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      Roastmax (via USB) - Roasting Intelligence (RI) Setup (alpha)

      In this article, you will learn how to connect a Roastmax roast machine via USB, to Cropster's Roasting Intelligence.

      This integration is currently in the alpha stages at Cropster. If you haven’t been invited to participate in testing this integration, but are interested, please sign up here.

      Alpha means that we have limited experience with Roastmax roast machines.
      Once the connection is established, you may come across some flaws in daily use. It will be necessary to share such feedback with us, so please let us know in case you come across any unexpected behavior. We will be happy to assist in resolving any issues you may encounter or propose alternative connection options.

      The setup instructions below have yet to be confirmed by the manufacturer. Therefore, the configuration in this article may not work across the entire model range.

        Specifications

        Requirements

        • USB cable

        • Driver for the USB serial converter

        Note: The driver may be already be pre-installed with your operating system.

        Supported measurements

        • Bean temperature
        • Exhaust temperature

        Roasting Intelligence (RI) Setup

        Installing the Roasting Intelligence (RI) software

        1. Download the Roasting Intelligence from https://download.cropster.com/.
        2. The Cropster installer leads you through all the installation steps.
        3. Open the RI by double-clicking the Cropster icon on the desktop
        4. Enter your username and password.
          The username is the email address your Cropster invitation has been sent to, and use the password you've generated when accepting the invitation.
        5. Check the Remember credentials box if you want to be able to run the RI offline.
        6. Click the Login button.
           

        Establishing a connection to the machine

        1. Go to Account > Preferences > Machine tab.

        2. Select the Roast machine you would like to connect from the drop-down menu (e.g. Roastmax RMS5).

        3. Select Generic Modbus over serial port from the drop-down for all measurements.

        4. Click on the gear icon to open the more settings.

        5. Copy the settings as shown in the screenshot below, and select the Serial port, and Temperature unit:
          • Serial port:
            Windows: choose the COMx option that refers to the connection of the machine.
            Mac: choose the USBx option that refers to the connection of the machine.
          • Temperature unit: Choose Celsius or Fahrenheit according to the temperature unit displayed from the machine's temperature readouts.
        6. Click Save to confirm the changes. The RI requires a restart to apply the settings.

        If you have selected a serial port from the RI, and you receive Sources connected from the bottom-right corner of the roasting application, but you can't see live temperature readouts, you may not have selected the serial port referring to the roast machine's connection.

        Learn how to customize your RI user preferences. 

        Troubleshooting

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

        • Is the roast machine connected to the computer? 

        • Have you downloaded the driver for the USB serial converter?

        • Is the correct serial port within the RI selected?

        • Are the settings copied correctly?

        Driver for the USB serial converter

        If you cannot select the correct serial port within the RI's Serial port field, your computer may not have the appropriate driver needed to recognize the serial converter's physical connection.

        Please reach out to support.cropster.com, and attach the following information in relevance to the USB serial converter used:

        • Brand, and model

        • Serial number

        • Picture of the serial converter

        • RI log files

        A Cropster representative will assess the information, and assist in providing the required driver for the USB serial converter used.

        For further assistance, please create a support ticket by clicking the Support button in the left lower corner of the app. A Cropster support rep will get in touch with you.

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

        Check out our Getting started video and enjoy tracking your first roasts! 

        More manuals and videos can be found on help.cropster.com.