TorqueMate Plus ® Operation Manual Version 1.2 Mountz Incorporated 1080 N. 11th Street San Jose, CA 95112 Customer Service: 800-456-1828 Fax: 408-292-2733 www.etorque.com mountzsales@mountztorque.com Copyright © 2001 Mountz Incorporated All rights reserved.
Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Parts Check List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7 Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Before You Begin . . .
Table of Contents (cont.) Charging The Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Application Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24-26 Impulse and Power Tool Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Breakaway Torque Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Calibrating Torque Wrenches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction The TorqueMate® Plus can be used for many torque applications in virtually any Engineering department or environment. Here are a few common applications for the TorqueMate® Plus and an appropriate torque sensor (transducer). EXAMPLES OF USAGE: • Pulse Tool Applications - Power Tool Use: Pulse tools and Power tools that operate at high RPMs generate a significant amount of vibration and bounce, which makes accuracy testing of torque output difficult.
Parts Check List Check to make sure that you have all of the following accessories. Retain the packing materials in case you need to send the unit in for service or to be calibrated with a transducer using Dead Weights.
Features Top View X Ducer RS232 Charge Five Modes of Operation for Production, Quality Control, Calibration Laboratory and Joint Analysis On/Off Small window can display angle, second peak torque reading or data number depending upon mode Five different engineering units of torque measure Large window displays torque reading “Units” change key “Go” “No Go” LED’s For “Set-Up” press “Tolerance” and “Mode” keys simultaneously “Tolerance” change key “Mode” change key Sealed membrane keypad for any e
Features (cont.) Output: RS-232C port for data transfer to printer, data logger or computer. Engineering Units: 5 different units of torque measure are available. lbf.ft., lbf.in., ozf.in., N.m., Kgf.m (Other measurement units available as special order) Battery Operated: NiMH batteries provide long life, without “memory”. Up to 8 hours of operation per charge. Low battery indicator turns on when battery is low. Automatically shuts down when battery is critically low.
Before You Begin ! I M P O R TA N T Transducer Number You must have a calibrated transducer with a transducer number assigned to it. Always make sure the TorqueMate® Plus is set to the transducer number that you have attached. Every time you turn on the TorqueMate® Plus the current transducer number and its associated range will be displayed (depicted by “c-XX” where XX is the transducer number). Press Enter to confirm that the proper transducer is attached.
Operation The TorqueMate® Plus is an accurate, user friendly torque display that allows a user to quickly change functions and features without getting “lost” in a menu structure. Any change made after pressing the enter key returns you directly to the operation mode. CHANGING MODES AND UNITS With the Scroll and Enter Keys - The most used functions are changed by simply pressing the key labeled with the feature you want to modify. Change the value easily with the Scroll Up.
Operation (cont.) PAUSE (PAUS) MODE The TorqueMate® Plus automatically conserves battery power after 5 minutes without use. The display will show “PAUS”. Pressing the Enter key returns the TorqueMate® Plus to the operation mode. UNIT OF MEASURE (Engineering Units) To change the unit of measurement: 1. Press the Unit (2) key on the front panel. 2. Press the Scroll Up (3) key until the arrow on the right side of the display points to the desired units. 3.
Operation (cont.) MODE OF OPERATION To change the mode of operation: 1. Press the Mode key. 2. Press the Scroll Up key until the mode arrow points to the desired mode of operation: a) Track Mode: The display “tracks” the applied torque in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. There is a real time torque feature that is available only in Track mode. This feature outputs readings to the RS232 port at a rate of 4 times per second. To enable this feature, press Tolerance and Scroll Right Simultaneously.
Operation (cont.) SETTING GO AND NO/GO TOLERANCE (High/Low) LIMITS In the Peak, Power Tool or First Peak mode: 1. Press the Tolerance key (the arrow icon will point to Low Tolerance). 2. Change the value of the flashing digit by pressing the Scroll Up key (and the decimal will be fixed). 3. Scroll to the next digit by pressing the Scroll Right key. 4. Press Enter to save the low limit and display the High Tolerance limit. 5. Repeat to set the High limit. Press Enter when finished.
Operation (cont.) To check the joint rate: Check the rate of a joint (soft, medium or hard) by tightening the fastener to the specified torque and measuring the rotation angle of the fastener from 50% to 100% of the torque applied. • Set the threshold to 50% of expected torque. • Set the low angle tolerance to zero. • Set the high angle tolerance to a high value (over 900°). Testing of the Joint Rate: Determine if the application joint is a hard, medium or soft joint.
Set-Up Mode Enter the Set-Up mode by pressing the Tolerance and Mode key simultaneously (the Set-Up icon will turn on). Scroll through the various Set-Up functions by pressing the Scroll Up key. When you get to the option you want to change press the Enter key. Upon changing any option, you will be returned to the operation mode. The following seven paragraphs (DISP, DOWNLOAD, CLR, MANUAL/AUTO CLEAR, TRANSDUCER CODE, CAL, FIL) is the sequence of functions in the Set-Up menu: 1.
Set-Up Mode (cont.) 4. MANUAL CLEAR/AUTO CLEAR (Selects The Reset (Clear) Mode For The Display) a. Press Enter to select this option. b. Press the Scroll Up key to toggle between Manual Clear ON or Auto Clear ON. If the mode is set to Peak or First Peak mode the operation, for Auto Clear, is as follows: If you turn ON Auto Clear Mode, the display will indicate On x, where x can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or A. A numeric display indicates the time to clear after a peak is reached.
Set-Up Mode (cont.) 6. c-XX (“c” stands for Code Number) (Selects The Attached Transducer Number) The transducer number, full scale range and the units icon will show in the window. If the Window shows a range of “3333” (indicates an open cell which can be programmed to the transducer) the associated transducer number has never been calibrated. a. Press Enter to select this option. b. Press Scroll-Up to select available transducer numbers (1-15). c.
Set-Up Mode (Fast Cal) Quickly Entering Calibration Data For A Transducer (Fast Cal) To quickly enter calibration data for a transducer you must know the mv/v signal output at full scale and the range of the transducer (both should be marked on the transducer). If the transducer is not marked with this information then contact manufacturer of the transducer to obtain it. If the transducer is a Brush-Less transducer it is marked as 5 V output rather than a mV/V output.
Transducers ! I M P O R TA N T The TorqueMate® Plus can be used with 1 to 4 mv/v transducers. Simply assign a code number to the transducer (1-15) and calibrate it with dead weights (True Cal), or enter the known mv/v at full scale and the range (Fast Cal). The TorqueMate® Plus will store the calibration data in memory for that transducer under the code number you assigned.
Transducers (cont.) ! I M P O R TA N T The TorqueMate® Plus and transducers are instruments that should be handled with care. Never overload transducers above full capacity. Avoid using impact tools on transducers*. Before use, load the transducer to full scale in the direction to be used, then zero the display to compensate for any zero offset. Zero offset is a normal characteristic of transducers. The TorqueMate® Plus will accept transducers with up to 2% zero offset.
Transducer Calibration • Always calibrate the TorqueMate® Plus with the unit plugged into the AC power adapter and make sure the batteries are fully charged. • Calibration data for up to 15 transducers can be memorized by the TorqueMate® Plus. There are two options available for calibrating a transducer: 1. FAST - Fast Cal means that you do not use dead weights for calibration.
Transducer Calibration (cont.) The display will now show the mv/v signal of the transducer at full range. The default is 2.000 and the mV/V range can be anywhere between 1.000 and 4.000 mV/V. Enter the actual value by pressing the Scroll up key to change the value of the blinking digit. Press the Scroll Right key to select a different digit. When the value is correct, press the Enter key. Brushless Transducer: The first digit may also be changed to 5 and 5.000 is the only permitted value.
Transducer Calibration (cont.) Press the Enter key to display the readings for “- P1”. The display will now show what the TorqueMate® Plus “thinks” is point one in the CCW direction. Use the Scroll Up (increase) and Scroll Right (Decrease) keys to make the TorqueMate® Plus read the torque applied with the weights. Press the Enter key when the value is correct. Make sure the weights are not swinging, otherwise you will have unstable readings.
Charging the Batteries Always leave the TorqueMate® Plus turned on when charging the batteries. This allows the microprocessor to monitor the charging cycle. The TorqueMate® Plus can be used while charging without affecting torque accuracy. The unit will go into battery saving pause (PAUS) mode after 5 minutes without use, but the batteries will still be charging. • The microprocessor monitors the charging process of the batteries.
Application Notes IMPULSE AND POWER TOOL TESTING ! I M P O R TA N T Always use a quality joint rate simulator (run down adapter) when testing power tools in a simulated application. Do not use the peak mode. The power tool mode is designed to meet the demanding frequency requirements for testing dynamic torque applications. Impulse tools have become prevalent throughout industry. The advantages of ergonomics and functionality of impulse tools are well known.
Application Notes (cont.) You can test pulse and power tools in different ways: 1. Preferred Method (and quickest): Use the TorqueMate® Plus in Power Tool Mode with a rotary transducer between the pulse tool and the actual application. This is the best way to test since you are using the actual joint as the test station. What the TorqueMate® Plus reads is what the fastener “sees”. Caution: Variances in tool performance may occur do to the addition of the rotary transducer. 2.
Application Notes (cont.) CALIBRATING TORQUE WRENCHES To calibrate torque wrenches, use the TorqueMate® Plus with a bench mounted transducer or mount a TWX or SMX transducer in a fixture. Mount the transducer directly to a bench and apply the torque directly to the wrench by hand, or attach the transducer to a Mountz mechanical loader and isolate the wrench from the operator, reducing the possibility of operator errors (highly recommended).
Filters The process of converting pulse type dynamic mechanical torque to an electronic signal using a transducer may result in unwanted inputs (noise), resulting in a distorted torque value (usually high). Often it is possible through the use of appropriate circuitry to selectively filter out some or all of the unwanted noise.
Accessories The versatile TorqueMate® Plus can adapt to an assortment of transducers for testing and calibrating different applications. Model / Style Model Ranges Application Areas BMX Reaction Style 2 ozf.in - 5000 lbf.ft Calibrating hand tools & power tools (requires RDA) RTSX Rotary Transducer TWX Wrench Transducer 1 lbf.in - 1500 lbf.ft For power tools & rotational measurement applications 12 lbf.in - 500 lbf.ft Installation & test of fasteners SMX Socket Transducer 2.5 lbf.in - 500 lbf.
Accessories (cont.) Battery Pack NiMH 8.4 V 1.
Specifications Input Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 to 4 mV/V Full Scale and 5 VDC Full Scale for Brushless Rotary (BLRTSX Type) Bridge Excitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Volts Software Selectable Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3600Hz, 1500Hz, 500Hz (Other Filter Values Programmed Upon Request) Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
