Installation
Instrument
If possible flat pack and store the container the instrument arrived in this will facilitate the return of instrument should it be necessary. After the instrument has been unpacked check the mains voltage selector switch it should be set to the correct voltage setting for the mains voltage in your country.
A serial cable and 25 to 9 way adapter † is supplied with the instrument connect this cable to any free speed serial port using the adapter if required.
† 25 to 9 way not applicable on Field Machine
Although the instrument is heavily shielded it is advisable to keep the instrument cables and test cell clear of any strong electromagnetic sources. Mains noise can affect test results especially when using high impedance cells. To obtain the best results shield the test cell using a Faraday cage connected to green instrument earth connector on the back of your instrument.
Software
If a computer was supplied with the instrument the software will already be installed so this section can be skipped.
Before installing the software quit any programs that are running. Insert the installation CD-ROM into the CD drive after a few seconds the install program should self activate if not run setup.exe found in the root of the CD drive. Follow the on screen instructions to install the software.
Configuration
When starting the Sequencer for the very first time the Mains Configuration program will appear:
Select the mains frequency that matches your country the mains frequency is required by the analogue to digital converters (ADC) in the instrument so they are able to digitally reject mains noise.
Software
Overview
It is worth mentioning at this early stage that any potential shown in any of the programs is always shown or entered with respect to the reference electrode.
Software is split into two groups logging and analysis. These programs can be activated from the Programs menu item in the Start menu. The analysis programs will be found under a menu name of ACM Instruments whilst logging programs will be found under a name matching the serial number of your instrument for example Serial number 383.
Logging
Two programs make up the logging software Sequencer and Core running. The Sequencer does the work of setting up a list of tests (a sequence) to be passed to the Core running for collection.
Shown above is the sequencer in the above example there are eight channels as designated by the Channel tabs at the top of the page and channel 3 is selected. To switch between channels click on the channel number required. Each channel is treated independently although a sequence of tests can be created on one channel to be copied to other channels.
Directly under the Channel tabs on the left hand side of the page is the sequence list. The order in which the Core running works through the list is from the top downwards.
To the right of the sequence list are the technique selection tabs within these tabs are techniques. To add a technique to the sequence list click once on a technique and a settings page for the added technique will appear. For a description of each technique page refer to a later section in this manual.
The Sequencer follows these rules when adding a technique to the sequence list:
1) If the last technique of a sequence list is selected any new technique added will be placed at the end of the list:
when Potentiostatic is clicked
2) If the selected technique is not the last technique adding a new one to the list will insert it before the selected technique:
when Cyclic Sweep is clicked
If techniques in the sequence list are not in the desired order drag a technique from one part of the list to another and drop it on top of another technique in the list. When dropped a menu will appear with options to place the technique before after or into (see folder section next) the technique it was dropped on.
Folders
Folders are used by the sequence list when tests need to be grouped together for a special function for example when a group of techniques are to be repeated a number of times.
The Repeat Folder can be found in the Control techniques tab after clicking on it once to add it to the sequence list a settings form will appear. The number of time to repeat can be set for this example the repeat folder will be set to 15. Afterwards the sequence list will resemble:
Now a technique to be repeated can be added into the repeat for this example AC Impedance was clicked:
Additional techniques could be added into the repeat by just adding more tests to the sequence list they will be automatically placed within the repeat folder. To add tests after a repeat and not into the repeat click on the - symbol next to the repeat folder to close it any new tests will be added after the repeat.
The Long Term folder acts in a similar manor to the repeat folder except that only certain types of techniques can be placed into it. Only techniques prefixed with the name Long Term - such as Long Term - LPR Sweep can be placed in a long term folder. The long term folder sets up how many long term readings should be taken over scheduled intervals. For example Long Term - LPR Sweep could be placed in the sequence list as a normal test but only one LPR sweep would be taken creating only one LPR result. If it was placed within a Long term folder set to record 24 readings one every hour then 24 LPR results would be created linked together under one long term graph.
Updating Sequence List
The core running and sequencer each have their own separate sequence lists a list can be sent from the sequencer to the core running. On the main page is a section showing if the sequencer and core running lists differ:
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If changes have been made to the sequencer list they can be sent to the core running ready to be collected in one of three ways:
The sequence
list for the selected channel only will be sent to the core running
which will be
instructed to start logging on that channel straight away.
The option to
update selected channels will be given with this button
note however after the core
running has been updated
no channels will automatically start logging.
Overwriting Existing Data
When existing data is about to be overwritten by a new sequence (such as selecting Run Now) the below page will be displayed:
The existing data can be sent to the recycle bin appended to or deleted permenatly.
Note book
The note book provides a useful way of storing additional information with data.
In addition to the predefined headings into which text can be typed (Job title Metal etc) there is an attachments section. The attachments section works just like a folder on a disk drive any files can be dragged and dropped from Explorer or a new file created by clicking the New button.
Information can be retrieved from the note book at a later date in the analysis programs.
Advanced Features of the Sequencer
The Copy
To.. button is used to copy all settings from one channel to another
be careful when
using this function that no two channels have the same file name when updating to the core
running.
The settings
(sequence list
and note book settings) from a previously gathered sequence can be loaded
into the selected channel.
If a paint
buffer option is available
it will be listed within the channel configuration section.
Select Paint Buffer if the paint buffer is being used
otherwise Normal
should be selected.
Each channel is controlled from Logging Control within the Core running program
to start data collection click the 
box for the channel in question
the green marker will move over to 
showing logging is taking
place for that channel.
To the left of each channel number in Logging Control is a 
box
these boxes indicate if a particular channel is actively running a
technique at that precise moment
light green indicates logging is taking place. On a
multiplexed instrument such as a Gill 8
only one channel will have the green light
but
on a parallel system all channels could be lighted at the same time. The green box is also
mirrored on a channels logging graphical page 
. Clicking once on this area displays a list of tests the core is working
through
the active test highlighted in the list
clicking again on the green square will
hide the list.
To facilitate navigating around the core running a number of key presses and mouse clicks can switch between different windows they are:
To switch to the Logging Control window - press the insert key pressing insert again when Logging Control is active will hide it. Another way of switching to logging control uses the mouse right click the mouse on the grey tool bar on any of the data graphs.
To switch to a channel’s graphical page press Shift + F1-8 (1 for channel 1). Alternatively right click the mouse anywhere on a channel line:
in Logging Control to switch to a channel’s graphical page.
Taking Control
Logging Control buttons:
Starts logging
on any channel not logging (same as Run All on the sequencer).
Disables all
channels. The disable is instantaneous and does not wait for any tests to finish.
Pressing this
button minimises Logging Control and arranges each channels graphic page so they
are all visible.
Hold Tests
acts as a toggle button
whilst this button is pressed down no techniques will be started
until the button is released.
Event List
The Event List only comes into play when there is a problem on one of the channels such as an instrument communication problem. An example will be created - a sequence of tests was started on channel 1 with the instrument turned off the Logging Control window will display:
Notice the line of text - view event list this signifies the event list contains details that should be looked into. The event list window can be selected by clicking Event List from the Window menu for our example the event list contains:
Locking your Computer
To stop unauthorised access to the core running during testing Windows NT can be locked. To lock Windows NT press CTRL + ALT + DELETE together and select Lock Workstation the core running will carry on logging unaffected.
