RECON help

Introduction.

RECON is a program developed specially for graphical processing of data from REDALS measuring device. It runs on any ordinary personal computer with Microsoft Windows operating system and does not require any other software, but a Web-Browser.

The user can configure the program at any time. He can change the serial port number, number of strain gages based load cells and their ranges, graph size and the user interface language.

The raw measured data can be uploaded directly from the REDALS device via serial port or read from a text file previously saved. The text file is an ASCII file. It may be created as result of other computation or edited manually for the purpose of final graph creation.

Data processing, especially clipping, is intuitive by dragging cursor lines over the graph. It helps to eliminate effects like weight loss of the burning motor when the motor is mounted in other than horizontal position.

The final graph is drawn with scale and grid lines for easy orientation. Initial values suggested by program can be easily changed. The graph picture contains the temperature measured during data recording, total burn time, maximal and average motor thrust, total and after the propellant weight was given also the specific impulse. A text note of any size can be added and saved together with to the graph. The graph can be saved into BMP or GIF formatted files.

Multiple data series can be opened at once and an average graph is calculated out of this data. This is called multigraph. Each data series can be shifted manually on the time axis to match the common start point and its graph can have different color.

Configuration.

After the program is started an empty window with menu on the top is displayed. The first important menu item is Configuration. Click on it and the configuration form shown on the right will appear :

Port number is a number of a serial port in your PC to which the REDALS device is connected. While reading and processing data form locally stored files, this setup is not meaningful.

Loadcells is a list of all load cells used an their maximum allowed force in Newton [N]. For own-build load cells put here the measured value after calibration, for commercial products enter the value from the certificate or from the catalogue. The list is scrollable and editable. At least one value must be present.

Size of graph in pixels is horizontal and vertical size of the raw and final graph. Same setting is used to save the graph as image. Too low values will cause distortion of the graph due to the screen raster. Too large value will cause graphs exceeding the visible window or screen. For standard screen 800x600 pixels the appropriate graph size is 640x480, for higher resolution screen 1024x768 chose graph size of 800x600.

Language is a the user interface language. en - English, cz - Czech. Default on the first start is Czech. See note on the bottom.

Isp is a the choice of specific impulse in [s] - seconds or [Ns/kg] - Newton seconds per kilogram.

Configuration is saved when you click on the OK push button. See note on the bottom.

The background image of main window can be changed by replacing the file bg.jpg located in the same directory as the program. If the file missing, standard Microsoft background is presented.

Note: The actual program configuration is stored as recon.cfg located in the same directory as the program. It must not be edited manually. If the file is missing or corrupted, the program will issue an error message and will not work. In such case restore the original recon.cfg file from the kit and put it on its right place.

Note: All text translations for the different language flavors are stored in recon.lng located in the same directory as the program. It is not intedet to be changed by the user. If the file is missing or corrupted, the program will have only Czech appearance. Experienced user may add new language translations by editing this file. Read instructions in the file header first.

Upload data

By invoking this menu, RECON will read data from the REDALS device. Pre-requisite is an existing connection to the device via serial communication cable. The following information is displayed first:

The actual version of the firmware, size of the EEPROM memory, actual temperature and number of recorded sessions (logs) stored in the device are shown.

In the subsequent step the measured data is uploaded.

Click on the log-number in the list to start the data upload. Uploaded data is then displayed and processed in an new window. The upload can be aborted by clicking on the Cancel push button.

When error occurs, a warning message is displayed and the upload is aborted. Verify carefully the connectors, the cable, the communication port setup and the REDALS device. The orange LED is flushing when the communication is properly working and data is transmitted between REDALS and the PC.

Use data files.

Raw uploaded data or already processed data can be stored in files and analyzed later. Also results of other measurements and calculations can be stored in such files and used for graph generation. The Menu File -> Open allows you to process data in the following stages:

.txt - text files, raw measured data from one recording session (log), ready for adjustment
If such file is opened, the program continues in the same way like the data were uploaded directly from the REDALS device. Do not open other txt files as such with this particular content! The program will not work properly.
.rcn - adjusted data, ready for graph drawing
These files are created by RECON and contain finally adjusted data, comments and parameters for graph drawing. You should backup them in order to protect your own work. By using the same original data and different parameters you can create multiple files and graphs.
.rcs - scripts, for drawing multigraphs
These files contain instructions and parameters to build and draw multigrapgs. They also contain references to the underlying .rcn files.

All data files are ASCII and with the exception of text files have a unique syntax. They are stored in the \data subdirectory.

Adjust data

After the upload of data from one session (log) or after a .txt file was opened, the window below appears, the raw data is displayed. The graph considers all existing data regardless of their length and magnitude.

The program suggests two vertical and one horizontal clipping lines. In the case the motor was not mounted horizontally the bottom clipping line will be sloping. This is due to the weight loss of the burning propellant. Use the mouse to drag the lines and set the graph limits where you want. Use Zoom menu to focus on spots and the arrows on the bottom to scroll the graph. The Smoothing menu item can be used to smooth data in predefined levels. The three fields t1, t2-1 and t2 continuously display the time position of the two clipping lines and their difference in seconds.

The menu item Loadcell is shown only if more then one load cell has been configured. Select the load cell used when this data was recorded.

In order to continue processing with this set-up click on the Confirm menu item. The final graph is then created.

Finalize data

After the uploaded data was adjusted or after a .rcn file was opened, the window below appears, the final graph is displayed.

The violet vertical line is a movable ruler showing the precise trust and time value at the intersection point. Use the mouse to move the ruler. In the menu Tools -> Ruler this feature can turned on or off.

The menu item Loadcell is shown only if more then one load cell has been configured. Select the load cell used when this data was recorded. Selecting another load cell will distort the graph.

With the Back menu item you can step back to data adjustment.

When the graph is created for the first time, the program suggests values for graph range, axis legend and grid size. Change these parameters with the Settings menu item.

It is recommended to round up values for the graph range and to set event-numbered values for the legend and grid units. If you plan to use multigraphs later, use equal setting for all graphs. Otherwise the graphs cannot be compared. The propellant weight is used to calculate the specific impulse. All values can be changed at any later time and a new graph will be redrawn.

You should attach a note to each motor test in order to describe its conditions. Use Comment menu item to enter or modify the text.

At his stage save your work into a file by using the File -> Save menu item. The .rcn extension is added automatically.

Use the File -> Save image menu item to save the actual graph as a picture in BPM or GIF format. The File -> Copy image menu item copies the actual graph picture into the clipboard.

Multigraph

The multigraph window appears in two cases. First when you open a multigraph previously saved in a .rcs file, and second when you open multiple finalized graphs saved in .rcs files at once.

Each particular underlying graph is identified by a number and is drawn in gray color. Click on the number to change the graph color. Use the arrows below the number to shift the graph 0.5 seconds left and right. This allows you to put all graphs at the same starting point.

The resulting calculated average graph is drawn in black and identified as "*". Click on the "*" to change the resulting graph color.

When the graph is created for the first time, the program suggests values for the graph range, axis legend and grid size according the particular .rcn data files. Change these parameters with the Settings menu item.

It is recommended to round up values for the graph range and to set event-numbered values for the legend and grid units. The propellant weight is used to calculate the specific impulse. All values can be changed at any later time and a new graph will be redrawn.

With the Smoothing menu item you can change the graph smoothing of the each individual and the resulting graph. The original push button re-sets the values stored in the particular .rcn data file.

Use the menu item File -> Save to save all your work into a .rcs file. The .rcn extension is added automatically.

Use the File -> Save image menu item to save the actual graph as a picture in BPM or GIF format.

Furthermore, by the File -> Save image menu item is possible to save only a graph. The standard windows dialog 'save file' is opened too. The image can be saved in standard windows format bmp or in compressed gif what is well disk space savings. The File -> Copy image menu item copies the actual graph picture into the clipboard.

Erase data

When you have processed and saved all measuerd data into .rcn files the memory of REDALS device be erased before next measuring. This is done by the Erase data menu item. In order to prevent an accidental loss of data, the confirmation dialog is displayed before the data is finally deleted.

When the action successfully completes, the following window will appear:

With a special procedure it is possible to erase all in the device data without this program and without connection to the PC. Please read the instructions in the the REDALS manual.

REDALS device test

The device test mode allows check of the complete measuring device and calibration of a the load cell. Start it with the Test menu item after you have connected the device to the computer.

In test mode the RECON device measures continuously the actual value and this is displayed in interval of 0.2 seconds (5 measurements per second). When the device works fine, small running graph window is shown with a number on the right. Simulate some force by pressing the load cell carefully with your fingers. You will see change in the running graph and the number on the right will increase.

For precise load cell calibration use reference force steadily acting on the load cell. Example: put the load cell in vertical position and hang up a series of calibrated weights on it up to the maximum load cell range. Observe the change of the measured value. The value increase must be linearly proportional to the weight. In idle state the measured value need not be zero.

Stop the test mode by clicking on the Stop push button. Recorded sessions (logs) are not affected by the test.