Beamex PRT Tool

Instruction Booklet
v. 1.0, revision a

By Beamex

© Copyright 2005

BEAMEX OY AB
Ristisuonraitti 10
FIN - 68600 Pietarsaari
FINLAND

Tel: +358-6-784 0111

Fax: +358-6-784 0404
E-mail: sales@beamex.com
Internet: http://www.beamex.com

- / Beamex PRT Tool / 010605

Contents
Beamex PRT Tool 3
General ........................................................................................... 3
Callendar - Van Dusen Equation .......................................... 3
Calibration Software and Custom Sensors........................... 4
Starting Beamex PRT Tool ............................................................. 4
Local Use ........................................................................................ 5
Creating and Editing Custom Sensors ................................. 6
Saving a Custom Sensor Data File ...................................... 7
Opening a Custom Sensor Data File .................................... 7
Importing a Custom Sensor Data File .................................. 7
Calibrator Communication............................................................... 8
Sending Local Custom Sensors to a Calibrator.................... 9
Viewing Calibrator's Custom Sensors .................................. 9
Beamex PRT Tool

General
Beamex PRT Tool is a utility for configuring custom
Platinum Resistance Thermometer for calibration needs.
Beamex PRT Tool can be used for:
ƒ Creating and editing custom Platinum Resistance
Thermometers.
ƒ Sending the Custom Sensors to a Beamex Calibrator
supporting Custom Sensors.
ƒ Saving Custom Sensors data too your hard disk.
Then they may be sent to as many Beamex
Calibrators as you need.
ƒ Editing and deleting Custom Sensors sent to a
calibrator.
To be able to utilize Beamex PRT Tool, the option must be
activated in the calibrator.

Callendar - Van Dusen Equation

The relationship between a Platinum Resistance
Thermometer's resistance and temperature can be
generated from the Callendar-Van Dusen equation:
For the range -200 °C to 0 °C:

[
R t = R 0 ⋅ 1 + A ⋅ t + B ⋅ t 2 + C ⋅ (t − 100 ° ) ⋅ t 3 ]
For temperatures above 0 °C up to the sensor's max.
temperature:

[
R t = R0 ⋅ 1 + A ⋅ t + B ⋅ t 2 ]
Where:
Rt is the resistance in Ohms at temperature t
R0 is the resistance in Ohms at 0 °C
t is the temperature in °C
A, B and C are customizable factors.
For standard sensors the factors A, B and C are already
defined, but real life sensors may require slightly different
factors. After a sensor has been calibrated, calculate the new
factors (if applicable) and use Beamex PRT Tool to send
them to a calibrator used for calibrating the sensor.

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 3

 Note.
Beamex PRT Tool cannot be used to calculate the factors.
Use some other tool to calculate the factors. If in doubt,
please contact Beamex.

Calibration Software and Custom

Sensors
Current Software The current versions of Beamex calibration software have a limited
versions: compatibility with Custom Sensors. All results are saved, but the sensor
CMX v2, type field is left blank.
QM6 1.93c and For possible software updates, please contact Beamex.
QD3 2.2b

Starting Beamex PRT Tool

Beamex PRT Tool is a stand-alone executable that needs
no installation procedure. Just double-click on the executable
file (Beamex_PRT_Tool.exe) where you saved it.

Notes.
Beamex PRT Tool creates additional files that contain
Custom Sensor definitions and also a log file of calibrator
communications. We recommend that you place Beamex
PRT Tool in a separate folder on your hard disk where no
other files than Beamex PRT Tool and its additional files are
located.

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 4

Local Use
This section describes the functionality available in Beamex
PRT Tool when no calibration communication is active. The
calibrator may be connected, though.
Local use allows you to create and edit Custom Sensors and
then save the Custom Sensor definitions on your hard disk.
This is handy when you need to transfer the same Custom
Sensors to several calibrators. The Custom Sensor definition
files on your hard disk are also backup copies of Custom
Sensors sent to calibrators.
When Beamex PRT Tool is started, the opened main
window contains tools for local use. Only the buttons in the
lower right corner are part of calibration communication.

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 5

 Creating and Editing Custom Sensors
To create a new Custom Sensor, click on the main window's
Create Custom Sensor button.
The default values for the new Custom Sensor's
Callendar - Van Dusen equation factors are according to the
standard Pt100 sensor:
PT100 α385 [IEC751, Amendment 2 (1995-07)].

Enter a descriptive name for the Custom Sensor and edit the
Callendar - Van Dusen equation factors as well as the
temperature range limits according to your own needs.
The following table describes the limitations of each field:

Field Notes
Name Text field, max. 24 characters
R0 Custom Sensor's resistance value at 0 degrees centigrade (°C)
Allowed range: 1.0 … 2000 ohm
A Custom Sensor's factor A
Allowed range: (1.0 … 9.0) · 10-3
B Custom Sensor's factor B
Allowed range: (-1.0 … -9.0) · 10-7
C Custom Sensor's factor C
Allowed range: (0 … -9.0) · 10-12
Note.
This factor is available only if the Enable temperature
below 0°C check box is checked.
Low Limit Minimum temperature value
Allowed range: 0 °C or less and less than High Limit
High Limit Maximum temperature value
Allowed range: more than 0 °C and more than Low Limit

When you press OK to close the Custom Sensor

Configuration window, the new Custom Sensor is shown in
the main window's list of Custom Sensors

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 6

 Saving a Custom Sensor Data File
When you have created a set of Custom Sensors, they can
be saved on your hard disk for future needs. To save the
Custom Sensors, select
File, Save Custom Sensor File from the main window's
menu.
Enter a descriptive name for the set of Custom Sensors to be
saved.

Opening a Custom Sensor Data File

Existing Custom Sensor data files may be opened for
viewing/editing by selecting
File, Open Custom Sensor File from the main window's
menu.

Importing a Custom Sensor Data File

Existing Custom Sensor data files may be appended to the
list of Custom Sensors currently shown in the main window.
Do this by selecting
File, Import Custom Sensor File to List from the main
window's menu.

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 7

Calibrator Communication
This section describes how to send Custom Sensors to a
Calibrator and how to edit the Custom Sensors already in
Calibrator's memory .
Before communicating with a calibrator, check the
Communication Settings of the Beamex PRT Tool. Select
File, Settings, Serial Port from the main window to set the
communication port. Usually the File, Settings, Port Speed
setting need not be changed. Lower the port speed only if the
PC requires slower communication.

Note.
The current version of Beamex PRT Tool communicates
with the following Beamex calibrators, provided the required
option is included in the calibrator:
MC5,
MC5-IS and
MC5P.
All with main firmware version of 1.90 or later.
Each calibrator may have up to 100 Custom Sensors saved
in their memory.

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 8

 Sending Local Custom Sensors to a
Calibrator
To send the Custom Sensors seen in the main window's list,
click on the Send to Calibrator button found in the main
window. A window like the leftmost picture below opens.

If you choose to send the Custom Sensors, a progress bar,

like the one in the upper rightmost picture, appears during
the communication.

Note.
All Custom Sensors found in the main window's Custom
Sensor list are transferred to the Send Custom Sensors to
Calibrator window's corresponding list. and sent to the
calibrator. Sending only part of the list of Custom Sensors is
not supported

Viewing Calibrator's Custom Sensors

To view and edit the Custom Sensors saved in a calibrator,
click on the View Custom Sensors button found in the main
window. A window like the one below opens. The yellowish
background on the Custom Sensor list indicates that the list
is read from the calibrator.

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 9

 Here you may directly edit and remove Custom Sensors
located in the calibrator's memory.

Notes.
You cannot add Custom Sensors to the calibrator from this
window. Add Custom Sensors using the Send to Calibrator
button found in the main window.
When editing/deleting Custom Sensors the changes are
immediately sent to the connected calibrator.

WARNINGS!

Removing a Custom Sensor currently used in Basic or

Calibration Mode ends the measurement/simulation. The
displayed temperature is replaced with the following
text: "+-OVER".
The measurement/simulation is unusable until a new,
existing sensor is selected for use. The name of the
removed sensor is replaced with a string of question
marks.

If a removed Custom Sensor is linked to a

Position/Device in the calibrator's memory, the name of
the removed sensor is also replaced with a string of
question marks. To be able to calibrate the
Position/Device, link an existing sensor to it. Previous
calibration results (made using the removed Custom
Sensor) still exist in the calibrator's memory.

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 10

 Editing Calibrator's Custom Sensors
When you select a Custom Sensor in the calibrator for
editing, the Custom Sensor Configuration window opens.

When clicking the OK button, the Beamex PRT Tool returns

to the View Custom Sensors window. The edited data is
immediately sent to the connected calibrator.

Saving Calibrator's Custom Sensors to a File

If you want to transfer Custom Sensors found in a calibrator
to another calibrator, first save the Custom Sensors to a file
on your hard disk and then use the main window's
Send to Calibrator button.
To save a calibrator's Custom Sensors, select File,
Save Custom Sensor File from the View Custom Sensor
window.

Instruction Booklet Beamex PRT Tool • 11