Have you tried this (little known) feature on the Mensor CPC6050 Pressure Controller?

This handy—but little known—feature on the CPC6050 Pressure Controller can help you cut energy costs, automate your process, and monitor the status of input channels.

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The digital input/output (DIO) feature is optional on Mensor’s CPC6050 Pressure Controller. Each of the CPC650’s control channels have a DIO port with three electrical inputs and outputs. These can be used through the Digital I/O Application in the instrument’s software. Each of the digital inputs/outputs can also be read/set using remote commands.

Input Uses

The Digital I/O Application can be used to let the CPC6050 monitor the status of the input channels without having to poll the instrument for the input status. First apply an electrical input to a digital input, then the CPC6050 will perform one of these user-selectable functions:

Go into the Measure mode
Go into Control mode
Go into Vent mode
Lock the touch screen
Start an internal program
Trigger a new reading

Here are some of the things you can do using the Digital I/O Application for input:

Lock the touch screen once a test has been started to keep a user from altering the CPC6050 during the test
Use an external pressure switch to vent the entire system in case of an overpressure event
Go into control once an oven has reached a temperature set point

The Switch Test Application gives users a quick and easy way to test pressure switches. This application works by using the digital inputs to determine when a pressure switch opens or closes. The user can configure the pressure rate of the controller and a different pressure rate once the controlled pressure is close to the range of the switch.

The digital inputs are triggered by a signal from 2.5 to 30 VDC, and a current of 0.5 to 15 mA. They are isolated from the rest of the instrument through an optocoupler. This is the schematic for each digital input:

electronic specfications input

Output Uses

The Digital I/O Application can also activate the digital output automatically during any of these circumstances:

Control pressure is stable
The controller requires the use of a vacuum source to control sub-atmospheric pressures
The CPC6050 is put into the Measure mode
The CPC6050 is put into the Control mode
The CPC6050 is put into the Vent mode
The CPC6050 is put into the Standby mode

Here are some of the things you can do using the Digital I/O Application for output:

Make a reading of a pressure sensor when a known pressure is applied to it
Save energy costs by only running a vacuum pump with the CPC6050 needs it
Open valves to a controlled volume when the CPC6050 is put into control mode

The digital outputs are open drain, low-side drivers connected to the drain of an N-channel MOSFET, that can sink up to 30 VDC at 0.5A.

digital output visual

Each channel can be configured with a standard digital I/O connector (left side) or one ACPS connector (right) which is a special connection specifically designed to control our Automatic Contamination Prevention System.