New Firmware Update for all PTZ AUTO and PTZ AUTO EZ Available!

A new firmware update for all PTZ AUTO and PTZ AUTO EZ tablet disintegration testing instruments is now available. All new PTZ AUTO and PTZ AUTO EZ instruments will be delivered with the new firmware version from now on. The update is also available free of charge for all existing owners of PTZ AUTO and PTZ AUTO EZ disintegration testers.

The new version includes the following improvements and new features:

1. New main menu
2. Easier calibrating and adjusting of the baskets
3. Improved temperature settings
4. Extended user administration
5. New basket management system

1. New main menu

1. The re-designed main menu gives the user the possibility to access common features directly
2. The current year is now shown with four digits (e.g. “2022”) instead of just two
3. For the print-out the user can now select between one and two signature lines

2. Easier calibrating and adjusting the baskets

The electronic baskets PT-MKT, PT-MKT33, PT-ODF and PT-ODF33 are now adjusted separately from the PTZ AUTO heater circuit. This makes it much easier to implement new or other baskets.

3. Improved temperature settings

1. Temperature offset: It is a physical effect that the media temperature is lower than the bath temperature because of evaporation. While the bath temperature is maintained by the controller, the insulated media temperature is always lower.With the regulator offset it is possible to add an offset to the target temperature. The water bath’s nominal temperature will be raised by this offset. For example, when setting target = 37.0°C, and regulator offset = 0.5°C, the water bath will be heated to 37.5°C to reach 37.0°C in the medium as closely as possible. Because the total amount of temperature discrepancy depends on local conditions, the value can be adjusted by the administrator and is not a factory set fixed value. The correct amount of temperature discrepancy must be determined on site and the regulator offset must be set accordingly.
2. Media Temperature: While preparation of a test basket before a test run, the basket and its temperature sensor cool down to room temperature. After the test start, the basket temperature sensor usually requires approx. 20 to 30 seconds to reach the medium temperature and to show it correctly. A side effect is that the cold basket cools down the medium temperature by a few °C. It takes some time until the media and the basket are heated up again to the target temperature.This is the reason why the basket temperature reading is hidden for the time set in the “Temperature Adapting Phase”. 180 seconds are recommended here. In case your samples disintegrate in less than 3 minutes, it is possible to lower the adaption phase setting, but these effects must be considered while evaluating the temperature reading. We generally advise not to lower this setting below the default of 180 seconds. This way the medium temperature reading is much more reliable than using the basket sensor temperature.

4. Extended user administration

1. New setting for admins: With “Normal Users: Disabled” only the administrator appears in the login screen. With this setting is not possible for a standard user to log in to the instrument and to use it. This setting offers the possibility for the instrument to be controlled remotely by the PTZ32 PC software only. In case the software uses the 21CFR option, the audit trail will record any repetitions of a test run for data integrity.
2. Two user groups: With the new firmware two user groups are introduced: The administrator can see and change all settings. The normal user can only start a test.

5. New basket management

1. Saving basket information: The biggest change in the new firmware is the possibility to save the information of all baskets used with the instrument. After saving a basket, it will appear in the basket menu with its serial number and an ID number to identify it. If the user now starts a test and connects a wrong basket, a warning signal appears, and it is not possible to start the test.
2. Besides the PT-MKT and PT-MKT33 baskets the user can now also select the SPT-6 suppository penetration test assembly and the PT-ODF basket for oro-dispersible films, with their respective procedures.

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