Smart data acquisition system for stress analysis testing

Able to address a wide range of precision strain measurement needs, the System 7000 can be configured with a virtually unlimited number of sensors. Applications include design verification of engineered products like aircraft, automobiles, construction machinery, bridges and buildings, as well as analysis of component failures from industrial applications (ventilation equipment, pumps, compressors, shafts, bearings, etc), to computers (printed circuit boards, display screens, key boards, hard drives, peripheral devices, etc), medical devices (respirators, pumps, prostheses, autoclaves, dental implants, etc) and consumer goods (sports equipment, cell phones, electronic gaming, lawn and garden equipment, bicycles, etc).

The System 7000 hardware is housed in a high-channel-density enclosure. Users can intermix strain gauges, strain-gauge-based transducers, thermocouples and other sensors - including those with high-level voltage outputs - in groups of eight by choosing the appropriate sensor card for up to 128 channels in a 4U-height, 19-inch, rack-mountable scanner. An Ethernet interface allows flexible positioning of scanners, and multiple scanners can be easily synchronised using a single sync cable.

Vishay describes the System 7000 is a high-performance data acquisition instrument with measurement accuracy of 0.05 per cent of full scale. Each channel card employs a 24-bit analogue-to-digital converter. Scan rates up to 2048 samples per second are available for simultaneous reading of all sensor inputs. Combinations of analogue and flexible Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters are available to provide adequate anti-alias filtering at all scanning rates. Each sensor card has high-capacity, non-volatile data storage capability. Electronically selectable bridge-completion resistors allow the user to choose between 120-, 350-, and 1000-ohm strain gauges through software selection.

The System 7000 has several design features that reduce total cost of ownership. It is capable of self-calibration with a removable calibration reference. Calibration can therefore be performed anywhere, and there is no need to return the entire system to the factory for calibration. As a result, downtime while waiting for calibration is essentially eliminated. Input connectors are RJ-45 type, and simple cable-crimping tools enable fast assembly. Individual scanners can be separated and located close to sensors to reduce sensor cabling costs.