Linkam Scientific Instruments CSS450 User Manual

CSS450

Optical Rheology System

Linkam Scientific Instruments

USER GUIDE

2

Contents

Safety Information ............................................................................. 4

Important Notice ........................................................................................ 4

Requirements for Safe Use ........................................................................... 4

Caution Labels and Indicators ...................................................................... 4

Handling Liquid Nitrogen ............................................................................. 4

Filling the Dewar......................................................................................... 5

Equipment Maintenance .............................................................................. 5

Informations de sécurité ..................................................................... 5

Note importante ......................................................................................... 5

Exigences en matière de sécurité d'utilisation ................................................. 5

Étiquettes d'avertissement et indicateurs ....................................................... 6

Manipulation de l'azote liquid ....................................................................... 6

Remplissage du vase Dewar ......................................................................... 6

Entretien de l'appareil ................................................................................. 6

Introduction ...................................................................................... 7

Before using your equipment ............................................................... 7

Warranty ........................................................................................... 7

Technical support ............................................................................... 7

Feedback .......................................................................................... 7

Equipment Operation .......................................................................... 7

Introduction to CSS450 stage .............................................................. 8

Anatomy of a CSS450 ......................................................................... 9

Accessories ...................................................................................... 10

Getting Started ................................................................................. 11

Installing Linksys32 on a PC ....................................................................... 11

Stand Assembly ......................................................................................... 11

Assembling the Lid and Base ....................................................................... 12

Connecting the Lemo cable ......................................................................... 12

Mounting on to a Microscope .............................................................. 13

Mounting on to a Dovetail ........................................................................... 13

Set up Kohler Illumination .......................................................................... 13

Introduction to CSS450 System Controller ......................................................... 14

Back Panel Cable Connections ..................................................................... 14

Stage Connector ........................................................................................ 14

Instrument Bus ......................................................................................... 14

Expansion Boards ..................................................................................... 14

External Input and Output Sockets .............................................................. 14

USB Connector .......................................................................................... 14

RS232 Connector ....................................................................................... 14

LinkPad Connector ..................................................................................... 14

LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Pump ............................................................... 15

Introduction .............................................................................................. 15

Remove Transit Screws .............................................................................. 15

Connecting the Stage to the Controller .............................................................. 16

Mains Connection....................................................................................... 16

Connecting the Water Cooling Supply / Circulator .................................. 17

Connecting the Liquid Nitrogen Pump for Cryo-CSS450 System .............. 18

Connecting the LNP95 ................................................................................ 18

Setting up the Linksys32 Software ...................................................... 20

Changing the Comm Port Number ................................................................ 21

3

Using Linksys32 Software .................................................................. 21

Linksys32 Tool Bar .................................................................................... 22

CSS450 Tool Bar ....................................................................................... 22

CSS Status Window ................................................................................... 22

Sensor Indicators ...................................................................................... 22

Jog Controls (Manual Mode) ....................................................................... 22

Loading the Sample .......................................................................... 23

Start the Shearing Experiment ........................................................... 24

Using the Shear Motor Profile ..................................................................... 24

Start the Profile ........................................................................................ 26

Adjusting The Shear Parameters ................................................................. 26

General Setup .......................................................................................... 26

Velocities ................................................................................................. 26

Finish a Shearing Experiment ............................................................. 27

Maintenance Procedures .................................................................... 28

Changing the Windows .............................................................................. 28

External Window Replacement .................................................................... 28

Base Window Replacement ......................................................................... 28

Lid Window Replacement ........................................................................... 29

Setting the Sensors - Zero, Lid and Reference ..................................... 30

Manually Setting the Windows to Zero Point ................................................ 30

Using the CSS-450 Gas Purge and Vertical Seal stage .......................... 35

Using the Purge ports ................................................................................ 35

Base Window Replacement ......................................................................... 35

Troubleshooting ................................................................................ 36

Unable to set a gap, Lid seems stuck ........................................................... 36

Comm port message ................................................................................. 36

Motor doesn’t start .................................................................................... 36

Lid can rock slightly when the lid nuts are off ............................................... 37

Temperature appears to be several degrees below the displayed temperature . 37

Cooling Fault Diagnosis...................................................................... 37

The cooling rate is less than Specified.......................................................... 37

Appendix 1 : Shear and Strain Explanation .......................................... 38

Shear Control ........................................................................................... 38

Shear Rate ............................................................................................... 38

Strain (Shear) value ................................................................................. 38

Observation Radius .................................................................................. 38

Appendix 2 : Spare Parts List ............................................................ 39

Appendix 3 : Declaration of Conformity ............................................... 40

Appendix 4 : Technical Specification .................................................... 41

CSS450 Stage Technical Specification ......................................................... 41

CSS450 Controller Technical Specification ................................................... 41

CSS450 Controller Equipment Ratings ........................................................ 41

RS232 Computer Interface ......................................................................... 41

USB Interface ........................................................................................... 41

External input and output sockets .............................................................. 41

CSS450 Motor Board ................................................................................ 42

Optional LinkPad ...................................................................................... 42

LinkPad Equipment Ratings ........................................................................ 42

LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Pump ...................................................................... 42

LNP95 Equipment Ratings .......................................................................... 42

Contact Information .......................................................................... 44

4

Safety Information

Important Notice

Please check that your Linkam equipment has not been damaged during transport.
If there is any evidence of external damage to the electrical items:-

do not connect the power cord or switch the unit on.

Contact Linkam Scientific Instruments Ltd or their appointed distributor immediately. Your warranty may be
impaired if Linkam is not informed of any transport damage within 7 working days of delivery.

Requirements for Safe Use

1. Read all of this guide before using the equipment. Save these instructions for later use.

2. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on any of your Linkam equipment, or
contained within the manuals.

3. If for any reason the mains fuse needs to be replaced then it must be replaced by one of the same type and
rating as shown in the equipment ratings.

4. To prevent electric shock, do not remove the cover of the equipment.

5. Never use the equipment if the power cord has been damaged. Do not allow any heavy objects to rest on
the power cord. Never lay the power cord on the floor.

6. The mains cord set is the overall disconnect and must remain accessible.

7. If the equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the protection provided by the
equipment may be impaired.

8. Do not obstruct any ventilation holes. Do not attempt to insert anything into these
openings. Provide adequate ventilation of at least 75mm all around the equipment.

9. Do not expose the equipment to water. If for any reason it gets wet, then remove the power cord from the
mains outlet and contact Linkam Scientific Technical Support.

10. The equipment is not intended to be used outdoors.

11. Each product is equipped with a 3-wire grounded (earth) power plug or a free-end 3 wire power cord. The
plug only fits into a grounded-type outlet. The free-end power cord should be connected to a correctly
grounded 3-wire power outlet. Do not defeat the purpose of the grounded (earth) type plug.
Free - end power cords are colour coded as follows:-

Colour Function
Brown Live
Blue Neutral
Green/Yellow Earth (Ground)

12. The power cord must be an appropriately rated and approved cord-set for the country it is being used in.

13. If any problems occur then remove the power cord from the mains outlet and contact Linkam
Scientific Technical Support.

14. NO attempt should be made to repair or modify the equipment in any way, as there are no user
replaceable parts. Any servicing should be carried out by qualified service personnel. Do not remove the
cover from the equipment unless the power cord has been removed from the mains outlet.

15. After servicing the safe state of the equipment must be checked.

Caution Labels and Indicators

This safety symbol on the back panel warns the user :
Do not to make or remove any connections while the unit is powered on.
Do not to remove the cover.
Servicing should only be done by qualified service personnel.

This safety symbol is seen on the back panel of the equipment and warns the user:
To avoid electric shock the power cord protective grounding conductor must be
connected to earth or ground.

!

5

Handling Liquid Nitrogen

To cool samples below room temperature a CSS-LNP95 liquid nitrogen pump system is required. Always use
liquid nitrogen in a well ventilated room as there is a danger of asphyxiation.
Refer to your health and safety officer regarding instructions on how to handle liquid nitrogen safely and ensure
that you have the correct safety equipment including gloves and safety goggles.

Filling the Dewar

Fill the Dewar approximately 2/3 full and replace the lid with the siphon attached, but do not fasten the catches.
Wait for the liquid nitrogen to stop bubbling before fastening.
When the lid is removed always ensure you place it with the black capillary tube pointing upwards. It is easily
damaged or creased which will impair N2 flow and the performance of the system.

Equipment Maintenance

The equipment does not require any regular maintenance. Contact Linkam should you require any maintenance.
Before cleaning the case or front panel of the equipment, remove the mains cord from the mains
outlet. Use a small quantity of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on a soft cloth and gently wipe the surface.

Informations de sécurité

Note importante

Veuillez vérifier que votre appareil Linkam n'a pas été endommagé pendant le transport.
S'il présente une trace quelconque d'endommagement aux éléments électriques :

ne raccordez pas le cordon d'alimentation et n'allumez pas l'appareil.

Contactez Linkam Scientific Instruments Ltd ou son distributeur désigné immédiatement. Votre garantie pourrait
être réduite si Linkam n'est pas informée de tout dommage causé par le transport dans les 7 jours ouvrables
suivant la livraison.

Exigences en matière de sécurité d'utilisation

1. Lisez ce guide intégralement avant d'utiliser l'appareil. Conservez ces instructions pour un usage ultérieur.

2. Suivez toutes les mises en garde et instructions marquées sur toute pièce de votre appareil, ou figurant
dans les manuels.

3. Si pour une quelconque raison le fusible secteur doit être remplacé, il faut le remplacer par un fusible du
même type et avec les mêmes caractéristiques nominales que celles indiquées dans les caractéristiques
nominales de l'appareil.

4. Pour prévenir l'électrocution, n'enlevez pas le couvercle de l'appareil.

5. N'utilisez jamais l'appareil si le cordon d'alimentation a été endommagé. Ne laissez pas d'objets lourds
appuyés sur le cordon d'alimentation. Ne posez jamais le cordon d'alimentation sur le sol.

6. Le secteur cordon est la déconnexion globale et doit rester accessible.

7. Si l'équipement est utilisé d'une manière non spécifiée par le fabricant, la protection fournie par l'équipe-
ment peut être altérée.

8. N'obstruez aucun des orifices de ventilation. N'essayez pas d'insérer quoi que ce soit dans ces ouvertures.
Prévoyez un espace de ventilation adéquat d'au moins 75 mm autour de l'appareil.

9. N'exposez pas l'appareil à l'eau. Si pour une quelconque raison l'appareil est mouillé, retirez le cordon
d'alimentation de la prise de courant et contactez le support technique de Linkam.

10. L'appareil n'est pas destiné à un usage à l'extérieur.

11. Chaque produit est équipé d'une fiche d'alimentation mise à la terre ou d'un cordon d'alimentation avec 3
fils à extrémité libre. La fiche ne s'insère que dans une prise de courant mise à la terre. Le cordon
d'alimentation à extrémités libres doit être raccordé à une prise de courant à 3 fils correctement mise à la
terre. N'empêchez pas le fonctionnement de la fiche mise à la terre.

Les cordons d'alimentation à extrémité libre suivent les codes couleur suivants :

Couleur Fonction
Marron conducteur de phase
Bleu conducteur neutre
Vert/jaune mise à la terre

6

12. Le cordon d'alimentation doit être constitué d'un ensemble de câbles répondant aux caractéristiques nomi­nales et approuvé dans le pays d'utilisation.

13. Si un problème survient, débranchez le cordon d'alimentation de la prise de courant et contactez le support
technique de Linkam.

14. Il convient de NE PAS tenter quoi que ce soit pour réparer ou modifier l'appareil en aucune façon, dans la
mesure où il n'y a aucune pièce remplaçable par l'utilisateur. Tout entretien doit être effectué par du
personnel qualifié. N'enlevez le couvercle de l'appareil que si le cordon d'alimentation a été débranché de
la prise de courant.

15. Après l'entretien de l'état de sécurité de l'équipement doit être vérifiée.

Étiquettes d'avertissement et indicateurs

Ce symbole de sécurité sur le panneau arrière avertit l'utilisateur :
N'effectuez ou n'enlevez aucun raccordement quand l'appareil est sous tension.
N'enlevez pas le couvercle.
L'entretien doit être effectué exclusivement par du personnel qualifié.

Ce symbole de sécurité est visible sur le panneau arrière de l'appareil et avertit l'utilisateur :
Pour éviter l'électrocution, le conducteur de protection du cordon d'alimentation doit être
raccordé à la terre.

Manipulation de l'azote liquide

Pour refroidir les échantillons en dessous de la température ambiante, un système de pompe à azote liquide
LNP95 est requis. Manipulez toujours l'azote liquide dans un local bien ventilé, car il présente des risques
d'asphyxie.
Référez-vous à votre agent de santé et sécurité en ce qui concerne les instructions sur la manière de manipuler
l'azote liquide de façon sûre et assurez-vous de porter l'équipement de sécurité adapté incluant des gants et des
lunettes de protection.

Remplissage du vase Dewar

Remplissez le Dewar jusqu'à environ 2/3 et remplacez le couvercle par le siphon attaché, mais ne scellez pas les
fixations. Attendez la fin du bouillonnement de l'azote liquide avant de sceller le Dewar.

Lorsque le couvercle est enlevé, assurez-vous de la déposer avec le tube capillaire noir pointant vers le haut. Il
peut être facilement endommagé ou plié, ce qui affecterait le flux de N2 et la performance du système.

Entretien de l'appareil

L'appareil ne nécessite pas d'entretien régulier. Contactez Linkam si vous souhaitez procéder à un entretien.
Avant de nettoyer le boîtier ou le panneau avant de l'appareil, débranchez le cordon secteur de la prise de cou­rant. Utilisez une petite quantité d'alcool ispropylique (IPA) sur un chiffon doux et frottez délicatement la
surface.

!

7

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing a Linkam system. Please take
the time to read through all the manuals, as it will help
you to fully understand the equipment.

Please check you have received the following items:-

1: CSS450 System Controller
2: Power cord
3: RS232 cable for PC connection
4: USB Type A to B cable
5: Manual
6&7: Optional LinkPad and Stylus

Before using your Equipment

Please register your products by going to www.linkam.co.uk and clicking on the product/software registration
button. You will need to register your equipment with us to:

Activate your warranty and technical support.
Access the online setup videos.

Permanently unlock the Linksys32 software by use of a product key (if purchased).

To unlock the Linksys32 software a product key must be requested which is supplied by Linkam from a
customers product registration number. This is generated after installing the Linksys32 software by running the
register program from Start-Programs-Linkam-Register. See the Linksys32 manual for further installation
instructions.

Warranty

This equipment has a warranty against defects in material and workmanship for a period of 12 months. Linkam
will either repair or replace products that prove to be defective. For warranty service or repair, this product must
be returned to Linkam or a designated service facility.
The warranty shall not apply to defects resulting from interfacing, unauthorized modification or misuse, opera­tion outside of the environmental specifications for the product, or improper site preparation or
maintenance.

Technical Support

Any technical questions or queries should be emailed to the Technical Support Department at

[e-mail]

Feedback

Your feedback will be greatly appreciated, please go to www.linkam.co.uk to fill in the feedback form.

Equipment Operation

Warning:
Do not connect or remove any leads to the CSS450 Controller while the unit is switched on at the mains
supply. All connections must be in place before the CSS450 Shear Controller is switched on.

If an LNP95 unit is being used it is important that it is switched on before the CSS450 unit, otherwise the
equipment will not function correctly.

2

1

7

6

8

Introduction to CSS450 Shear

Stage

Thank you for purchasing the CSS450 system.
The Cambridge Shearing System (CSS450) has
been developed in collaboration with the Depart­ment of Chemical Engineering at Cambridge
University.

The stage and its accessories are packed in the
protective hard plastic case. It’s recommended
that you use this case to store the stage, when it is
not in use for a long period of time.

The CSS450 Shear Stage is made up from two
parts, the Lid and Base (see pictures). The stage
is designed to fit on most standard upright micro­scopes and has a temperature range from ambient
(-50°C for Cryo-CSS450) to 450°C.

Please take the time to read through this manual
carefully, it will help you to get the most out of
the system.

Lid

Shear Motor Gap Motor

Base

CSS450 System

9

Anatomy of a CSS450

When in use, the sample is placed between two
highly polished quartz windows that are parallel
to within 2mm and each window is in close ther­mal contact with a silver heater. The Base win­dow, located within the lower section of the shear­ing stage, is attached to a metal carrier that can
rotate under the control of the Shear Motor. This
motor is micro-stepped and has a specification of
51200 steps per revolution.

The Shear Motor can drive the system in three
ways; steady velocity, step movement at constant
velocity and an oscillatory motion with constant
frequency and amplitude.

When in use, the Lid is fixed on top of the Base.
The gap between the windows can be set from 5
to 2500μm and this is controlled by a stepping
Gap Motor and micrometer built inside the body
of stage. The speed at which the Lid moves up
and down may also be set. Sensors in the body of
the stage and Lid will determine the upper and
lower limits.

1. Water cooling connectors

2. Window clamping ring

3. 32mm tapered quartz Lid window (W32TQ)

4. 55mm quartz Base window (W55Q)

5. Window carrier

1

1

2

3

Lid

5

1

1

1

1

2

Base

4

5

10

Accessories

The accessories for the stage are supplied in an accessories kit (part no: 2053), containing the items in the
picture below.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11

12

13

Number Part number Part description

1 3016 Lid Nut (CSS-LN)

2 3033 Motor Nut

3 3011 18mm External Window Locking Tool

4 2912 55mm Window Clamp Tool

5 3003 Sensor Adjustment Tool

6 2047 Base Window Carrier Tool

7 3076+2911 Lid Window Clamping Tool and Tommy Bar

8 2055 Clear PVC Water Cooling Tube

9 2473 Lid Jacking Screw, M6x16mm

10 2202 Water Valve Connectors (WVC)

11 2200 Water/Gas Insert (WGI)

12 N/A Set of Allen (hex) keys, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 (ball point), 3.0, 4.0, 5.0mm,

13 3078 55mm Window Sucker Tool

11

Getting Started

When fully unpacked, check for the following
items; CSS450 ‘Controller’, a mains power lead,
RS232 lead and a CD with Linksys32 software.

In a separate dedicated plastic case there will be a
complete CSS450 Shearing ‘Stage’ consisting of
the Lid, the Base, a flat packed Stand and an
accessories kit.

Installing Linksys32 on a PC

Before getting started with the stage, it is advisa­ble to load the Linksys32 software onto the PC
(see Linksys32 Manual) and register the software
with Linkam.

Note: The CSS450 Controller requires a PC
equipped with a Comm port (RS232 connection),
for the Controller to link with the PC. If the PC
does not have a Comm port, consult your IT
department to install a Comm port PCI card or a
USB-to-Comm port adaptor.

Stand Assembly

Assemble the Stand as shown in the pictures,
using the supplied 4.0mm hex key.

The Stand is useful for holding the Lid while a
sample is loaded or when the windows are
cleaned.
It can also be used to rest the complete shearing
stage on when testing or when it is not in use on
the microscope.

CSS450 System

12

Assembling the Lid and Base

1. Place the Base on the Stand.

2. Place the Lid on top of the Base. Make sure

the three holes at the top right hand side corner
of the Base are aligned and matched with the
three sensor pins on the Lid (1).

3. Use the two Lid Nuts supplied and screw them

into place, hand tight only. The user might
need to use a finger to push and lift upward the
protruding shaft, which is located directly
underneath each thread to give more threads for
the Lid Nut to screw on to.

The Lid can be removed by doing the reverse of
the above procedure. If the Lid Nut turns but
does not unscrew, the Lid Nut may have been
screwed on too tightly . Press one finger and hold
the protruding shaft underneath the stage to stop it
turning.

Note: Protective Caps

There are four of these fitted over the alignment
screws located in the lid. THESE SHOULD NOT
be removed under any normal circumstances.
They are aligned at the factory and any attempt to
change these in any way will invalidate the war­ranty.

Connecting the Lemo Cable

There are four leads connected into the Base.
Connect the shortest cable which has a Lemo plug
connected to it, into the Lemo socket in the Lid.
Line up the red dot on the plug with the red dot on
the socket.

This lead will provide the heating power and
connect the temperature sensor to the Lid.

When removing the Lid. The Lemo cable can
remain connected to the Lid if required, but use
the Stand to rest the Lid on.

Note: to disconnect the Lemo, e.g. to make clean­ing the stage easier., hold the socket firmly and
gently pull the plug away from the Lid.

Lid Nut

Protective cap

Lid Nut

Sensor pins

1

Lid Nut Lid Nut

13

2

3

Part no: 9548

1

Mounting on to a Microscope

The microscope make and model was specified at
the time of order, and the clamping set or adaptor
plate are supplied specific to that set up.

Note: The CSS450 stage requires the objective
lenses to have a minimum working distance of

7.4mm.

Mounting on to a Dovetail

The following description for mounting the
stage on the Linkam Imaging Station can
also be applied to microscopes which have
similar circular dovetail substage assemblies.

Attach the Curved Clamps (part no. 9548) to the
Microscope Fixing Plate (1), using the supplied
hex screws (2.5mm) and to the outer most holes
of the Microscope Fixing Plate.

The two curved clamps are used to fix the
CSS450 to the microscope. To do this; adjust the
two positioning screws (2) and thumb screw (3)
so that they are showing about 5mm of thread on
the inside edge of the Curved Clamps. This will
roughly position the stage in the centre of the
dovetail.

Place the Base onto the dovetail and using a 5x or
10X objective lens, focus on the aperture of the
heating block. Using a hex screw driver to adjust
the two positioning hex screws (2), so that the
aperture is in the centre field of view of the opti­cal light path. Then use the thumb screw (3) to
lock the stage in place.

Set up Kohler Illumination

Kohler illumination is a technique that provides
optimum resolution and contrast in a light micro­scope by aligning and focussing the transmitted
illumination and critically setting the apertures of
the microscope to best match the objective lens
Numerical Aperture.

To use Kohler illumination with the CSS450, a
condenser lens with a minimum working distance
of 15mm is needed. Contact Linkam for further
information about condenser extension lenses.

For information about setting up Kohler Illumina­tion and how to set up your microscope. See the
extremely informative ‘microscopy Primer’ on the
Molecular Expressions website.

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/index.html

14

Introduction to CSS450 System Controller

Back Panel Cable Connections

Warning: To avoid any damage to the CSS450, switch the unit off befor e connecting or r emoving any
connections.

1: Power socket
2: Fuse holder
3: Instrument Bus connector, for LNP95

Liquid Nitrogen pump System.

4: RS232 connector for PC Comm port

connection.

5: USB connector (used for firmware

upgrade only).

6: External input and output sockets.
7: Stage connector.

Stage Connector

This supplies power to the stage and measures the temperature using platinum resistor sensors.

Instrument Bus

This connection is only used for the LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Pump. If your stage has been supplied with an
LNP95 then a cable will have been provided which is used to connect the CSS450
to the LNP95.
It may be necessary to pull back the sprung mounted violet moulding towards the
cable before inserting the connector.

Expansion Boards

The CSS450 requires a motor expansion board, which requires the ’motor’ and ’sensor leads to be connected
correctly.

Any of the stages which use an expansion board will be marked with the same label as the CSS450 expansion
board.

External Input and Output Sockets

There are three 2.5mm jack sockets (6) on the rear of the CSS450 for synchronising or controlling external
equipment, see page 39 for the electrical specifications.

USB Connector

At present this is only used for updating the firmware in the CSS450 .

RS232 Connector

For a PC connection use the supplied RS232 crossover cable.

LinkPad Connector

If you have purchased a LinkPad then plug it into the LinkPad connector (3).

Expansion boards

7

5 4 3

2

6

15

LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Pump

Only read the following if the LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Cooling Pump System is supplied with your system.
The LNP95 System uses liquid nitrogen to cool the stage from ambient to -196ºC. The speed of the LNP95 is
automatically controlled from 1 to 100 by the CSS450. Note: refer to the LNP95 manual for more information

Introduction

Please check that all of the following parts have been
supplied with the LNP95 System.

1. LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Pump

2. 2L Dewar (7L or 25L Dewar is available)

3. Power cord

4. Instrument Bus Cable for connection to the CSS450

Remove Transit Screws

Before using the LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Pump Sys­tem, remove the 4 transit screws marked by small
yellow labels (5), from the base of the LNP95. These
screws hold the pumps in place to avoid any damage in
transit.

Keep the screws safe by storing them in the holes (6)
on the back panel as shown by the arrows.

Should the LNP95 be returned for service or repair, the
screws must be removed from the storage holes and
used to secure the pumps for transit (5).

5

6

1

2

3

4

16

Connect the Stage to the Controller

The CSS450 Controller controls the temperature
and the Shear and Gap motors of the stage.

Refer to the back of the controller. Connect the
supplied RS232 lead from the RS232 socket on
the back of the controller to the PC’s serial/Comm
port. All the long leads from the Base should be
connected to the back panel of the controller.
Each connector is unique and cannot be inserted
into the incorrect socket.

Make sure that the two screws on “D” type con­nectors are tightened.

Mains Connection

Once the RS232 lead between the computer and
the controller is in place, it does not matter which
one is powered on first. Plug the mains connector
into the back of the controller and then into the
mains outlet. Use the On/Off switch to turn the
power on or off.

Note: do not remove any of these connections
while the controller is powered on as this could
damage the equipment.

No attempt should be made to modify any of the
connections to the CSS450 Controller. Warranty
will be void.

Connect
CSS450

Stage

Connect
CSS450

Stage

Connect
CSS450

Stage

Connect
interface

to PC

Connect to

mains

power

17

Connecting the Water Cooling

Supply/Circulator

When the CSS450 is used at temperatures exceed­ing 200°C for a prolonged period of time it will
become warm/hot to the touch. To ensure that the
stage is always safe to handle, a system of water­cooling is recommended.

Either a low-pressure water supply (mains) or a
water pump may be used with a flow rate of ap­proximately 0.3l/m.

Linkam can supply a portable water circulator
pump system (ECP) for this application.

Some connectors and tubing are supplied with the
stage. (Water connections at sides of stage need to
be fitted using a 7mm spanner). The tube has a
inner diameter (I.D) of 3.0mm and an outside
diameter (O.D) of 6.0mm. To ensure even cool­ing of the complete stage, connect the tubes to the
stage as shown.

Note: cut the tubing to a manageable length. i.e.
not too long as it might tangle up and not too
short, so that when Lid is taken off the Base, it
can be placed on the Stand

Water inlet

(Base)

Water outlet

(Lid)

Bypass loop

(Base connection)

Base

connection

Lid

connection

18

CSS450 Controller

LNP95

Instrument Bus

Cable

Main cable power socket

Cryo-CSS450 System

Connecting the Liquid Nitrogen

Pump for Cryo-CSS450 System

Note: this is only appropriate if you have pur­chased the Cryo-CSS450 system. If not then go
to the section, “Setting up the Linksys32 Soft­ware”, page 18.

A Cryo-CSS450 system adds liquid nitrogen
cooling functionality to the CSS450 stage. A dual
output LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Cooling Pump, 2L
Dewar, power cable and I2C cable will be includ­ed as additional parts.

Connecting the LNP95

Connect the CSS450 Controller as described on
page 14 of this manual and connect the Instru­ment Bus cable from the CSS450 controller to
either one of the two Instrument Bus sockets on
the LNP95.

Fill the 2L Dewar with liquid nitrogen to approxi­mately 2/3 thirds full and replace the lid. DO
NOT FASTEN the clips on str aight away (r ead
Safety Precaution; Handling Liquid Nitrogen,
page 4 for more information). Wait until the
nitrogen has stopped boiling before fastening the
catches. Excess pressure can escape through the
Teflon cap on the lid.

There is a white plastic block on the base and on
the top of the lid. These blocks have two connect­ors extending from them. One is for the cooling
pump (labelled LNP) and the other is for the
Dewar siphon (labelled DF2).

The CSS-LNP95 cooling pump has two silicon
tubes extending from the front panel. These tubes
end in plastic white connectors with a 3mm outer
diameter (O.D.) stainless steel side exhaust tube.
Twist and gently push these white connectors
onto the thin steel connectors on the Lid and base,
labelled ‘LNP’. The bottom LNP siphon should
connect to the base heater, and the top LNP si­phon to the lid heater.

The Dewar siphons assembly protrude from a
large Teflon cap on the top lid of the Dewar. The
siphons are labelled ‘Lid’ and ‘Base’. A thin
black capillary tube extends from the end of each
siphon, these tubes must be carefully inserted into
the small steel connector protruding from the
white blocks and labelled DF2.

.

19

The small side exhaust tubes (1) protruding from
the white connectors at the end of the LNP tubes
vent the recycled nitrogen into the atmosphere.

Silicon tubes (2) can be attached to these exhausts
to utilise the recycled nitrogen that vent to the
atmosphere to prevent condensation at the Lid or
Base, or to simply flow nitrogen into the gap
between the Lid and Base. These tubes can be
fixed into place using adhesive tape (3). Variable
lengths of silicon tube (O.D. 4mm, I.D. 2mm) can
be sourced locally or directly from Linkam.

When all the connections have been made, the
CSS450 is ready to be used to cool the sample
below room temperature to –50°C.

The CSS450 Controller will communicate with
the Liquid Nitrogen Pump (LNP95) and select the
correct pumping speed automatically to follow the
programmed temperature profile.

Refer to Linksys32 Manual for information on
how to program the temperature.

2

3

1

20

Setting up the Linksys32 Software

Ensure that the RS232 cable is connected between
the PC serial RS232 port (Comm port) and the
CSS450 controller. Start the Linksys32 software
by double clicking on the ‘Linksys32 - Shortcut’
icon on the PC. The temperature Control Status
Display will show the message:

‘No Comm Programmer not connected’.

This means that the software does not yet recog­nise the Controller connected to the RS232 Comm
port.

Got to: File > Connect

The software will now ask to ‘Power on your
Linkam equipment connected to comm port1’ (or
whichever Comm port has been selected in the
Linksys32 Setup window).

Click: OK button.

If the following message appears:

‘No Comm Cannot open the comm port’

The RS232 cable may have been connected to a
different Comm port number other than the one
selected in the Temperature Programmer Setup
menu.

Check the back of the PC to see which Comm
port the RS232 cable is connected to.

Note: if the Comm port is from a PCI card or
USB-to-Comm port adaptor, it will not be a
Comm port1 setting.

21

Changing Comm Port Number

Go to: Setup > Temperature Controller

In the popup window ‘Linksys32 Setup’ make
sure ‘TempControl’ is selected. Use PC mouse to
select the Comm port (2 to 6) the RS232 cable is
connected to, then click the ‘X’ button in the top
right hand corner to close the window.

Check the controller is on.

Now connect as before: File > Connect

The software will again ask for ‘Power on your
Linkam equipment connected to comm port1’ or
whichever Comm port has been selected in the
Linksys32 Setup window.

Click: OK

When a successful connection has been made, the
software will show ‘Linksys32 : Connected to >
CSS 450’ in the title bar and show the live tem­perature in the display.

Using Linksys32 Software

Linksys32 Tool Bar

If the system has connected to the PC successful­ly, the Tool Bar control panel will appear as
shown. This tool bar has three sections. Refer to
Linksys32 Manual for the operation of the Tem­perature and Video Capture Tool Bar.

Linksys32:

Tool Bar

Linksys32:

Temperature and Video Capture Tool Bar

22

CSS450 Tool Bar

The CSS450 toolbar is made up of control but-

tons, sensor indicators and status window.

When the tool bar shows this button, then
the ‘Jog Controls’ will be active. ‘Gap’
setting and ‘velocity’ are controlled manu-

ally by typing a value. Click to toggle be­ tween ‘Jog’ and ‘Motor Profile’ controls.

When the tool bar shows this button, then
the ‘Shear Motor Profile’ table will be

active and shearing functions will be
controlled by the values in the profile table.
Click to tog- gle between ‘Jog’ and ‘Motor Pro­file’.

This button controls the direction of

steady shear (clockwise or anti clockwise)
when the ‘Jog Controls’ are active.

This button Starts the CSS450 motors

according to setting in either ‘Shear Motor
Profile’ or the ‘Jog Controls’

This button Stops the CSS450 motors
according to setting in either ‘Shear Motor

Profile’ or the ‘Jog Controls’.

This button moves the lid to the reference

point (windows separated by 2500mm).

CSS Status Window

This shows the current status of the CSS450 e.g.
the status message ‘The gap motor might need to
be referenced’ is shown when the CSS450 is first
connected.

Sensor Indicators

There are three sensors in the Lid of the CSS450,
marked with the letters L, R and Z. L represents
the Lid sensor, it is lit green when the Lid is in
place. R represents the Reference sensor and is lit
green when the Lid is at 2500mm. Z represents
the Zero Sensor and is lit green when the Lid is at
0mm. T/B shows which heater is being used to
display the temperature. ‘Green’ colour repre­sents the Base heater and ‘Red’ colour represents
Top heater.

Jog Controls (Manual Mode)

When the Jog control button is displayed the user
can set the gap size by typing any number be­tween 0 to 2500mm into the Gap setting box. To
set rotary velocity, type a value between 1 and 10
rad/s or drag the slider using the PC mouse.

Linksys32:

CSS450 Tool Bar

23

Loading the Sample

Click on the “ref” for reference button to ensure
that the Lid is at the Reference Point.

Take note of the warning popup window and
move the lens clear of the lid to avoid damage.

When the motor has stopped moving. Look at the
‘Gap (um)’ display and make sure it reads ‘2500’.

The light beside this display is red when the Gap
Motor is not moving and is green when the motor
is moving.

Make sure the microscope substage is in its low­est position and the lens nosepiece is rotated to a
position where the Lid can be easily removed
without damaging the lens or Lid.

Unscrew the Lid Nuts and remove the Lid . Place
the Lid on the Stand (the picture shows the
CSS450 with the Linkam Imaging Station) and
place the sample in the middle of the Base win­dow.

The amount of sample loaded on to the stage
depends on the gap size that will be used and the
transparency of the sample (if using transmitted
light).

Note: If the sample is a solid it can be melted
before shearing as long as the cable between Lid
and Base remains connected. See the Linksys32
Manual for further information regarding temper­ature programming.

Replace the Lid carefully making sure the Lid
Nuts are secure.

24

Start the Shearing Experiment

First click on the Reference button ‘to ensure that
the Lid is at the ‘Reference’ point of 2500mm.
Take note of the warning popup window and
move the lens clear of the lid.

There are two ways to control shearing in the
CSS450. The Manual Jog Controls and the Shear
Motor Profile table.

Using the Shear Motor Profile

To use the Shear Motor Profile table, make sure
the ‘Use Motor Profile’ icon is visible in
the tool bar .

If it is not visible, click on the ‘Jog Controls’ icon
to switch it to the “Use Motor Profile” icon.

Click: View > Shear Motor Profile.

The popup window displays the table. In this
table each row is made of a series of cells repre­senting a ramp in the profile. Each column repre­sents a setting for the ramp. e.g. Mode, Gap,
Strain, Rate, Freq (frequency), Dirn (direction)
and Time.

A ‘Mode’, ‘Gap’, ‘Dirn’ and ‘Time’ must always
be completed to enable a successful ramp.

‘Strain’, ‘Rate’ and ‘Freq’ columns only need to
be completed if the selected ‘Mode’ requires it.
E.g. if a ‘Steady’ Shear rate ‘Mode’ is selected in
the ‘Mode’ column, then the table auto completes
the ‘Strain’ and ‘Frequency’ columns with ‘n/a’ to
show that these values are not needed for this

particular ‘Mode’.

Right click in the ‘Mode’ column to show the
mode drop down menu. Click on the arrows to
scroll through the various possible modes.

Stdy = Stea dy. A continuous shear r ate in the
specified ‘Direction’ for a specific ‘Time’. 0.001
to 10rads/sec.

Step = Describes a single motion at a pa r ticular
shear rate and strain (angular displacement Ø) in
the direction set. Enter a strain value and shear
rate, 0.001 to 10rads/sec.

Osc = Oscillatory. Descr ibes a motion that
follows a sine wave using the strain and frequen­cy settings. (Shear and Strain Explanation, page

36).

25

Relax = Sets the mode in which no motion
takes place, only the gap and time need to be
entered.

Once a ‘Mode’ has been set. Left Click in the
‘Gap’ column and enter a value between 0 and
2500mm. (Gap is the distance between shear
windows).

The next column is ‘Strain’. If ‘Step’ or ‘Osc’
Modes have been selected, the user will need to
enter a ‘Strain’ value (Shear and Strain Explana-
tion, page 36). Left click in the column and
type the value required.

The next column is ‘Rate’. If ‘Steady’ or ‘Step’
Modes have been selected, the user will need to
enter a ‘Rate’ value.

The next column is ‘Frequency’. If ‘Osc’ Mode
has been selected the user will need to enter a
Frequency of Oscillation.

The next column is ‘Direction’. Click the arrows
to select CW (clockwise) or ACW (anti­clockwise).
The next column is ‘Time’. Enter a time
(Seconds or Minutes can be selected in the
CSS450 Setup menu) to set the duration of ramp
until CSS450 proceeds onto next ramp in profile.

For the information entered into a cell to be regis­tered by the controller, the user must click into
another cell. The information is not stored until
this has been done.

When the ramp information has been entered, the
user can check that it is correct by ‘Left Clicking’
into the Ramp column, then Right clicking and
selecting ‘Check Row’ from the drop down list.
If a cell contains a value that the CSS450 is not
able to execute, then a warning box will appear
with a message detailing the possible parameters
for that particular cell.

A profile may be exist of several ramps (rows). It
may not always necessary to start the profile from
Ramp 1. To select the ‘Start’ and ‘End
Ramp’ (row) Left click into the Ramp column,
then Right Click on the particular Ramp (or Row)
you want the Profile to start with and select ‘Start
Row’ from the drop down list. Do the same for
the End Row. Start Rows are green, End Rows
are red.
The profile can be saved for later use.

Click: File > Save > Shear Motor Profile

26

Start the Profile

Now that the ‘Shear Motor Profile’ table is com­plete the system can then be used to start shearing
the sample.
For additional control of the temperature and
image capture during the experiment, refer to the
appropriate sections of the Linksys32 Manual.

To start shearing click on the ‘Start’ button in the
CSS450 Control Panel. The ‘Start Ramp’ turns to
a light blue colour to show that it is the current
active ramp. The Status window message will
change to show that the motors are moving. To
stop the profile, click on the ‘Stop’ button at any
time.

Adjusting the Shear Parameters

Accessing the Setup Menu:
To access the Setup menus for the CSS450. Right
click on the Tool bar within the CSS450 control
panel.

General Setup

Motor Profile Time Units - Specify units for each
Ramp in the Profile by clicking either ‘Seconds’
or ‘Minutes’.
Temperature Source - The Lid and Base have an
independently controlled heating element. The
user can select whether the temperature displayed
in the Live Temperature Window is from the Lid
or Base heater or both (mixed). If ‘Bottom’ is
selected, the T/B indicator in CSS450 control
panel will be lit Green. If ‘Top’ is selected the T/
B indicator will be lit Red. If ‘Mixed’ is selected
the indicator will flash alternately Red/Green.
Rotary Motor Current - The user can set how
much current is supplied to motors. If the sam­ples have high viscosity, then select ‘High’. In
most cases it is OK to leave this feature set to
‘High’.

Velocities

Withdrawal Velocities - The two variables that
can be changed are related to the referencing of
the CSS450. The Rotary velocity is the speed at
which the bottom shear window rotates as the
Gap is increased. This Rotary Velocity is to help
prevent the shear windows breaking when used
with particularly viscous samples. The Withdraw­al Velocity is the speed the Lid raises to the refer­ence point.

Gap Velocity - This is the default speed for the
lid movement (up/down) when following the
Shear Motor Profile.

27

Finish a Shearing Experiment

After the experiment click the Reference to open
the Lid.

Beware of the warning popup window and move
the lens clear of the Lid to avoid damage.

Remove the Lid and place it on the Stand (the
pictures show the CSS450 with the Linkam Imag­ing Station). Remove the sample and use a soft
cloth with a small amount of IPA (isopropanol) to
clean the quartz windows.

28

Maintenance Procedures

Changing the Windows

This section is only to be use, if any of the quartz
windows are broken and need replacing.

Before leaving Linkam Scientific Instrument Ltd.,
each stage is calibrated and checked for parallel­ism of the Lid and Base windows.

When changing any windows, it is most important
that the surfaces are clean. Otherwise the paral­lelism of the windows and the gap settings will be
affected.
Refer to pages 8 and 37 of this manual for the full
description and part number of the tools and ac­cessories needed to replace the windows.

External Window Replacement

Using the External Window Clamp Tool (1),
unscrew the External Window Ring (2) and re­move the 18mm diameter quartz window (3). Do
the reverse to replace the stage with a new quartz
window. Do not over tighten as this could dam­age the quartz window.

Base Window Replacement

If you have the CSS-450 purge system, you will
have a slightly different window clamp tool, see
page 33.

When the Base window needs to be replaced, it
should be reassembled as follow:

1. Using the Base Window Carrier Tool (4) to
give leverage use the 55mm Window Clamp
Tool (5) to unscrew the Window Clamping
Ring (6) that clamps the 55mm diameter
Quartz Base Window (7) in place.

2. With the help of the 55mm Window Sucker

Tool (8) provided, remove the old quartz win­ dow. Then clean the recess where the window
sits.

3. Place a new quartz window into position and
make sure that it drops into the bottom of the
recess.

4. Replace the clamping ring and screw it down
until it just touches the window.

5. Tighten the ring with the tool.

Note: The window clamping ring has a rubber
seal on its bottom to secure the quartz window in
place and to give it good thermal contact with the
heater. Do not over tighten the clamping ring, as
it could brake the quartz window. Hand tight is
sufficient.

1

1

2

2 3 3

4 5

6 8

7

29

Lid Window Replacement

When the Lid window needs to be replaced, it
should be reassembled as follow:

1. Using the Lid Window Carrier Tool with Tom-

my Bar (1). Unscrew the Window Clamping
Ring (2) that clamps the 32mm Diameter
Quartz Tapered Edge Lid Window (3) in place.

2. Remove the quartz window and clean the
clamp thread and the surface of the heater.

3. Place a new quartz window into position,
with the smaller diameter facing the clamp.

4. Screw the clamp loosely back into position. As

it is being hand tightened, move the window
gently from side to side to make sure that the
quartz window is centralise and sit in the right
position.

5. Using the tool, tighten the clamping ring. It
may be necessary to use the tool’s Tommy Bar,
but do not use excessive force.

Note: The gap setting may need to be recali­brated when one or both of the Lid and/or
Base windows have been replaced. Refer to
Setting the Sensors - Zero, Lid and Reference,
page 28 for more information.

1

2 3

30

Setting the Sensors - Zero, Lid and

Reference

The CSS450 shearing cell sensors are setup and
calibrated at Linkam production facility, before
shipment.

ONLY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING SET­UP IF YOU ARE REPLACING EITHER OR
BOTH OF THE LID AND BASE SHEARING
WINDOWS (page 26 and 27).

There are three sensors, R, Z and L arranged on
top corner of the Lid. These three sensors deter­mine when the Lid is at:

R- The Reference ‘Ref’ point (Lid shear window
is 2500mm from Base shear window).
Z- The ‘Zero’ point (Lid and Base windows
are separated by 0mm).
L- The ‘Lid’ gap just shows the Lid is in correct
range

Manually Setting the Windows to Zero Point

SWITCH OFF the CSS450 Controller and remove
the CSS450 shear cell lid. Fit the Manual Gap
Setting Tool to the shaft of the Gap Motor. This
shaft protrudes from the smaller of the two motor
covers. The tool is similar to the Lid Nuts (which
secure the Lid in place) but have two extra hex
grub screws (1) inserted in the side.

Slide the tool onto the shaft and tighten the grub
screws with the appropriate hex key to secure the
tool in place. It is now possible to easily turn the
shaft when the Lid is in place.

1

31

A microscope is needed to visually determine that
the shear windows are at the zero point.

Use a felt tip pen to draw a line that bisects the
aperture on the Base window as seen in the Pic­ture

Now draw a line that bisects the aperture in the
Lid Window.

Replace the Lid on the Base (with out using the
Lid Nuts) and focus with the microscope on the
line drawn on the Base window.

Now turn the Manual Gap Setting Tool to lower
the Lid. When both lines come into focus, i.e.
when both of the shear windows surfaces are
touching. This will be the manually set Zero
Point. The next step is to setup up the Zero Sen­sors.

Base Window

Top Window

32

Switch on the controller and reconnect to
Linksys32.

Click: File > Connect

The Status window may display the message ‘The
gap motor might need to be referenced’ DO NOT
click on the reference ‘ref’ button or the Lid will
move up (2500mm) and the stage will have to be
manually reset to zero point again.

Using the PC mouse, right click onto the CSS450
toolbar.

Click and select: Reference

Click ‘OK’ to continue.

There are three sensors pins located on top of the
Lid. They are labelled R (reference), Z (zero) and
L (lid).

Place the Sensor Adjustment Tool on the zero
sensor pin (Z).

Turn the Sensor Adjustment Tool so that the
‘Zero’ light in the CSS450 control panel just turns
green.

One turn of the screw represents a gap of 500mm.
So to get an accuracy of 1mm, it needs to be
within 0.72 degrees rotation.

When Zero is set, click on the ‘Zero’ button. The
Lid will now move up 2500mm to the Reference
point.

33

Now place the Gap Setting Tool on the Reference
sensor pin (R) and turn the tool until the Refer­ence Sensor indicator ‘Ref’ just turns green.

Then click ‘Ref’. The Lid will now move down
500mm, so that the ‘Lid’ Sensor can be set.

Place the Gap Setting Tool on the Lid sensor pin
(L) and adjust until the Lid Indicator ‘Lid’ just
turns green. When set, click the ‘Lid’ button.
The motor will now move the Lid down 1000mm.

34

When the motor stops the there sensors will all be
set up and referenced. Ready for sample loading
in the next shearing run.

Click ‘OK’ and then click ‘X’ in the top corner to
close the window.

35

Using the CSS-450 Gas Purge and

Vertical Seal stage

Only refer to this page if you have purchased the CSS

-450 with additional gas purge / vertical seal option

Using the Purge ports

The vertical seal system allows the stage to be
used on its side whilst preventing any leakage. To
help remove or attach the lid to the stage, one of
these the vertical seal plugs (1) may need to be
removed to release the pressure inside the cham­ber.

To apply gas purging to the stage, the vertical seal
plugs can be removed and replaced with the purge

adaptor tubes (2).

Once the adaptor tubes are in place, an external
supply can be connected to them to allow for the
purging procedure to commence.

Base Window Replacement

The procedure is the same as the one shown on
page 26 of this manual except that the window
clamping tool is slightly different.

The clamping tool for the CSS-450 purge / verti­cal seal stage is shown on the right.

1

2

36

Troubleshooting

Unable to set a gap, Lid seems stuck

If the Gap Motor cannot raise/lower the Lid, it is possible that the sample may have set solid between the shear
windows. By melting the sample it may be possible to part them and this should be tried first. In the event
that this does not work, the following procedure should be used to force the Lid away from the Bottom. This
procedure will almost certainly damage one or both of the windows. Make sure you have the appropriate spare
windows in ready for the replacement.

1. Remove the instrument from the microscope and take out the external window, (see ‘Changing the Win­dows, page 26). Place it on the Stand.

2. Using the two Jack Screws and hexagonal key provided place the Jack Screws in the holes marked Lid Jack
Screws,

3. Tighten the Jack Screws by hand until they
come to a stop.

4. Place the hexagonal key into one of the Jack Screw.

5. Turn the key a quarter of a turn and then do same to the other. Alternate with quarter turns so that the lid
comes straight up. This will reduce the risk of any damage to the gap mechanism.

6. Clean the area around the two windows carefully before replacing them. See the section ‘Changing the
Windows, page 26’.

Do not use compressed air to clean the instrument as this may blow small fragments of glass into the various
mechanisms.

Comm port message

The following message appears: ‘Check to see if another application is using the Comm port selected or that
you have the Comm port fitted to your computer?’ Change the Comm port used by either moving the RS232
computer lead to another Comm port or by selecting a new Comm port using the menu.

Select and click: Setup > Comm Port and then selectg a new Comm port number (See Linksys32
Manual).

Motor doesn’t start

The shear motor will not start if the Lid is off or the temperature is open circuit. It may have trouble starting if
the speed selected in the Jog Window is in excess of 7.5rad/s. This can be overcome by increasing gradually
from a lower velocity of say 4.0rad/s up to the desired speed , clicking the scroll bars.
It may have trouble starting if the data in the Shear Motor Profile results in a high shear rate. Decrease the
value in the shear rate cell.

Lid Jack Screws

37

Lid can rock slightly when the lid nuts are off

It is quite normal for there to be a slight apparent rocking of the Lid when the gap is zero and the lid nuts are
off. This is because the windows are touching and the absence of pressure from the lid nuts allows the Lid to
lift a little. However, if the gap is larger than zero, there should be no rocking. In this case, contact Linkam.

Temperature appears to be several degrees below the displayed temperature

Once the heaters have reached their programmed temperature, it will normally take a minute or so for the heat
to spread evenly throughout the sample. If the sample is not in a liquid state, then it may not be conducting
heat as efficiently as a liquid. Should there be further cause for suspicion that the heaters are not accurate,
there are procedures to verify them and check that their mountings have not been disturbed. In this case, con­tact Linkam.

Cooling Fault Diagnosis

Ensure that all connections to the stage and Dewar are as shown in the pictures, page 16.

The cooling rate is less than Specified

There can be several causes of this problem, the most likely being that one of the connectors has become
blocked or damaged. Check that each tube is fitted tightly to the connector and that none of the tubing is twist­ed. This is particularly important in regard to the tubes connecting to the stage, as any constrictions of either
the tubing or the connector will have a drastic effect on the cooling ability of the LNP95 pump. If the connect­ors and tubing are OK, check that the black capillary tubing to the Dewar flask is not bent or damaged and that
the brass filter from the black capillary tubing inside the Dewar is intact and unblocked. If any damage has
occurred to any of these items then it will be necessary to replace them. If no damage is found, check that the
silver block is not constricted. This can be checked, simply by blowing through one of the coolant pipes.
Check that there is sufficient liquid nitrogen in the Dewar so that the brass filter is beneath the surface. If the
filter is lifted above the surface of the liquid nitrogen water vapour may freeze in the filter and block it. Thaw
the filter to melt the ice and dry it before reinserting into the Dewar.

38

Appendix 1 : Shear and Strain Explanation

Shear Control

The Base window of the stage is rotated using a 1.8° stepper motor that has 200 steps per revolution
(360°/1.8°). Using a technique called “micro stepping” these 200 steps may be divided up into even smaller
steps for better positioning and lower resonance. Each motor step is broken up into 256 steps giving a resolu­tion of 256x200 = 51200 micro steps per revolution

The shear motor drives the window carrier through a toothed belt to give a 4:1 velocity ratio so that for a win­dow carrier velocity of 1 revs/sec the motor has to turn at 4revs/sec. This also means that the highest resolu­tion in micro steps of the window carrier is 51200x4 = 204800.

The shear rates and strain values are defined below. Most Rheology systems use these.

Shear Rate

The shear rate is related to the rotary velocity at the centre of the heater aperture where the transmitted light
passes. It is defined as rw/d where w is the angular velocity in rads/sec, d is the gap setting in mm and r is the
observation radius (see below).

The shear rate is used to specify the velocity for the
step and the steady modes and is limited to the range 0.001 to 10rads/sec. This velocity range will also affect
the range of values available in the oscillatory mode, as it is the frequency and amplitude that dictate the angu­lar velocity.

Strain (Shear) value

The strain is related to d and the observation radius r and is entered as a percentage value from 0.1 to 40000%.
For a given gap setting d the angular displacement x gives the Strain or Shear = x/d = rØ/d. When entering the
Strain value, d and r are known, so Ø may be calculated and converted to an angular movement in motor steps.
Therefore the strain sets the angular distance in the step mode and the amplitude in the oscillatory mode.
E.g. In step mode a strain value of 1 at a gap setting of 500mm gives an angular distance of:
1x500/7500 = 0.066rads or 3.8°
This angular distance is then converted to a number of motor steps. In the oscillatory mode there is a limit of 2
rads for the Strain value.

Observation Radius

The radius from the centre of the bottom window to the centre of the hole in the heater block (aperture) is

7.5mm. The aperture diameter is 2.8mm.

At the observation radius r (7.5mm) the angular rotation Ø gives the displacement x = rØ. The gap setting is d
and is specified in mm, Ø is in rads.

39

Part No. Part Name Part Description

7017 PVC1 Plastic tube for stage body water cooling

2200 WGI Water/Gas Valve Insert

2202 WVC Water Valve Connector

9566 VS Complete Valve Set

2053 CSS-ACC Accessory Kit, including all Tools. (No windows)

9575 CSS-LN Lid Securing Nuts (x2)

2007 CSS-SB Shear Belt

3066 CSS-SR Stainless Steel Sensor Rods (x3)

3008 CSS-AS Alignment Screws for CSS450 Lid (x4)

9560 NUG450 Alignment Kit for CSS450

3437 W32TQ 32mm diameter Quartz Tapered Edge Lid Window (1.5mm thick)

3438 W55QC 55mm diameter Quartz Base Window (1mm thick, 5um tolerance)

9581 W32-55SS Set of Stainless Steel Disc (Replaces Standard Windows for x-ray)

3081 CSS-CRT 32mm Window Clamping Ring - top

3071 CSS-CRB 55mm Window Clamping Ring - bottom

3012 CSS-LR External Window Ring

2695 W18Q0.5 18mm Diameter Quartz Window (0.5mm thick)

0997 ECP Water Circulator Pump (110V)

0998 ECP Water Circulator Pump (240V)

3033 N/A Manual Gap Setting Tool

Appendix 2 : Spare Parts List

Below is a list of spares that may be require in the future. Contact Linkam or the corresponding
representative for other spare parts that are not listed below.

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Appendix 3 : Declaration of Conformity

Manufacturers Name: Linkam Scientific Instruments Ltd

Manufacturers Address:

8 Epsom Downs Metro Centre
Waterfield
Tadworth
Surrey
KT20 5LR
UK

Declares that the products as originally delivered:

Product Name: Temperature Programmer
Product Number: CSS450

has been independently tested and found to comply with the following applicable European Direc­tives, and carries the CE marking accordingly:

EMC Directive 2004/108/EC using product standard EN 61326-1:2006
Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC using product standard EN 61010-1:2010

and also carries the additional certification:

EMC: FCC CFR47 Part 15B

Safety: CB IEC 61010-1/ EN 61010-1
MET UL 61010-1/ CSA C22.2 No.61010-1 under listing E112928

Date: 12th July 2011

R&D Manager: Peter Grocutt

Declaration of Conformity

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Appendix 4 : Technical Specification

CSS450 Stage Technical Specification

Temperature Range: Ambient to 450°C (-50°C to 450°C for Cryo-CSS450)
Temperature Sensor: Platinum Resistor
Gap Motor: Precision 200 step. 256 micro step drive.
Main Motor: Precision 200 step. 256 micro step drive.

CSS450 Controller Technical Specification

Dimensions: 376L x 243W x 87H (mm)
Weight: 2.6Kg (excluding cables)
Operating Environment: 5~40°C, 80% relative humidity at 31°C decreasing linearly to 50% at 40°C
(without condensation)

Temperature Range: -196°C to 450°C (dependent on Stage)
Temperature Resolution: 0.01°C resolution (dependent on Stage)
Temperature Accuracy: 0.05°C
Temperature Stability: 0.05°C
Set Point Resolution: 0.1°C

CSS450 Controller Equipment Ratings

A.C. Mains Supply: 100-240V at 47-63Hz
Max current: 3.4A
Fuse:

Current rating 4A
Characteristic T
Voltage rating 250V~
Breaking capacity H

The Anti-Surge or Time Lag (T) Fuse must be replaced by one of the same type and rating.

RS232 Computer Interface

Standard RS232 levels supplied with a cross over RS232 cable. Uses 19200 baud, 1 stop bit and no parity.

USB Interface

USB Type B connector: Currently only used for firmware updates.

External input and output sockets

Green 2.5mm stereo jack socket. Open drain output. Will sink up to
50mA at 12V.
Pink 2.5mm stereo jack socket. Open drain output. Will sink up to
50mA at 12V.
Blue 2.5mm stereo jack socket. Logic level input from 3.3V to 5V.

0V Gnd

Signal

V14MLA

47pF

100R

2N7002

Pink/Green
Signal

Pink/Green
0V Gnd

5V

CSS450

Output

In pulse mode

signal is

50mS wide

External equipment
example of 5V logic
connection

10K

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CSS450 Motor Board

Rotary Motor
Motor Type: Bipolar Stepper Motor
Motor Current: Programmable up to 2.0A
Motor Resolution: 256 Micro Steps

Gap Motor
Motor Type: Bipolar Stepper Motor
Motor Current: Programmable up to 1.0A
Motor Resolution: 256 Micro Steps

Digital Encoder: 24 bit
End Stops: 2

Optional LinkPad

Dimensions: 125L x 172W x 80H (mm)
Weight: 0.75Kg (excluding cables)
Operating environment: 5~40°C, 80% relative humidity at 31°C decreasing linearly to 50% at
40°C (without condensation)
Display Resolution: 320 X 240 pixels
Display Size: 5.7 inch
User Interface: Touch screen

LinkPad Eqipment Ratings

D.C Voltage: 12V
Max Current: 550mA

LNP95 Liquid Nitrogen Pump

Dimensions: 376L x 243W x 87H (mm)
Weight: 3.6Kg (excluding cables)
Operating Environment: 5~40°C, 80% relative humidity at 31°C decreasing linearly to 50% at
40°C (without condensation)
Tubing: Silicon Rubber

LNP95 Equipment Ratings

A.C. Mains Supply: 100-240V at 47-63Hz
Max current: 1.7A
Fuse: Current rating 2A
Characteristic T
Voltage rating 250V~
Breaking capacity H

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Linkam Scientific Instruments Ltd.

Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Unit 8 Epsom Downs Metro Centre

Waterfield, Tadworth, Surrey, KT20 5LR, UK

www.linkam.co.uk

Version: 1 .0 Date.17-07-2012
Version: 1.1 Date 05-11-2013 Added a French version of the safety section
Version: 1.2 Date 16-12-2013 Modified safety cord set information

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