Posted to News on 1st Oct 2007, 18:53
Low-cost recorder has more functions than strip recorders
Eurotherm's new 6100E data recorder is described as low-cost, easy to use, secure and adaptable. It is suitable for companies that have an ongoing requirement to record data relating to a manufacturing process but do not need the sophistication of higher-cost recorders. The 6100E could therefore be a good choice for basic visualisation and recording requirements and an excellent replacement for small strip chart recorders.
Moreover, strip recorders offer none of the security and flexibility of secure electronic data files. For a small instrument, the 6100E's full-colour display is impressive - and it features touch technology for intuitive configuration and operation. Eurotherm has also incorporated a USB port in the recorder as standard to enable the use of a mouse, keyboard or bar code scanner.
Security is always a concern, so the 6100E stores data in check-summed, binary compressed files for security purposes. A graphic recorder ensures that there are no pens or paper to run out, and data can be moved manually or archived automatically to multiple locations. In practice this means removable media, network servers or the Eurotherm Review database that can reside on a PC. An internal, non-volatile 8Mb memory gives adequate storage and a data review capability at the instrument itself, which, in turn, enables the operator to create the best strategy for a specific application. The USB port can further be used to support a removable memory stick for increased local archive capacity.
Communication is provided via an Ethernet port with both Modbus TCP (slave) and FTP protocols supported. With this connectivity the 6100E recorder can easily be integrated into a larger system with data transparency across the network. The recorder's specification is completed by the inclusion of relay outputs and configurable channels for maths, totalisers and counters give further flexibility to adapt the recorder in order to meet specific application needs. Maths functions include add, subtract, multiply, divide, constant, group max, group average, channel min, channel max, channel average, rolling average and slave communications.
