GP300 Graphic Printer/Chart Recorder

LASER PRINTER RESOLUTION  (300 x 300 dpi)  CHART SPEEDS TO 260 MM/SEC  32 FULLY PROGRAMMABLE WAVEFORM CHANNELS AND 16 EVENT CHANNELS  GENERAL-PURPOSE PRINTER FOR ANY  WINDOWS NT/2000 APPLICATION GRAPHIC PRINTER WITH 16 GRAY LEVELS FOR EACH PIXEL  SUPPORT SOFTWARE FOR CONTROL, DATA MONITORING & LOGGING  OUTSTANDING RELIABILITY AND LOW MAINTENANCE

The RMS INSTRUMENTS GP300 is a ruggedized industrial/aerospace grade graphic printer and chart recorder based on multiple 32-bit microprocessors. It utilizes the latest in thermal-array technology, offering a record 300-mm wide with 300x300 dpi laser-quality resolution.

Based on the proven performance of the GR33 family of Chart Recorders, the GP300 has been designed for rugged applications and minimum maintenance. It is ideally suited for test & measurement, industrial, and an assortment of airborne and mobile applications.

When operating as a digital chart recorder the GP300 achieves speeds of up to 260 mm/sec, supporting 32 fully programmable (waveform) channels, plus an additional 16 event (logic) channels. A host computer controls the GP300 via one of the interface ports available.

Real-time math on channels may be defined, as well as many different chart annotation messages and markers synchronized to time or external events. The GP300's unique programmable sprites offer outstanding trace differentiation. All information is printed simultaneously with one of the user-programmable background grids, eliminating any drift between waveforms and grid.

The GP300 can also operate both as an alphanumeric printer, and as a graphic printer/plotter in either black & white or gray scaling mode. In the latter, the GP300 offers near-photographic quality images using a true (not dithered) 16-level gray scaling approach - each individual dot’s gray shade is modulated according to the image data. It is an excellent device for producing hard copies of computer generated images in applications such as radar, sonar, medical electronics, surveillance, and spectrum analysis.

Interfacing

Whether operating as a digital chart recorder or as a graphic printer, the GP300 is essentially a peripheral device "slaved" to a host computer. Connection to the host can be via a number of interfaces built into the digital I/O board. The standard version includes 4 serial ports (up to 115.2 kbps), a parallel port, and a 32-bit digital I/O port. Other versions of the digital I/O board will become available in the future, and custom versions may also be built.

Configuration

The GP300 has a simple control panel with an 8-character display for status and error messages, four keys for basic control, and a 10-segment bargraph for display of paper level.

A number of choices are available for configuration –

• Flexible PC software allows easy configuration, and maintenance of a practically unlimited number of configuration files. Choose between the basic PC300 Control/Interface Software supplied with the GP300, and the more advanced Windows NT/2000-based CDW300 Control and Display for Windows.

• Use the terminal operator interface (TOI) via one of the serial ports in the digital I/O board.  Any terminal (or PC running an emulation program) may be used to set up the GP300.

• Develop your own operator interface.  The programming task is greatly simplified using, for example, the Rtg300 Interface Library for GP300.

Trace wrapping

With the GP300's exclusive trace wrapping option, waveforms may wrap around boundary lines. With no limit to the number of times a trace may wrap, the user can view signals with very high resolution, without cluttering the chart.

Chart annotation

The GP300 provides a set of vertical messages (printed along the time axis), and sets of horizontal messages (along the amplitude axis). The contents, position, print repetition interval and orientation of messages are programmable. Channel identification labels, "follow" channel traces and are printed next to them.

Mnemonics representing configuration variables may be included in the text of messages. At the time of printing, they are "expanded" to show the current value of the variable.

Use the language of your choice – messages may contain any characters from the standard ASCII character set, or from the extended set (per ISO 8859-1).

Event channels

The user may define up to sixteen event (logic) channels. Each has a counter, may be plotted in a variety of ways, and may be positioned anywhere on the chart. Logic channels are driven by digital inputs through the digital I/O board, or from a host computer. Combined with the conventional waveform channels, they make the GP300 ideal for 'mixed signal' applications, where continuous-time signals must be analyzed, in real-time, relative to multiple digital control signals.

Signal Processing

With its built-in hardware floating point capability, the GP300 offers powerful real-time signal processing. The input signal to a waveform channel may be processed, in any order, by programmable digital filters, a linearization algorithm, and an offset (or bias). In addition, 4 individually programmable setpoints may be processed.

Digital filters

You may configure a filter for fast, integer-arithmetic implementation using a preset architecture (low-pass, high-pass, band-reject), with user defined parameters to specify filter order and frequency domain characteristics. If you need more flexibility, define the filter as a general transfer function – you specify poles and zeros, and the filter is efficiently implemented using hardware floating-point arithmetic.

Setpoints

Multiple user-programmable high setpoints and low setpoints are available for each channel. On an alarm condition setpoint extensions are drawn on the appropriate trace(s), clearly identifying the abnormal condition. Setpoints are not restricted to fixed values – with variable setpoints, any waveform channel may be assigned as any of the setpoints for another channel.

Real-time math

The GP300 supports user programs written in a Basic-like language. User programs allow mathematical computations involving any of the 32 waveform channels to be performed in real-time. Programs may be entered and edited using the programming environment supported via the terminal operator interface, or they may be downloaded from a host computer.

Data Logging

Set up the GP300 for real-time data transmission via a serial port, connect to a PC running the DISP300 Virtual Chart Recorder Display, or the CDW300 Control & Display for Windows software, and you have a powerful data monitoring and logging station. When the application allows it, record on paper only "on demand" – waveforms are viewed on the screen, and all data is logged to a file on disk.

Reliability & Product Support

RMS INSTRUMENTS has an unparalleled reputation for supplying reliable products. Hardware and firmware have been professionally developed and strenuously tested. The solid mechanical design uses a very simple paper drive mechanism, with only a few moving parts. Powerful diagnostic features are built-in, and proprietary algorithms ensure long printhead operating life.

Our customer support and service remain outstanding. Use of Flash memory devices allows simple field-upgrading of firmware and programmable-hardware.
 

Printer/Plotter Modes

The following modes are available under control of a host computer. A large (1-Mbyte) input buffer in the GP300 expedites communications.

Raster Graphics with Gray Scaling

In this mode the GP300 offers 300 x 300 dpi resolution and true gray scaling with 16 shades of gray - the gray shade of each printing element is individually modulated by the image data. The GP300 constantly monitors printhead temperature and print rates and adjusts its operation accordingly, thus maintaining the outstanding photographic quality of the resulting images. A special thermal film that ensures optimum print quality is available from RMS INSTRUMENTS.

Windows NT Printer (Black & White)

This mode has been especially designed for use with RMS INSTRUMENTS' PDb300 Windows NT Printer Driver (B&W). It allows the GP300 to be used as a general-purpose 300 x 300 dpi black & white printer for Windows NT/2000/XP applications. The GP300 may be configured to automatically start in this mode, making all the underlying setup commands transparent to the host.

Raster Graphics

In this mode the GP300 is a fast, high resolution (300 x 300 dpi), black-and-white graphic printer. It accepts data in a raster scan format, where each bit controls one print element.

Alphanumeric Printer

This mode is ideal for fast text printing or chart annotation. The full standard and extended (ISO 8859-1) ASCII character sets are supported. Printing may be in data logger or line printer orientation.

Support Software

PC300 Control/Interface Software - Provides a PC-based operator interface for control and setup of the GP300. A copy of PC300-1 is included with each GP300.
DISP300 Virtual Chart Recorder Display - Graphically displays data from the GP300, in real-time, on a PC-screen. The program allows optional logging of GP300 data to a disk file.
CDW300 Control & Display for Windows - Advanced Windows NT/2000/XP-based operator interface for control and setup of the GP300. Includes data monitoring and logging capabilities.
Rtg300 Interface Library - a dynamic-link library (DLL) for Windows NT/2000/XP, that supports the entire GP300 command set.
PDb300 Windows Printer Driver (B&W) - Allows the GP300 to be used as a general-purpose 300-dpi printer. Any Windows NT/2000/XP application (word processor, spreadsheet, etc.) can use the GP300 as a standard laser-quality printer.

    PAPER TRANSPORT
 

DRIVE MECHANISM:	Crystal controlled DC micro-stepping motor; internal paper take-up spool.
CHART SPEED:	Programmable in user-selectable units. Up to 260 mm/sec (10.2 in/sec).
PAPER ADVANCE:	Paper may be advanced at 25.4 mm/sec (1 in/sec) without printing.
PAPER LEVEL:	Solid state level sensor and 10-segment LED bargraph level indicator.
PAPER VIEWING AREA:	84 mm (3.3 in) when using internal take-up spool, 134.6 mm (5.3 in) using RMS3307 Writing Platen.

    CONFIGURATION
 

CHART LAYOUT:	Fully programmable grids, trace styles, real-time math, digital filtering, engineering units, annotation, time/event markers, etc.
NON-VOLATILE MEMORY:	3 setup tables. Data retention > 10 years.

     REMOTE CONTROL
 

PORTS, INPUT BUFFER:	Serial Channel A or Parallel. 1 MB input buffer.
CONTROL &  CONFIGURATION:	All variables and features in chart mode – binary protocol command set.
PRINTER/PLOTTER MODES:	Alphanumeric, Raster Graphics (B&W), Raster Graphics Gray Scaling, Windows NT Printer B&W.

    INTERFACES
 

FOUR ASYNCHRONOUS  SERIAL CHANNELS:	Up to 115.2 kbps, even/odd/no-parity, optional hardware handshaking, 1 start bit, 1 stop bit, 8 bits/character. - Channel A:  Remote control port or printer/plotter port; DE-9P connector,RS-232D or RS422. - Channel B:  Test (debugging) port for MCPU or SCPU.  Internal 10-pin header,RS-232D. - Channel C:  Real-time data output port; DE-9P connector,RS232D or RS-422. - Channel D:  Terminal Operator Interface (TOI); DE-9P connector and internal 10-pin header,RS-232D.
PARALLEL PORT:	Remote control port. Centronics type, PC-compatible. Up to 150 kbytes/sec. DB-25S connector (J6).
32-BIT DIGITAL I/O PORT:	DC-37S connector (J3). - 16 programmable inputs/outputs; latched outputs - 16 inputs (event channels).

(For other optional interfaces, consult RMS INSTRUMENTS)

    INSTALLATION
 

SIZE:	Rack mountable, 482.6 x 133.4 mm (19.0 x 5.25 in) overall depth 414.5 mm (16.3 in), extending 368 mm (14.5 in) behind mounting surface.
WEIGHT:	10 kg (22 pounds) excluding options and paper.
POWER REQUIREMENTS:	GP300-1:  23-32 VDC input GP300-2:  115 VAC / 220 VAC Less than 120 Watts typical.
TEMPERATURE:	- Operating range: 0ºC to +40ºC (0ºC to +50ºC with optional RMS2836 cooling fan). - Storage: -40ºC to +60ºC (excluding paper).
HUMIDITY:	5% - 90% non-condensing.
ALTITUDE:	To 15,228 m (50,000 feet).
VIBRATION:	10 cycles each consisting of 4 hours at +40ºC with 10 minutes of vibration at 1 g, 60 Hz every hour, and one hour cold cycle down to 0ºC.
BURN-IN TESTING:	12 hours at 0º to 40ºC (to 50ºC with optional RMS2836 cooling fan).

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

Recording paper

RMS2030-5:  Plain thermal paper roll 12.625 in (321 mm) wide x 200 ft (60 m) long.

RMS2030-7:  as above, perforated each 8.5 inches

RMS2030-6:  Thermal film roll

Consult the factory for the latest options and customized recorder configurations.

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Specifications are subject to change without notice.