VICATRONIC - AUTOMATIC COMPUTERISED TROPICALIZED VICAT RECORDING APPARATUS

 

The Vicatronic apparatus, that is designed and manufactured using the most recent and sophisticated technology, is used for the initial and final setting time determination of cements or mortar pastes.
The unit is manufactured with anticorrosion and tropicalised components to be used in places with humidity not below 90% and 20°C. controlled temperature as required by EN Specifications.
The entire test is made in a fully automatic way and gives a very precise and repeatable result. The results are printed on the incorporated printer and this eliminates the manual operations of installing and zeroing the paper graph on the drum.
The use of the appliance is extremely simplified by the guiding menu that is available in english, french, spanish, german, italian language.

DISPLAY
The large high contrast LCD display (negative blue) has a high resolution and shows the test data together with the general functions of the appliance. It visualises for the first time in real time the graph of the test (see picture) replacing and simulating what the old fashioned pen tracing on the paper. The appliance has a clock calendar that is used to program the test cycles.

FIRMWARE
The Vicatronic is supplied with the standard programs to make automatically, all the tests according to the following Standards: EN 196-3:2005 / EN 13279-2 gypsum / EN 480-2 / ASTM C191 / DIN 1164 / DIN 1168 gypsum / NF P15/431 / BS 4550 / AASHTO T131.
Further programs can be developed by the operator using the specific menu “free tests” available on the base firmware; the user has the possibility to set 5 totally free test profiles defining the number of penetrations and the coordinates of each penetration (ray in mm of the circle where the number of penetrations have to be distributed) and number of circles. This possibility is particularly useful when testing
new mortars, additives and to make research tests that requires sophisticated and flexible applications.

PROBES
The mobile probe weighs 300 g (1000 g following the EN, NF Standards), the penetration needle has 1,13 mm diameter (1 mm following ASTM Standard) and its fall can be programmed in free fall or in guided fall. Totally flexible as far as the time is concerned, the penetrations time can be selected between 0,5 minutes and 999 minutes (fix interval between two penetrations of a test) or can change during the test up to 5 different phases with different interval time; it can even change automatically during the setting time fixing a penetration depth. The two options described here above can be combined together.
The penetration measure is read by a very accurate encoder having a resolution of 0,1 mm.
The Vicatronic also calculates, visualises and prints:
- The time from the moment of the sample preparation
(set by the operator).
- The time the test starts.
- The residual time to the next penetration.
- The residual time to the end of the test
- The number of penetrations made and the residual penetrations to be made.

TIMER 0 – 999 MINUTES
The firmware allows activating a delay on the appliance to the beginning of the test. This program is particularly useful when the approximate setting time of the mortar is known and the operator wants to start the working of the Vicatronic after a certain time in order to concentrate the penetrations with a short interval of time between them and have better measuring values.

TEST RESULTS
The Vicatronic can memorise all the test parameters and results and keeps a file with a capacity of more than 50 complete tests.
In case of a power cut, even a short one, during the test execution, the test will be invalidated and the appliance will be automatically stop keeping the set data.
At the end of the test the appliance will print automatically by the incorporated printer a report with all the data concerning the last test made including a graph tracing each single penetration with its values of time and penetration number.

PC CONNECTION AND NET OPTIONS
Despite the totally independent working of the machine that includes an incorporated printer, the Vicatronic has been designed for a PC connection (RS232) with the possibility to download the test data using a common program (Microsoft Hyper Terminal) that is normally incorporated with the Windows package of the PC. In this case the data processing will have to be made by the operator.
The “Vicat-Win” software (accessory mod. E044-11) allows receiving, managing, processing and completing the test dates; it will trace automatically the graph, personalise and print the test report.
The Vicatronic offers the possibility, buying the kit “Vicat-Net” (accessory mod. E044-12), to connect up to 20 appliances on a net managed by a PC through two pins RJ45 with RS485 protocol. This allows obtaining a complete remote control from the PC of each single Vicatronic.
The details of the performances are following:
- Transfer each single control or function of the Vicatronic on the PC
- Verify in real time each phase of the test being made.
- Automatically download the final results at the end of the test on all the connected Vicatronic.
- Process and file at the same time all the tests without obliging the operator to move from his working place.
Additionally the firmware has many other functions detailed in the technical chart that will be transmitted to the user interested to know more about it.
The Vicatronic is supplied complete with the incorporated printer, two hardened needles (one with 1 mm diameter and one with 1,13 mm. diameter), two conical moulds EN and ASTM, a glass plate to hold the conical mould.

Power supply: 230 V 1 Ph 50/60 Hz. 50W
Dimensions: 400 x 200 xh 470 mm. h.
Weight: 13 kg.