DeFelsko PosiTector 100 User Manual
Model 100 Series
Ultrasonic Multi-layer
Coating Thickness Gage
Instruction Manual
version 4.0
Page 2 100 Series
DeFelsko Corporation USA 1999
All Rights Reserved • Patents applied for • Printed in U.S.A.
This manual is copyrighted with all rights reserved and may not be reproduced
or transmitted, in whole or part, by any means, without written permission from
DeFelsko Corporation.
DeFelsko, PosiTector and PosiSoft are
trademarks of DeFelsko Corporation registered
in the U.S. and in other countries. Microsoft.
Windows NT, Windows 95 and Windows 98 are
registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
HP is a registered trademark of Hewlett-Packard
Corporation. Other brand or product names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is
accurate. DeFelsko is not responsible for printing or clerical errors.
01/99
Multi-layer Model 100
••standard •• memory
Gage Serial Number: ______________
Probe (B, C or D): _________________
Probe Serial Number: ______________
Date Purchased: __________________
100 Series Page 3
SAFETY, CARE AND MAINTENANCE......................................................................6
QUICK START ......................................................................................................7
PHYSICAL OVERVIEW ..........................................................................................8
Packing List ....................................................................................................8
Gage Description ............................................................................................8
Available Probes............................................................................................. 9
LCD DISPLAY ...................................................................................................10
Status Bar .....................................................................................................10
Menu Bar...................................................................................................... 10
Measurements Area.......................................................................................11
Graphics.......................................................................................................11
Statistics........................................................................................................ 12
Memory......................................................................................................... 13
Sets...............................................................................................................13
OPERATION OVERVIEW...................................................................................... 14
Theory of Operation......................................................................................16
Couplant.......................................................................................................17
Power-up / Power-down................................................................................17
How to take a measurement........................................................................... 18
APPLICATIONS...................................................................................................19
Select an Existing Application........................................................................20
Edit Application Settings ...............................................................................20
Create a New Application ..............................................................................20
Delete an Existing Application....................................................................... 20
RECORDING AND DOWNLOADING MEASUREMENTS............................................. 21
Creating Batches...........................................................................................21
Annotating Batches........................................................................................21
Viewing and Editing Batches.........................................................................22
Charting Batches........................................................................................... 23
Printing......................................................................................................... 23
CALIBRATION AND OPTIMIZATION......................................................................24
Overview.......................................................................................................24
Calibration.................................................................................................... 25
Effects of Temperature.......................................................................................... 25
Calibration Interval ............................................................................................... 26
Optimization .................................................................................................26
Step 1: Select a “Category”....................................................................................26
Step 2: Optimize to a Known Thickness.................................................................27
Plastic Shims .................................................................................................28
Page 4 100 Series
ADVANCED FEATURES .......................................................................................29
Zeroing the Probe..........................................................................................29
Restarting the Gage.......................................................................................30
Gage RESET.........................................................................................................30
Gage INITIALIZATION .......................................................................................31
Gates A & B..................................................................................................32
Measurement Units........................................................................................33
System Clock................................................................................................. 33
Language Option........................................................................................... 33
COMMUNICATIONS – (MEMORY OPTION ONLY)....................................................34
Printing......................................................................................................... 34
PosiSoft......................................................................................................... 34
Downloading Measurements As They Are Taken............................................ 34
Serial Communications Configuration...........................................................35
AVAILABLE OPTIONS .........................................................................................35
Memory......................................................................................................... 35
HP IR Printer ................................................................................................35
AC Adapter ................................................................................................... 35
Traceable Standards...................................................................................... 35
MEASURING NOTES ...........................................................................................36
Rough Substrates........................................................................................... 36
Transition Layers .......................................................................................... 36
MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING ............................................................ 37
Battery Management .....................................................................................37
Troubleshooting ............................................................................................ 38
Service..........................................................................................................39
SPECIFICATIONS.................................................................................................39
ASTM............................................................................................................39
Temperature..................................................................................................39
Table 1: Physical Characteristics .................................................................. 40
Table 2: Environmental Characteristics .........................................................40
Table 3: Operational Characteristics.............................................................40
Table 4: Range and Resolution Matrix...........................................................41
SAFETY AND REGULATORY INFORMATION..........................................................42
APPENDIX A - MAKING YOUR OWN CHECK STANDARDS.....................................44
APPENDIX B - SAMPLE HP IR OR SERIAL PRINTOUT ............................................46
WARRANTY.......................................................................................................48
100 Series Page 5
Safety, Care and Maintenance
Screen care
• The LCD is protected by a solvent-resistant lens. Be careful not to scratch
this lens. Do not use ink pens or any other sharp object.
• Take care not to break the glass lens. Do not subject the Model 100 to a
strong impact or to extreme temperatures.
• We suggest cleaning the lens only with a soft dry cloth – such as a cloth
made for cleaning eyeglasses.
Cleaning the plastic Gage housing
• Clean the plastic surfaces only with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and
a soft dry cloth. Take care when using other solvents. While the housing is
solvent resistant, the buttons are not.
Cables and ports
• Keep the probe connected to the Gage even during long periods of power-
down.
• Do not use cables that are frayed or otherwise damaged. Hold a cable only
by its connector – the plug, not the cord – when connecting or
disconnecting it.
• Never force a connector into a port if the connector and port do not join
easily. Make sure that the connector matches the port and that it’s properly
aligned and undamaged before you attach it.
Heat, moisture, dust
• Keep the Gage away from extreme heat. Don’t leave it on the dashboard or
in the trunk of a car or near a heater. Heat can damage the screen, the plastic
case and internal parts.
• Don’t leave the Gage where it is extremely dusty, damp or wet. Dust and
moisture can damage the Gage and cause it to malfunction. The Gage is not
waterproof and may not be submerged.
Page 6 100 Series
The Model 100 hand-held, electronic Gage uses an ultrasonic technique to nondestructively measure the thickness of coatings on various substrates quickly
and accurately. The probe emits an ultrasonic pulse into the coating. Reflections
from the coating/substrate interface, coating/coating interfaces and other
conditions are picked up by the probe. The travel time is converted into a
thickness value shown on the display. Power is supplied from either two “C”
size Alkaline-Manganese Dioxide batteries or an external power supply.
Quick Start
The Model 100 is always ready to measure. Here are some quick tips:
q Read “How to Take a Measurement” on page 18 to familiarize yourself
with basic Gage
operation.
q Practice measuring the
included plastic shims
as described on page
28 to confirm the Gage
is operating properly
and that the operator is
using it properly.
q If you have a sample of
your coating with a
known thickness, you
may want to adjust the
Gage to this material. Read “Calibration and Adjustment” on page 24 to
how to make the Gage adjustments before taking your measurements.
q Select the Setup Application Setup menu item and adjust values
as necessary (pg.19) for your coating.
q Measure your application.
Remember the “golden rule”:
Calibrate
see pg.24
⇒
Optimize
see pg.26
⇒
Measure
see pg.18
100 Series Page 7
Physical Overview
Packing List
The Model 100 comes complete with:
• one (1) ultrasonic probe, either B, C or D (pg.9)
• Cordura carrying case with shoulder strap
• this instruction booklet
• two (2) “C” alkaline batteries (pg.37)
• wire stand for desktop operation (pg.8)
• precision plastic shim set (pg.28)
• ultrasonic couplant (pg.17)
• Material Safety Data Sheet for couplant
• With the Memory option, PosiSoft software and RS232 serial cable are
included
Gage Description
5 LCD buttons - Soft key functions are displayed in the LCD above each button. Pressing
a button displays available menu choices or moves the black highlight bar
to the next choice. To select, press the OK button.
Speaker - audibly indicates various Gage functions. Volume is not adjustable.
Green LED -low power light emitting diode located above the LCD. Ideal in noisy or
low light environments to confirm a reading has been taken.
Wire Stand - A wire stand is provided to allow for convenient desk top operation.
Press-fit it into the top hole located above the backplate and beside the
batteries. Remove and store it for hand-held operation.
Probe Connect - The probe connector is a locking 9 conductor mini-DIN. Normally the
probe does not need to be disconnected from the Gage.
To disconnect the probe from the Gage pinch the plastic connector firmly
along the hash marks and pull straight out. It can be removed during
power-up or power-down. All settings and readings are maintained.
When reconnecting, ensure the 9 pin DIN connector is properly aligned.
Then push the plastic connector in firmly. The Gage will download probe
identity and enable all applications and calibrations associated with that
probe.
Probe Switches - B and C probes have a convenient sliding switch near the base of the
probe to provide constant pressure during the measuring process. Pushing
this switch down activates the measuring process.
The switch on the D probe is located on top of the probe. Stabilize the
probe on the coating surface before holding this switch down.
Page 8 100 Series
AC port - An optional AC adapter can be purchased from your dealer to
supply continuous 7.5 volts DC power from an AC source.
(pg.35)
RS232 Port - An RS232 compatible port is provided via this RJ45 interface
to send stored measurements or measurements-as-they-are-taken
to a serial printer, data collector or computer. Transmission is at
9600 baud, 8 bits, nonparity, 1 stop bit. Active only on Gages
with the Memory option (pg.13).
RESET Button - causes a “soft” or “safe” RESET as described on page 30.
IR Port - sends stored measurements to the optional IR Printer (pg.35).
The IR port is a send-only IR interface and is active only on
Gages with the Memory option (pg.13)
Contrast - adjusts the LCD to compensate for temperature and light
conditions.
Available Probes
Three (3) probes are available for the Model 100. They are interchangeable; one
can be removed and a completely different one installed. The probe type - B, C
or D - and serial number are engraved on the plastic probe connector. The probe
must be disconnected to view this information. The probe letter and serial
number can also be identified by selecting the Admin – About Gage menu
item. As new probes are attached, the Gage records probe type and serial
number to allow quick and easy reconnection at a later time. The probe reading
is independent of the Gage being utilized. The Gage can store calibration data
for up to 5 different probes. This information is cleared with a Gage
INITIALIZATION (pg.31).
Probe Measuring range** Typical uses
B
C
D
**the measuring range depends upon coating properties. See the Range &
Resolution Chart on page 41.
100 Series Page 9
0.3 to 20 mils
8 to 500 microns
2 to 175 mils
50 to 4.5 mm
48 to 350 mils
1 to 8 mm
thin coatings such as paint and urethanes
on wood, glass, plastic, etc.
thick paint or epoxy on concrete and
wood structures
thick, soft attenuative waterproofing
coatings on concrete and wood such as
polyurea and asphaltic neoprene
LCD Display
Information is displayed in one of four areas on the LCD: the top STATUS
BAR, the bottom MENU BAR, the left MEASUREMENTS area and the right
STATISTICS/GRAPHICS area.
Status Bar
An area along the top of the LCD is reserved for status information. This
includes the name of the current application (pg.19), the system date and time
(pg.33), the current units of measurement (pg.33), the current batch name and
number of readings. A ticking clock symbol appears occasionally to indicate an
action is being performed, such as a probe measurement.
Menu Bar
Most Gage operations are controlled by the five LCD buttons. When pressed,
each button activates a menu which pops up above that button. (The taking of a
coating thickness measurement is controlled by the probe switch).
These menus appear as follows:
Select
Language
Zero Initialize
Graphics Adjust Delete Change to
ON/OFF Reading Chart Microns
Statistics Gate/Zoom View/Edit Set
ON/OFF † Control Annotate Clock *
Memory Application Select About
ON/OFF * Setup New Gage
Modes Setup Batch* Admin OK
Button 1 Button 2 Button 3 Button 4 Button 5
Probe Print Gage
* - these 3 items are only available with the Memory option.
† - when Memory is ON,
this menu option appears as “Sets ON/OFF”
Page 10 100 Series
Measurements Area
The left hand side of the screen displays up to five (5) individual coating layers
as set by the Setup qq Application Setup menu option (pg.19). Each layer
is described in its own box.
The number appearing in the top left of each box is
the layer number. The top box, layer 1, represents the
surface layer. The bottom box represents the layer
closest to the substrate. The coating name appears
beside the layer number.
The large number in the center of each box represents
the thickness of that coating layer in the measurement units shown in the Status
Bar. If GRAPHICS MODE is turned on, this value corresponds to the
appropriate triangle arrow.
The cumulative total of the individual layers is displayed in the top right of each
box as subtotaled from the bottom up. Therefore the ∑ value in the top box
represents the total coating thickness.
Graphics
The right hand side of the screen can be used to
display a graphical representation of the ultrasonic
echo as it passes through the coating system. It is
controlled by the Modes qq Graphics ON/OFF
menu option.
As the probe switch is depressed and the ultrasonic
pulse travels through the coating system, the pulse
encounters changes in density at the interfaces between coating layers and
between the coating and the substrate.
These interfaces are depicted by a “peak”. The greater the change in density the
higher the peak. The more gradual the change in density, the greater the width of
the peak. For example, two coatings layers made of essentially the same material
and “blended” would result in a low, wide peak. Two materials of very different
density and a well-defined interface would result in a high, narrow peak.
The Model 100 chooses the highest of peaks when trying to determine coating
layer thickness. If the number of layers is set to 3, for example, the 3 highest
peaks between the A & B Gates are selected as the interfaces between these
layers. The peaks that the Gage selected are indicated by black triangle arrows.
100 Series Page 11
The top (A) and bottom (B) Gate values (pg.32) are displayed as two horizontal
lines at the top and bottom of the graphics area. Their current values are shown
to the right of each line. Gate A, the lower limit, is at the top. Gate B, the upper
limit, is at the bottom. Echoes or peaks (thickness values) outside these Gates
are ignored. GATE values are set and modified using the Setup qq
Application Setup menu option.
This GRAPHICS display can be manipulated with the Setup qq Gate/Zoom
Control menu option. In addition to being able to adjust the GATE values, a
CURSOR can be positioned anywhere between the two GATE values to
estimate other echo values.
Statistics
When the Modes qq Statistics ON menu item is selected a symbol and a
counter (n=0) appear in the upper right of the display. If the graphics screen is
OFF a box will appear beside every layer box containing the average (mean)
and standard deviation σ values. If the graphics screen is ON statistics
calculations are done in the background.
As each measurement is taken, the readings are
displayed and the counter is increased. An incorrect
reading can be removed by selecting the Delete
Reading menu item before another reading is
taken.
Statistics calculations are erased by selecting
either the Reset Stats or the
Modes qq Statistics OFF menu items.
4 readings taken, last reading is 7.4 mils
Average=7.37mils. Standard Deviation is 0.05
If any layer contains a null result “- - - - -“ then the entire measurement attempt,
although displayed, is not included in the statistical calculations.
Readings are not stored in memory for later downloading.
Page 12 100 Series
Memory
When the Modes qq Memory ON menu item is selected, a symbol and a
counter (n=0) appears in the upper center of the display. If the graphics screen is
OFF a box will appear beside every layer box containing the average (mean) χ
and standard deviation σ values. If the graphics screen is ON statistics
calculations are done in the background and results are still stored into memory.
As each measurement is taken, the readings are
displayed and the counter is increased. An
incorrect or unwanted reading can be removed
by selecting the Delete Reading menu item
before another reading is taken.
If any layer contains a null result “- - - - -“ then
the entire measurement attempt, although
displayed, is not included in the statistical
calculations and not stored into memory.
This mode is very similar to Statistics mode
8 readings are stored in the application
called Plastic_Pipes. Average of –1st coat
is 1.96mils -2nd coat is 1.78 mils. Total
coating thickness of the last reading is
3.80 mils.
except that measurement results are stored in memory for later downloading.
Sets
The Modes qq Sets ON/OFF menu item is
only visible when Memory mode is ON.
When both Memory and Sets modes are ON
individual measurements ARE NOT STORED.
Instead when the Add Set to Batch menu
item is selected the average, standard deviation
and number of readings are stored in memory.
The memory counter. will be incremented by
one and the sets counter will be reset to 0.
Statistical summaries are calculated for each
batch during printing. This delivers the
13 sets are stored in the application called
Plastic_Pipes. These sets contain only average
and standard deviation values. The average
thickness of coating1 is 1.93 mils. This
represents the average of 13 average values.
Four readings are in the current set which has
not yet been added to the application.
average of a set of average readings as
required by SSPC PA-2 guidelines.
100 Series Page 13
Operation Overview
The Model 100 is an ultrasonic coating thickness Gage. As such it shares
characteristics with ultrasonic wall thickness gages and with magnetic and eddy
current coating thickness gages.
Like ultrasonic wall thickness gages, the Model 100 uses a transducer in the
probe to send pulses into the material to be measured and then measures the time
taken by that pulse to return to the probe tip. But unlike an ultrasonic wall
thickness gage the Model 100 is intended not to measure the total thickness of
the part but rather only the surface coating thicknesses. Thickness measurements
are therefore much smaller than those measured by ultrasonic wall thickness
gages. Secondly, the Model 100’s graphical representation of the echo returns
should not be confused with “A” scans presented by some wall thickness gages.
Like magnetic and eddy current coating thickness gages, the Model 100
measures the thickness of applied coatings. Where magnetic and eddy current
coating thickness gages measure the thickness of coatings over metal, the Model
100 is primarily intended to measure the thickness of coatings over non-metals.
It also has the additional capability of being able to measure the individual layer
thickness in a multi-layer coating system during a single measurement attempt.
Another difference: While the substrate plays a major roll in the operating
performance of magnetic and eddy current coating thickness gages, the coating
plays a relatively small roll. The opposite is true with the Model 100 because the
coating is the most important consideration when using the Gage and the
substrate is of relatively minor consequence.
It is always a good idea to verify that the Model 100 is operating properly before
measuring your application. This check makes sure the Gage has not been
damaged or altered in some way, perhaps by a previous user. There are a
number of ways to do this depending upon your requirements.
• calibration ensures measurements are traceable to a national standard
(pg.24)
• measure check standards at your work site (pg.44)
• measure a known thickness of previously measured material
• measure the included plastic shims (pg.28)
Before beginning any job be sure to check the settings found in Setup qq
Application Setup (pg.19) and alter them as necessary.
Page 14 100 Series
Once you have checked Gage operation on a known thickness of material and
have modified current Application settings to most closely match your
coating/substrate combination you are ready to measure. Be sure to apply
sufficient couplant to fill voids in the surface and to fully wet the probe tip.
Multiple measurements in the same location may require additional couplant
every so often. Hold the probe steady when measuring and release the probe
switch after hearing the double BEEP. Leaving the Graphics Mode turned on
helps you to understand what the Gage sees and how it arrived at a thickness
measurement.
Never rely on a single measurement. It is important that several measurements
be consistent and repeatable, or as repeatable as your application will allow. If
the coating or substrate is rough or curved, use Statistics Mode to determine the
average of a series of readings. Comparing a series of averaged results will often
provide acceptable repeatability where individual readings might not.
Don’t be too quick to adjust a displayed reading to reflect what you believe the
coating thickness to be. Even though another measurement method might report
a different thickness, it is better to leave the Gage at its default settings and
evaluate repeatability first. The last step in any measurement application is
optimization using the Setup qq Adjust Reading / Adjust Velocity
menu option.
Whenever you run into difficulty, be sure to stop and
measure your Check standards, the plastic shims or
some other part you previously had success measuring.
Once you have made sure you are operating the Gage
correctly and that it is performing properly, return to
your application. Verify the settings found in Setup
Application Setup. Then select Setup qq
Gate/Zoom Control and, between
measurements, change Gate A and B values to observe
the reflected echoes. Use the cursor to measure peaks
not measured by the Gage (measured peaks have a
black triangle beside them).
Gage is set to its maximum 5 coats. The
5 largest peaks are displayed on the
left. However a 6th layer interface exists
at 6.9 mils (from the surface) as
measured by the CURSOR.
To measure properly, the ultrasonic echo must pass completely through the coating(s),
reflect off an acoustically dissimilar material such as the substrate or other coatings, and then
return unimpeded to the probe tip. Sometimes the coating is not homogeneous; it contains
solids or uncured sections that dampen or deflect the echo. Sometimes the interface between
coatings and the substrate is not distinct; the two materials have blended to create a
“transition” layer. Also the material may either be too thin or acoustically too thick or
attenuative to measure with an ultrasonic technique.
100 Series Page 15
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