Acri-Data® Supervisory Control System

Acri-Data® is a multi-language supervisory and control system, providing the user with the ability to access and modify set points, calibration entries and other functions within Acrison feeder controllers. Acri-Data is also able to run controllers individually, or in a ratio-proportion or master/slave configuration. Recipe functions are also supported. Acri-Data interfaces with up to 20 controllers using wired serial or network communications. Acri-Data® can be supplied for operation on a standard Microsoft Windows PC, or as an embedded GUI as the primary user interface of a complete system controller.

In addition to providing set point access to controllers, Acri-Data’s screen-oriented operation provides graphical displays of feeder and/or feeder system status, individual graphs of feeder performance, trending, automatic sampling, an alarm/event log, as well as other maintenance related features. These and other features are described below.

*May require additional hardware.

System View Screen Functions

The user-designed System View Screen is the primary display screen, providing a view of all feeder controllers in a system. It is from this screen that the user has the ability to:

  • Define a feeder system
  • Create/save/load virtually unlimited system recipes
  • Enter an overall feed rate set point
  • View overall total feed rate
  • Run/stop the feeder system
  • View a system summary
  • Access other system and controller functions

Icons provide important feeder data such as set point, feed rate, motor speed and current, as well as color-coded blocks indicating alarm/message status. Off-line controllers appear with a red X. From this screen, the user may access the sampling screen and the alarm/event log.

Sampling Screen

The sampling screen permits the user to specify which of four parameters (feed rate, hopper level, motor speed and motor current) to sample and graph. The user may specify the sampling interval, the number of samples to take (or sample continuously) and several appearance options. Automatic or manual determination of axis ranges may also be selected.

Sampled data may be saved, printed, or exported in a Microsoft Excel format for further evaluation or processing. A special Excel Workbook is provided with Acri-Data™ for this purpose. Up to 20 feeders may be sampled and graphed at the same time.

Alarm/Event Log

The alarm/event log screen provides a comprehensive record of the alarms and/or events encountered by the system feeders. Each alarm or event is described in a single line along with the date and time of its occurrence, and the identity of the feeder controller (if applicable). System logon and logoff is also recorded, as is the starting and stopping of the Acri-Data™ application itself.

Alarms in the log appear in red and messages appear in yellow to permit quick identification. The log may be saved and/or printed and may be set up to automatically save to a specified location at a selected interval. This can permit multiple user access to current system status over a network.

Feeder View Screen

The feeder view screen is accessed by clicking/touching an icon on the system view screen. This screen displays set points and functions associated with a single feeder controller, rather than a complete system. The screen provides a complete view of a feeder’s status including operating modes, run/stop status, alarm and message indicators, motor speed and current, scale weight and hopper level (for weight-loss feeders). The feeder can be started or stopped, modes can be changed, and refill (for weight-loss feeders) or re-zero cycles for certain model of weigh feeders can be initiated.

By clicking on the set points tab at the top of the feeder view screen, set points and password-protected calibration entries can be entered or changed. Acri-Data™ provides the ability to individually password-protect (lock) any of the operational data entries. Data which changes over time, such as feed rate, scale weight, etc., is viewable from the data screen tab.

Automatic System Shutdown

Acri-Data™ provides a standard system shutdown feature permitting the user to specify certain events, which must stop all feeders. Individual delays may be associated with each event.

Summary Screen

This screen provides a chart that lists the values of important parameters associated with each of the system feeders. In addition, totals are provided in the appropriate columns, such as for external gravimetric (percentage) set points. The chart can be printed and/or saved, and can be refreshed on demand.

System Recipe Screen

Three types of system recipes are available in Acri-Data™: data recipes containing only parameter values; graphical recipes containing the system screen design, and graph + data recipes which contain both data and graphical information. Data recipes can be created while Acri-Data™ is operating on-line and any recipe may be loaded on-the-fly without stopping the system. Each recipe is a text file, which can consist of up to 26 selected parameters and modes in each feeder controller (user selectable), the identification of the feeders that were selected for the system, the design of the system view screen, plus optional commands to automatically run or stop a system of feeders when the recipe is loaded. System recipes require a system level password.

Acri-Data™ can create as many system recipes as the storage capacity of the hardware permits; typically many thousands. System recipes can be edited off-line with a standard text editor, if desired.

Hardware Requirements

Acri-Data™ may be run on a Microsoft Windows based desktop, laptop, or wall-mounted PC. Acrison recommends the following minimum hardware for the best overall performance:

  • OS: MS Windows XP/7/8/10
  • Processor: Pentium class, 900 MHz
  • Memory: RAM 512 MB
  • Memory: Display 32 MB
  • I/O: CD ROM Drive, 24X
  • Hard Drive Disk space: 30 MB

When Acri-Data™ is provided in an embedded system controller, it operates under Windows 7.

Other Considerations

  1. For optimum performance when operating Acri-Data™ on a desktop, wall-mounted, or laptop PC, Acrison recommends that it be run as a dedicated application with no other applications running (other than networking functions, if required).
  2. Acri-Data™ supports keyboard-less PCs (typically wall-mounted) by providing a selectable virtual keyboard function.
  3. The Acri-Data™ software and the Operators Manual are provided by Acrison on a single CD.
  4. Acri-Data™ is licensed for installation on a single PC

Description

Optional Hardware

Acri-Data™ supports operation with an optional SBC-2000 System I/O Module. This module provides the following normally open digital inputs and outputs:

  • Digital outputs for system running, blender on, and general alarm
  • Digital inputs for remote run (runs the system), blender zero speed (delayed) and permissive run

Automatic shutdown of the feeders can be associated with blender operation and the permissive run contact.

Password Protection

Up to 10 passwords may be defined in the Acri-Data™ program. Three levels of access are provided as follows:

  • MONITOR: When Acri-Data™ is first started, or when a user logs off, it is in monitor mode. The operator may only view screens and cannot change any set points or activate any commands or functions.
  • USER: This mode requires a password to be entered and limits functions and access to those features, which an operator would typically require. System recipes, for example, may be loaded but cannot be created.
  • SYSTEM: This password-protected mode permits full access to all functions and features.

Communications

Acri-Data™ offers numerous communications choices ranging from simple, point-to-point, wired, and serial communication to wired Ethernet. Various configurations are available including those that use gateway devices from Acrison, or from third party manufacturers. Acri-Data™ can be configured in many ways to achieve the communications required by the user. Contact Acrison for special requirements.

Acri-Data™ directly supports Modbus/TCP operating as a master.

Highest performance is achieved with direct cable serial COM port connections using Acrisons DC protocol. Baud rates from 9,600 to 57,600 are supported for serial communication.

Multi Screen

Multiple parameter values may be sent to one or more feeder controllers, without using a recipe, via the multi screen.