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Multi Barrel Lab Roasters - Roasting Intelligence (RI) Setup

This manual explains how to set up more than one instance of the Roasting Intelligence, in order to track sample roasts on multi barrel roasters.

Written by Nikolett Takacs

Updated at June 13th, 2025

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  • Getting started
    Origin & Lab Roast
  • Connecting your roast machine
    General information Plug&Play connectors Alternative connection options Sample & Multi-barrel roasters Temperature sensors Drivers
  • Roasting Intelligence (RI)
    Roasting Intelligence (RI) Setup Customization and Preferences FAQs Roasting Intelligence (RI) App Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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    Post-Harvest Processing (Origin) Day to Day Operations Inventory Management Sample Management Roasting Order and Production Management Quality Control Reporting Sharing & Exporting Cropster Data
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  • Commerce
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  • Account & Administration
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  • Troubleshooting
    General Roasting Intelligence (RI) Roast machine connections
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Table of Contents

Specifications Setting up a connection Phidget driver setup Multi barrel setup Downloading the startup script Configuring the startup script MacOS Windows Roasting Intelligence (RI) setup Opening the Roasting Intelligence (RI) Windows MacOS Linux Roasting Intelligence (RI) configuration Troubleshooting

Specifications

Requirements

  • Ungrounded digital thermocouples type K, J, T or E
  • Cropster Connector (Phidget 1048)

Supported measurements

  • Bean temperature

Setting up a connection

Up to four barrels can be connected to Cropster. 

  1. Follow the bean probe of the first barrel from the probe tip to its end. 
  2. Connect the two wires to channel "0/G" on the Cropster Connector.

EURO-standard

US-standard

K-type

  • Green wire to number port (e.g. 0)
  • White wire to corresponding G port

K-type

  • Yellow wire to number port (e.g. 0)
  • Red wire to corresponding G port

J-type

  • Black wireto number port (e.g. 0)
  • White wireto corresponding G port

J -type

  • White wire to number port (e.g. 0)
  • Red wire to corresponding G port

Repeat the steps above to connect the remaining barrels to another channel of the Cropster Connector (up to 4 barrels).

Phidget driver setup

Firstly, you will need to start Phidgets WebService.

  1. If you haven't yet, install the Phidget driver compatible with your computer's operating system.
  2. Open the Phidget Control Panel:
    • Windows: Search for Phidget Control Panel in the search field
    • Mac: Search for Phidget Control Panel through the Finder app, under Applications
  3. Go the Network Server tab and enter the information as follows:
    • Server Name: Cropster 
    • Port: 5001
    • Leave the password field empty.
    • Check the Start Automatically on Boot box on MacOS / Set the Startup Type to Automatic on Windows.
    • Click Start Network Server on MacOS / Click the Start button at the bottom on Windows.
  4. Close the Phidget Control Panel.

Multi barrel setup

Downloading the startup script

The second step is to download the startup script. 

  1. Download RI.
  2. Complete the installation process by following the steps provided.
  3. Download the multibarrel startup script below and save it to the desktop.
    • Windows: RoastingIntelligence5.vbs
    • Mac: RoastingIntelligence5.command.zip

Configuring the startup script

The startup script is preconfigured for a four barrel sample roaster. If your roaster has fewer than four barrels, you will need to adapt the file first. Follow the steps based on your computer's operating system:

  • MacOS
  • Windows

MacOS

  1. Double-click the .zip file to decompress the .command file.
  2. Right-click on the .command file, select Open With and choose the Text edit application.
  3. The file contains four text blocks as shown below. Each block refers to one barrel of your roaster.
  4. Refer to the machine and identify the number of barrels you are setting up.
    The amount of barrels on your roaster must match the amount of blocks on the file.
  5. Starting from the bottom of the file, delete the text blocks until there are as many text blocks as there are barrels on the roaster.
    e.g. If you have a two barrel roaster, you need to delete the last two text blocks. 
  6. Save your changes to the file.

Continue with Opening the Roasting Intelligence (for Mac).

Windows

  1. Right click on the vbs. file, select Open With and choose the Notepad application.
  2. The file contains four text blocks as shown below. Each block refers to one barrel of your roaster.
  3. Refer to the machine and identify the number of barrels you are setting up.
    The amount of barrels on your roaster must match the amount of blocks on the file.
  4. Starting from the bottom of the file, delete the text blocks until there are as many text blocks as there are barrels on the roaster.
    e.g. If you have a two barrel roaster, you need to delete the last two text blocks. 
  5. Save your changes to the file.

Continue with the Opening the Roasting Intelligence (for Windows).

Roasting Intelligence (RI) setup

Opening the Roasting Intelligence (RI)

To open several instances of the Roasting Intelligence (RI), follow the steps below. 

Windows

If you are using Windows, double-click the startup script (RoastingIntelligence5.vbs). Several instances of the Roasting Intelligence will open. 

MacOS

If using MacOS, you will need to make the start script executable. 

  1. Download the make executable.zip to your desktop.
  2. Unpack the file by double-clicking it. It will create a new file called make_executable.
  3. Unpack the start script file RoastingIntelligence5.command.zip
    It will create a file called RoastingIntelligence5.command.
  4. Drag the RoastingIntelligence5.command file on top of the extracted make_executable automator file.
     
  5. Click Open in the following dialog. Nothing visually will happen, but the file will now be executable.
  6. Double-click the startup script (RoastingIntelligence5.command). Several instances of the Roasting Intelligence will open.

Linux

Check how to run a sh-file on Linux or issue a support ticket for further assistance. 

Roasting Intelligence (RI) configuration

Lastly, please enter the machine preferences of each instance. 

  1. Log in to the Roasting Intelligence (RI).
  2. Navigate toPreferences > Machine > Configuration tab.
  3. Under Roast machine, select the item that refers to the first barrel. Each barrel will be reflected as a line item (e.g. Probat BRZ Barrel 1, Probat BRZ Barrel 2,...) 
  4. Select Temperature sensor (Ungrounded K/J/E/T-type thermocouples) from the dropdown for measuring bean temp. 
  5. Set the Channel, according to the Cropster Connector port the probe is connected to.
    If the wires are connected to the 0/G-port, select 0 from the dropdown. 
  6. Select the Type of your thermocouples.
  7. Save changes and repeat for the remaining barrels.

If the setup was successful, after the restart you will be able to see temperature values on the right-hand side of the each instance of the RI.

Troubleshooting

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

  • Is the Cropster Connector connected to the computer?
  • Has the WebService been started? Repeat Phidgets driver setup.

If double-clicking the startup-script does not open the RI, check the following:

  • Is the startup-script compatible with your computer's operating system? See here. 
  • Mac only: Is the startup-script been made executable? See here. 

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

Check out the Roasting Intelligence (RI5) - Getting Started manual and enjoy tracking your first roasts! More manuals and videos can be found on help.cropster.com. 

intelligent setup multibarrel

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