DilaSoft V3 dilatometer viscometer software runtime  DilaSoft V3 Software  DilaSoft V3 dilatometer viscometer analyze

for automated control, unlimted data collection and analysis of dilatometer and high temperature viscometer instruments

This page offers a detailed description of the DilaSoft V3 windows software for dilatometer and high temperature viscometer instruments. DilaSoft V3 currently only supports instruments manufactured by theta industries. However, theta industries will apparently not be distributing any version newer than the old 2014 version 3.01.064. I'm not even sure they are still in business as they refuse to answer any e-mails and still owe me $12,000... If any other dilatometer or viscometer manufacturer would like to distribute DilaSoft V3 with their instruments, feel free to contact me directly. If your instrument can be controlled by computer, I can make DilaSoft V3 work with it. I can also brand the software to your company.

If you need or want to upgrade your DilaSoft V3 software to the latest version, you can contact me directly for details. I will upgrade any previous version of DilaSoft!

To be clear, DilaSoft V3 is the latest version of the old DilaSoft I software sold through theta industries. They no longer distribute the latest versions.

See the DilaSoft Updates page for detailed information on the latest updates. DilaSoft V3 version 3.20 is finished. DilaSoft V3 version 3.5x is also ready, with a possible caveat. Also see the DilaSoft V3 registration information page for details and the new lower cost of registration.

Special support note: The most reliable and fastest way to get DilaSoft V3 support is to e-mail me directly. I respond to e-mails very quickly and more details can be transferred than by any other means. If you have a DilaSoft V3 software problem, make sure to create a Problem Report from within the software and attach that file to the e-mail.

Please note: Due to current circumstances, direct and free support for DilaSoft I software sold by theta industries (any version) has been discontinued as of May 1, 2015. If you have a problem or question about any version of DilaSoft I sold by theta industries, CONTACT THEM! I am sorry for this inconvenience and will do my best to answer any E-mails concerning DilaSoft V3 software. I will not be able to get involved with lengthy support issues. Those will have to be handled by theta industries as will any hardware problems. Of course I offer full software support for any registered versions of DilaSoft V3 purchased through Bearly Computing!

 

DilaSoft V3 Windows Software for Dilatometers; Rotating Viscometer, Parallel Plate Viscometer and Bending Beam Viscometer, Thermal Analysis DTA/TGA*.

DilaSoft V3 software offers users the most control, options, precision, ease of use, repeatability, flexibility, correction and unlimited stored data information than any other software for the dilatometer or high temperature viscometer! Precise measurements include thermal expansion, alpha, length, time and temperature for the dilatometer. Viscosity, torque, time, temperature, speed and shear for the rotating viscometer. Viscosity, rate, deflection, time and temperature for the bending beam viscometer and parallel plate viscometer.


Note: The following displays show the Dilatometer version of the software. Versions for other instruments are very similar. Click on any image to see full sized version.
* The DTA and TGA portions of DilaSoft V3 can no longer be tested or verified as these instruments have not been manufactured in many years!

The Industry Leading DilaSoft V3 Software for computer automated experiment control, unlimited data collection and analysis of collected data for Dilatometer, high temperature Viscometer, DTA and TGA*.

DilaSoft V3 : Feature rich - easy to use!

The Main Menu is shown here. All instrument and experiment options are set through this menu along with the other five tabbed screens. The experiment is started from here and can even be run in "demo mode". All experiment and equipment settings can be saved for later retrieval. All windows can be resized for easier viewing.

DilaSoft Main Screen
The Temperature Program window displays the entire temperature program and an interactive graph of the temperature profile vs time. From here you can select any segment to edit or click on any line in the graph to highlight that segment in the upper grid. DilaSoft temperature program
The temperature program editing window displays the versatility and features available for this controlling feature of DilaSoft V3 software. Displayed are the current program segment along with the previous segment at the top and the next segment at the bottom. Heating, cooling and data collection rates are set here. You can also control the motor of the rotating viscometer, set standard or custom alarms for each segment and turn on or off the digital switches. Temperature program editing
The Quick Report Generator automatically gathers all the data about the finished experiment including the materials, temperature program, tables, dates, graphs and data and formats them into user selectable reports that can be saved to disk files for later use or printed immediately on the default Windows printer. The report settings are saved with each individual experiment and restored when that experiment is loaded. DilaSoft Quick Reports
The run-time display shows all important information as the experiment progresses. The displays include: real-time bar graphs of setpoint and specimen temperatures and segment time remaining, strip chart recorder of thermal expansion and temperature, temperature segment profile and much more. While the experiments are running, interactive graphs can be displayed showing thermal expansion vs. temperature and/or thermal expansion vs. time vs. temperature. Graph content varies according to the equipment being used. These graphs can be moved, sized and scaled while the experiment continues to run, giving the operator all necessary information about the experiment as it is taking place. Many run-time parameters, including the controlling temperature program, can be changed while the experiment runs. DilaSoft Run-time display
The Mini-Status window displays all the same information in a much smaller space, allowing other run-time graphs to be displayed without sacrificing screen space or viewed data. mini status window
4-Head Mini Display window just for multi-head dilatometers. This mini window displays the temperature, position and thermal expansion for all 4 heads at the same time, constantly updated and able to be positioned anywhere on the screen.
Data analysis for the evaluation of experiment data remains unsurpassed in the industry offering the widest array of tools, charts, graphs, tables, printouts and reports. Analysis graphs and reports can all be completely customized by the user, printed immediately or saved to disk files for later retrieval. Modified data files can be saved and re-loaded as needed. DilaSoft Analyze program
Note: the Report and Analysis portions of the software are not available in the Lite version.
See the Comparison page for a brief description of what is not included in the Lite version.

 

Our DilaSoft V3 software is constantly being updated and improved. If you need something special or have a suggestion, please contact Rich. Also check the DilaSoft V3 Updates page for current additions and fixes. For addition documentation, see the software docs page.

Also See:
New Features for the latest additions.
Comparison page for a brief description of what is not included in the Lite version.
The DilaSoft V3 Quick Setup Sheet in PDF format used as a check-list or reminder for experiment setups.
The two page Software Brochure in PDF format.

More Features :

Quick Reports

Automatic reports:

  • Summary of experiment data
  • Full temperature program
  • Table of results
  • Full data file

Automatic charts:

  • *thermal expansion vs. temperature
  • *Average alpha vs. temperature
  • *thermal expansion vs. time
  • Temperature vs. time
  • * = Measurement depends on instrument type.

Run-time Display

Graphical LVDT positioning window for added precision.

Simulated strip-chart recorder displays the last 750 measured position and temperature points in a scrollable, time-based window. It can be turned on or off during the experiment.

Live displays of the current, prior and next temperature program segments, setpoint temperature, actual specimen temperature, valve output and return, etc. The temperature program can be changed while the experiment is running!

Experiment run-time information is continuously updated and can be printed at any time.

Icon-style toolbar permits easy selection of displayable graphs and overall window organization. Graphic icons can be disabled to conserve screen space - all functions remain available through drop-down menus.

Run-time graphs include position vs. temperature, and position and temperature vs. time (content varies by instrument type). Each graph is an independent window which can be moved, sized, printed or closed while the experiment continues executing in the background.

Data Analysis

Compatible with Windows multi-tasking: permits experiments to run in the background while analysis is performed in the foreground.

User-friendly, easy-to-use mouse interface.

Floating toolbar for graphics oriented operations (zoom, point selection, etc).

Multiple windows for graphs and data.

Multiple pre-formatted graph templates supplied for user convenience.

Automatic TMA and peak detection functions.

User selectable reference/offset temperature.

Temperatures can convert between Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin.

Adjustable data smoothing.

Adjustable decimal points.

Automatic temperature transition point determination and plotting.

Complete Table of Results with user selectable temperature range or row range and increment parameters.

All reports can be viewed, printed or stored as disk files for later retrieval.



New Features

See the DilaSoft V3 Updates page for the most current additions and fixes.

DilaSoft V3 version 3.20.x for Windows.

Some of the new features include:

  • Can use two DT9826 data aquisition units for up to 8 channels.
  • Automatic Calibration Reports
  • Better Windows 8.1 compatibility
  • All major windows are now sizable!
  • Available automatic archiving of complete experiment settings and data.
  • Optional password locking of configuration settings.
  • Many changes and updates to both the user interface and underlying code. See the updates page for full information.

DilaSoft version 2.89.x for Windows.

Some of the new features include:

  • Better Windows 8 compatibility
  • Improved table reports in Analyze
  • Minor changes to main window

DilaSoft version 2.88.x for Windows.

Some of the new features include:

  • DilaSoft now disables the computer's sleep, hibernate and screen saver modes while an experiment is running.
  • Analyze no longer has a 90 character limit on path/file lengths.
  • New Percent of Change plots and reports for Analyze
  • Now supports the Yokogawa UT-150 controller.
  • Digital switches now active with DT9821 data acquisition box.
  • Data logging as fast as 8 samples per second typical.
  • Many new features for temperature program editing and saving/loading software and instrument configuration settings
  • Added an Edit Segment button to the temperature program windows so user does not have to double-click a segment to edit it.
  • Added row highlighting to temperature program display to make it easier to see which segment is selected and the ability to scroll and select a segment with the keyboard..
  • Added ability to edit segment with either Edit Segment button or hitting the Return key on selected segment.
  • Added feature of clicking on a line in the temperature program graph and have the corresponding segment highlighted and selected in the grid.
  • The currently running segment will be highlighted if the operator selects to edit the temperature program from the runtime screen.
  • Added feature to lock all program and instrument configuration settings from the main program File menu.
  • Added feature to save or load all default program settings.
  • Added feature to save a Calibration Report in a separate Cals folder.
  • Added a feature to save or load the entire software and instrument settings into a settings backup folder. This feature can also restore the software settings from a Problem Report.

DilaSoft version 2.75.x for Windows.

Some of the new features include:

  • Channel mapping allows reading the same channel as different type inputs or another channel as this channels input.
  • Menu option to delete logs older than 60 days.
  • Larger windows for easier reading.
  • One button click to automatically send an E-mail Problem report.
  • Channel diagnostic screen now pauses the experiment and no longer makes any permanent changes to the setup.
  • New alerts, messages and loggings to make the software even easier to use.
  • For Analyze:
  • Added the minimum and maximum temperatures and the number of rows to the report window so the user no longer has to look these up in the data file.
  • Added the ability to completely modify the plots. Simply double-click any item on the graph to open a window that allows modification. Click once on an item to highlight it so it can be dragged and moved anywhere on the plot. This includes titles, comments and the user entered text and arrows in the graph.
  • For multiple column/worksheet plots: there is now an option to automatically group the data sets which makes each plot line have a different color. Plus an option to automatically create a legend for the plot.
  • The current date is now added automatically to the comment line of all plots.
  • The included setpoint utility program now has diagnostic functions and can even automatically search for Eurotherm controllers.
  • Many fixes and additions all around. See the DilaSoft Updates page for full information on the changes.

Jump to segment

While an experiment is running, the user can now jump to any segment in the temperature program. This allows going back to an earlier segment for more data or to a later segment to end the experiment sooner.

Individual temperature program segment alarms

Every single temperature program segment (up to 100) can now have an alert alarm set. The two type of alarms are Timed and Timed with Pause. The Timed alert displays the alert window for the amount of time specified in the segment. The Timed with Pause displays the alert window for the specified time and also pauses program operation. Both alerts have audio/voice alerts.

User entered reference materials.

User entered reference materials can now be used in place of the standard reference materials supplied with the software. The list of materials can be saved and loaded independently of the main software setup to allow changing the list of materials for different instruments.

Change-Over Height (or Deflection) for Viscometers

Change-over height (or deflection) for Parallel Plate and Bending Beam viscometers jumps to the next temperature program segment when the set value is reached..

Standard reference materials for Viscometers

Now includes 3 standard reference materials plus oil for the Rotating Viscometer.

Find Top of Melt for Rotating Viscometer

This feature will alert the user and pause the software, allowing time to precisely find the top of the specimen melt to adjust the depth of the rotor.

Temperature Correction files for Viscometers

This feature allows real-time data correction using temperature vs log of viscosity.

Temperature Program Cycling

Cycling allows program segments to be repeated up to 999 times for cycling tests. See the documentation for Program Cycling, in PDF format.

Mini-Status window

Displays all the information from the Main Status Window but in a much more compact space to save on screen space.

4-Head Mini Display

This window is just for multi-head Dilatometers. This new mini window displays the temperature, position and thermal expansion for all 4 heads at the same time, constantly updated and able to be positioned anywhere on the screen.

Delayed Start

Great new feature that allows delaying the start of an experiment until a pre-set time.

Preheat the furnace

A new feature that allows pre-heating the furnace to a set temperature before an experiment starts. Very useful for thermocouples that do not return valid temperatures below a certain temperature. No more manually heating up the furnace!

Run-time priority can now be set

The software now has two available priorities for the run-time program. Our 'normal' has been 'high priority'. This can now be set to normal priority to allow more cpu time to other programs.

Correction files for both heating and cooling with the same ramp rate!

Correction files have been enhanced to allow using the same ramp rate for both heating and cooling cycles. The correction file documentation has been updated with new information. See the corfile.pdf for more info.

Enhanced graphs!

The run-time graphs can now display data from multi-head systems. The displayed data has increased from 2000 points to 6000 points for greater accuracy.

Auto Specimen Length!

The auto specimen length feature for Dilatometers allows much faster experiment testing by freeing the operator from measuring the individual specimen lengths. Once set up in Calibration, the software automatically measures and records new specimens when the experiment is started.

Auto Data Names!

The Auto Data Name feature frees the operator from selecting individual filenames for the saved data file and the experiment information file. This allows much faster repetitive sample testing. D/L or view the Auto Data Name docs.

Dilatometer correction files!

Correction files guarantee absolute accuracy by measuring the differences of the components making up your particular instrument. View or download the documentation (updated 06/00) for more info.

Dilatometer specimen lengths now up to 4 inches (100mm).

TMA calculations now available in analysis.

Increased resolution of the real-time strip chart display.

"None" can now be selected for the temperature controller, allowing a temperature program to still run and control mass flow valves and head speed while not controlling the furnace temperature.

A Run-time Parameter screen allows real-time editing of key experiment parameters like the shrinkage limit, valve difference allowance, torque limits, etc.

Real time editing of the running temperature program allows the user to change the program while an experiment is running.

Proportional mass flow gas valve control.

Audible and visual messages for all warning, error and critical conditions. The software actually announces the messages verbally! And the verbal messages can be translated into any language by the user

For the Rotating Viscometer: Individual rotor speeds can now be set for each individual program segment. The original torque limits control can still be used.

For the Dilatometer: The maximum length a specimen expands to can now be used to calculate the shrinkage limit. This will prevent the meltdown of materials like glass that expands, then rapidly melts.

The Reset/Exit Temperature is now optional, allowing the furnace to remain at any temperature after the experiment is canceled or ends.

The "debug channel" interface has been enhanced to allow setting each channel while in the real time debug screen. This allows the user to see the actual voltages, temperatures, lengths, etc.

Familiar, user-friendly Windows interface throughout affording the flexibility to execute experiments and analyze data simultaneously.

All software features are fully documented in on-line Windows help files, accessible at any time.

Improved temperature profile programming accommodates 100 segments - each with its own data storage interval, valve settings and head speed for more efficient data collection. The entire profile is displayed graphically on screen and can be printed.

Complete display of all instrument configuration options, experiment features and run-time parameters.

User selectable reset temperature for safer experiment shutdown.

Instrument calibration is fully controlled through software. A selectable calibration interval reminds the operator when the equipment requires calibration.


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Updated on Saturday, April 18, 2020


Entire contents of this web site and DilaSoft V3 software © 1996-2020 by Bearly Computing.
If you have any comments or questions about the site, please feel free to contact Rich


The Official Home of DilaSoft V3 software for the dilatometer, high temperature viscometer and DTA/TGA* instruments.