Computrac® MAX® 5000XL

Weight Test

To ensure proper calibration and become familiar with the instrument, run a weight test. This test simulates moisture loss by the removal of one of two known weights. Both a three and a five gram weight are required.

• Ensure that a clean, dry, empty sample pan is placed on the pan support.
• From the Main Test Screen, press [MEMORY].
• If the highlight bar is not already there, highlight (Factory) WEIGHT and press [START].
• One of several prompts may appear depending on the last measured weight. Follow the instructions given until the "OPEN LID" "ADD SAMPLE..." prompt appears on the screen. Open the lid and carefully place both the 5 gram and the 3 gram weights near the center of the sample pan.
• Close the lid.
• After the Main Test Screen is displayed, gently open the lid, carefully remove the 3 gram weight, and gently close the lid.
• Wait for the end of the test.
• If this is the first test of the day, discard the results of this test for stability reasons and perform the test again.
• Record the final test result. The value should fall between 37.4800% and 37.5200%.
• If the results are out of tolerance, repeat the balance calibration and weight test. If the result is still out of tolerance, call AZI customer service at 800.528.7411 or 602.470.1414 for assistance.

sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

Moisture Content Trends

There are three types of "trend" sampling to consider in analyzing fuel moisture with the Computrac® Fuel Moisture Analyzer. The LONG-TERM trend involved primarily the sampling of green or living vegetation. Generally, moisture content changes relatively slowly in these materials, and weekly sampling at a pre-established time and location may be sufficient to plot these trends.

Dead fuels and some living fuels may exhibit diurnal or MEDIUM-TERM trends in moisture content. If you are interested in these changes, sample frequently to reflect these variations. Three times during a 24-hour period should be sufficient. Be sure to carefully stratify your sample.

Fine dead fuels (one hour time lag) represent the SHORT-TERM trend and the moisture content of these materials fluctuate continuously throughout the day and night. It is difficult to develop a trend for these fuels, but by sampling at the same location, and at the same time each day, a general trend may be established. This trend can be affected by minor changes in the weather and it may be useful to maintain a set of on-site notes on rainfall, cloud cover, relative humidity, etc., to accompany each day's fuel moisture sampling. This information can help explain changes in both short and long-term trends in fuel moisture.

Please call us today for more information!
800.290.1414 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

AZI at a Glance

Arizona Instrument is an ISO 9001:2000 registered company that designs, manufactures, and markets Computrac® precision moisture analysis instruments and portable and fixed Jerome® gas analyzers. We provide complete pre- and post-sale customer service including application development, training, and instrument calibration and repair.

Computrac® Vapor Pro® moisture analyzers detect moisture levels as low as 10 ppm, or 10 mg, in samples as small as 10 mg utilizing moisture-specific sensors to eliminate volatile interferences. Computrac® MAX® moisture analyzers measure moisture content as low as 0.005 percent in as few as 3 minutes. These instruments are durable, easy to use, and equally suitable for the production floor and the laboratory.

Utilizing patented gold sensor technology, the Jerome® 631-X measures hydrogen sulfide concentrations of 3ppb to 50ppm, while the Jerome® 431-X mercury vapor analyzer detects concentrations from 0.003 to 0.999mg/m3, all in just 13 seconds. The Jerome® 860 hydrogen sulfide monitor provides automatic, unattended, long-term monitoring of hydrogen sulfide gases in contained or hard to reach areas. The compact, battery powered 860 is water resistant and intrinsically safe. Accessories include a field test kit for easy verification of instrument calibration, a data logger for data acquisition and instrument programming, and software for connecting the analyzers to computers.

Please contact us with questions at:

800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

Moisture Analysis for Paper Production

When manufacturing paper and paper products moisture content is a crucial component of the final product. Moisture helps bind the fibers together; too little moisture will result in poor structural integrity, but if you have too much moisture, your paper will become wavy and be prone to discoloration. The production process and the environment can cause the level of moisture to change from day to day. Because of this volatility and the importance of moisture in the fianl product, testing should be conducted to ensure quality.

Arizona Instrument LLC is the exclusive manufacturer of the Computrac® Moisture Analysis Instrumentation, the leader in moisture/solids analysis. Computrac® Moisture Analyzers are at the cutting edge for testing moisture within a sample. Computrac® Moisture Analyzers process samples in minutes, while other methods take hours. This speed is teamed up with a durable exterior, to make a Computrac® Moisture Analyzer perfect for the production floor. With a Computrac® Moisture Analyzer testing samples throughout the manufacturing process, you can minimize the need for quality control, saving time and money.

Another feature that makes Computrac® Moisture Analysis Instrumentation particularly useful for the paper industry is ash analysis. The MAX® 5000 can heat a sample up to 600°C and ignite it. The left over ash is used to measure the amount of fiber content in the material. The sealed testing component and heavy insulation protects the user from the heat. Computrac® Moisture Analyzers are designed to serve the user; they are easy to use and have many convenience features. For example, the MAX® 5000 will store data from the last 1000 tests and graph from the alst 100 tests.

Computrac® Moisture Analysis instrumentation; manufactured by Arizona Instrument LLC, is easy to use and programmable, which means you can spend less time testing and more time producing. Arizona Instrument LLC has multiple products with differing features. The Computrac® MAX® 2000XL, MAX® 4000XL, MAX® 5000 and 5000XL are available to meet your moisture/solids analysis needs.

Call us today for more information on how to start a FREE trial!
800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

Getting Started Sampling Fuel Moisture

For purposes of establishing trends in moisture content, the principles applied in sampling and monitoring fuel moisture are similar to those used in fire weather observations. We take fire weather observations at stations selected as being typical in weather characteristics of the geographical area of interest. Because of the geographical variability of local weather, observations at the station at any given time are not likely to correspond precisely to weather conditions at other points within the area. Therefore, a weather observation at the station is actually only a sample of the weather for the larger geographical area.

To begin observations of fuel moisture, select an area of a few acres that is representative of a more extensive geographical area. Collect samples of fuel from this small area for moisture determination. This fuel moisture sampling area serves the same function in fuel moisture monitoring as the weather station in the monitoring of fire weather. Like the fire weather sample, the fuel moisture sample will only approximate the fuel moisture conditions over the larger geographical area because of the spatial variations in factors influencing fuel moisture.

There are 4 major factors affecting the comparison of fire weather observations and indices. These include:

1. Standardization of weather instruments
2. The exposure of these instruments to variable weather conditions
3. Observation procedures
4. Specific time that observations are made

Time and space comparability of fuel moisture observation are acheived by:

1. Standardization of fuel sample collection
2. Moisture determination procedures
3. Specification of sampling conditions

Please call us today to find moisture analysis instrumentation to help you test during this process.

800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

Moisture Analysis - Gypsum Coal Fired Power Plants

The Computrac® MAX® 5000XL provides:

• Elimination of unnecessary cost associated with Titration and TGA Methods
• Accurate test results for Gypsum within MINUTES
• Ease of use with lowest cost per test

FREE MOISTURE %, DIHYDRATE % or HEMIHYDRATE % results ALL IN ONE TEST!

The Computrac® MAX® 5000XL advances the state of the art in rapid moisture and ash analysis with a new temperature controlled balance and high temperature lift compensation algorithm that provides users with more stablea nd accurate measurements. The new instrument also features a temperature ramp control feature that allows the MAX® 5000XL to be used for qualitative analyses that were previously only possible using a more expensive thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). READ MORE

Call Stephanie Blaha today with any questions!

Stephanie Blaha
Senior Account Representative
Arizona Instrument LLC
800.290.1414 x1726 • 602.281.1726
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

Don't Guess - MEASURE!

Manage your moisture and solids to save time and money.

Levels of moisture and solids in paints and inks greatly influence the quality of the final product. Too much moisture in paint will damage its adhesive quality, while too little can lead to a liquid that is too thick to apply effectively. Similarly, solids directly affect the appearance and viscosity. Production methods and the environment can cause these properties to change on a daily basis. In order to maintain a reliable product, testing should be conducted regularly.

Arizona Instrument is the manufacturer and supplier of the Computrac MAX® 2000, MAX® 4000XL, MAX® 5000, and the MAX® 5000XL Analyzers. This instrumentation is the leader in all industries for moisture and solids analysis, but Arizona Instrument has created features specifically for the paint and ink industry including syringe tests to eliminate solvent evaporation, foil tests to analyze paint solids, and nitrogen purge to eliminate flashing commonly caused by volatiles in samples.

Computrac® Moisture/Solids Analyzers are faster, more accurate, and safer than the alternatives. Computrac® Moisture Analyzers process a sample in minutes instead of the hours traditional methods require, so you can test more samples without slowing down production. The Computrac® design completely encloses the sample for minimal environmental interference with the sample, reducing error in the test. Sturdy materials and heavy insulation protect the user and the environment from the heat of the test. These instruments are designed for ease of use, so you don’t need to be a chemist to run a test. Also, Computrac® Moisture Analyzers are the ASTM for rapid determination of the nonvolatile content of coatings by loss in weight. This method has been through rigorous testing and has been adopted as the standard because of its reliability and speed.

Computrac® instrumentation, manufactured by Arizona Instrument, is easy to use and programmable, which means you can spend less time testing and more time producing. Arizona Instrument has multiple products to meet the specific needs of the customer. The Computrac® MAX® 2000XL, MAX® 4000, MAX® 5000 and 5000XL are available to meet your moisture/solids analysis needs.

Please contact us with any questions at:
800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

History of the Vapor Pro®

The environmentally green Computrac® Vapor Pro® moisture analyzer was built at our facility in Tempe, AZ. Originally named the Computrac® CT-3000 in 1997, it was developed to answer the need and demand of our customers to provide an alternative to antiquated methods that were not eco friendly.

Our customers wanted something simple to setup, easy to use, reliable, and of utmost importance comparable to Karl Fischer titration with respect to precision and repeatability. It can even be used under ASTM D7191-05 for Determination of Moisture in Plastics by Relative Humidity Sensor.Its theory of operation is simple. You weigh a sample, tell the instrument the weight of that sample and the instrument does the rest. The sample is heated; water and volatiles evolve from the sample. As the moist air from the sample makes its way through the instrument manifold, a polymer capacitance sensor (fancy name for a RH humidity sensor) "counts" the water molecules by monitoring the change in resistance of the sensor as the moist air passes over it. Non-water molecules are ignored. The mass of water is compared to the original weight of the sample and a percent moisture or ppm of moisture is calculated. (ex. 100 micrograms H2O/1 gram sample x 100 = 0.0100% H2O)With the increasing success of the instrument, the most current version of the instrument was released in 2003.

The Vapor Pro® Linear (CT-3100-L). Linearization of the sensor assembly which represents the heart of the instrument provides precision and repeatability that often surpasses that of the Karl Fischer. Another advantage of the Vapor Pro® is the lack of interferences. The Vapor Pro® uses zero chemicals! Not even Pentaoxide, as used by some of our competitors that claim to use no chemicals. No other water specific analyzer we are aware of can truthfully claim, zero chemicals.As the manufacturer of the Vapor Pro® we have continued to revise and improve the instrument by listening to the Plastics Industry (our customers).

If you find yourself wondering how this instrument can help in your drying and processing procedures or you just want to see what the buzz is about, please contact us for a FREE TRIAL instrument!

Call me today with questions!

Scott Gifford
National Account Representative
800.290.1414 x1642 • 602.281.1642
sgifford@azic.com • www.azic.com

Application Data - Paints and Coatings

Application Data on the Computrac® MAX® 5000 Find application data for Paints and Coatings on our website. Please call us today if you would like to see application data for your sample on this, or another moisture analyzer from Arizona Instrument LLC.

800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

The Ultimate Tool for Chemical Production

“A Computrac® is to the chemicals industry, like a hammer is to carpentry.”

Computrac® instrumentation, manufactured by AZI, can be used to analyze the amount of moisture in a substance, evaluate the concentration of a complex chemical sample, and decipher that chemical’s composition.

In the production of chemicals, the composition of the final solution must be accounted for. Computrac® Instrumentation, with their graphic displays, are essential for mapping the loss of moisture at changing temperatures to ascertain the levels of different chemicals within a product. With extra abilities like the high start feature, the Computrac® moisture analyzer can test the effectiveness of past methods for moisture analysis. Often AZI’s instrumentation has proven the unreliability of oven tests previously being used in companies. After these manufacturers were made aware of the flaws in their testing, they were able to vastly improve their company’s methods and product. Read more

Please call us today to set up a FREE trial!

800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

Account for Moisture or be Accountable

From raw materials to the finished product, Computrac® Moisture Analyzers are the instruments to guarantee quality and speed in production.

In the pharmaceutical industry the highest standard of quality is required by the government and customers. When there is a small mistake in the production of pharmaceuticals it turns into a big problem for that company. The strict nature of this industry demands constant testing of products to meet expectations. Moisture must be managed and the ingredients in any drug must be accounted for. Computrac® moisture analyzers, manufactured by Arizona Instrument, are the best tools to meet these needs.
Computrac® instrumentation is used throughout the pharmaceutical industry, because of its speed, reliability, and ease of use. When it comes to moisture analysis, Computrac® analyzers run tests in minutes instead of the hours that traditional methods require. This speed makes testing during manufacturing possible without slowing down the process. The strength of a Computrac® is evident when it is used daily on production floors and its reliability doesn’t waiver. All of our instruments are designed to be operated by anyone; no chemistry degree is required. LCD screens and built in statistical analysis only make testing easier and faster. Read more

Please call us today with questions!

800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

Excessive Flaming - LOI

One issue commonly encountered when testing materials for ash/loss on ignition (L.O.I) is excessive flaming. Violent, uncontrolled combustion in a crucible doesn’t normally precede high precision test results. As a workaround, it’s common when testing flammable materials for ash by conventional methods such as a muffle furnace that a stepwise approach to heating be applied. First the sample is brought to a temperature where it will smolder, but not flame. The temperature is increased slowly over time until the desired test temperature is reached. While this approach works, it significantly increases test times. It also requires that the operator stop what they’re doing at regular intervals to step up the temperature on the muffle furnace. It’s an effective, if not altogether operator friendly process.

Modern rapid ash/L.O.I. analyzers like the MAX® 5000XL can automate this process and make it essentially painless. Perhaps more importantly, they can offer a granularity of control that is not possible under the classic operator intensive method. The only investment is a bit of up front programming on the part of the operator. Consider this extreme process:

Heat sample from 60°C to 250°C
Hold at 250°C for exactly 8 minutes
Heat from 250°C to 400°C at a controlled rate of 5°C per minute
Hold at 400°C for exactly 15 minutes
Heat from 400°C to 600°C
Hold until rate of weight loss in the sample is less than 0.0500%/minute

A process like that would be impossible for a human operator to execute once, let alone replicate for multiple trials. However once the programming is done, not only can the MAX® 5000XL execute these steps, it can export all the data to an Excel file so that the operator can examine any portion of the process in detail.

Questions?
800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

International Sales

Arizona Instrument has a network of sales representatives around the world ready to assist you with your moisture analysis needs. If you are interested in seeing if your product will run well on the Computrac®, contact one of our local sales representatives outside of the U.S. They can provide you with a free demonstration at your facility or arrange to send some of your samples to our laboratory for testing. Within 1-2 weeks, you will have results showing the performance of your product on the Computrac® versus a standard reference method such as Karl Fischer titration or the standard oven. Also, many of our representatives are factory trained and certified to service and support your instrument to ensure it is operating within specifications.

Visit our website to find a representative near you: http://www.azic.com/cs_international.aspx?blog=moisture

Jeff Ho

International Sales Manager
800.528.7411 x1654 • 602.281.1654
jho@azic.com • www.azic.com

Moisture Analysis in Paints and Coatings

The Computrac® MAX® 5000XL Moisture Analyzer can precisely analyze your material in a linked series of tests without disturbing the sample’s integrity, eliminating much of the error associated with traditional test methods and allowing even the most inexperienced operators to produce consistent, dependable results.

The MAX® 5000XL also has three features specifically designed for the paints and coatings industry: syringe tests to eliminate solvent evaporation, foil tests to analyze paint solids, and nitrogen purge to eliminate flashing commonly caused by volatiles in samples. Because the analyzer is chemical-free and glass-free, you can now test for inorganic content at any location in your facility without worrying about contamination.

Contact Stephanie Blaha today for more information!

800.290.1414 x1726 • 602.281.1726
sblaha@azic.com • www.azic.com

Control Your Quality by Managing Moisture

Successfully casting plastic requires the right amount of moisture for all grades of plastic being manufactured. Excess moisture in and around the plastic pellets can weaken the structural integrity of the plastic, cause clear plastics to become cloudy, and hurt the finish of the product. On the other hand too little moisture can cause the product to be brittle and prone to cracking. Quality material cannot be produced without the right amount of moisture. Moisture isn't just a headache for quality control at a company; it also raises production costs and can slow down the process. Dryers are commonly employed at plastic manufacturers to decrease the moisture in the pellets, but without a way to test a sample from the dryer, casting becomes a costly process of trial and error.

Arizona Instrument LLC is the manufacturer of Computrac® Moisture Analyzers, the answer to your plastic problems. These instruments can determine the amount of moisture in your plastics before they are cast. A Computrac® will test your sample in minutes instead of the hours that the traditional methods require and give you the information you need to make a decision. This speed and accuracy makes a Computrac® perfect for the plastic resin industry. Read more

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Scott Gifford, National Account Representative
800.290.1414 x1642 • 602.281.1642
sgifford@azic.com • www.azic.com

Arizona Instrument Economic Recovery Offer

Over $200 Value! In support of the current Economic Recovery, AZI is offering special discounts with the order of a Computrac® Rapid Fuel Moisture Analyzer in 2009 for the Forestry industry.

Until September 30, 2009, when you order a Computrac® Analyzer, in addition to the GSA discount pricing, we will include a 25% discount off any one accessory or operating supply and FREE shipping, an additional $100 value.

After hundreds of installations, the Computrac® Analyzers have been well received by Forestry Fire Professionals for fuel moisture data in minutes rather than hours. Read more

Please call Doug Elliott today to find out more!
Doug Elliott
National Account Representative
800.290.1414 x1725 • 602.281.1725
delliott@azic.com • sales@azic.com
www.azic.com

Eastern Analytical Symposium

In November 2008, James Moore gave a talk at the annual Eastern Analytical Symposium on a GREEN approach to moisture analysis. The powerpoint is attached through the link above.

Please call us with any questions!
800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com

24 Hour Customer Support!!

Our regular business hours are Monday through Friday 7a.m. to 5p.m. Mountain Standard Time. However, we realize that emergencies don’t pay attention to the clock. If you experience a serious situation after hours that needs immediate attention, call us toll free at
1-800-528-7411 or at 1-602-470-1414.

Leave your message when prompted, then press the pound (#) key, followed by the number 3. One of our trained field service engineers will be paged and will return your call within 4 hours. Non-emergency calls left after hours will be returned the next business day.

http://www.azic.com/customer_service.aspx

A Video vs. a Snap-Shot

Many standard reference tests rely on heating a sample at a temperature like 105C for a given period of time, from an hour to over night then cooling the sample, maybe in a desiccator and weighing. One source of error that people do not realize is that the sample might regain weight due to re-hydration. This means that the reference number is different from the moisture level the process will see.

The Computrac® MAX® family of analyzers has the ability to heat the sample to a given temperature and then monitor the change in weight as the sample cools. The benefit of using a Computrac® loss on heating analyzer is that you can get the moisture number at process temperature conditions. This means that the number you report is the number the process will see.

-Doug Elliott, National Account Representative
800.290.1414 x1725 • 602.281.1725
delliott@azic.com • www.azic.com

Congratulations Susan Machkovech!

In an effort to reach out to our customers and gather information on how you come in contact with us, we requested you fill out a survey and in turn entered those people in a drawing for a $25 AMERICAN EXPRESS Gift Card.

The winner is Susan Machkovech! Congratulations, Susan! We appreciate your participation!

800.528.7411 • 602.470.1414
sales@azic.com • www.azic.com