FLOWgateTM

Software Manual

Software Manual FLOWgateTM

Revision number: V1.1

Manufacturer:
SICK Engineering GmbH
Bergener Ring 27
D-01458 Ottendorf-Okrilla
Germany
Content
1 Preface ............................................................................................................................................ 4
2 Device Manager.............................................................................................................................. 5
2.1 Device groups ......................................................................................................................... 6
2.1.1 Creating a new device group ......................................................................................... 6
2.1.2 Adding a device to a device group................................................................................. 6
2.2 Registering a new device ....................................................................................................... 7
2.2.1 Direct connection ........................................................................................................... 7
2.2.2 Scan for device ............................................................................................................... 8
2.2.3 Create Offline device .................................................................................................... 10
2.2.4 Import device file .......................................................................................................... 12
3 FLOWgateTM overview ................................................................................................................... 13
3.1 Connecting to a device ......................................................................................................... 13
3.2 Synchronization philosophy ................................................................................................. 14
3.3 Overview page ...................................................................................................................... 15
3.4 Device Information Bar ........................................................................................................ 15
3.4.1 Connection status ........................................................................................................ 16
3.4.2 Meter information......................................................................................................... 16
3.4.3 Meter status.................................................................................................................. 17
3.5 Application settings .............................................................................................................. 17
3.6 Menu navigation ................................................................................................................... 18
4 Device functions ........................................................................................................................... 19
4.1 Session Browser ................................................................................................................... 19
4.1.1 Navigating the Session browser .................................................................................. 19
4.1.2 Importing a session from a file .................................................................................... 19
4.1.3 Exporting a session to a file ......................................................................................... 20
4.1.4 Renaming a session ..................................................................................................... 20
4.1.5 Remove a session ........................................................................................................ 20
4.1.6 Filter sessions by type .................................................................................................. 20
4.2 Data recorder........................................................................................................................ 21
4.2.1 Record measurement values....................................................................................... 21
4.2.2 Playback measurement values from session browser .............................................. 22
4.3 SOS Calculator ...................................................................................................................... 22

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 4.3.1 Starting the SOS Calculator ......................................................................................... 23
4.3.2 Handling gas composition............................................................................................ 23
4.3.3 Calculate theoretical speed of sound ......................................................................... 23
4.3.4 Comparison of theoretical and measured SOS .......................................................... 24
5 Application settings ...................................................................................................................... 25

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1 Preface
The FLOWgateTM software provides a user friendly access to measurement data, configuration
and diagnostic of the flow meter. It is easy to use because of its activity-oriented approach and
supports all typical everyday user activities.

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2 Device Manager
All registered devices are shown in the device list of the device manager.
Once a device is opened, the status of the device is signaled via the tile color and an indicator in
the device tab.
• Green: The device is in status “Operation”.
• Yellow: The device is in status “Warning / Maintenance”.
• Red: The device is in status “Failure”.
• Grey: The device is offline.

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2.1 Device groups
Device groups can be used to organize devices. You can create a device group for every meter
type or organize devices according to customer name or location of the installation, for example.

2.1.1 Creating a new device group

1. Click the "Add group" button on the left-hand side in the "Device Manager".
2. Enter a name for the new device group.

3. Click "Ok".

2.1.2 Adding a device to a device group

1. To add a device to a group, select device group "All devices".
2. Select the device in the device list and add it to the desired device group per drag&drop.

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2.2 Registering a new device
1. Double-click "Add" or click "Add Device".
2. The "Add device wizard" opens.

2.2.1 Direct connection

If you would like to connect to a certain device and know the exact communication parameters,
select this option.
This is the fastest way to connect to a device.
1. Select the interface

2. Configure the connection settings according to the device you would like to connect to.Click
“Connect” to search for the device and connect.

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2.2.2 Scan for device
If you would like to connect to a device and are uncertain about the exact communication
settings, select this option. You have the possibility to scan for devices at more than one COM-
Port or select several baud rates. FLOWgateTM calculates the estimated time for the device scan
depending on your selection.
1. Select the interface; it is possible search at more than one interface at once.

2. Click “Configurefor Scan” to the connection settings for each interface.

3. Click “Start scan” to search for the device.

Infrared Head:
Select the COM port to which the Infrared Head is connected: “USB Serial Port”.
Serial connection:
Configure the scan settings according to the device you would like to connect to.
Example:

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Ethernet:
Enter the IP address of the device you would like to connect to.
Select port and addresses where the device shall be searched.

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2.2.3 Create Offline device
For demonstration purposes, you can create an offline device and access most of the software
features.
To create an offline device, proceed as follows:
1. Click "Create Offline Device".
2. In the drop-down menu select the desired device type.

3. Enter a random serial number.

4. Click "Finish".
5. Enter additional information on the device.

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6. Click "OK".
→ The new device is being created and is highlighted in green in the device manager:

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2.2.4 Import device file
To import an existing device file or session file, click "Import device file" and browse for the file on
your computer.

When a device or session file is imported, a device is created in the device manager.
If the database for device already exists in the device manager, the database can be replaced or
merged with the imported file.

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 3 FLOWgateTM overview

3.1 Connecting to a device

1. Double-click on the device panel.
2. Per default, the connection settings are use from the previous connection to this device.
3. To display the connection settings dialogue each time, open the application settings (see §5
”Application settings”): On the “Misc.” tab set the slide control to “Show dialog to select interface
before connecting to device”.
4. Select the desired user level and enter the password.

5. Click “Login”.

 Please refer to the device-specific manual in order to obtain device default passwords
prior and post commissioning.

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3.2 Synchronization philosophy
Once opening a device, which has already been registered and initialized with its database in
FLOWgateTM, FLOWgateTM recognizes the serial number and identifies differences between the
device and the database.
If a difference has been detected, you have the possibility to update the parameters in the
database and keep the parameter values in the device or vice versa: Per default, all values are
updated in the database.

The direction of synchronization can be edited for every parameter or for all parameters at once:

Direction of synchronization: From device to database

Direction of synchronization: From database to device

• Write all values to database: Edits the direction of synchronization for all parameters, all
values are written from the device to the database.
• Write all values to device: Edits the direction of synchronization for all parameters, all values
are written from the database to the device.
• Enable configuration mode: The configuration mode must be enabled to write values from
the database to the device.

Please be aware, that in order to write to a device, the correct user level has to be used and/or
the parameter locking switch of the device has to be open.

Open parameter locking switch required

Configuration mode required

Minimum user level required

< User level
Please refer to the device-specific manual for user levels and default passwords.

Requirements that have been fulfilled are highlighted in green, requirements that have not been
fulfilled yet are highlighted in red color.

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3.3 Overview page
Menu navigation
Device Information Bar Application settings

Data Recorder

3.4 Device Information Bar

The Device Information Bar is displayed in every view.

Meter information Process values

Connection status Meter status

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3.4.1 Connection status
The connection status symbol shows if the computer is connected to a compatible SICK device.
Connection Status

Connected to the device

Not connected

Connection is broken

▸ To reconnect, click the connection status symbol.

3.4.2 Meter information

These symbols show important meter information and allow quick access to frequently used
funktionalities.
Configuration mode
Symbol active: Configuration mode is active
Symbol not active: Configuration mode is inactive
Position of the parameter locking switch
Parameter locking switch open

Parameter locking switch closed

Power supply

Shows the status of the device power supply

Unit settings

Opens dialog to define the unit systems and specific unit settings for FLOWgateTM.

Register quick access

Opens the Register Quick Access. Type the register number or part of name to identify and
directly search for a register.
Register Quick Access requires a higher user level in order to be accessed.
Maintenance report

Creates a maintenance report.

One-click diagnosis

Creates a diagnostic session

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3.4.3 Meter status
The meter status is signaled via symbols and colors. Click on the symbol for more information on
the meter status:
• Operation: No errors, the meter is working properly.

• Maintenance: Warnings occurred, but the measuring results are still valid.

• Failure: Errors occured, the measuring results are no longer valid.

• Offline: The device is offline; parameter edits can only be saved to the database.

3.5 Application settings

Opens the Application settings dialog to setup FLOWgateTM (see § 5 ”Application settings”).

Opens the About dialog to access manuals and contact details for support.

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3.6 Menu navigation
To expand the menu navigation, move the mouse to the right border of the application window:
→ The menu navigation is expanded automatically.
→ To keep the menu navigation expanded permanently, open the application settings (see
§5 ”Application settings”): On the “Misc.” tab, set the slide control to “Main menu always
completely visible”.

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4 Device functions
Depending on the FLOWSIC device connected, different menus are available. Besides these
device-specific functions some menus are shared along all device types.

1. Session Browser
2. SOS Calculator
3. Data Recorder

4.1 Session Browser

A "session" includes controlling, monitoring, data collecting and configuration activities of a
FLOWSIC device with the help of the FLOWgateTM software. All major operations in the program
during a session are automatically logged by the software and are available for later offline
reading and analysis.
If you start a new session, a new session will be generated in the Session Browser. All operations
performed on a device with the help of FLOWgateTM during a session are stored as a new session
entry until disconnection from the device or a closing the application. Switching between Online
and Offline mode is also registered by a new session and hence creates a new session in the list.

4.1.1 Navigating the Session browser

The Session browser can be opened from the device navigation menu by selecting "Session
Browser". Once opened, the list of sessions available for the connected device is displayed on the
left-hand side.
Once a session is selected by clicking on it, details of the selected session are displayed in the list
on the right-hand/center side of the screen. Depending on the of session entry type several
actions are available like playback of data records or creating reports from parameter sets.

4.1.2 Importing a session from a file

In order to import a FLOWgateTM session please follow these steps:
1. Click “Import” on the Session toolbar
2. In the “Import Session” dialog click the Folder icon to select a session file from the filesystem.
3. Click “Ok” to start the import process.
4. In case the session file contains unit system details, a dialog “Replace UnitSettings?”
appears.
- Select, whether the current unit system settings in FLOWgateTM shall be used or if the unit
settings in the imported file shall be used for the current device.
- Confirm import using “Ok” button. Clicking “Cancel” will stop the entire import process.
5. The import process continues and sessions found in the imported file are added to the list of
sessions with all their respective entries.

 The file extension for a session file is .sfgsession.

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4.1.3 Exporting a session to a file
To export a complete session:
1. Click the "Export" button in the Sessions toolbar.
2. Select the file to store the exported session file to.
3. Select, if the session file shall contain unit display settings, data records and reports.
Unselecting these features can reduce the file size of the session export file.

 The selected session is highlighted. Exporting the current active session stops the session
and starts a new one.

4.1.4 Renaming a session

By default, sessions are named using the timestamp a session has been started. In order to
improve readability of the session list and simplify the search for a particular session, session
entries can be renamed.
1. Select the session in the "Sessions" list.
2. In the Sessions toolbar click "Rename".
3. In the following dialog enter the new name of the session.
4. Confirm with "Ok".

4.1.5 Remove a session

If a session is not required anymore it can be removed using the “Delete” Button.
1. Select a session in the “Sessions” list
1. Click “Remove”
2. Confirm the removal of the session entry.

 It is useful to export a session prior to the removal of the session entry. Please revisit
section “Fehler! Verweisquelle konnte nicht gefunden werden.”.

4.1.6 Filter sessions by type

In order to find a particular session entry like e.g. a recording it is useful to filter down the list of
sessions in order to only display a sessions with a desired entry type.
This feature is provided by the "Session Entries Filter".
By clicking on a particular session entry type, the list of sessions is filtered depending whether a
particular entry type is turned on or off in the "Session Entries Filter".

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4.2 Data recorder
The data recorder provides the functionality to record a sequence of measurement values from a
device over a period of time and playback the recorded values later on within the same
FLOWgateTM installation or even on another computer.
The data recorder is available within the device window located in the lower right end of the
screen. The data recorder panel behaves similar to the Device Navigation toolbar and expands
once the mouse cursor hovers over the triangle area of the recorder.

Move the mouse on the symbol to expand the data recorder.

The data recorder integrates in multiple ways into FLOWgateTM.

• Recording of measurement values from within all screens.
• Automated recording of measurement values during calibration mode (some devices).
• Recording of signal values from within the signal view screen.
• Playback of measurement values from Session Browser
• Playback of signal values from Session Browser

4.2.1 Record measurement values

The recording of measurement values can be initiated from all screens within the device view. In
order to initiate a recording follow these steps.
1. Hover using the mouse cursor over the data recorder area to display the entire panel.
2. Review or select a different interval of recording using the slider.
The recording interval can also be modified during an active recording.

3. Click the Record button to start the recording. The grey circle symbol of the data recorder
starts to blur in red color to indicate an active recording.
4. The number of recorded measurement value sets and the duration of recording can always be
viewed in the data recorder panel.

5. In order to stop the recording, click the Stop button .

6. A dialog to finalize the recording is display
- Enter a record description to easy identification.

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 - "Continue recording" will disregard the record description and will continue the recording
of measurement values
- "Stop and Discard Record" will stop the data recorder without storing the measurement
values within the active session.
- "Stop and Save Record" will finalize the recording by storing the measurement values in
the active session with the record description as the name. Once clicked, the recording is
available in the Session Browser for playback and export.

4.2.2 Playback measurement values from session browser

Once a recording has been executed and finalized, the recording can be played back using the
measurement data and timestamp data of the device later on. In order to playback a recording
follow these steps:
1. Navigate to the Session Browser and select the session containing the desired recording.
2. The session entry of type "Record" contains multiple actions. Click "Play" to playback the
recording.
3. The data recorder panel displays a "Pause" symbol indicating the playback state of the
currently connected device.
4. The playback can be controlled using the "Playback" panel of the data recorder. Options to
control are:
- Pause playback.
- Move stepwise forward and reverse.
- Increase and decrease playback speed.
- Finish the playback.

4.3 SOS Calculator

The SOS Calculator provides a mean to calculate the theoretical speed of sound based on
information like:
• Gas composition
• Application pressure
• Application temperature

A list of predefined standard gas compositions are available for quick access. Furthermore, it is
possible to define a custom application gas composition for calculation

Furthermore, it is possible to compare the theoretically calculated speed of sound with the
current measurement values both in tabular and graphical way.

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4.3.1 Starting the SOS Calculator
Once connected to a device either online or offline, the SOS Calculator can be found in the
navigation menu underneath the entry “Diagnosis” or “Service”
1. In the Device Manager connect to a device either online or offline.
2. In the Navigation menu select either “Diagnosis” or “Service” (availability of menu items
depend on the current user level).
3. Click the tile “SOS Calculator”.
4. The SOS Calculator starts up with an empty configuration.

4.3.2 Handling gas composition

In order to calculate the speed of sound it is require to define the gas composition of the
application gas. A set of standard gas compositions is available for quick load. It is also possible
to define a custom composition based on the substances available in the list displayed.

To load a standard gas composition follow these steps:

1. In the panel “Gas Composition” please select a composition in the dropdown box “Quickload
Samples:”
2. Click the button “Apply”.
3. The list of substances gets filled with the gas composition selected.
4. In order to modify or define a custom gas composition please modify the substance fraction in
percent in the column “Fraction [%]“
5. To successfully apply the gas composition to the speed of sound calculation, the fraction sum
on the lower end of the list of substances must be between 95% and 105%.

 After a gas composition has been entered, it is possible to save the fraction values
together with the temperature and pressure values as a file with the extension “.cmp”.
Please use the “Load”, “Save” and “Clear” buttons for this purpose.

4.3.3 Calculate theoretical speed of sound

After defining the application gas composition it is possible to calculate the speed of sound.
Further parameters the speed of sound depends on are gas temperature and pressure.
1. In the mid-part panel “Process Conditions” define the temperature using the “Temperature”
control. Options are:
- Retrieve the temperature from a temperature sensor (slider turned to left). Based on the
availability of different sensors please select the correct temperature sensor to retrieve
the measurement values from.
2. The same approach applies for the pressure sensor.
3. Start the speed of sound calculation by clicking the button “Calculate SOS”.
4. The theoretical speed of sound can be read in the lower-mid panel “Results” along with the
values of compressibility and speed of sound deviation measured by the device.

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4.3.4 Comparison of theoretical and measured SOS
Once the theoretical speed of sound is calculated, the resulting value can be used for comparison
with the current measurement values for each available path of the connected meter. The
number and names of the paths along available in the meter with their respective speed of sound
values are identified automatically. The deviation for each path from the calculated theoretical
speed of sound can be read from the table on the right-hand side panel “Deviation Per Path”.

 In Offline mode the measured speed of sound cannot be identified and hence the
deviation is not calculated.

It is also possible to observe the measured and calculated speed of sound historically.
1. After calculating the theoretical speed of sound, bring up the trend chart by clicking the
triangle of the panel “TREND CHART” on the bottom side of the screen.
2. The theoretical speed of sound is visualized as a horizontal red line.
3. The measured speed of sound for each path is plotted along the timeline in different colors.

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5 Application settings

Click the symbol to open the "Application Settings".

Within the application setting dialog it is possible to modify the global behaviour of FLOWgateTM
irrespective of the device-specific settings.

• Language:
Select the FLOWgateTM user interface language.
• Import/Export:
Define the export CSV Value separator.
• Data cache: Define the cache size by selecting a recording time from the drop-down list or
deactivate the cache. The cache will overwrite automatically the oldest data records when the
cache has been filled up to the configured size (time).
• Paths: Select the default folders for device or session imports/exports.
• Misc.
o To keep the menu navigation expanded permanently, set the slide control to “Main
menu always completely visible”. Per default, the slide control is set to “Main menu
slides in and out”
o To display the connection settings dialogue each time when connecting to a device,
set the slide control to “Show dialog to select interface before connecting to device”.
Per default, the connection settings are use from the previous connection to this
device.

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