The latest firmware version (2.5.4) can be downloaded here.
Please note APS firmware must be updated before updating to ECS 1.5.
1. Connect the USB cable to the accompanying PC and power the Exoid on. Ensure the ECS is closed during APS firmware installation.
2. Open the APS Tester app by either searching your computer for “APS Tester” or navigating to the following location: C:\Program Files (x86)\Izon\ECS\Exoid Control Suite\APS Tester, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Location of the APS Tester application.
3. The device should automatically connect to an assigned COM port number, if this is the case, please proceed to step 4.
If the device does NOT automatically connect to a COM port, select the appropriate COM number that corresponds to ‘Izon APS’ from the ‘Port’ drop-down list, followed by ‘Connect’.
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- To check which COM port number corresponds to the ‘Izon APS’, your computer’s Device Manager can be used.
- Open the Device Manager and select ‘Ports (COM & LPT)’. Right-click on one of the ‘USB Serial Device (COMXX)’ and select ‘Properties’.
- Go to the ‘Details’ tab and from the ‘Property’ drop-down list, select ‘Bus reported device description’.
- The Value should read ‘Izon APS’ for the APS, as shown in Figure 2. Make note of the COM number associated with the APS as you will need it to select from the Port list on the APS Tester. If the Value is not ‘Izon APS’, try the other COM numbers listed under Ports (COM & LPT).
Figure 2: ‘Bus reported device description’ noted as ‘Izon APS’.
4. Ensure the instrument has finished calibrating before you upload the new firmware. This is indicated by the APS being in ‘Standby’ Mode, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: APS in ‘Standby’ mode.
5. Once the correct COM port number is connected to the APS Tester, select the ‘FW Upload’ tab indicated in Figure 4a. Select the grey square containing the ellipses (‘…’) to navigate to and then select the ‘ExoidAPSFirmware_CB1.1_V2.5.4.bin’ file and press ‘Open’ and then ‘Upload’ on the APS Tester, as shown in Figure 4b. Please note this may take a moment to process.
(a)
(b)
(c)
Figure 4: (a) FW Upload tab (b) .bin file selected and (c) .bin file uploaded successfully. Please note the screenshot may not represent the binary file mentioned in step 5.
6. Once the upload is complete, text will appear in the dialogue box. Scroll down until you can see ‘Verify successful’, as indicated in Figure 4c. This indicates the .bin file has uploaded correctly.
7. The APS will then calibrate automatically, as indicated by the Mode Type (CalibratingPlung), wait for this process to finish (indicated by Mode Type returning to Standby) and check the Reported Pressure is fluctuating around zero.
8. Power cycle the instrument (unplug or switch off the Exoid and power back on). Wait until the Mode has switched from ‘CalibratingPlung’ to ‘Standby’.
9. In the ‘Raw’ tab, click on the ‘Command’ drop-down list and select ‘ReportApsStatus’, as shown in Figure 5, and press ‘Send’.
Figure 5: ‘ReportApsStatus’ function from the ‘Command’ drop-down list.
10. Check the status report reports as ‘ApsAck = > [0][[0][0][0]’, as shown in Figure 6. This indicates the APS valve is working correctly. If you see [1024] in any of the 4 square brackets, contact Izon for support.
Figure 6: APS status report.
11. The APS firmware has now been successfully updated and verified. You may now exit the APS Tester and connect to the ECS.