ChamberView®
ChamberView®
is a software product from CIMTEK that is used to improve your QC operations by automating and centralizing control of multiple chambers.
ChamberView® runs under the Microsoft Windows environment and allows the user to control, program, and view data from one or many environmental chambers, regardless of chamber manufacturer or the brand of controller. ChamberView® was designed to remove the difficulty of having to learn several different control packages and programming styles in order to use different environmental chamber controllers. It is an easy to learn, easy to use and easy to understand application which uses a non-programming approach to environmental chamber control.
Simultaneous control and monitoring of multiple chambers of different types ChamberView® is the only system available today that provides simultaneous control and monitoring of multiple chambers of different types. This means you immediately simplify operations, improve your efficiency and productivity, increase management information and decision-making ability, save time, and reduce the overall cost of your whole quality control operation.
The operator has the choice of graphically monitoring several chambers simultaneously, each in its own separate chamber monitoring window. The status of all chambers can be seen together in a separate status window. There is no need for programming on the part of the user. All data is displayed in an easy to understand color graphical format and is stored on the hard disk for future reference and manipulation. Chamber alarms are clearly highlighted in red for easy detection to view historical or real-time issues. The export capability of ChamberView® allows the user to export historical data to a format acceptable by many standard Windows spreadsheet or database applications.
Why do I need ChamberView®?
The need for a universal software package to control multiple, different environmental chambers is clear to see in today's industrial QA labs. Different controllers with different capabilities and programming instructions have long been a source of frustration for quality control personnel. Technicians are forced to spend time programming user-unfriendly chamber controllers instead of concentrating on more important quality-related functions. The ChamberView® control and monitoring system brings a fresh, new approach to this area. It allows easy hardware configuration by employing various communications links and connecting them to an inexpensive, user-friendly Windows based PC workstation.
A special set of programs takes care of the many differences between chamber controllers. These special programs, called "drivers", allow the user to employ a common interface for every controller ChamberView® is connected to. There is no need to read controller documentation, nor is there a need to teach personnel how to program every controller in the lab. Furthermore, libraries of your thermal and/or humidity profiles (chamber programs) may be stored on the hard drive and reused across the full spectrum of available chambers.
No programming to learn
The engineers at CIMTEK understand that your business is not computers, but quality control and quality analysis. Thus, we have made ChamberView® programming-free. What you have instead are simple on-screen forms. All you need to do is "fill in the blanks", within the Windows environment of ChamberView®. Point-and-click using your mouse and your quality parameters are entered.
ChamberView®'s many features help your quality control operations in many ways.
For example, you can:
- Enter complicated test specifications easily
- Enter commands in tabular form - then check them graphically for further confirmation
- Re-use "specs" across all chambers regardless of the chamber
- Use the job scheduler feature to optimize chamber usage
- Check all chambers on one screen
- "zoom in" to one chart for greater detail
- Use variable data logging rates to match your requirements
You get better management control
ChamberView® gives you password security, self-documenting capability, extensive historical data reporting, automatic paging on alarms, and remote access, thus you can:
- Secure programs from operator changes
- Obtain full documentation of your test specifications
- Export your data to other applications (e.g. EXCELTM, ACCESSTM)
- Receive automatic paging on alarm conditions 24 hours a day
- Use remote access to:
- Monitor and control operations
- Identify alarms
- Obtain technical support promptly
Plus, greater cost efficiency
ChamberView® is an investment in a modern, centralized approach to the quality control challenge. It will immediately start to help reduce today's costly inefficiencies. And, as you begin to use it more and more, it will improve all your operations and allow you to be more efficient and productive.
Both hardware & software
CIMTEK offers the quality and reliability of Industry Proven, Customer focused computers with ChamberView® Environmental Chamber Control Software as an option to the installation. We offer full installation and configuration services. We also include a standard support service (extended support also available).
ChamberView®: A modern solution
The challenge of simultaneously controlling multiple chambers of different types is solved with the use of ChamberView®. We invite you to find out more about ChamberView®, one of a series of hardware and software tools from CIMTEK, and how we can help improve your quality operations.
ChamberView® is an investment in a modern, centralized approach to the quality control challenge. It will immediately start to help reduce today's costly inefficiencies. And, as you begin to use it more and more, it will improve all your operations and allow you to be more efficient and productive.
Easy Monitoring
Multiple chamber monitoring
ChamberView® lets you examine all your QC operations on one screen at the same time. This means you can see all your operations "at a glance". From here, you simply use the "pull down" menus and mouse "point and click" actions to execute simple commands.
Zoom View
Detailed monitoring
"Zoom" in on one chamber operation for greater detail. See both programmed and acquired data, and greater detail on the plot, status, any alarm settings, etc. Easily get a clear, detailed picture of the actual chamber operation.
Easy Control
Write it... then see it!
"Profile Editor" lets you easily and clearly define your test profile, by filling in the blanks of the easy to understand form. The form or profile thus created is independent of any chamber controller which reduces operator workload and error and promotes greater understanding of the test specification requirements.
"Profile View" lets you see what you have entered in a user-friendly, graphical format. You can easily validate the entered profile. Or, if working from a drawing, you can compare the profile to the specification.
More Monitoring & Control
List View
ChamberView® lets you see your QC configuration easily and clearly. Easy to remember, too! "Chambers List" shows your system configuration clearly and concisely.
"Chamber Setup" shows you data separately for each chamber.
Status View
Another useful way to overview your QC is this tabular form status list.
Technical Specifications
Main Features
- Simultaneous multiple environmental chambers control and monitoring system
- Number of chambers controlled limited only by the size of RAM and communication ports requirements
- Easy to use self explanatory environmental test specification forms
- Library of user defined test specifications (recipes) independent of the chambers
- Password system to restrict operators access to the test specification
- Self documenting system for all specifications entered
- Test specifications (recipes) reusable across all chambers
- Jobs scheduler to optimize chamber usage
- Historical data logger with hard copy capability
- Remote access, supervising, and support capabilities
- On alarm supervisor paging capabilities
- Built in power recovery system
- On line and context sensitive help to guide operators
- Cold/Hot soak, Soak At, Segmentation synchronization with testing (if available)
- User defined set of alarms
Hardware and software requirements
- Microprocessor - Pentium or higher
- RAM - 8 MB minimum to control up to 4 chambers, 1/2 MB is required for every additional chamber
- Video - VGA Graphic Card is required (SVGA Graphics Card is recommended)
- Mouse - a mouse is required. Some features can be accessed only with a mouse
- At least 2MB of free disk space to install ChamberView® and at least 2MB per chamber in runtime for data logging purposes is required
- Windows 95/98 or later is required.
- Modem - not required but supported using third party software as a remote access and support solution
- Network - not required but supported using third party software
Communication standards supported
- ChamberView® supports several communication standards some of which are:
- RS-232 full duplex (multidrop not supported)
- RS-422 full duplex (multidrop supported)
- RS-485 half duplex (multidrop supported)
IEEE-488
Controllers supported
- ChamberView® currently supports controllers from the following manufacturers:
- Chromalox
- Thermotron
- Micristar
- Watlow
- Tabai/ESPEC
- JC Systems
Other controllers are being added to the supported list, while the well-defined controller interface allows the easy development of custom controller drivers.
Customization
By using CIMTEK's integration services ChamberView® can be configured to fit your specific needs. Please call us for assistance.
To find out more about how we can help with your test engineering needs contact us today