North Coffee Roasters (Fotek controls) - Roasting Intelligence (RI) Setup

This manual covers the connection of the North Coffee Roasters with Fotek controls to Cropster's Roasting Intelligence

• Specifications
• Roasting Intelligence Setup
  • Installing the Roasting intelligence (RI) software
  • Establishing a connection to the machine
• Troubleshooting

Specifications

Requirements

• USB cable
• VCP driver  (FTDI)
  • Windows 11
  • Windows 10
  • MacOS X 10.9 to 10.14

Supported measurements

• Drum temperature
• Bean temperature
• Environmental temperature
• Airflow (Hz)

Roasting Intelligence (RI) Setup 

Installing the Roasting Intelligence (RI) software

1. Download RI.

2. Complete the installation process by following the steps provided.

3. Double-click the Cropster icon on your desktop to access RI.
4. Click the green Login with the browser button.
   💡 Select the "Remember me on this device" option to save your login credentials for future access.
   
   
5. You will be directed to the C-sar browser. 
   
6. Enter your Username* and Password* and click the green Sign in with password button.
   💡You need to use the same credentials that you use to access the online platform C-sar.

Establishing a connection to the machine

Before you begin configuring your roast machine, ensure that you have added it via the online platform C-sar.

1. Click Preferences > Machine > Configuration bottom left to access the Preferences screen. 

2. To choose the Roast machine, click on the dropdown menu in the Machine section.

3. By clicking on the + Add connector option, you can choose your connector from the available options in the dropdown list.

4. You need to select Mill City (all versions - Phidgets and PIDs/PLC) from the dropdown. 
5. Click Select to add the connector.
   

6. Navigate to the Machine > Measurements tab. All supported measurements will be displayed.

7. To activate the measurements, simply click the green toggle button.

8. Switch on the measurements you would like to enable and select Mill City (all versions - Phidgets and PIDs/PLC) from the dropdown. 
   💡 Make your measurement readouts more compact. Choose the size of your measurement readouts by selecting either the Small or Large view for display.

9. Change the order of the measurements by using the  Drag and Drop icon and move it into position.
   
   

10. Navigate to the Machine > Controls tab.

11. To activate the controls, simply click the green toggle button. Enable the controls you wish to activate.

12. Choose the appropriate connector option that you selected in Step 8.

13. Change the order of the Slider controls by using the   Drag and Drop icon and move it to position. 

14. Navigate back to the Machine > Configuration tab and click on the Gear icon in the Connector setup section next to the previously added connector to open and configure more PID settings.
15. Select the Mill City Version, the Serial port referring to your roast machine, and the Temperature unit. 
    
    • Version: Fotek controls (Standard control panel)
      • Serial port:
        Windows: Choose the COM option that refers to the roaster's connection.
        Mac: choose the USB option that refers to the roaster's connection.
      • Temperature unit: Choose Celsius or Fahrenheit according to the temperature unit displayed on the machine's temperature readouts.
16. Click OK.
17. Click Save to finalize the changes.

After saving the changes, RI will automatically restart. If the setup was successful, you will see the temperature values displayed on the right-hand side of the RI screen following the restart.

Troubleshooting

If the RI indicates No source connected and/or you cannot see any measurements, please check the following: 

• Did you choose the correct version?
• Did you choose the correct serial port?
• Is your North Coffee Roaster machine equipped with Fotek controls?

Bean temperature stall (RoR Valley)

You have successfully connected your North Coffee Roaster with RI, but you are experiencing a consistent stall in the Bean temperature (shown as a valley in the RoR):

The temperature and RoR curves shown above were tracked during one roast, using a Standard control panel North Coffee Roaster roast machine with Fotek controls.

Congratulations! You have successfully set up the Cropster Roasting Intelligence!