KilnView -

Data Logging & View Historical Data Log Files

Menu Systems

Although related, Configuration, Starting & Stopping Data Logging and Viewing of Data Log Historical Files have separate menu systems.

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Menu for Configuring, Starting & Stopping Data Logging

Controller Labels/Activation: Menu under the "Setup menu allows the user the enable/disable any controller attached to the PC.  This can be done in any order (Controller addresses do not have to be in sequence for the system to work properly)

Data Logging: Configuring the Data Logging dialog window can save data from any controller. The data save dialog window will only allow the user to save controllers that are activated in the system (turned on).

Loop Tuning: The loop-tuning window provides the user with an interface to access controller auto-tune as well as manual tune parameters.  Tuning is available for FDC-300 single setpoint controllers only.  Control tuning for the digital Kiln systems is accomplished via the color touch screen supplied with each FDC Kiln system.

Alarm Setpoint: The alarm setpoint dialog allows a user to read or write alarm setpoint data to 300 series single loop controllers only.  Kiln controller alarms are adjusted via the color touch interface supplied with the kiln control system

This section details Data Logging - information on the other menu items may be found at: KilnView Setup.htm

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Menu for Viewing Historical Data Log Files

The View menu allows the user to display several windows for data monitoring.
Options are:

Kiln Detail View:       Displays Kiln faceplate with all Kiln data.
Digital Values:           Displays digital values for all kiln controls connected.
Alarm Log:                Displays system alarm log.
Control Trends:         Menu to select up to 8 configurable trend windows.
Bar Graphs:               Bargraph views for backup controllers.
Data File Viewer:       Displays historical data file viewer.

Audit Trail Viewer:  Displays audit trail viewer.

This section details Data File Viewer - information on the other menu items may be found at: KilnView Kiln Views.htm:

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Data Logging - Configure & Start/Stop Data Logging

Configuring the data logging dialog window can save data from the FDC-2010-K5C Kiln Control as well as any Series 300 controller. The data save dialog window will only allow the user to save controllers that are activated in the system (turned on).

Selecting Data Logging will display the following dialog window:

Click on the checkbox next to a tagname to enable data save for that tagname. Enter a time for the data save interval.  You can save all points selected at a rate adjustable from 1 second to once every 12 hrs.  After the data file is started, data save points are locked and cannot be changed until data logging is stopped. This protects the file from additional data that might be added in the middle of a product run.

The "Generate log file using date-time:" checkbox allows the system to assign a data filename automatically using date and time stamps for the filename.  When this checkbox is enabled a new data file will be started at 12:00 midnight daily.

The "Initiate logging at startup:" checkbox allows the system start data logging (with date-time filename) when KilnView is first started.  The data file could have zeros for control values for the first few lines of the data file when this option is selected.  KilnView will scan controllers based on the scan rate entered in the "Configure Controls-Labels setup" section.  Process value and setpoint for each controller is zero until the scanner gets the actual value from each controller.  This will be evident in the data file since the value field will be empty.  This does not affect the integrity of the  data file, it just means there was not available data yet to stamp the file.

The "Batch and Lot#"  field data (if entered) will be written to the first section of data file.  The data file viewer has a "Search Batch#" function to allow the user to look for data that matches a specific batch number.

The "Current Filename Active" label will display the filename of the currently running data file. 
This label will be empty if no data file is active.

The "Select All" button allows the user to select all channels for data logging.

The "Deselect All" button allows the user to disable all channels for data logging.

The "Start Log" button will start the data logging process.  If the "Generate log file using date-time:"
checkbox is enabled, data logging will start using date and time as the file name.  Otherwise, a dialog
box will be shown to allow the user to name the data log file.

The "Stop Log" button will stop the data logging process.

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Historical Data Viewing

Data Viewer: The historical data viewer provides the ability to view KilnView data files without leaving the application.  The data viewer is a spreadsheet type window that displays saved data in cells.  These cells can be selected for printing or plotting without additional setup.

Selecting Data Viewer from the views menu displays the following window.

The center of the data viewer is a spreadsheet that displays date, time and controller data.  The header for each controller saved in a data file will be shown at the top of each column.  You can select (drag) any group of cells for printing or plotting by dragging across the data in the spreadsheet.

Select cells as you would in a normal spreadsheet.   Clicking on the column header selects the whole column,  dragging across cells selects only the cells that the mouse was dragged across.  You can select multiple columns by clicking on a column header and dragging to the right or left across other column headers. Discontinuous data can be selected by using the "Ctrl" key while selecting data. You must select at least 4 cells per column before a plot can be generated.

The Electronic signatures grid is below the data grid and is used to electronically sign data files.  Electronic signatures eliminate the need for paper signatures. Files can only be signed by users with the proper login and user access. The KilnView  software can validate any electronic signature and verify if the original data file  (when signed) has been altered in any way.

Electronic signatures can only be assigned to files under the following:

a.) Security is enabled under the Users-Configure Users menu item.

b.) If security is active, authentic security access and login is required to electronically sign or verify a signature on a file


Data Viewer Toolbar:

Open File:  This button displays a standard open dialog box.  The default data path will be the "Log Files" directory.  Select a log file to open.  Data files that are active (being written to by the logger) can be opened by the data viewer.  Data files consist of 2 file types. The .mlg file is the data portion of the file and the .sif file is the signature portion of the file.  Both files are encrypted and tamperproof.  If these files are edited, they will be damaged and unreadable by KilnView.  Data files can be moved to other directories but both .mlg and .sif files must exist in the same directory or an error will occur when trying to read the data file.

Plot Data - see next section below:  This button creates a history plot from cells selected in the data viewer.

Sign File:  This button requires that the user authenticate himself (herself) before signing the file.  The signer will be prompted to entered a user comment for the signature (pass-fail etc..) after login.  The new signature information will be displayed in the signature grid.

Verify Signature:  This button requires that the user authenticate himself (herself) before signature verification of the file.  After user verification, KilnView will check the file to see if it has been altered in any way.  A pass-fail dialog will be displayed to the user after verification.

Export Data:  This button will export the current file to a .csv file that can be open by Excel or any program capable of editing a comma separated data file.  This is a copy only that can be used for reporting in custom formats.  The original data file is not altered in any way.

Search for batch#:  This button prompts the user to enter a batch or lot number to search for.  The KilnView software will search all files in the "Log Files" directory to find a match.  If a match is found the data file is open for the user to view.

Print Data:  This button provides a text printout of the selected data in the spreadsheet

Cancel Trend:  This button provides the option of canceling the historical trend if selected. Trend plots with many data columns can take a while to complete so this option allows the user to stop the trend rather than wait for its completion.

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Historical Trend Plot

This historical trend plot provides of graphic view for historical data.  Data selected in the data viewer will be plotted on the trend.  The only limit to the number of channels is the size of the window to view the data and computer memory.  Dragging on the trend scale (left side of trend)  or trend time (bottom of trend) allows the user to interactively change the trend scale or move forward/backward in time to view trend data.

The -100 to +100 scales at the bottom and to the right of the trend are for scale/time  compression/expansion.  This is an analysis tool to "zero" in on specific data on the trend.   It's basically a zoom in/out for the trend scale and time scale.  In the historical plot, these scales are real time so the data will move as you adjust the zoom amount.

History Plot Toolbar:

Trend Setup:  Provides a dialog box to customize the trend appearance.  Trend Scale for X and Y, trend ticks, colors are all configurable by the user.  Channels are automatically assigned by the data viewer so the section of the trend setup regarding channel assignment is grayed out and cannot be selected by the user.

Data Cursor: This button turns the data cursor on/off.  The data cursor is a vertical line that can be dragged across tend data.  When the vertical line is dragged across the trend data, the current value of the point is digitally displayed next to the data cursor.  This is a useful tool when tracking actual values across a trend line.  To change channels for the data cursor, first click on the data cursor and then on one of the channel names displayed to the right of the trend.  The data cursor line will change to the color of the channel  selected.   Moving the data cursor to the left or right will display the actual value for the channel selected.

Save as Jpeg: This button allows the user to save the current trend snapshot as a Jpeg file:

Print Trend: This button sends the current trend snapshot to a printer.

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Return to: Main KilnView Page

Additional Kiln Information Links below:

Registering KilnView Software & Obtaining Unlock Code: KilnView Software must be registered and an Unlock Code obtained to communicate with FDC-2010-K5C Kiln Control(s) and/or Series 300 Single Loop Controls.

 

KilnView Kiln Detail View.htm: Main Kiln Data View, Schedule Entry/Edit/Run/Stop View, Schedule Trend View, Export Schedules, Core/Monitor Probe View, Setup - Alarm Setpoints, Control Tuning/Vent Setpoint and IO Monitor

 

KilnView Kiln Views.htm: Digital Values View, System Alarm Log, Alarm Log Viewer, Control Trends, Bargraphs, Historical Data Viewer [view data log files], Historical Trend Plot [plot data log files] and Audit Trail Viewer.

 

KilnView Data Logging and Historical Data Views.htm: Configure, Start, Stop Data Logging, View Historical Data Log Files.

 

KilnView Setup: Configure FDC-2010-K5C & 300 Series DIN Control for KilnView, Data Logging, 300 Series PID Loop Tuning and 300 Series Alarm Setpoints.

 

KilnView Series 300 Single Loop Controls.htm: Series 300 Single Loop Control description, links, Views, etc.

 

KilnView Security Overview.htm: Logon, Log Off, Security Configuration, Operator Messages, Audit Trail, CFR21 Security Overview and sample screens & descriptions.

 

KilnView Alarm File Viewer.htm: View, Acknowledge, Silence, Print, Export, etc.

 

KilnView - Run Real Time or Simulation.htm: Run KilnView Real Time [default] or for Training in Simulation.

 

KilnView Project Based Software.htm: Menu System to Open, Close and Save KilnView Configuration as a Project.

 

KilnView Help Screens.htm: Screen Shot of Help Screens

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