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Start via ADCL WinSoft

ADCL WinSoft is the long-term replacement for AeroWare. It runs the VFD and the DAQ from one application. This page is the per-run startup sequence; the application's internals are in Software → ADCL WinSoft.

Prerequisites

  • Pre-run checklist complete.
  • Main switch closed (mains live to the VFD), drive keypad shows REM.
  • Lab PC powered, Ethernet 4 holding 192.168.50.100.

Launch

Double-click E:\Wind_tunnel\ADCLWinSoft\ADCL WinSoft.exe. The application takes a few seconds to start (the PyInstaller bundle is ~65 MB and unpacks to a temporary folder).

On first launch only the application asks for:

  • an admin password (used to access the calibration / channel-map / password-change tabs); minimum 6 characters. The hash is written to %APPDATA%\AeroLab\ADCLWinSoft\admin.hash.
  • a model characteristic length (used for the live Reynolds-number display in the side panel).

Subsequent launches go straight to the main window.

Connect to the drive

  1. Open the VFD tab.
  2. Verify the Modbus connection indicator in the footer goes green. If it does not, see Troubleshooting → Modbus connection.
  3. The status panel should show the drive's quick-access registers updating at 4 Hz: CW, REF1, SW, ACT1 (speed), ACT2 (current).

If you want data recorded:

  1. Confirm the footer says DAQ: cDAQ1, not "DAQ: simulated".
  2. In the right-column DAQ Gate, press Start DAQ.
  3. The Signals tab now shows live engineering-unit readings; the Graphs tab shows the rolling buffers.

Set the speed reference

  1. In the right-column Quick Tunnel panel, drag the slider to your initial RPM setpoint (range 0–880 RPM).
  2. Press Apply Setpoint. This writes REF1 only — it does not start the motor.
  3. The drive's keypad shows the new setpoint as a frequency reference.

Start the motor

  1. Visually confirm the test section is clear of people and tools (one more time).
  2. Press Start Tunnel. ADCL WinSoft writes the start sequence (REF1 → CW=0x0476 → CW=0x047F) with the timing the drive requires.
  3. The Status panel shows the drive transition to RUN. The Speed RPM readout begins to climb.
  4. The motor reaches the commanded RPM in a few seconds (per the drive's ACCEL TIME parameter).

Change setpoint mid-run

Move the Quick Tunnel slider and press Apply Setpoint. ADCL WinSoft writes only REF1, never re-issues the start word; the drive ramps smoothly to the new RPM.

Never press Start Tunnel mid-run

Pressing Start Tunnel again writes 0x0476 followed by 0x047F. Writing 0x0476 first stops the drive. This is a quirk of the ABB Drives profile; ADCL WinSoft's command worker exists in part to make this distinction explicit (SetRpmCmd vs StartCmd). For the user it means: use Apply Setpoint for any mid-run change, and Start Tunnel only from idle.

During the run

The right-column Quick Tunnel panel shows the requested vs actual RPM. The VFD tab shows the raw register values. The Signals tab shows the engineering-unit DAQ readings. The Graphs tab shows the rolling buffers (last 4096 samples per channel, FIFO).

Watch the footer for:

  • the Connected indicator on the Modbus side;
  • the DAQ indicator;
  • any fault message from the drive (which appears as a red status banner with the fault code).

If a fault appears, Troubleshooting → Faults and alarms is the first stop.

Stop the motor

Two options:

  • Stop Tunnel (preferred for normal end of run): ramp-stop per the drive's DECEL TIME.
  • Emergency Stop (red, larger button): coast-stop with CW=0x0000 and REF1=0.

Both write the appropriate Modbus registers. The Status panel reflects the transition.

For the rest of the shutdown sequence (smoke, laser, lights, mains), see Shutdown.