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RheoWin® Softwarefor HAAKE Viscometers and Rheometers

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RheoWin®

Windows Software

RheoWin is a 32 bit applica-tion designed for Windows‘95/’98/ME or WindowsNT/2000/XP. It supports theWindows ‘95/’98 features suchas drag and drop and rightmouse clicking. It is a softwaredesigned for powerful operatingsystems because of its 32 bitarchitecture.

Easy to learn

RheoWin follows the style andconvention of Microsoft Officewhich makes the ThermoHaake software look familiaron its first usage. The toolbarand the arrangement of themenu items have the meaningand usage according to theMicrosoft convention realizedin the Microsoft Officesoftware package.

Networking

Network compatibility is anecessity when many differentdepartments in an organizationshare data using a managementinformation system (MIS) or alaboratory data system (LIMS).RheoWin can be easily inte-grated into existing networksto make rheological dataquickly accessible by differentusers.

Multitasking

RheoWin controls a rheometerand simultaneously evaluatesdata using different softwareapplications or send data tooutput devices like printers orplotters. RheoWin can also runseveral viscometers and rheo-meters at the same time withdifferent test procedures fromone computer. The limitationsare only dictated by the PChardware (number of COMports, processor speed,memory).

Hardware

The requirements for RheoWinare simply to have the operatingsystem Windows NT/2000/XPor Windows ‘95/’98/ME in-stalled.To run the rheometer one freeCOM port is required.Multitasking of several instru-ments requires the appropriatenumber of ports to connectall devices.

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Rheometers and Viscometers

Rheometer andViscometer

RheoWin is a modular soft-ware which can be upgradedwhenever new rheometer hard-ware is available. It uses the“software driver” concept wereindividual device drivers con-tain the code and characteristicvalues to adapt new instru-ments. Drivers are available forall Thermo Haake rheometersRS and RT as well as for theViscotester 550. RheoWineven supports no longer manu-factured instruments likeRS100, RS50, RT10 orVT500.

Temperature controller

The “software driver” conceptis advantageous for the vastvariety of temperature controlunits available from ThermoHaake. All traditional circula-tors as well as modern Peltieror electrical heated systemsare supported. If a new devicebecomes available after thesoftware has been installed itrequires only a new driver toconnect it. This makes thesoftware adaptable for thefuture.

External devices

Rheometry is no longer carriedout with one test parameteralone. Modern techniquesresearch rheology under theinfluence of other parameters.RheoWin can control and readexternal devices to run a com-bined test and present the data.

External devices include UVlight sources (UV curing),voltage supply units (Electrorheology), balances to monitorthe mass flow of powder relaysto switch pumps (pressuresystem).

Remote diagnostics

If problems arise during meas-urements money is wasted for aservice engineer or the responseof a hot line. On-line connec-tion by modem can guide theoperator to set up new testprocedures, new measuringsystems or to diagnose testproblems by telephone.

Thermo Haake application andservice engineers can be con-tacted for help by E-mail dayand night.

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RheoWin® features

Visual help

Experienced computer usersknow that help files can be ajungle when it comes to find-ing helpful advice. RheoWinprovides case sensitive help bythe click of the right mouse as

video clip or text explanation.Related explanations torheology or how to manual isavailable on separate applica-tion reports.

User level

Different users have differentneeds and expectations whenusing a software. R&D applica-tions need the full power ofa software package but QCenvironments require thatonly predefined and passwordprotected procedures are ac-cessible. RheoWin allowsto select user levels suchas R&D, development, QC,service and demo mode.

GLP and ISO 9000

Accepted regulations like GLPand ISO 9000 require definedmethods in QC and prove howthe data has been created.Traceability of test results andcalibration of an instrumentcan be achieved under pass-word protection and recordedin a logbook.

Every step during a measure-ment carried out by registeredusers can be monitored, playedback and filed .

Multilingual

RheoWin is one of the fewWindows software packageswhere one can measurerheological properties in onedialog language and send testresults to other countries intheir language just at the clickof a button without installinga different version. RheoWinsupports the languages German,English, French, Spanish, Japa-nese and is equipped to includemore.

RheoWizard®

For most laboratories rheo-metry is just one of many teststo be performed. To make evenoccasional sessions a completesuccess, RheoWizard helps toset up new test procedures andmakes suggestions for best datapresentation and analysis. It willwarn the user if the instrumentis forced to run measurementsat its limits where errors areusually higher than expected.

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Installation

The installation of RheoWinfollows the Windows procedures.The software is automaticallyregistered by the operatingsystem and can be completelyremoved with Windowsuninstall if desired.All RheoWin drivers and sup-port programs are found in theRheoWin directory and notspread out in different folders.Removing the program folderputs the computer in the samestate as before (except registry,font).

RheoWin® features

Drag and drop

Drag and drop with the leftmouse and the options listwith the right mouse buttonspeed up the operation ofRheoWin. There is no search-ing in hidden windows for re-quired items; just click theitem at the toolbar, drag anicon where you need it or usethe right click to have a quickoverview of the options andproperties of an item.

Composing new tests

RheoWin can run predefinedprocedures from the desktopor within the software. Newtests can be easily added by theoperator based on given tem-plates and jobs. A templateholds all functions and routinesbut no parameter settings. Tomake a job out of a templatethe test parameter (shear rate,test time...) have to be filled inand the result can be stored asa JOB. Likewise a proven JOBcan be saved as a new templatewith ”Save As”.

Messages

Operators using the rheometeronly occasionally may needmore explanations during a testrun or should be reminded onspecial actions to be performedmanually. RheoWin executesuser defined messages as textor sound at relevant stages andwaits for a confirmation.

be changed (curing test), theparameter settings of the fol-lowing test element can bemodified. All items of a proce-dure which have not been runor started can be altered.

Edit a running test

When a measurement is inprogress the behavior of the flu-

ids reaction can be immediatelyobserved. If the material’s re-sponse shows unexpected resultsor the timing of a test needs to

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Performance

The software performs its taskwith is three built-in managers:“Device Manager” - “Job Man-ager” - “Data Manager”

Device Manager

The Device Manager organizesall devices connected to thecomputer and used byRheoWin. This part is usedprimarily during the initialsetup or occasional modifica-tions to tailor a special task.Thermo Haake rheometers andviscometers can be installedunder alias names and optionsactivated or locked. Differentsetups can be stored with aliasnames to give easy access to thedevices. The same is true forall Thermocontrollers andmeasuring systems. The dataentered is then available to runa test with the Job Manager.

Job Manager

The Job Manager allows thecomposition of new tests orruns predefined procedures.Its graphical editor makes iteasy to set up a new experimentbased on individual elementswhich are loaded with “drag& drop”.

A test usually starts withthe preparation based on“General elements” such asthe relevant identification ofa sample, instructions for theuser, notes from observationsbefore starting the test, special

graphical views and of courseloading sample. Then the testmethods are selected from the“Measurement elements” paneland the required parametersentered. Combinations of dif-ferent tests can be selectedsequentially with pauses or spe-cific data evaluations in be-tween. On-line data evalua-tion with complete procedures(Yield point determination, re-gression analysis, Thixotropycalculation, data interpolation,In/out of specs determinationwith a reference curve, creepanalysis and manual graphicalrepresentation) gives meaning-ful data by the press of a but-ton. The comfortable dataoutput functions (Save data,Print data and Print reports)makes it easy for occasional us-ers to create good data and is atime saver for routine testing.

Data Manager

To complete data evaluationprocedures from the Job man-ager, the Data manger can han-dle individual tests or datapoints. The test result is dis-played as a data table like aspread sheet based on templatesor set according to your specialliking. Data points / rowes canbe altered, erased or added.The complete or marked partsof the spread sheet can be ex-ported to Excel or other pro-grams with “cut & paste”. Thegraph is plotted based ondefault settings, selected tem-plates or individual preferences.Text can be added to explainresults or analysis and posi-tioned at meaningful places.Finished graphs can be saved asa template for future evalua-tions, as graph Meta file or out-put to a printer. To character-ize a measurement the data canbe analyzed with regressions,Thixotropy calculation, Creep

analysis or yield stress determi-nation. If data is not availableat specific set points, the datainterpolation gives the missingvalues. Data overlay is used tocompare results from differentsamples to check quality or de-viations from a master product.If the actual worksheet hasbeen arranged successfully, thecomplete workspace can besaved as page and re-loaded atany time to continue dataevaluation.

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Thermo Haake RheoWin®

RheoWin Pro

RheoWin QC

RheoWin OS

PolySoft

RheoSoft

RheoWin can include othersoftware packages which maybe needed during a rheologicalsession such as the ThermoHaake PolySoft, Microsoft

Plug-in Programs

WLF equation. These resultscan be used to predict the ma-terial behavior at temperatureswhich could not be applied tosave time and manpower.

Spectra calculationThe spectra delivers the com-plete material informationwhich is the basis for manyother calculations and predic-tions. This allows to measure amaterial with the most suitablemethod and calculate otherrequired data by the click of abutton. A special graphicalrepresentation H (Lambda)*Lambda vs. Lambda gives thefirst information of the qualita-tive Molecular Weight Distri-bution of the polymer tested.

MWD calculationresults in the quantitative Mo-lecular Weight Distributionbased on the DOI Edwardstheory for linear polymers. Thebenefit of this method is that itcan use existing material datafrom the polymer in the stateof the melt thus avoiding extratesting time with the traditionalsolvent based methods andtheir specific error sources.

Data handlingRheoSoft can load data fromThermo Haake rheometers(DOS, RheoWin) and importsASCII data from other sources.This complete software packagecan be started directly out ofRheoWin.

RheoSoft

RheoSoft is a dedicated soft-ware to completely evaluatedata from polymers and relatedmaterials. It contains four spe-cial kernels embedded in amathematically oriented 32 bitWindows software:

Time temperaturesuperpositionTTS is an accepted procedureto extend the often limitedmeasuring window of a rheo-meter. The software can auto-matically shift time, frequencyand temperature based data inhorizontal (time) and vertical(density) direction. The soft-ware outputs the shift factorsaT, bT, the Arrhenius activa-tion energy and the materialconstants c1 and c2 from the

calculator or a text editor. Theprogram name and the filelocation entered in RheoWinallows the start a new software.

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Gebr. HAAKE GmbHDieselstr. 4 . D-76227 KarlsruheGermanyTel. +49(0)721 40 94-0Fax +49(0)721 40 94 300Hotline +49(0)18 05 04 22 53info@thermohaake.comwww.thermohaake.com

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Thermo Haake Inc.53 W. Century RoadParamus, NJ 07652, USATel. 201 265 7865Fax 201 265 1977infousa@thermohaake.comwww.thermohaake.com

RHEO S.A.99 route de VersaillesF-91160 Champlan, FranceTel. +33(0)1 64 54 01 01Fax +33(0)1 64 54 01 87info@thermorheo.comwww.thermorheo.com

Rheology PolymerTechnologyTemperatureControl ThermalAnalysis

RheoStress, RheoWin, RheoWizard, Viscotester are registered trademarks of Gebrüder HAAKE GmbH. Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Windows ’9s5/98, Windows NT, Excelare registered trademarks of Microsoft. The product information in this document was correct at the time of printing, however specifications are subject toalteration without notice due to the Thermo Haake philosophy of continual product innovation and development and any information contained herein shouldnot be construed as a contractual commitment by Thermo Haake. All orders are accepted subject to our current Conditions of Sale, copies of which are availableon request. © Thermo Haake / July 2001 623-1029