Checkline TI-25DL-MMX User Manual

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02

2.0 Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

02

3.0 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

03

3.1 Gauge

3.2 Contents of kit

3.3 Probe

3.4 Keypad

3.5 LCD Display

3.6 Probe Zero Plate

3.7 Probe Connector Receptacle

3.8 Battery Compartment (Charging the Battery)

4.0 Making Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

09

4.1 Condition and Preparation of Surfaces

4.2 Probe Zero

5.0 Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

5.1 Calibration To A Known Thickness

5.2 Calibration To A Known Velocity

5.3 Two-Point Calibration

6.0 Quick Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

7.0 Changing Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

8.0 Backlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

9.0 Scan Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

10.0 Alarm Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

11.0 Dual-Multi Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

12.0 RS232 Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

13.0 Data Logger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

13.1 Clearing A Storage Location

13.2 Clearing An Entire File

13.3 Clearing All Files

13.4 Sending All Files To A Computer

13.5 Printing A File

14.0 Transducer Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

15.0 Calibrations for Measuring Materials Other Than Steel. . . . 25

15.1 Changing Calibration - Acoustic Velocity Is Not

Known

15.2 Acoustic Velocity Table

16.0 Product Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

17.0 Material Safety Data Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

18.0 Application Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

19.0 Warranty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

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19 .0 WARR A NT Y

ELECTROMATIC Equipment Co., Inc. (ELECTROMATIC) warrants to the
original purchaser that this product is of merchantable quality and confirms
in kind and quality with the descriptions and specifications thereof. Product
failure or malfunction arising out of any defect in workmanship or material in the
product existing at the time of delivery thereof which manifests itself within one
year from the sale of such product, shall be remedied by repair or replacement of
such product, at ELECTROMATIC’s option, except where unauthorized repair,
disassembly, tampering, abuse or misapplication has taken place, as determined
by ELECTROMATIC. All returns for warranty or non-warranty repairs and/or
replacement must be authorized by ELECTROMATIC, in advance, with all
repacking and shipping expenses to the address below to be borne by the
purchaser.

THE FOREGOING WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER
WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, THE WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR APPLICATION. ELECTROMATIC
SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUEN­TIAL DAMAGE, OF ANY KIND OR NATURE, RESULTING FROM THE
USE OF SUPPLIED EQUIPMENT, WHETHER SUCH DAMAGE OCCURS
OR IS DISCOVERED BEFORE, UPON OR AFTER REPLACEMENT OR
REPAIR, AND WHETHER OR NOT SUCH DAMAGE IS CAUSED BY
MANUFACTURER’S OR SUPPLIER’S NEGLIGENCE WITHIN ONE YEAR
FROM INVOICE DATE.

Some State jurisdictions or States do not allow the exclusion or limitation of inci­dental or consequential damages, so the above limitation may not apply to you.
The duration of any implied warranty, including, without limitation, fitness for
any particular purpose and merchantability with respect to this product, is limited
to the duration of the foregoing warranty. Some states do not allow limitations on
how long an implied warranty lasts but, not withstanding, this warranty, in the
absence of such limitations, shall extend for one year from the date of invoice.

ELECTROMATIC Equipment Co., Inc.
600 Oakland Ave. Cedarhurst, NY 11516—USA
Tel: [phone]/ Tel: [phone]/ Fax: [phone]

Every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this manual. Electromatic Equipment Co., Inc.,
assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting
from the use of information contained herein. Any brand or product names mentioned herein are used for
identification purposes only, and are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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1.0 INT R O DU C TI O N

The TI-25M-MMX is a multi-mode Ultrasonic thickness gauge that is capable of
measuring the thickness of various materials with accuracy as high as ± 0.001
inches, or ± 0.01 millimeters. The principle advantage of ultrasonic measurement
over traditional methods is that ultrasonic measurements can be performed with
access to only one side of the material being measured. The multi-mode feature
of the TI-25M-MMX allows the user to toggle between pulse-echo mode (flaw
and pit detection), and echo-echo mode (eliminate paint or coating thickness).

2.0 PRECAUTIONS

Do not use the standard probe in applications where material temperatures exceed
200 °F (100 °C) as the probe will be damaged. Special High Temperature Probes
should be used. Consult factory.

Keep the gauge free of dust (especially metal powders, carbon, etc.) as they will
damage the gauge. Use a damp cloth to clean the gauge after use. DO NOT USE
CHEMICAL SOLVENTS OF ANY KIND.

Note—Very Important!

Inherent in ultrasonic thickness measurement is the possibility that the instrument
will use the second rather than the first echo from the back surface of the material
being measured while in standard pulse-echo mode. This may result in a thickness
reading that is twice what it should be.

In addition, measurements through very thick paint or coatings while using
echo-echo mode, may result in the paint or coating being measured rather than
the actual material intended. The responsibility for proper use of the instrument
and recognition of these type of phenomenon‘s rest solely with the user of the
instrument.

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Measuring laminated materials

Laminated materials are unique in that their density (and therefore sound-veloci­ty) may vary considerably from one piece to another. Some laminated materials
may even exhibit noticeable changes in sound-velocity across a single surface.
The only way to reliably measure such materials is by performing a calibration
procedure on a sample piece of known thickness. Ideally, this sample material
should be a part of the same piece being measured, or at least from the same lam­ination batch. By calibrating to each test piece individually, the effects of varia­tion of sound-velocity will be minimized.

An additional important consideration when measuring laminates, is that any
included air gaps or pockets will cause an early reflection of the ultrasound beam.
This effect will be noticed as a sudden decrease in thickness in an otherwise regu­lar surface. While this may impede accurate measurement of total material thick­ness, it does provide the user with positive indication of air gaps in the laminate.

Measuring Through Paint & Coatings

Measuring through paints and coatings are also unique, in that the velocity of the
paint/coating will be significantly different from the actual material being meas­ured. A perfect example of this would be a mild steel pipe with approximately
.025” of coating on the surface. Where the velocity of the pipe is .2330 in/msec,
and the velocity of the paint is .0900 in/msec. If the user is calibrated for mild
steel pipe and measures through both materials, the actual coating thickness will
appear to be 2.5 times thicker than it actually is, as a result of the differences in
velocity. This error can be eliminated by using a special echo-echo mode to
perform measurements for applications such as these. In echo-echo mode, the
paint/coating thickness will be eliminated entirely and the steel will be the only
material measured.

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3.0 OVERVIEW OF GAU GE

3.1 Gauge

Probe

Receptacles

Probe Zero Test Plate and

Battery Compartment Cover

Backlit LCD
Display

Membrane
Keypad

Probe

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18 .0 A PPLICATI O N NOTES

Measuring pipe and tubing

When measuring a piece of pipe to determine the thickness of the pipe wall, ori­entation of the transducers is important. If the diameter of the pipe is larger than
approximately 4 inches, measurements should be made with the transducer orient­ed so that the gap in the wearface is perpendicular (at right angle) to the long axis
of the pipe. For smaller pipe diameters, two measurements should be performed,
one with the wearface gap perpendicular, another with the gap parallel to the long
axis of the pipe. The smaller of the two displayed values should then be taken as
the thickness at that point.

Measuring hot surfaces

The velocity of sound through a substance is dependent upon its temperature.
As materials heat up, the velocity of sound through them decreases. In most
applications with surface temperatures less than about 200 °F (100 °C), no
special procedures must be observed. At temperatures above this point, the
change in sound velocity of the material being measured starts to have a
noticeable effect upon ultrasonic measurement.

At such elevated temperatures, it is recommended that the user perform a
calibration procedure (refer to page 12) on a sample piece of known thickness,
which is at or near the temperature of the material to be measured. This will
allow the TI-25DL-MMX to correctly calculate the velocity of sound through the
hot material.

When performing measurements on hot surfaces, it may also be necessary to use
a specially constructed high-temperature transducer. These transducers are built
using materials which can withstand high temperatures. Even so, it is recom­mended that the probe be left in contact with the surface for as short a time as
needed to acquire a stable measurement. While the transducer is in contact with
a hot surface, it will begin to heat up, and through thermal expansion and other
effects, may begin to adversely affect the accuracy of measurements.

A

B

Parallel

Perpendicular

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3.2 Contents Of Kit

The TI-25M-MMX is supplied as a complete kit with the following:
a. Gauge
b. Two (2) AA batteries

(installed in gauge)
c. Probe/cable assembly
d. 4 oz. Bottle of coupling fluid
e. NIST-traceable calibration

certificate
f. Operating instruction manual
g. Foam-filled carrying case

3.3 Probe

The probe transmits and receives the ultrasonic sound waves which the
TI-25DL-MMX uses to calculate the thickness of the material being
measured. The probe must be used correctly in order for the
TI-25DL-MMX to produce accurate and reliable results.

A small amount of “coupling” fluid, commonly called “couplant” is used
to insure that there are no air gaps between the probe and the material
surface. Grasp the probe by the molded rubber grip and place it on top
of the material surface. Apply moderate pressure to the top surface of
the probe with your index finger (A) or thumb (B) to stabilize the probe
and to keep the wearface seated flat against the measurement surface.

a

d

c

e

g

Probe
Wearface

A

B

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17 .0 MAT E R I A L S A FETY D ATA S HEET ( MS DA)

Section 1— Product Identification

Product Name: TI-25M Generic Name: Ultrasonic Couplant
Manufacturer: Electromatic Equipt. Co. NFPA Hazardous Materials Identification System (est)

Health 0 Flammability 0 Reactivity 0

Section 2— Hazardous Ingredients

This material does not contain any ingredients having known health hazards in concentrations greater
than 1%. This material does not contain any known or suspected carcinogens.

Section 3 — Physical Data (nominal)

Boiling Point: >220°F Freezing Point: <20°F
Vapor Pressure: N/A Evaporation Rate: N/A
Specific Gravity: >1.0Z Solubility in Water: complete
pH: 7.35 – 7.9 Acoustic Imp.: 1.726x10

6

Vapor Density: N/A Appearance and Odor: water white, opaque gel; bland odor

Section 4 — Fire and Explosive Hazard Data

Flash Point: none Upper Exposure Limit: none Lower Exposure Limit: none
Special Fire Fighting Procedures: N/A Extinguishing media: N/A
Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards: none

Section 5 — Reactive Data

Stability: Stable Conditions to Avoid: none
Incompatibility (Materials to Avoid): none known
Hazardous Polymerization: will not occur
Hazardous Decomposition or Byproducts: none known

Section 6 —- Health Hazard and First Aid Data

Routes of Entry

1

:

Skin: not likely Ingestion: not normally Eyes: not normally Inhalation: no

Effects of Overexposure:

Acute: May cause temporary eye irritation Chronic: none expected

First Aid Procedures:

Skin: Remove with water if desired. Eyes: Flush with water for 15 minutes.
Ingestion: For large quantities, induce vomiting and call a physician Inhalation: N/A

Section 7 - Storage and Handling Information

Precautions to be taken in handling and storage: Store between 20 °F and 120 °F. Spills are
slippery and should be cleaned up immediately. Steps to be taken in case material is released or spilled:
Pick up excess for disposal. Clean with water. Waste disposal method: Dispose of in accordance with

federal, state, and local regulations.

Section 8 — Control Measures

Respiratory Protection: not required Ventilation: not required
Protective Gloves: on individuals demonstrating sensitivity to TI-25M
Eye Protection: as required by working conditions Other Protective Equipment: not required

1. TI-25M-MMX contains only food grade and cosmetic grade ingredients.

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3.4 The Keypad

The TI-25DL-MMX interacts with the operator through the
membrane keypad and the LCD display. The functions of
the various keys on the keypad are detailed below, followed
by an explanation of the display and its various symbols.

This key is used to turn the TI-25DL-MMX on and off. When the
tool is turned ON, it will first perform a brief display test by
illuminating all of the segments in the display. After one second,
the tool will display the internal software version number and the
current file location and status. After displaying the version num­ber, the display will show “0.000” (or “0.00” if using metric units),
indicating the tool is ready for use.

The TI-25DL-MMX is turned OFF by pressing the ON/OFF key.
The tool has a special memory that retains all of its settings even
when the power is off. The tool also features an auto-powerdown
mode designed to conserve battery life. If the tool is idle for 5
minutes, it will turn itself off.

The PRB-0 key is used to “zero” the TI-25DL-MMX in much
the same way that a mechanical micrometer is zeroed. If the tool
is not zeroed correctly, all of the measurements that the tool makes
may be in error by some fixed value. Refer to page 10 for an
explanation of this important procedure.

The CAL key is used to enter and exit the TI-25DL-MMX‘s
calibration mode. This mode is used to adjust the sound-velocity
value that the TI-25DL-MMX will use when calculating thickness.
The tool will either calculate the sound-velocity from a sample of
the material being measured, or allow a known velocity value to be
entered directly. Refer to page 12 for an explanation of the two
CAL functions available.

The MODE key is used to toggle through the various features and
settings of the TI-25DL-MMX (gate, alarm mode, beeper, back
light, units, scan mode, and differential mode ). The MODE key is
used in conjunction with the arrow and send keys to enable/disable
the features and settings.

The UP arrow key has three functions. When the TI-25DL-MMX
is in calibration mode, this key is used to increase numeric values
on the display. An auto-repeat function is built in, so that when the
key is held down, numeric values will increment at an increasing
rate. When MODE is activated, the UP arrow key scrolls through
the various features and settings of the instrument. When the data
logging feature has been activated by pressing the MEM key, the

ON

OFF

PROBE

ZERO

CAL

MODE

▼

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16.0 SPECIFICATI ON S

Range

TI-25DL-MMX* Pulse-Echo Mode (Pit & Flaw Detection):

0.040–6.000" (1.01–152 mm)
Echo-Echo Mode (Through Paint & Coatings):

0.100–1.0" (2.54–25.4 mm). With up to 0.040" of coating.

TI-25DL-MMX-EXT* Pulse-Echo Mode (Pit & Flaw Detection):

0.100–10.000" (2.54–254 mm)
Echo-Echo Mode (Through Paint & Coatings):

0.200–5.0" (5–127 mm). With up to 0.080" of coating.

Resolution .001" (0.01 mm)
Display 4

1

⁄2-Digit, 0.5" Backlit LCD

Velocity Range 0.0492 to .3937 in./µs. (1250 to 10,000 meters/second)
Probe

TI-25DL-MMX 5 MHz, 0.25" Dia. (6.35 mm), High Damp
TI-25DL-MMX-EXT 3.5 MHz, 0.5" Dia. (12.70 mm), High Damp

Probe Wearface PEEK (Polyethylethylkeytone)
Cable 4 ft. (1.2 m) waterproof cable with non-polarized,

quick-disconnect connectors.Optional lengths up to
100 ft. (30 m).

Probe Zero Steel plate built into battery cover, approximate thickness
Test Plate of 0.416" (10.57mm)

Temp. Limits Ambient

: –20 to 120 °F (–30 to 50 °C)
Material: 0 to 200 °F (–20 to 100 °C)
Special high temperature probes are optionally available.

Battery Type Two AA batteries
Battery Life 200 hours
Weight 7 ounces (196 g)
Size 2.4 x 4.5 x 1.25" (65 x 114 x 35 mm)
Accessories

Included Probe/cable assembly. 4oz. bottle of coupling fluid,

NIST Calibration Certificate, 2 AA batteries, operating
instructions,hard-plastic carrying case.

Warranty Gauge

: 5 years

Probe: 90 days

*Measuring Range indicated is for steel. Actual range for other materials will
vary based upon the material’s sonic velocity and attenuation.

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UP arrow is used to scroll through the various files, storage loca­tions, and functions of the data logger. Refer to page 22 for further
information regarding the use of the UP arrow key and the data
logger.

The DOWN arrow key has three functions. When the TI-25DL­MMX is in the CAL mode, this key is used to decrease numeric
values on the display. An auto-repeat function is built in, so that
when the key is held down, numeric values will decrement at an
increasing rate. When MODE is activated, the DOWN arrow
scrolls through the various features and settings of the TI-25DL­MMX . When the data logging feature has been activated by
pressing the MEM key, the UP arrow is used to scroll through the
various files, storage locations, and functions of the data logger.
Refer to page 20 for further information regarding the use of the
DOWN arrow key and the data logger.

The MEM key enables/disables the data logging feature of the
TI-25DL-MMX. This key is used in conjunction with the
UP/DOWN arrows, SEND, AND CLR keys (hi-lighted in green).
The combination of these keys control the data logging features of
the TI-25DL-MMX. Refer to the section on data logging page 20

The CLR key is specifically used with the data logging feature of
the TI-25DL-MMX. This key clears the contents of an entire file,
or individual storage locations. The CLR key is also used to send
an obstruct (ObSt) to an individual storage location. The ObSt
symbol would indicate that a the user was unable to take a reading
at a particular location. Refer to the section on data logging on
page 20.

The SEND key is used for sending data to internal storage
locations, and external peripheral devices (serial printer/computer).
The SEND key is also used to select data logging functions in the
TI-25DL-MMX. Refer to page 20.

3.5 LCD Display

The numeric portion of the display con-
sists of 4 complete digits preceded by a
leading “1,” and is used to display numeric
values, as well as occasional simple words,

to indicate the status of various settings.
When the TI-25DL-MMX is displaying thickness measurements, the display
will hold the last value measured, until a new measurement is made.
Additionally, when the battery voltage is low, the entire display will flash.
When this occurs, the batteries should be replaced.

▼

MEM

CLR

SEND

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15.2 Acoustic Velocity Table

Aluminum 0.2500 6350
Bismuth 0.8600 2184
Brass 0.1730 4394
Cadmium 0.1090 2769
Cast Iron 0.18000 4572
Constantan 0.2060 5232
Copper 0.1840 4674
Epoxy resin 0.1000 2540
German silver 0.1870 4750
Glass, crown 0.2230 5664
Glass, flint 0.1680 4267
Gold 0.1280 3251
Ice 0.1570 3988
Iron 0.2320 5898
Lead 0.8500 2159
Magnesium 0.2280 5791
Nickel 0.2220 5639
Nylon 0.1020 2591
Paraffin 0.0870 2210
Platinum 0.1560 3962
Plexiglass 0.1060 2692
Polystyrene 0.0920 2337
Porcelain 0.2300 5842
PVC 0.0940 2388
Quartz glass 0.2220 5639
Rubber, vulcanized 0.0910 2311
Silver 0.1420 3607
Steel, common 0.2330 5920
Steel, stainless 0.2230 5664
Stellite 0.2750 6985
Tin 0.1310 3327
Titanium 0.2400 6096
Tungsten 0.2100 5334
Zinc 0.1660 4216

Material Velocity Velocity

Type Inches/µs Meters/s

Notes: 1. These values are to be used only when a suitable sample of known thick-

ness is not available for calibrating, as slight variations in material
composition, finishing (hardening, polishing, etc.) or shape can affect the
acoustic velocity.

...

Notes:

2. “✔ ”denotes the factory default setting for acoustic velocity.

✔

INMM/µs

+

1.8.8.8.8