Getting Started
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The following sequence of actions is generally followed in preparation for measurements:
1. Turn on your minispec and your PC (if they were turned off).
´ Wait until the console CPU/Ethernet process boots, as indicated by the lighting of the
left (green) LEDs located on the front edge of the magnet and console.
2. Connect the PC to the minispec you want to use and configure the software, e.g. choose
applications or an analyzer type.
´ Wait until the right LED on the magnet unit is green. This can take up to 3 hours to
ensure optimum temperature stability. If the system was turned off for several days, or
it was moved to another place, insert the calibration sample with 0% solid content and
run the Update Settings routine.
´ If you want to perform SFC (Solid Fat Content) determinations and the analyzer type
is not set to SFC-Analyzer, then make sure the option SFC is checked in the
Instrument Settings submenu of the pull-down menu the minispec before you start
the Update Settings.
3. Depending on the application you use (see your application description), start your
measurement or calibration with the Run or Calibrate command.
The software includes full automatic tuning routines to adjust the measurement settings, for
example pulse length, receiver gain, and magnetic field. You can tune these settings
periodically to ensure the instrument validity over time.
The Daily Check command should be executed once a day to check the most important
instrument settings and hardware functionality.
Every 24 hours, a yellow field on the right of the display will automatically indicate the need
for another Daily Check. Running the Daily Check periodically ensures conformance to
Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).
For minispec.exe software (version 2.8 and higher) as delivered in 2015, an application
version control has been implemented, checking the compatibility of the ExpSpel application,
with other software components, like firmware and FPGA.
Customers using non-compatible versions will get error messages when starting the
applications. The error messages may be ignored, thus running the application with an
incorrect combination of software components. In such a case, the accuracy of the results is
questionable.
6.6 List of Standard Applications
With the mq-Series minispec, nearly all standard applications are executable without any
license number. The most common applications are listed below:
• Solid fat content determination in fat compositions using Solid Fat Content (ratio)
calibration standards with certificates.
• Oil/fat & moisture in:
– Chocolate.
– Cocoa powder.
– Milk powder.
• Oil & Moisture in:
– Seeds.
– Nuts.
– Olives.
• Droplet size analysis in emulsions (protected).
• Xylene soluble content in polypropylene.
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