart programming enables the user to extend a stepping sequence over many more than one
device. The firing cue which is initiating the sequence is the same for all outputs involved even if the
outputs are located on two or more separated devices and the delay parameter determines the timing.
If this way of programming is uncommon for you at first just imagine that every output has its own
timer (0.00 to 99.99s) which is set to the programmed value at the moment of firing. After this time has
elapsed the actual firing of the output will happen.
Prior to programming a complex stepping sequence, you should create a programming spreadsheet.
After entering all parameters, you can fire a test ignition and watch the stepping sequence by looking
at the red firing LEDs. Please note that no e-matches should be connected to the device for the
purpose of testing because they would be ignited.
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The programmed delay is always the absolute time from initiating the
sequence to the actual firing of the output.
Programmed
step delay:
0.00s
1.00s
1.90s
2.70s
3.40s
Delay between this and the consecutive firing:
1.00s
0.90s
0.80s
0.70s
0.60s