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We have included extracts from some email enquiries received along with our reply text. Some of the points raised may also be of interest in your situation

 (The senders identity and email addresses have been removed)

 Q)

I am looking at asc-260 system. my internet search find concern over diagnostic facility and danger of 15000 volt. what safe condition do you have when this happen

A)

You have not indicated the Web Site to which you refer so it is difficult to comment in detail. I can assure you that anyone suggesting that such a large voltage be introduced into a Computer system has little or no technical expertise and should be avoided at all cost. All our diagnostic facilities use logic algorithms to diagnose problems in both Instrumentation and application databases. Fault symptoms, such as power supply and component failures provide sufficient abnormalities in operation for their detection by interrogation of data collected by the running of a series of Diagnostic Procedures. We have a policy of NOT subjecting our Customers to dangerous situations.

Q)

Thank you for you positive response. Hereunder are my clarifications:

1.  What will be the OS of the computer?

2.  Do we need to replace the internal communication which communication
the external computer?

3.  For info, we are only low alloy applications, do we need to calibrate
or just recalibrate the instrument.

A)Thank you for your further enquiry.

I have made the assumption, hopefully correctly, that you are currently using the Hilger PC-PLUS software package. The following response to your enquiries is based on this assumption.

1)

The ASC-260 should not be confused with the office or home type Personal Computer. We have moved away from supplying Windows based PC software with all its potential pit-falls in favour of custom designed Industrial Computer systems. These supply a more consistent, stable and robust solution for the application and do not suffer from the unwanted system intrusions experienced with PC systems often containing a multitude of multi-tasking applications not concerned with the Analytical task. By standardizing the construction and specification of the ASC-260, problems concerned with hardware conflicts and system configuration are eliminated which is why we confidently supply the system as a self install product. For your technical information, the operating system consists of a BIOS (Basic Input Output System)executive which handles all Disk Operations and I/O interrupts. Device drivers for the required USB connectivity are also included. The Application Program Interface (API) is a custom compiled program with master Linked Library support to maintain low program size overhead. The system 'boots up' directly into the application program from switch on (in less than 30 secs) and all the features are controlled by user input at the main module level. There is no other user access mode supplied which ensures that the integrity of the system and databases is secured. Import and Export of data to other PC Computers is controlled by the ASC-260 as Master using the USB Stick exclusively. The format of data transfer is determined by the user from within the OESQA Pro software to be compatible with the target system requirement. Most common formats used are  .TXT .BMP .CSV .DBF .RTF etc. One or more of these are supported by most commercially available data manipulation software packages including Word Processors, Spreadsheets and Databases.

 2) 

If you are currently using PC-PLUS with serial link communication to the Spectrometer, then there is no modification required within the Hilger instrument. The ASC-260 is supplied plug-compatible with the Spectrometer to which it is to be connected.

 3)

We have found that most Customers prefer to make new calibrations. If a Certified set of reference material is available then I would suggest that this is the best solution. The number of samples required for Low Alloy determination is low and the procedure for creating these new curves with the OESQA Pro software is quick and easy to use. Typically I would expect to complete the task in four hours maximum based on running 10 reference plus perhaps three Drift correction samples to cover the range. It should be remembered that, provided you can obtain and run the relevant samples, we will be able to offer remote curve drawing services to assist you if required. As I mentioned in my former email, however, we are working towards supplying a facility to access and use the original curve data from the PC-PLUS system. The test phase of this project has now been brought forward to mid-August due to the level of interest shown. If this proves to be fully successful, then you will be able to use your existing curve data in which case only recalibration will be required.

 Q)

 I would be pleased if you could kindly clarify the following points.

 1) How are remote diagnostic and application support implemented within the ASC260 system? 

 2) What support do you offer if a problem is diagnosed within the Spectrometer itself?

 3) What additional services do you offer?

A)

Thank you for your enquiry.

1)

Remote diagnostics are implemented by the running of one or more local operation procedures. Some of these may involve the user performing certain operations. It will be appreciated that it is not possible to place samples on the Instrument, press buttons or read indicator lights remotely without very expensive technology. Utilities within the OESQA Pro software collect the necessary data files and produce a ZIP file on the USB stick. This ZIP file is attached to an email addressed to EDI by the user. We at EDI interrogate data received and notify the Customer of the likely problem and action to be taken. If further diagnostic procedures need to be performed the appropriate instruction is returned. Where application errors are determined, corrective software or amended database files are returned. Alternatively corrective procedure advice is sent. Any additional or modified data files are returned in a similar way and loaded back onto the ASC-260 from the USB stick.

2)

Within the UK we provide service support for Instrumentation. For certain models we sub-contract or pass the work to other fully factory trained service providers. For over-seas Customers the use of their normal service centre will be more appropriate. We will, in any case, pass on all the relevant findings to enable a fast and efficient repair.

3)

We are currently developing and producing electronic interfacing and measuring systems to replace obsolescent systems used within Emission Spectrometers. By producing an Instrument specific range of PCB modules, we aim to extend our Plug n Go concept to self install upgrading of the Instrument control systems themselves. The ASC-260 is ideally suited for such staged upgrading. By the use of Internet borne re-programming, the operating system can be converted for use with any combination of Installation option at any stage within the process.