Calibration Workshop 4

Manual
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About calibration
Why ?
The goal of calibrating a channel is to improve the accuracy of that channel (not for
solving color deficits in dispensing recipes).

What?
The comparism table between volumetric units and electronical steps is overwritten in
the *.ide4 file, and replaced by a more accurate one.

How?
This is done by performing measurements, based on a predefined
calibration/verification plan with listed volumetric amounts. In combination with an
accurate density check and feedback from a scale, the outcome of these
measurements are listed and ready for analysis.

The calibration wizard will guide you through this process.

Calibrate a channel 1/5

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Preparation before calibration

When the program opens, we need to

select the machine configuration file we
want to work with. This can be done
under “Settings”, “Select Dispenser”. A
browser field opens, and after selecting
the desired file, its data opens into the
main screen and the path to the file is
shown in
the bottom
row.
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Preparation before calibration

Here we can establish a list of the

points we wish to calibrate, with
tolerances and number of repetitions:
a “calibration/verification plan”.
Making a new plan starts with giving it
a name, after hitting the button
“New”.

If a plan can be chosen,

always use one for “full
calibration”
Preparation before calibration

By hitting the “Edit” button, one

enters the chosen plan and here one
edits the plan: sampling points,
tolerances, number of samples,
cleaning rounds.

The “+” button adds a new line

into the plan. Hitting the “Save”
button, saves the edited plan.
Preparation before calibration

Under “Calibration Workshop

Settings” one can check general
program settings and move into
the scale settings menu to
connect an electronic scale to
the program.
Preparation before calibration

Here, the scale configuration can be made.

Program and scale properties need to match
so that both can understand each other. This
involves communications parameters but also
settings inside the scale menu, such as
handshake, master/slave identification etc.

After configuring,
proper
communication can
be checked with the The sampling interval
commands for is the time available for
taring and getting establishing a stable
weight. scale reading.
Preparation before calibration

Before starting any calibration,

one needs to check if there is
enough colorant inside the
canisters. Under “maintenance”,
“refill” a selected channel can
be refilled. Manually
change the colorant
level in the popup
field.
After filling, the
pumps need to de
de-aired, This can
be done with the Finally: see to it that
“Flush” function in the brush is clean and
FFmMaintenance. wet.
 Calibration

Prior to calibrating a specific

channel, we need to have the
accurate density of the colorant
inside the canister. With the
“measure density” function, the
program gives a full pumpstroke
(stepcount precisely known), and,
combined with the scale reading,
it calculates the density.

This action can be repeated a few times until a stable and consistent value is obtained.
Calibration

Now select a channel and hit

the “Calibration Wizard”. A
screen opens that’ll guide you
through the process. The first
step is to choose a plan.

Hit “next” to go to the second step.

Calibration

As explained before, an
accurate density is
imperative for a good
calibration. By hitting
“start”, a density
measurement is
performed by the
program. If a correct
density has already been
obtained earlier, push
“accept” and continue.
 Calibration: the CW4 mechanism explained

The program just gathers samples,

based on the calculated stepcount,
belonging to the required sampling
point. In this case, theoretically
0,4ml=87 steps. After 4 samples,
practically, 87 steps has an
average of 0,383 ml.

Tolerance is not that important in this stage, repeatability is.

 Calibration

In this stage, the

actual measurement
is started. Hitting
“start” causes the
program to run the
whole procedure,
listed in the plan. In
the bottom field the
measurement results
are listed and in the
top part a graphical
display is shown.
Calibration

Measurement Points:
• Req: the amounts, in volume,
as listed in the predefined
calibration plan.
• Steps: the calculated amount
of steps, based on the table in
the *ide4-file, that match the
volumes from the plan
• Average: the measured
average value, based on the
number of samples taken.
Calibration

Difference between measured

value and calculated
theoretical value (based on
*.ide4)=“Deviation”
• Amount: the absolute
difference between
calculated and measured
value.
• %: the difference as a
percentage of the
theoretical value.
• Std.Dev.: the amount of
spread between the
repetitions per sampling
point
Calibration

Progress: the number of samples done per

sampling point.
0/4: 0 done out of 4 schedules samples.
Dispenses (ml): the individual
measurements per sampling points are
shown.
• Amount: the actual dispensed amount
for that sampling point.
• State: Progress of the individual
dispense. Can be “Pending” or
“Completed”
• Reject: rightclick on any sample that is
not trustworthy to throw it away. Click
“start” in the top bar to remeasure this
last sample.
Calibration

Rightclick on any line in the progress field to

add or remove one or more dispensers, or to
remove all dispenses as of a certain point or up
to a certain point.

Press “Start” in the top left bar to continue the

measuring process.
 Calibration

Absolute/Relative Deviation, sampling

points resp. <1ml and >1ml.
• Horizontal axis: sampling points
according to plan.
• Vertical axis: Absolute difference
between measured value and
calculated theoretical value.
• Dotted line: tolerance according to
plan.
• Blue bars: spread
(std. dev.) per sampling
point.
 Calibration

When the whole measurement

session has finished, press
“Accept” in the top left bar to
save the session. This causes the
original table in the configuration
file to be overwritten.
Even if there are some sampling
points that have a certain
deviation towards the original
calculated values, it is still
advisory to save the session and
allow the program to overwrite
the original table.
Analyze and Update existing calibration

Analyzing the accuracy of an existing

calibration is done by means of a
measurement session, much like the
one that was done when calibrating a
channel.
So, select a channel, choose “measure
Density” under “Report” and allow the
software to do an accurate density
measurement. The colorant inside the
canister needs to be homogenous and
de-aired properly first.
Analyze and Update existing calibration

After having measured an accurate density,

choose “Verify” under “Report” to start a
measurement session. Before hitting the “Start”
button, the session can be given a name in the
header of the measurement field.
Analyze and Update existing calibration

After hitting the “Start” button, a measurement

session takes place. With a rightclick of the
mouse on one of the sampling lines, the number
of repetitions of that samples can be changed.
Sampling results that are too far off, are marked
red and can be rejected by rightclicking on it.

Hit “start” to remeasure.

After having obtained a
satisfactory measurement
session, hit “Save” to save
the session.
Analyze and Update existing calibration

If any sample cannot be dispensed at all, all of its

dispenses will turn up “red”. If these are rejected,
one still needs to remeasure before being able to
accept and save the session. In this case, one can
choose “remove one dispense” a few times until the
whole sampling point is deleted, and the session can
be accepted.
Analyze and Update existing calibration

Click on the verified channel

and go to “Sessions” or
doubleclick on the selected
channel. Now, the verification
session(s) on that particular
channel are shown, as well as
the active calibration. If the
listed verification session is
judged more accurate,
rightclick on the line and
choose “Use as calibration”.
Now the existing calibration will
be overwritten in the *.ide4-
file.
Analyze and Update existing calibration

If the choice “Update

Calibration” is made
the measured
steppertable of the
chosen verification
session is listed
together with that of
the active calibration.
The most accurate of
both sessions can be
combined here by
checking and
unchecking the
values in both tables.
Hit “Save” when
satisfied.