Micron Meters 1/8 DIN Digital Panel Meters,
Counters, Timers & Remote Displays

Micron Series Overview

Modular Hardware

The design of the Micron Series is modular for maximum flexibility at minimum cost. The base configuration for a panel meter or counter consists of a main module (with computer and plug-in display boards), a power supply board, and a signal conditioner board. Optional plug-in boards include an isolated setpoint controller board, an isolated analog output board, and an isolated digital interface board.

Modular design and a choice of plug-in options allow the Micron to be customized for a broad range of applications from simple monitoring to control and computer interface. There can be up to five plug-in boards in a fully-loaded Micron.

MAIN MODULE

The main module (with computer and display boards) defines the Micron series (DPM, weight meter, counter, or remote display), version (standard or extended), and LED display color (red or green). The number of digits is 5 for DPMs or 6 for counters, weight meters and remote displays. Digits are a full 14.2 mm (0.56") high.

Power Supply Boards

The same standard switching power supply board handles inputs of 85-264 Vac for worldwide AC use, plus 90-300 Vdc (high voltage DC operation not UL approved). An optional low voltage power supply board handles 12-30 Vac or 10-48 Vdc, allowing the meter to be powered by batteries. Isolated 5, 10 or 24 Vdc transducer excitation output is standard with either supply.

• Normal Voltage:  85-264 Vac
• Low Voltage: 12-30 Vac or 10-48 Vdc

Signal Conditioner Boards

Four input boards are used for DPMs:

• DC (volts, amps, mV, mA, process such as 4-20 mA, strain, pot follower).
• AC True RMS (AC volts, mV, amps, mA).
• Temperature (J, K, T, E, N, R, S thermocouple, Pt 100 ohm RTD).
• Load cell (load cells, scale meter, strain gauges, microvolt's).

Three input boards are used for counters: dual-channel counter, voltage-to-frequency, and quadrature. Click on each link below to be linked to the appropriate web page.

• AC frequency, period, rate
  (includes square root extraction and custom curve linearization)
• Digital stopwatch
• Time interval meter
• Phase angle meter
• Duty cycle meter
• Up / down totalizer
  (includes square root extraction and custom curve linearization)
• Ratio, draw, channels A+B, A-B, AxB, A/B, A/B-1
  (arithmetic operation on dual input channels A & B)
• Pulse input batch controller
• Voltage-to-Frequency Converter
  (rate, rate and total, square root, analog totalizer, analog batch control, 1/rate (time), custom curves)
• Quadrature Meter / Controller
  (position or rate from quadrature encoders with low-level differential or single ended logic level outputs)

Setpoint Controller Boards

Four isolated setpoint controller options are available to add control and alarm capability to DPMs, counters, timers and remote displays:

• Dual or Quad 8A contact relays
• Dual or Quad isolated solid state relays

Analog Output Board

An isolated output board is available to provide a 4-20 mA, 0-20 mA, 0-10V or bipolar ±10V output for DPMs, counters timers and remote displays, effectively turning these into isolated transmitters. The output is scaled and linearized to the display. Resolution is 16 bits.

• Analog output, 4-20 mA, 0-20 mA, 0-10V, -10 to +10V

Digital Interface Boards

Isolated communication interface boards allow the Micron to communicate with a computer or PLC. The two serial boards allow the Micron to drive a remote display, or to serve as a remote display.

• RS232 (RJ11 connector)
• RS485 (Dual RJ11 connectors for daisy chaining)
• Modbus RS485 (Dual RJ45 connectors for daisy chaining)
• USB 2.0 (USB Type B connector for connection to PC)
• USB-to-RS485 converter (USB Type-B connector to PC & RJ11 connector to RS485 network)

Designed for Industrial Use

All Microns are housed in a compact and rugged 1/8 DIN case which fits in a standard 45 x 92 mm panel cutout and requires only 102 mm (4.0") behind the panel (plus connectors). In many applications, a Micron can replace a larger, more expensive instrument. The Micron case is sealed to NEMA-4X (IP-65) requirements from the front when panel mounted to allow high-pressure wash-down.

Connectors Included

All power and signal connections are via UL / IEC / CSA rated screw-clamp terminals, which are standard. The RS232 and RS485 options are connected via RJ-11 phone jacks.

Easy Setup & Calibration

All Micron meters and counters are shipped fully configured, calibrated, and ready to run. All ranges of Micron DC, AC and temperature meters are calibrated at the factory, with calibration factors stored in EEPROM. This allows different ranges to be selected via plug-in jumpers, with no need to recalibrate the meter for each new range.

Setup can be from the front panel or by using powerful and easy-to-use Micron Setup & Calibration Software. It can simplify setup whether the PC is connected to the instrument or not. Absolute calibration of Micron panel meters requires temporary connection to an external calibrator and to a PC running Micron Setup & Calibration Software. System-level scale and offset calibration can also be from the front panel to produce specified readings from known signals, such as 4-20 mA = 0.00% to 100.00%.

Micron Datalogging Software

Datalogging Software turns a PC connected to up to 31 Micron instruments into a powerful, low-cost datalogging system. The Microns can be any mix of digital panel meters and counters, excluding only remote displays. Data can be displayed on a computer screen in the form of up to 64 simulated panel meters, which can include virtual meters that show an arithmetic combination of meter readings or totalized readings, such as volume from flow rate. Data is can be captured on disk in the form of comma-delimited ASCII files for analysis and graphic by an external program such as MS Excel.

• 6 digit LED display, -999999 to +999999
• Accepts RS-232 or RS-485 input from panel meter, counter, or other external source.
• Up to 31 units addressable on one serial data line.
• Optional dual or Quad-relay control output tied to display.
• Optional isolated 0-10 V or 4-20 mA transmitter output tied to display.