FAQ
What Types of Dispenser Can You Upgrade?
Almost anything. Provided that the design of your dispenser is fundamentally sound then we will probably be willing to upgrade it. So far we have upgraded:
- DCI/Texicon: Formula 1 Aqueous, Formula 1 Solvent, AutoWeigh, MVDS, CD3000.
- ACS: PDS Volumetric Dispenser.
- Bespoke: Stenter chemical supply system.
- Rexson: Ink Dispenser system.
- Fluid Management: FM1050.
How long will the changeover take?
On-site time varies according to the complexity of the system and how much new software requires to be written. New software is required only if you have specific requirements or if the type of your system has been upgraded before. As an example, a Formula 1 upgrade takes 2 or 3 days whilst an AutoWeigh takes 4 or 5 days, including calibration and training.
Downtime during the upgrade also varies with complexity, from 1 day for a Formula 1, to 2 or 3 days for an AutoWeigh.
What hardware needs to be changed?
Unless the PC is less than about 2-3 years old, that will need to be replaced. We also replace the I/O cards within the dispense PC and within the dispenser control cabinet. Depending on your location and requirements, we may supply the PC or you can supply the PC yourselves. The minimum PC specification is
Pentium or equivalent processor, 300MHz or faster
Monitor and video card capable of 800×600 pixels, 24 bit color, 70Hz refresh
Windows ’95, ’98, NT4 or 2000
64MB RAM (96MB for NT4; 128MB for 2000)
2GB HD
Mouse or Trackball
Keyboard
Can We Print Tub Ticket Labels?
Yes. There are many different tub ticket options available in the software and we can add new formats to your requirements. Tub tickets can be printed on “normal” paper (to A4, A5 or Letter size at present) and also onto smaller labels using special ticket printers from Star, Seiko and Dymo. Some options (e.g. the Seiko SmartLabel Pro printer, see picture above) print onto sticky labels which can be stuck directly to the dispense tub. For more information click here.
Who Will Perform The Upgrade?
That depends on your location. At present, upgrades within the UK and Europe are handled directly by SCCS Ltd., whilst upgrades in the USA, Canada and South America are handled by Caltek Services Inc. Upgrades in Australasia and the Far East are handled by XYZ Technologies.
Will the new system dispense more quickly?
That depends on the type of system you have – volumetric systems cannot be speeded up through software but gravimetric systems usually can. The amount of improvement with a gravimetric system depends on where the time is going in the current software, but improvements of at least 15 seconds per component (i.e. about 1 minute per tub) can be expected. We have upgraded many systems where an 8-minute dispense time has been reduced to less than 4 minutes.
What Operating System Does It Require?
ColorFast is a 32-bit Windows program. It runs under Windows ’95 or ’98, NT4 or WIndows 2000. We recommend Windows 2000.
ColorFast can run on a network, allowing you to access ColorFast at various locations. The ColorFast database is then normally held on a server which can run any operating system (e.g. NT Server (recommended), NetWare, Linux).
We have a Solvent-Based System with a terminal. Will that work?
Yes. We currently have drivers for the ISIS 400 and SpectraTek Mercury 2 terminals. Those terminals can be used to control dispenses, refill supply vessels and return used materials.
Do You Sell New Dispensers?
No. SCCS itself is a software company only, however we have links with dispenser companies that can supply you with new systems.
Can We Use ColorFast Elsewhere In The Factory?
Certainly. Depending on what you want to do with it, however, we may recommend use of our new Intranet product. This does not have the full functionality of ColorFast, but it does provide the functions that are typically required by accounting and purchasing departments. The Intranet product is very simple to install (no software is installed on the client PCs – they just use a normal Internet Browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape). The cost is lower too – you just pay for the Intranet server software and you can then add as many clients as you wish at no extra charge.
Can We Access ColorFast Remotely (outside the factory)?
Yes. There are two options. For occasional access we can set up a remote dial-in link using pcAnywhere software or VNC. These can be used via modem, ISDN, LAN or WAN depending on your requirements and infrastructure. However, we also have in Internet product which allows remote access to important data such as stock levels and usage figures. This is via our Internet Server, which provides secure (password-protected) access to this data. The data is updated at specified periods (e.g. daily or weekly) by emails automatically sent from ColorFast to our server.