‘Error 30006 failed to generate report’ occurs in Emperor, Emperor-xt, and Emperor Lite is due to Windows update (KB3102429). Windows update (KB3102429) supports Azerbaijani Manat and Georgian Lari currency symbols. However this update has subsequently caused the PDF engine that is used in Emperor and many other windows applications to fail when generating PDF files from reports. This is a known issue to Microsoft even with newer versions of the PDF engine:-
Click here to download the Resolution
This error appears if a test stand is loaded with an older version of firmware that than previously installed. Please contact your local Mecmesin agent who will be able to get the necessary information from the website to help resolve this problem.
In some circumstances the Sentinel key driver installed with Emperor Lite is not installing properly under Windows 7.
The Emperor Lite installation will be updated with a newer driver to prevent this issue.
If you are having problems with the hardware key please download the latest version from this link: http://www.safenet-inc.com/uploadedImages/SPI%207.6.3.zip
Please note that a correctly operating key will light up and Emperor Lite will report that "the Licence Key has been found".
When upgraded Emperor and TL Pro will prompt you to upgrade your firmware if necessary.
If you need to perform a firmware upgrade using the installed firmware files please read below:
The firmware required for your present installation of Emperor or TL Pro is installed into your Emperor or TL Pro folder inside a folder called "Upgrade". For Emperor Force this is further divided into 2 folders - "MultiTest 1i, 2.5i & 5i" and "MultiTest 10i & 25i".
To upgrade your firmware using the installed files select Tools-Upgrade and click on Yes,I accept. Now navigate to the .bin file installed with Emperor/TL Pro and click on it. The firmware upgrade will now proceed through a number of stages finally informed you that the test stand has restarted.
VERY IMPORTANT: Ensure you select the correct firmware for your test stand type because Emperor will not prevent you from selecting incorrect firmware. If you load incorrect firmware then the test stand will behave erratically.
Emperor is written for the Microsoft Windows operating system only because currently our software team's skill set focuses on using Windows to develop on.
Emperor/TL Pro or Emperor Lite should not be run on a Windows emulator or under a 'virtual machine'.
Running Emperor/TL Pro or Emperor Lite under Windows on a virtual machine or under any other form of emulation will cause problems as it needs to run in real-time with direct access to the hardware.
Apple Macs built over the last couple of years have a feature called Boot Camp where you can reboot the computer into Windows. In this case Windows is run normally on the computer. We believe in this situation that Emperor/TL Pro or Emperor Lite should run ok but we've not tested it.
The 'Send to Excel' feature in Emperor/Emperor Lite takes advantage of 'COM' a component built into MS Office. Not to be confused with the '.COM' technology this 'COM' component is used to interact between MS Office programs including Excel.
Unfortunately this technique can not be used with OpenOffice as 'COM' is proprietary to Microsoft.
In future versions of Emperor/Emperor Lite the reporting will be improved and the report format made more open which will enable use with other programs.
Presently the only way to get the data into OpenOffice would be to either manually export the data (File-Export) or use the Results from Emperor/Emperor Lite and open the csv file in OpenOffice.
Firstly, upgrade to the latest version of Emperor as reporting has been improved in newer versions.
Secondly, check that if you are using files that come supplied with Emperor you are using them correctly.
Certain files are meant to be used with other files to demonstrate features.
The “Single page report.for” and “Multi page report.for” files installed with Emperor 1.17-015 refer to files stored in ...Emperor\Force\Reports\. The correct path should be ...Emperor\Force\Report\.
If you have any further problems please contact your Mecmesin agent with the Emperor result file (.for), the Excel spreadsheet and any screenshots to explain what you are doing.
Check license key is recognised.
Check correct COM port is selected.
Please check the number of decimal places used for the particular unit you have selected in Emperor. Emperor unit check list
If Emperor Lite is started with a working dongle it will display "License key present" then after a few seconds it will go to the Master/Operator Login screen.
Check if the driver appears under the USB section of Device Manager.
If it doesn't then there has been a problem with installing the driver.
If this is ok there is a problem with the dongle.
Try the dongle in a different USB port and if possible check on another PC.
If the dongle is found to be faulty please contact your Mecmesin agent to get it replaced.
Under the Tools menu is an option called `Make Diagnostic Report`.
In versions 1.15-0018 onwards this operates in two different ways:
1. When the Internet Access checkbox under the System setup is ticked then Emperor™ will attempt to use your email client to send the email to Mecmesin.
2. When the Internet Access checkbox under the System setup is not ticked the Emperor™ will prompt the user by opening a Save As dialog box so the diagnostic report can be saved to file.
In version 1.13-002 only the email option is offered. If the user needs to get the diagnostic report they will need to get it from their Outbox.
Try starting Emperor™ as Master operator.
The Dillon Quantrol i-software is, in effect, the Mecmesin Emperor™ software. Support issues and upgrades for the USA and Canada are now being handled via Mecmesin Corporation (Tel: +001 631-696-4122).
There are two versions of Emperor™ - Force and Torque:
The Force version is for the Emperor™ controlled force machines.
The Torque version is for our Vortex-i stand only.
TL Pro is solely for use with the TMS-Pro test stand.
Please contact your local Mecmesin distributor who will be able to supply you with your upgrade.
This message appears when Emperor™/TL Pro is left open with no activity for some time. It can happen if your COM port goes into power save. The remedy in this case is to plug in your laptop`s mains adaptor. If that is not an option ask your IT manager to re-configure the BIOS so that, when power gets low the last thing to close down is the RS232 port.
Please check the number of green LEDs which are illuminated on the front panel of your test stand; if only two are illuminated, there is a problem with the key switch on the
back panel of your stand.
The key-slot must, for normal operation, be in the vertical position. Return the key-slot to the horizontal position. Alll four green LEDs should now be illuminated, and your system should now operate normally?
We suggest that this key is removed and stored away in a safe place. You will never need it unless your Mecmesin distributor advises you to use it to resolve a fault condition.
Once a test has been completed, data can be exported in ASCII format from Emperor™ by selecting the ‘Export’ option from the ‘File’ menu, choosing a delimiter (tab or comma), choosing a path and filename, and clicking on [Save]. The file saved can be imported into your software by selecting either the *.txt, or *.csv format.
Exporting the raw test data during a test is not an option.
The Imperials are part of Mecmesin`s computer controlled stand range. The Snapshot-i and TC2i are rebadged Imperial 1000 and Imperial 2500.
The Emperor™ Force software is backwardly compatible with all these stands and the MultiTest-i.
The Emperor™ Torque software is backwardly compatible with all Vortex-i stands.
If the stand is repaired it is normally used with the latest version of Emperor™. If you wish to continue using an older version of Emperor™ with your stand you will need to use the Tools-Upgrade feature of Emperor™ to downgrade your stand firmware.
Conversely if you install a newer version of Emperor™ you may need to upgrade the stand firmware for it to operate with the newer Emperor™.
This information is for 1.17-015 or earlier. If you are using 1.18-nnn see note applicable to this version.
This message appears when Emperor/TL Pro 1.17-015 or earlier struggles to collect all the data from the test stand and can occur even on faster computers. Generally most modern computers are faster enough to run Emperor™/TL Pro without a problem. It is important that you have enough RAM in your computer.
This warning message mostly happens when a USB converter is set up incorrectly so there are a number of ways to reduce the chance of a 'data buffer overflow' occurring:
1. Use a direct RS-232 connection in preference to using the USB converter. A USB converter adds extra complexity to the set-up.
2. Ensure the latency for the USB converter is set correctly to 1ms (default is 16ms in XP). This must be set for the current COM port that the USB converter uses. Please note as USB is hot-swappable the COM port selected can also change. Any COM port selected by the USB converter must have its latency set correctly.
3. Ensure the correct driver for the USB converter is used. The Mecmesin supplied USB converters come with a mini CD-ROM containing the driver. This driver must be used and ensure correct use.
If you do not have the driver software please use the latest executable for Virtual COM Port (or VCP) drivers from the FTDI website.
4. Turn all other programs off. This means any software that can interrupt Emperor™/TL Pro – Outlook, virus checkers, firewalls, and any software that uses ports.
5. If the latency is set correctly for your currently used COM port then another program that is running is the next most likely cause of the problem.
6. Sending too many messages from Emperor™ to the test stand on some pCs can cause this message.
7. When Autoscale is used on slow computers it can cause Emperor™ to pause and thus cause this message. Try turning Autoscale off.
8. Finally use the Clear Data and Clear Graph commands to get rid off unwanted data which will speed up screen redrawing.
1. Do you have the latest version of Emperor™/TL Pro? Your Mecmesin distributor will be able to supply upgrade software if necessary.
2. Check that all four green LEDs on the Control Panel of your test stand are illuminated. Turn the keyswitch is necessary then remove it.
3. Turn off stand to check that the ILC (intelligent loadcell) is connected properly. If necessary remove plug and then screw back in firmly.
4. Check the test stand is connected securely and the correct COM port is selected in Emperor™.
5. Try closing Emperor™/TL Pro and restarting Windows. Try to reconnect.
6. Perform a firmware upgrade with your version of Emperor™/TL Pro. Make sure you use the firmware correct for your stand type.
This change is no longer necessary in the majority of cases for the v1.18-nnn versions.
In older versions of Emperor before 1.18-nnn it was necessary to change the USB-Serial Converter latency timer setting from 16ms to 1ms, in order to avoid the Test Stand Data Buffer Overflow message. However if you are receiving Test Stand Data Buffer Overflow or PC Watchdog Comms Timeout messages please close down all other software and change the latency timer setting to 1ms.
Follow the video called TS-0027-Change USB Driver Latency Timer setting to find out how.
There is a bug in some versions of Emperor™ that when Emperor is first opened in Master mode some menus are still greyed out.
To fix this problem either:
a. Go to Setup-Access, click on the Operator radio button.
Now click back onto the Master radio button and press OK to leave dialog box.
b. Load in a library or result file.
c. Run a program.
Please check the number of green LEDs which are illuminated on the front panel of your test stand; if only two are illuminated, you need to turn the key switch on the back panel of your stand.
The key-slot must, for normal operation, be in the vertical position. If the key-slot is in the horizontal position, return it to the vertical position. Alll four green LEDs should now be illuminated, and your system should now operate normally.
We suggest that this key is removed and stored away in a safe place. You will never need it unless your Mecmesin distributor advises you to use it to resolve a fault condition.
Newer stands or serviced stand do not have the keyswitch. Instead the firmware allows a short manual jog and automatically moves back 5mm when the limit switch is hit.
1. Please check you have the correct manual for your version and see if this answers your question.
2. Contact your Mecmesin distributor to check you have the latest version of Emperor™. The problem you are having may be something that has been fixed in a newer version.
2. Does your stand or ILC need calibrating?
3. When does it happen and how do you replicate the problem?
4. Serial numbers (both stand and ILC/ITC) and some test file examples.
5. Send the diagnostic report.
All our latest versions of our software is Windows 7 compatible and we will release Windows 8 compatible versions. With some of our installers extra steps may need to be taken to install on a 64 bit system.
Versions 1.15-018 onwards have been tested with Windows Vista.
Versions 1.17-015 onwards have been tested with Windows 7.
Versions 1.18-4xx onwards has been tested with Windows 8.
Windows security settings can vary and will affect installation in a number of ways and our software will install any necessary additional software. This includes software drivers.
Windows Vista added User Account Control which can affect how software is installed. We recommend to perform the install using the Administrator user, not Administrator group and to turn off UAC or set it to its lowest level to install our software.
In addition our software will need Read/Write access to its Data Folders.
This may not fit into your company’s IT policies so often an IT department may need to get involved to install new software.
If in doubt try running the software as Administrator to fault-find problems.
Please refer to installation videos for more help.
Please read document How to turn off UAC notification under Windows Vista and Windows 7.pdf in the Technical Advice Notes on the Mecmesin website.
The official answer is Yes as long as your IT system is not relying 100% on it.
However we don`t advise use on Server machines due to the demands placed on the machines and the nature of other software running on these systems.
1 Server systems run many different programs constantly interrupting the CPU.
This can cause problems with running Emperor™ as it gets interrupted too often.
2 Programs on a `server` run in the background.
Again this could cause problems with Emperor™ as it isn`t serviced as often as on a `desktop` computer.
3 In the event of a problem with running an Emperor™ program Emperor™ or your server may need to be shutdown. This could require an administrator login or it may just not be possible.
4 A limited log in account would be required for Emperor™ on a server.
A limited account may restrict many of the functions in Emperor™ and restrict file access.
It is very very bad practice to log into a server with an administrator login for any other reason than making quick administrative changes as it puts your IT system at risk.
5 Unnecessary extra overheads.
If the server is part of your IT system running Emperor™ could cause extra overheads that affect it’s efficiency as a `server`.
When a stand with a keyswitch is repaired the keyswitch is removed as it is no longer part of the design used in the Emperor™/TL Pro controlled systems.
To operate the jog buttons without a keyswitch you need to use the firmware supplied with Emperor™ 1.15-018 onwards.
The stand firmware is upgraded for you to the latest firmware by the service engineer. The jog function is now restricted to short 5mm bursts and if the limit switch is triggered the stand automatically backs off by 5mm from it.
We recommend only using the jog buttons in emergency. For full control use Emperor™ because it checks for overloads and other conditions crucial to the system's health.
1. You may have an older Emperor™/TL Pro controlled stand with a keyswitch design.
The serial number and Emperor™ version number would confirm this.
The older stands were designed with a keyswitch for emergency use only and the relevant firmware to allow it's operation. Turning this keyswitch will enable the jog buttons.
2. Newer firmware has removed the necessity for an emergency keyswitch.
On the Vortex-i the newer firmware allows you to only jog in short bursts.
On the force stands the newer firmware allows you to jog in short bursts and when the limit switch is hit the crosshead will automatically back off by 5mm.
Ensuring you have the latest version of Emperor™ and performing a firmware update should enable you to use the jog buttons without requiring a keyswitch. We recommend only using the jog buttons in emergency. For full control use Emperor™ because it checks for overloads and other conditions crucial to the system's health.
3. If the LED next to the jog button lights but the stand doesn't move check that the ILC/ITC is plugged in firmly. The stand will not operate normally if the loadcell/sensor is not present.
Please contact your local Mecmesin distributor for the latest version of Emperor™ or if you need further help.
The summary view at the top shows the calculations. It can be turned on and off by selecting Display-Summary View.
If this doesn't show the Summary View it may be that you need to make sure it is turned on and then drag the bar normally at the bottom of the Summary View to show the contents.
The Imperial range - Imperial 1000 & Imperial 2500 were based on old frames styles and are no longer made by Mecmesin. They have been replaced by the MultiTest 1i and MultiTest 2.5i.
The Snapshot-i and TC2i were rebadged Imperial 1000 and Imperial 2500 for the Dillon brand.
Emperor™ is designed for use solely with Mecmesin stands. The communications protocol used is proprietary to Mecmesin. The MultiTest-i and Vortex-i cannot be controlled with other software.
Please contact your local Mecmesin distributor because they can help with your application or suggest alternative setups. For example the MultiTest-x has PLC functionality.
Emperor™ Lite data request characters:
"?" character is used to request a single data reading from an instrument e.g. Load from an AFG or another gauge.
"Ctrl-A" character is used to request a double data reading from an instrument e.g. Load & Displacement from a MultiTest-d.
Emperor™ Lite uses "?" for following products AFG, AFTI, BFG, TORNADO and ORBIS.
Emperor™ Lite uses "Ctrl-A" for following products MultiTest-d, Vortex-d and Digicon-x.
All of these messages can be interpreted as follows -
"This doesn't seem logical to Emperor™ - You are asking to run to a load in the wrong direction because you have passed that load!"
Use Emperor Torque in Clockwise mode or Emperor™ Force in Tension mode for the examples below:
1. Cannot run to a lower torsional load in a direction that will increase the torsional load
If we want to run to 0.5Nm @ 5 rev/min and there is already a load of 0.55Nm. When run you will get "Cannot run to a lower torsional load in a direction that will increase the torsional load".
2. Cannot run to a higher torsional load in a direction that will decrease the torsional load
If we want to run to -0.5Nm at -5 rev/min and there is already a load of -0.55Nm. When run you will get "Cannot run to a higher torsional load in a direction that will decrease the torsional load message".
3. Cannot run to a lower tensile load in a direction that will increase the tensile load
If we want to run to 5N at 5mm/min and there is already a load of 5.5N. When run you will get "Cannot run to a lower tensile load in a direction that will increase the tensile load message".
4. Cannot run to a higher tensile load in a direction that will decrease the tensile load
If we want to run to -5N at -5mm/min and there is already a load of -5.5N. When run you will get "Cannot run to a higher tensile load in a direction that will decrease the tensile load message".
When taring off the load make sure you read the Load Reading from the Load box in the middle of the screen. The Total Load is a non-tared absolute load reading used to predict overload.
A second factor can also cause these errors - the sensor tolerance, the following explains why -
Although you zero`d or tared the load before running a small residue load may be enough for Emperor to display the message `... Cannot run to ...`.
This is because the residue load puts the load read on the wrong side of the target value.
To avoid any of these messages you need to adjust the target load -
Required Target Load = Target Load + or - Tolerance of Sensor.
For example Required Target Load = 0.5 + 0.0015Nm = 0.4985Nm when running to 0.5Nm at 5 rev/min.
(The tolerance for a 1.5Nm ITC torque sensor is 0.0015Nm).
In practice you could get away with running to a smaller load than this because a loadcell within tolerance will not generally swing all the way to its tolerance limits.
However adding the quoted tolerance will definitely make sure a message doesn’t appear.
To resolve any of these errors take the following steps:
a. Start with an unloaded system.
b. Try a lower or higher value target load.
c. Tare the load before starting.
d. Run to a target load that takes into account the ILC/ITC tolerance (Target = Value +/- Tolerance).
This error happens after a new installation when the DLL files are not overwritten properly.
Please uninstall Emperor™/TL Pro and reinstall. This will ensure that the files are installed properly.
Customers will not need the Service and Calibration password it is only required by Mecmesin authorised service personnel.
In System Setup-Loadcell Deflection you can't set a stiffness value for an ILC/ITC.
A new Stiffness value for an ILC/ITC cannot be entered when results are present in Emperor™.
The stiffness can only be altered when Emperor™/TL Pro does not warn the user when the stiffness is not saved. In this situation you will find the value unchanged when you return to the stiffness menu. This will be fixed in a future release.
The value can be changed by typing over the present value and pressing OK. An ILC/ITC can only be removed from the list in Emperor™/TL Pro when it is not connected to the stand that Emperor is connected to.
This is most common when you are using the Loadcell Deflection Compensation on an Emperor™/TL Pro system. You will need to travel slightly past the load, force/torque or time at which you wish to perform any calculations. Failure to do this will result in N/A.
For example when using LDC on your system and a calculation of the force at 10 mm needs to be displayed, you must pass 10 mm (in a torque situation - angle). Otherwise it will display N/A. The same is true to a calculation is required for the displacement at 12N (or torque), you will need to pass 12N by a small amount.
This is because the compensation factor is applied to the full set of data after the test is finished and so affects the calculations.
If you are using a calculation with an order make sure the order entered is correct or for the overall highest/lowest use 0. For example with Peak an order of 1 gives the first peak but this might not be the maximum peak. A Peak with an order of 0 gives the maximum overall peak. If the order you've selected doesn't exist you will also get a N/A.
It is either because you have the incorrect COM port settings or the Licence Key is not present.
If this doesn't work try logging into Emperor™ Lite as Master.
Unfortunately you cannot. However we advise that you set your library files to 'Read Only' to prevent accidently overwriting them and back up all your user files from the Emperor™/Emperor™ Lite/TL Pro folder on a regular basis.
The VALUE calculation can be used to view the reading at either an OPEN or CLOSED event.
The VALUE command has similar criteria to the Peak command where the order is used to select which ocuurence you want. The Value parameter in the command can be set to open or close. Select Event as the criteria for X and then select angle/displacement, load or time.
Also you can view the Event in the raw data or Data Blocks. In the Display-Data Blocks the Open Event is 0 and Closed is 1. If the switch is Open (0) when the test is started, then the first order Open will be after the switch has been closed and reopened.
This message appears in 3 situations:
i. Emperor™ is left open with nothing happening. This is normally the most common cause.
ii. Other software competing with Emperor™ for resources - for example a virus checker may run causing problems with Emperor™.
iii. A fault on the computer or a slow computer could also intefere with Emperor's™ operation.
Please close Emperor™ and all other programs. Reopen Emperor™ and try again.
There is a bug when using DO SUM calculations containing more than one variable and a subtraction. This will be fixed in Version 1.17-nn versions of Emperor™.
Even with DO SUM as simple as (v1+v8)-V6 the V6 part is not subtracted. You need to break this into 2 lines DO SUM V20=V1+V8 then DO SUM V20-V6. The subtraction will then be successful.
This happens under some circumstances in older versions of Emperor™ Torque. First come out of the graph screen, then go back in and try the curser drop again or try a different position if acceptable.
If this is still an issue please contact your local distributor who will upgrade you to the latest version of Emperor™ Torque.
All the Emperor™ controlled stands use two encoders to determine if the stand is operating correctly. Mecmesin call these the extensometer and the tachometer.
The Extensometer Jump Detected message means the extensometer on the top is receiving too many counts. (Service personnel can set the Extenso Source to Tachometer for diagnostic purposes. If this message appears when set to Tachometer, this means there is a probelm around the Tachometer).
The Extensometer Failure and Tachometer Failure mean there is something wrong with the relevent encoder or its connections.
PID Overflow and Motor Deceleration failure could be related to the tachometer or the motor.
Due to the increased number of counts involved all these messages will be more noticable at faster speeds. Do Not try changing anything on your stand.
If any of these messages are persistent please contact your local Mecmesin distributor for them to service your test stand.
In the latest versions of our software you can name or rename individual samples.
Emperor also allows for Batch identifier in the Notes and by default the samples are named Sample 1, Sample 2, etc. For extra flexibility the ENTER and VARIABLE commands can be used.
In the program the ENTER command can prompt the user to enter a string and this can then be stored into a variable. The value can then be displayed in the calculations using the VARIABLE command. As the prompt will happen each time the test is run this can be used to enter a name for that sample.
In Emperor 1.17-015 a command called SET has been added to the program commands.
If there is a variable which applies to the whole batch of tests and you do not want the operator to use the ENTER command before every test, you can use the SET command. Using the SET command requires data to be entered only once and saves the operator time. Again using the VARIABLE command this can be displayed in the calculations.
To prevent filling the screen add the following section to the end of the Emperor-xt.ini file in the Emperor-xt data folder:
[Console Settings]
TopMost=0
WindowWidth=1024
WindowHeight=600
The WindowWidth and WindowHeight can be changed to suit your needs.
Note: Emperor-xt is designed to be run full screen though and used like this may not behave normally.
Mecmesin recognises that Microsoft no longer supports Windows XP and so companies are now adopting Windows 7. If you presently have a version of Emperor with the butterfly splash screen then it is easy to upgrade your system to v1.17-015 which supports Windows 7.
Emperor v1.17-015 is backwardly compatible with older versions of Emperor and will read your Emperor files. As it is similar to your current version it does not require any extra training.
We recommend you use the download file rather than a CD to install under Windows 7 as the installer needs to be run as the Administrator.
Software Download:
For a Vortex-i please use this link to download the zip file for Emperor (Torque) v1.17-015: http://www.mecmesin-portal.com/downloads/software/archive/archive-torque/Emperor%20(Torque)%20v1.17-015%20Full.zip
For Force stands please use this link to download the zip file for Emperor (Force) v1.17-015: http://www.mecmesin-portal.com/downloads/software/archive/archive-force/Emperor%20(Force)%20v1.17-015%20Full.zip
Important - as a precaution please make a back up of your files before any upgrade.
Please read the instructions ReadMe.rtf in the relevant zip file. For the Imperial range follow instructions for MultiTest-i.
Any problems please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Emperor-xt is designed for Mecmesin consoles and not intended for desktop use.
Current versions of Emperor / Emperor Lite support Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Emperor / Emperor Lite versions 1.17-015 onwards support Windows 7.
Emperor / Emperor Lite version 1.18-408 onwards supports Windows 8.
Excel 2007 or later is recommended for the Send to Excel feature.
Please look at the technical support videos for installation tips:
http://www.mecmesin.com/tech-support-videos
Please contact your Mecmesin agent for further information.
|
|
Mecmesin Ltd A PPT Holdings Company |
 |
