EPOCH LT QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

The EPOCH LT is Panametrics-NDT’s most basic Flaw Detector. The EPOCH LT is also the lightest and smallest Flaw Detector available on the market. This instrument is intended for inspectors with basic needs and/or for those who must carry the instrument throughout the day. The EPOCH LT has been designed for the most common ultrasonic inspections and the software available reflects this. DAC and TVG are standard and software options are available to meet global inspection requirements.

EPOCH LT PROPERTIES:LEMO 00 Transducer Posts: Connect transducers to the EPOCH LT via coaxial cable. Same connectors as the 37DL Plus Corrosion Gage and compatible with Thickness Gage dual element probes. USB Output: 2-way communication with a PC or a printer.

Pipestand/Handle: Comes with optional rubber protective case (PN: PLUS/RPC)

Display: Liquid Crystal Display maximizes outdoor visibility and battery life. This display features a backlight and a 60Hz update rate.

Battery: The EPOCH LT can be powered by either an AC line or battery. The standard Nickel Metal Hydride battery (NiMH) included with the unit is both high power and very dependable. The battery is housed internal to the unit for added protection. The battery can be charged to full capacity either internally in the EPOCH LT or using the optional External Charging Base. The battery should be conditioned before use to insure the fullest battery capacity. To condition the battery, completely charge and discharge it for 3 cycles. Be advised that NiMH batteries self-discharge at a rate of 5% - 8% per day. This means a battery should be given a full charge after extended storage.

Battery Operating Time: With the backlight turned off and under normal operating conditions the EPOCH LT battery life is between 5 and 6 hours.

INSTRUMENT POWER UP:

Press the [ON/OFF] key to turn the EPOCH LT on. The unit will go through a “Self Test” and then proceed to the split screen view. The split screen allows immediate viewing of the A-Scan, as well as all setup parameters. Press [DISPLAY] to toggle between the split and full screen view. The full screen view has a larger A-Scan display.

At the top of the screen are important parameters that are always displayed. This includes the current file and ID number, Gain, Range, Reject, and sound path or amplitude information. Below this is the A-Scan waveform with any associated flag markers appearing on the right side. Under the A-Scan is the complete list of setup parameters, battery capacity indicator, and quick access parameter presets.

To adjust the display contrast for optimum viewing, press [2nd F] then [CAL] (CONTRAST). You can also turn on the backlight in this menu.

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OPTION SCREEN:The EPOCH LT “Option Screen” is generally accessed when a user initially receives the unit in order to customize it for individual preferences. It is also used to access software features such as DAC, TVG, etc.

Press: [OPTION] to access the Option Screen.Use the Slewing keys to move highlight bar.Press: [ENTER] to access a function.Press: [OPTION] again to exit Option Screen.Access the “SETUP” screen to customize the unit for individual user preferences.

LANGUAGE: 7 Preset Languages with the future option of adding your own custom language.UNIT: Measurement can be displayed in inches, millimeters, or microseconds. You can also adjust the displayed measurement resolution here.ADVANCED USER: Users can select additional parameter and function flexibility:- Filter: Activates a high pass filter for high gain and long soundpath applications.- Zero: Allows all five Function Keys to display zero offset preset values.- X-Value: Allows entry of correction value to account for surface distance between BIP and front of wedge.- Save ID: Allows saving of “current thickness” or “minimum thickness” when the [SAVE THICK] key is

pressed.BEEP ON: Provides an audible tone upon each key press.GRID OFF: Turns the A-Scan grid (graticule lines) offALL LOCK: Locks all the keys on the keypad.CAL LOCK: Locks only the keys used in calibrations.LIVE FILLED: Fills the live A-SCAN. PEAK FILLED: Fills a Frozen A-Scan when the “PEAK HOLD” option is activated.ALKALINE BAT: User should select this when using the “AA” Alkaline battery pack instead of the standard rechargeable NiMH.

KEYPAD:

The EPOCH LT Keypad is organized in a simple, logical manner in order to speed inspections. The keypad is available in English (shown) or international symbols.

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The upper portion of the keypad is located directly under the display and it is made up of five Function Keys. This allows quick access to preset parameter values. For example: To change the Gain parameter, press the [GAIN] key. Now use the Function keys to select present gain values or use the slewing keys to change the gain in finer increments.

The most commonly used keys are located close to left thumb of the operator. The unique use of the [ENTER] key in combination with the Slewing keys allows the entire unit to virtually be controlled with just the thumb.

[GAIN]: Adjusts system sensitivity. A second function above the [GAIN] key sets a gain reference level and allows addition of scanning gain.[FREEZE]: Holds the displayed waveform until the key is pressed again.[SAVE THICK]: Saves the displayed thickness/time-of-flight reading.[SAVE WAVE]: Saves the current waveform and instrument setup parameters.[ENTER]: Provides the ability to make a selection on the EPOCH LT. In addition, by toggling the [ENTER] key, the EPOCH LT will proceed through every operating parameter in sequence. The parameter can then be adjusted in a course manner via the Function Keys or fine tuned via the Slewing Keys.[], [], [], []: These “Slewing Keys” allow fine adjustment of operating parameters.

RED KEYS: The red colored keys allow adjustment of the EPOCH 4B’s gates and alarms.

[GATE 1]: Controls the position of GATE 1 (start, width, level) through multiple presses of the key. A second function above [GATE 1] key allows control of the GATE 1 alarm (minimum depth alarm or threshold alarm.[GATE 2]: Controls the position of GATE 2 (start, width, level) through multiple presses of the key. A second function above [GATE 2] key allows control of the GATE 2 alarm (minimum depth alarm or threshold alarm. The alarms on GATE 1 and GATE 2 can be set independently of each other.

YELLOW KEYS: The yellow colored keys are used primarily in the calibration of the EPOCH 4B.

[CAL]: Initiates the auto-Calibration feature. A second function above the [CAL] key allows adjustment of the EPOCH LT screen for optimum viewability.[ZERO OFFSET]: Used to compensate for the time offset between the electric zero point (time when the electric pulse is first generated) and acoustic zero point (time when the sound wave enters the material). A second function above the [ZERO OFFSET] key allows the unit to display the graticule numbers (0 to 10) underneath the A-SCAN when in full-screen mode.[RANGE]: Sets the time base in units of material travel distance. A second function above the [RANGE] key zooms in on the area covered by GATE 1.[VEL]: Sets the material velocity for distance calculations. A second function above the [VEL] key sets the system reject. This removes unwanted low-level noise from being viewed on the A-Scan.[ANGLE]: Allows entry of refracted angle when using angle beam transducers. A second function above the [ANGLE] key allows entry of material thickness when testing with angle beam transducers.

ORANGE KEYS: The orange colored keys are used to adjust the EPOCH LT’s pulser settings, screen view, and waveform characteristics.

[PULSER]: Multiple presses toggle through the pulser parameters. This includes Rectification, Energy, Damping, Test Mode, Pulser Type (Optional), and Pulser Frequency. A second function above the [PULSER] key allows direct access to the Filter Selection.[DISPLAY]: Toggles between full screen and split screen display. [PEAK MEM]: Activates the PEAK MEMORY feature allowing for continuous accumulation of peak envelope data with the live waveform. [DEPTH / % AMP]: Allows selection and display of peak depth, edge depth, signal amplitude, or time of flight information of gated signal. The depth and % amplitude can also both be viewed on the screen at the same time. A

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second function above the [DEPTH / %AMP] key activates the Echo-to-Echo (Optional) thickness measurement mode.AUTO-80% FEATURE:

AUTO-80% is an excellent tool to quickly adjust the instrument’s gain (dB) setting to bring the peak of a reference echo to 80% full screen height. AUTO-80% is especially useful in combination with the DAC option, or other general welding applications and codes that require an operator to quickly adjust gain to bring an echo to 80% screen height.

The AUTO-80% feature can be used to bring an echo to 80% full screen height in either Gate 1 or Gate 2. The procedure below details the key presses for Gate 1. The procedure is similar for Gate 2, except the [GATE 2] key is used and the gate must first be turned on.

1. Press [GATE 1].2. Use the gate controls to position the gate over the desired echo. Be sure the echo breaks the gate threshold.3. Press [F5]. The peak of the highest amplitude echo breaking the Gate 1 threshold will be brought to 80% FSH.

EDITABLE PARAMETER FEATURE:

The EPOCH LT has default factory preset values for each parameter, allowing quick and easy control of the unit. For example, press [GAIN] and then [F2] to quickly set the system gain to the factory preset value of 20dB.

Some users will want to customize these preset values according to their own desired applications. For example, the factory preset values for probe refracted angle are [F1]=0.0, [F2]=30.0, [F3]=45.0, [F4]=60.0, and [F5]=70.0. If an operator regularly uses a wedge angle of 35.0 instead of 30.0 degrees, it would save time by changing the [F2] preset to 35.0. Follow the steps below to customize preset values through the Editable Parameter feature:

1. Press [OPTION].2. Toggle down to “EDIT PARAMETR” and press [ENTER].3. Follow the screen prompts to customize the various parameter presets.4. Press [F1] when finished to return to the live screen.

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CALIBRATION – STRAIGHT BEAM TRANSDUCER:The EPOCH LT’s advanced “Auto-Calibration” feature makes it easier and quicker than ever to calibrate the instrument for a variety of transducers. The EPOCH LT will be set to English units (inches), but the calibration is done in a similar manner if Metric units (millimeters) are selected.

Equipment:Contact Transducer - 5.0MHz Frequency and 0.5 inch diameter (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: A109S-RM)5 Step Steel Test Block – 0.100 inches to 0.500 inch steps (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: 2214E)Cable – BNC to Microdot connectors (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: BCM-74-6)Couplant – Glycerin (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: B-2)

Initial Calibration Setup:1. Adjust GAIN to 10.0 dB.2. Set REJECT to 0%.3. Set VELOCITY to the approximate material velocity (0.2320 in/us which is the longitudinal velocity in steel).4. Set ZERO OFFSET to 0.000 us.5. Set ANGLE to 0.0 degrees.6. Set THICKNESS to 0.000 inches.7. Set RANGE to 1.000 inch (full screen).8. Select Fullwave Rectification.9. Set Pulser Energy to Low (100V).10. Set Damping to 50 ohms.11. Select Pulse-Echo Mode.12. Select the Square Wave Pulser (if the EPLT/SWP option has been purchased).13. Set the Frequency to 5.00MHz (if the EPLT/SWP option has been purchased).14. Select “PEAK DEPTH” detection mode.

Straight Beam Auto-Calibration Procedure:1. Couple the transducer to the THIN (0.100 inch step) reference standard.2. Position Gate 1 over the 1st backwall echo, and then adjust Gain so peak of signal is visible on-screen.3. Press [CAL].4. Wait for a steady reading then press [ZERO OFFSET].5. Enter the known thickness (0.100 inch) of the THIN reference standard.6. Press [CAL] and couple transducer to the THICK (0.500 inch step) reference standard. Verify Gate 1 is over the 1st backwall echo and that the peak of signal is visible on-screen. Gate 1 can be moved and the Gain can be adjusted if necessary.7. Wait for a steady reading then press [VEL].8. Enter the known thickness (0.500 inch) of the THICK reference standard.9. Press [ENTER] to complete the calibration.

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CALIBRATION – ANGLE BEAM TRANSDUCER:

Equipment:

Angle Beam Transducer - .5” Diameter 5.0MHz Frequency (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: A541S-SM)Wedge - 45° Wedge (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: ABWM-5T-45)1018 Steel IIW Test Block – Calibrate distance and sensitivity settings (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: TB7541-1)Cable – BNC to Microdot connectors (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: BCM-74-6)Couplant – Glycerin (Panametrics-NDT Part Number: B-2)

Initial Calibration Setup:1. Adjust GAIN to 40.0 dB.2. Set REJECT to 0%.3. Set VELOCITY to the approximate material velocity (for this example use 0.1270 in/us which is the Shear velocity in Steel).4. Set ZERO OFFSET to 0.000 us.5. Set ANGLE to 45.0 degrees.6. Set THICKNESS to 0.000 inches.7. Set RANGE to 10.000 inch (full screen).8. Select Fullwave Rectification.

Locate the Beam Index Point (BIP):1. Couple the probe to the “IIW Type 1 Block” at the “0” mark so the probe faces the large curved arc.2. Move the probe forward and backward to peak up the echo (The “Peak Memory” feature aids in this process).3. Once the signal is peaked, mark the side of the transducer wedge directly over the “0” mark. This is the BIP, where the sound exits the wedge and enters the material with maximum energy.

Verify the Refracted Angle:1. Couple the probe to the “IIW Type 1 Block” over the appropriate angle mark on the block (45 degrees for this

example). The probe should face the large circular hole in the block.2. Move the probe forward and backward to peak up the echo (The “Peak Memory” feature aids in this process).3. Once the signal is peaked, note the degree mark on the block that lines up with the BIP. This is the actual refracted

angle for this particular setup. If the value differs from the wedge angle entered in the initial setup, enter the correct angle now.

Calibrate for Distance:1. Couple the probe to the “IIW Type 1 Block” so the BIP lines up exactly at the “0” mark, and the probe faces the

large curved arc.2. Position Gate 1 over the 1st large echo (at approximately the 4th screen division), and then adjust Gain so peak of

signal is visible on-screen.3. Press [CAL].4. Wait for a steady reading then press [ZERO OFFSET].5. Enter the known soundpath distance to this arc (4.000 inch).6. Press [CAL] and move Gate 1 so it is positioned over the 2nd smaller echo visible on the screen (at approximately

the 9th screen division), and verify the echo is breaking the gate threshold.7. Wait for a steady reading then press [VEL].8. Enter the known soundpath distance to this arc (9.000 inch).9. Press [ENTER] to complete the calibration.

Calibrate for sensitivity:1. Couple the probe to the “IIW Type 1 Block” so that the transducer is aimed at the 0.060in side drilled hole.2. Move the probe forward and backward to peak up the echo (The “Peak Memory” feature aids in this process).3. Use the [GAIN] key to bring the gain to a desired level.4. Lock in a reference gain and enable scanning gain by pressing [2nd F] then [GAIN].

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DATALOGGER:

The EPOCH LT is equipped with a sophisticated Datalogger that is designed for ease of use while providing a wide range of features for flaw detection requirements. The Datalogger is capable of storing 100 Calibrations with Waveforms and Setup Information or 2,000 Thickness readings. A software option is available to upgrade this capacity to a total of 500 Calibrations or 10,000 thickness readings.

To access the Datalogger press [2nd F], then the [FOLDER] key. The screen is divided into 2 sections. The bottom section is the “Directory Window” which lists the file names. The top section is the “File Contents” where it’s possible to view what is stored in the individual files.

Files in the EPOCH LT are “flexible files” which can store numerous thickness readings, calibrations, and general waveforms. All of this information can coexist in the same file. Inspectors will most often use these files as they save inspection data in the field.

Saving Waveforms/Thickness Readings in the Datalogger:1. Press the [FOLDER] key to enter the datalogger.2. Use the slewing keys to select a new or current file in the “File Directory” window where the information will be

saved. Press [F5] “EDIT” to access the file location.3. Use the Slewing Keys or the [F1] – [F5] keys to enter a file name.4. Press [DISPLAY] to exit the Datalogger and return to the live A-scan screen.5. Press the [ID] key and enter an appropriate Identifier Code using the Slewing Keys or the [F1] – [F5] keys.6. Press [SAVE THICK] to save only the displayed thickness reading.7. Press [SAVE WAVE] to save the complete waveform and setup information.

Recalling Waveforms/Calibrations1. Press the [FOLDER] key to enter the datalogger.2. Use the slewing keys to select the desired file in the “File Directory” window where the waveform was initially

saved.3. Press [F1] to move to the “File Contents” portion of the datalogger screen.4. Use the slewing keys to scroll through the file to locate the desired waveform/calibration to recall. The currently

active ID will be displayed in the upper right corner of the screen.5. Press [F2] to recall the selected waveform/calibration to the live screen.

SOFTWARE OPTIONS:

The EPOCH LT is intended to be a highly versatile instrument. It is capable of being configured to perform specialized functions related to certain applications or code requirements. Since some inspectors may not make use of these functions, they have been offered as software options.

The EPOCH LT’s software options are accessed using the [OPTION] key. This menu displays a series of options, each with a triangle or box preceding it. An unfilled triangle or box indicates the particular option is not activated in the instrument. A filled triangle means the option is active, and the user initiates it by moving the highlight bar over the desired selection using the slewing keys and then pressing [ENTER]. A filled box means the option is active, but no further adjustment is necessary for the user in this menu.

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Software Options currently released in Version 1.03 of the EPOCH LT Operating Software are listed below. Please contact Panametrics or your local representative for more information about these software options.

- Distance Amplitude Correction (DAC) NOW STANDARD- Time Varied Gain (TVG) NOW STANDARD- Advanced DAC/TVG- Onboard DGS/AVG- AWS D1.1 Weld Classification- API 5UE- Low PRF (30Hz)- Square Wave Pulser- Echo to Echo Measurement- Expanded Memory- Extended Range

These software options can be purchased at the time of order of an EPOCH LT, or as an after sale item. Most options can be programmed remotely, meaning the instrument does not need to be returned to Olympus NDT. Please contract Olympus NDT or your local representative for more information on the complete list of software options available and how to place an order.

INTERFACE PROGRAM:The EPOCH 4 Series and the EPOCH LT all share the same PC Interface Program called GageView Pro. This program allows you to transfer calibration files and inspection data to the PC for storage, report generation, or to share with other EPOCH flaw detectors.

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