Open the Rheonics Control Panel application from the Start menu or from its Desktop icon, if created during the installation process.
When the software is running, you will see a screen similar to the following:
Notice that the “Status” indicator will probably be colored red, indicating that the SME is not connected.
Establishing communications between RCP Software and the SME
USB connection
Power up the SME by connecting a suitable power supply to the power input terminal block. Make sure the USB cable is plugged into the micro-USB port on SRV-SME and into a free USB port on your computer.
1. Select the “Settings” tab and select the “USB” button under the “Communication“ panel:
2. Click on the “Device Manager” button to open the Device Manager.
3. Navigate to “Ports (COM & LPT) tab and expand it.
The interface used by the Electronics Box is labeled “SME” and is here assigned to Port COM6. Make a note of the COM port number and close the Device Manager.
4. Select the COM Port you discovered (COM6 in this example) from the drop-down list.
5. Press the “Apply” button to start the connection.
6. Wait until the “Status” indicator turns to green.
The communication over USB is now established and the configuration and measurement values from the SME are displayed on the Rheonics Control Panel.
Ethernet connection
This section applies only to devices with Ethernet enabled and describes how to connect the SME via Ethernet to the Rheonics Control Panel. If your device does not have the Ethernet enabled, consult your sales representative for information on ordering this option.
Connecting the Electronics Box to your network (DHCP)
- Connect the Electronics Box to your network with an Ethernet cable
- Power on the Electronics Box
Ethernet cable must be plugged in before powering on the Electronics Box. - The Electronics Box is set by default to obtain an IP-Address from the network (DHCP)
Detect the electronics box on the network
You LAN switch should be consulted to get the correct IP and MAC address for the SME electronics.
Enter the IP-Address on Rheonics Control Panel
- Start Rheonics Control Panel
- Open tab “Settings” and select the radio button “Ethernet”
Select “Ethernet” on Communication section
Enter the IP-Address of the SME electronics
Press the “Apply” button to establish the connection and wait until the “Status” indicator turns green.
The communication over Ethernet is now established and the measurement values from the SME are displayed on the Rheonics Control Panel.
Loading the configuration parameters
The Rheonics Control Panel automatically loads the configuration for the specific sensor that you are using. Once the connection between the RCP and the SME is established, the RCP will automatically load the configuration parameters from SME.
To check that the configuration parameters are loaded go to the “Service” Tab and verify that the ”System Info” panel shows the correct sensor serial number (S/N). A unique sensor serial number is printed on each Rheonics sensor.
If there was a problem loading the configuration parameters due to disconnection of the SME, you will see the following warning in the RCP:
You can attempt to load or refresh the configuration parameters by clicking the “Refresh” button in “Service” Tab.