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Bluehill Universal FAQ

Find answers to common questions about Bluehill Universal software, including calibration requirements after upgrades, FDA compliance, communication errors, and software compatibility. For accreditation documentation and technical support coverage options that apply across all Instron products, visit our main Technical Support FAQ.

Do I need to calibrate my testing instrument after upgrading to Bluehill Universal?

Based on our software verification and validation testing during product development, we believe that Bluehill Universal upgrades have no effect on the values of transducer calibration and data, nor on subsequent calculations.

Please read: Calibration After Bluehill Universal Upgrades to find out more information.

If your internal standards or compliance to other regulatory bodies outside of ISO or ASTM require you to revalidate your testing instrument after the software change, we recommend a more comprehensive validation. This would include verification of the software calculations critical to your specific application, functionality checking of the software, as well as spot checking transducer readouts against known values. The validation of software calculations is similar to the IQ/OQ validation that we perform for 21 CFR FDA applications.

If I am testing in an FDA regulated environment, do I need to calibrate my testing instrument after changes to the software?

The FDA has provided guidance on this subject and recommends that whenever software is changed that revalidation is conducted to assess the impact of the change on the entire software system.

The guidance goes further to explain the importance of demonstrating that even unchanged portions of the software system have not been adversely affected. For this reason, in an FDA regulated environment, Instron recommends that calibration be conducted as a part of system revalidation after changes to the software.

This revalidation process would include a new IQ/OQ/PQ on the system as well.

Instron offers a range of support including IQ/OQ services and assistance with your PQ work if desired. Please read Calibration After Software Changes in FDA Regulated Environments to find out more information.

Can Instron software be upgraded quickly to support critical testing programs?

I'm getting Message 2969 - The software is unable to establish communication with the configured devices. Controller communication error. Check all connections before trying again or contact Instron service to report error code: 0

If an error message similar to the one above displays when opening Bluehill Universal, Bluehill 3 or Bluehill 2, follow the below instructions to try to resolve the error. If you are still not able to successfully connect, please contact Instron Technical Support at 1-800-473-7838, option 3 for additional assistance.

Steps to fix:

1. On the Message error screen select No

2. From the home screen of your version of Bluehill, choose Admin --> Configuration --> Frame

3. Identify the model of your Instron system as indicated on the base or crosshead of the system

4. Select the proper controller type and frame model NOTE: If your frame model is not show in the list below, please contact Instron Tech Support at 1-800-473-7838 option 3.

A. 3343 = 3300 controller type, 3343 frame model
B. 5565 = 5500 controller type, 5565 frame model
C. 5567A = 5500A controller type, 5567A frame model
D. 5944 = 5900 controller type, 5944 frame model
E. 59R5565 = 5900 controller type, 59R5565 frame model

5. Locate the MAC address:
- On the 3300 and 5500: on the back of the EFI adaptor
- On the 5500A and 5900: near ethernet and load cell connections

6. Enter the MAC address into Bluehill - Admin --> Frame --> Frame Identification --> Mac Address

7. Set the IP Address
The ethernet port that is connected to the Instron frame uses a specific static IP address. Please follow the instructions below to ensure that the IP address is set properly. If you do not have access to change these settings on your computer, contact your IT department.

a) In Windows 7
i. Open Control panel --> Network and Internet --> Network and Sharing Center --> Change Adapter Settings
ii. Select the adapter (Ethernet connection) connected to the Instron, right click and select Properties Note: If you are unsure which network connection is for the Instron system, unplug the Ethernet cable from the EFI adaptor (3300/5500) or from the Instron itself (5500A/5900) and you should see a red “X” over the connection that the Instron is plugged into.
iii. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 and click Properties
iv. Set the IP address to 169.254.1.2 and the Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0

b) In Windows 10
i. Click windows home button and search for control panel --> Network and Internet --> Network and Sharing Center --> Change Adapter Settings
ii. Select the adapter (Ethernet connection) connected to the Instron, right click and select Properties
Note: If you are unsure which network connection is for the Instron system, unplug the Ethernet cable from the EFI adaptor (3300/5500) or from the Instron itself (5500A/5900) and you should see a red “X” over the connection that the Instron is plugged into.
iii. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 and click Properties
iv. Set the IP address to 169.254.1.2 and the Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0

8. Restart Bluehill to implement changes