5 getting started with rs-232 – New Era NE-1600 Multi-Phaser Programmable Syringe User Manual

Page 46

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New Era Pump Systems Inc.

WWW.SYRINGEPUMP.COM

Model NE-1600/NE-1800 Multi-Phaser™

Publication #1200-02

41

8/1/14

9.5 Getting Started With RS-232

Before beginning to develop pump control software for a computer, first setup and experiment with the pump’s
communication. After attaching the pump to the computer, run a terminal emulation Program on the
computer. A generic terminal emulator, supplied as standard software with many computers, can be used to
communicate with the pump in the Basic communications mode.

New Era Pump Systems supplies a terminal emulator, for demonstration purposes only, which allows more
complex control of the pump. Also, this terminal emulator contains a “Pump Programming Language”
(PPL™), which allows Pumping Programs to be developed using symbolic text, modified, and stored in
computer files, then uploaded to the pump. In addition, a Pumping Program generator spreadsheet is available
to assist in developing a Pumping Program and to create the text file for uploading to a pump.

With a generic terminal emulator, setup the terminal emulator with the same baud rate as the pump and with an
8 bit data, no parity, and 1 stop bit (8N1) data frame. Set the communications port to the port that is attached
to the pump. Also enable local echo (half-duplex) and turn flow control off.

From the terminal emulator, you can interactively control the pump by typing in commands on your computer
and seeing the pump’s responses on your screen. This will give you a feel for how the commands work in
addition to allowing you to quickly develop the control sequence that will eventually be coded into the
software being developed.

The final benefit of using a terminal emulator is the elimination of several variables if the control software
does not work properly. If the pump works correctly with the terminal emulator, then this verifies that the
hardware is working properly and will work with any software. Any communications problems can then be
narrowed down to the control software.

Note on USB: If an RS-232 port is not available on your PC, the pump may be operated through a USB to
RS-232 converter cable (available as an accessory, part #CBL-USB232). This cable attaches to the standard
RS-232 to PC cable (part #CBL-PC-PUMP-7). The PC will create a virtual RS-232 communications port that
communicates through the USB to RS-232 converter cable. The terminal emulator can communicate through
this virtual port.

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