| SignalCalc ACE |
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| Portable FFT Analyzer | ||
The smallest FFT Analyzer in the world comes in a credit card sized package and runs on a notebook computer.
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SignalCalc ACE weighs less than two ounces, yet it packs a heavyweight signal processing punch: two input channels, two output channels, 20 kHz real-time rate, 100 dB dynamic range and the most feature-filled software in the measurement industry. ACE transforms any laptop into a precision dynamic signal analyzer, one that can travel with you and work professionally even in the absence of line power.
Powerful Hardware
Within a credit card sized PCMCIA module, ACE provides a 32 bit floating-point DSP operating at 50 MHz. This is coupled with two sigma-delta 16 bit ADCs and two 16 bit DACs. The inputs and outputs are protected by integral anti-aliasing filters. This horsepower provides 100 dB dynamic range with 20 kHz tri-power real-time rate while measuring and displaying 1600 line Transfer Functions, Coherence and all other related measurements. It facilitates high-resolution measurements to 25,600 lines, real-time Zoom, waterfall measurements and simultaneous disk recording. All signal processing is done by the ACE processor; your computer running Windows 95, 98, 2000 or NT acts merely as the human interface and data display. The high computation speed gives you overlap processing for faster averaging. It allows capture of machine run-ups, speech signatures and other rapidly changing time/frequency events as they happen. Your computer screen becomes an instantaneous viewport into the activity and content of your signals.
Comprehensive Measurements
ACE performs analysis in the time, frequency, order and amplitude domains. Use synchronous averaging to recover repetitive events buried in noise. Correlate signals to discover their similarity and time alignment. Use FFT spectrum analysis to identify dominant frequencies and spectral density levels. Characterize linear systems by their Transfer, Coherence and Impulse Response functions. Measure Probability functions and test the normality of your experimental data. SignalCalc ACE core functions include powerful FFT measurements, high dynamic range, and extensive analysis tools. Standard functions include full Engineering Units selection and conversion, Automatic Export, Professional Reports, easy data management with Signal Map, flexible display of results, cursor functions for detailed analysis, and an unsurpassed intuitive user interface. Optional application modules extend the functionality to include real-time Octave and 1/3 Octave analysis, RPM-based measurements, Order Tracking, Waterfall and Spectrogram presentations, Throughput-to-Disk, Zoom and High-Resolution FFT analysis.
Outstanding Dynamic Range
ACE incorporates high quality DS converters, 32-bit floating-point arithmetic, leading edge analog design and accurate signal processing algorithms. This combination of carefully integrated ingredients produces measurements of astonishing dynamic range and fidelity. ACE can identify and separate two closely spaced tones differing in amplitude by a factor of 100,000: 1 (100 dB). In concert with Zoom and High-Resolution options, the high dynamic range allows you to detect features normally not observed in spectral measurements.
Intuitive User Interface
The intuitive organization of controls and the flexible arrangement of measurement data on screen is a significant contribution to the art of user interface design. You will find ACE a natural extension of how you use word processors, spreadsheets, or other Windows applications. The application window is divided into control panels and graphic windows. Control panels contain related measurement parameters while graphic windows contain one or more traces. These elements may be arranged in any format that suits the application or pleases the operator.
Controls panels can dock to the edges of the window or float anywhere on the desktop. You can hide and retrieve them at the click of a button. Graphics may be sized and customized with selectable colors, textures, grids, readouts and annotation.
Disk Recording and Playback
A notebook equipped with ACE is the right answer for in-vehicle testing. Battery operation and compact size are obvious benefits for measuring road or flight data. Being able to analyze in-situ with a complete processing repertoire is ACE¡¯s special advantage.
Add the Throughput-to-Disk option and leave your recorder at home while you gather profiles for subsequent simulation and analysis. In the lab, ACE can play these recordings back to excite a structure while simultaneously analyzing (and optionally recording) the test responses. It can also directly analyze the recordings as if they were live occurrences.
ACE provides gap-free dual-channel disk recording. The bandwidth may be any standard baseband span up to 20 kHz. Subsequent analysis of the recording may be performed to the recorded bandwidth or a within a sub-band. Analysis of recorded data is flexible and straightforward. Recorded data appears as a "live" measurement to the system; any type of analysis may be performed in the time, frequency or amplitude domains. Alternatively, disk recordings may be played back as real-time analog signals.
Zoom and High Resolution
Basic ACE provides baseband measurements using a capture block size of 64 to 4,096 time samples. This provides FFT spectra with 25 to 1,600 lines of resolution. The High-Resolution option provides additional baseband transform sizes of 8,092 to 65,536 time samples with associated spectral resolution of 3,200 to 25,600 lines.
The Zoom option provides band selectable Fourier analysis with 27 choices of span from 4.88 Hz to 2 kHz. The span may be positioned anywhere between span/2 and (20 kHz – span/2) with a resolution of 1 mHz or better. The span may be divided into as few as 25 or as many as 1,600 frequency lines. The Zoom and High Resolution options can be present together in the ACE, though they don't act together. Disk-recorded data may be analyzed with either option.
ICP Transducer Power
ACE is able to directly power integrated circuit piezoelectric sensors without additional signal conditioning electronics. The ICP choice, available with both normal and high sensitivity cables, improves the portability of ACE by eliminating the signal conditioning boxes normally required to power transducers.
Realtime Octave Analysis
Full and 1/3 Octave spectra are measured using proportional-bandwidth filters which meet ANSI 1.11 – 1986 in all regards. A choice of exponential detection or linear integration may be made. Exponential detection time constants span 8 milliseconds to 16 seconds and include "fast" and "slow" settings per IEC 651. Linear integration intervals as short as 2 milliseconds or as long as 10,000 seconds may be selected.
Two channels of real-time Octave analysis may be performed over any span from 2 Hz to 8 kHz. Dual-channel 1/3 Octave measurements may cover any span from 1.6 Hz to 10 kHz. A single channel 1/3 Octave measurement may be made from 2.5 Hz to 16 kHz. During any measurement data may also be recorded to disc. The recorded data may then be analyzed in playback mode to perform both octave and FFT analysis on the same waveform.
Order Tracking
Order analysis is used to monitor vibration and noise of rotating machines with variable shaft speed. Measurements are made with respect to orders of rotation, to distinguish between structural and rotational vibrations.
ACE provides several data capture modes. During a run-up or coast down, ACE continuously measures spectra at constant rpm intervals using the Sweep mode. When averaging at each rpm is required to improve signal to noise ratio, the Stepped mode lets you control the shaft speed and identifies when to ramp to the next rpm. Steady mode allows you to monitor vibrations of a shaft operating nominally at a constant rpm.
The advanced analog tachometer input measures rpm using a once per rev or multiple pulses per rev signal. The tachometer circuitry provides highly accurate triggering with hold-off time and smoothing, thus eliminating incorrect triggering. When using a once-per-turn tachometer, it may be used to trigger measurements with respect to a fixed shaft position.
The captured data may be displayed as a waterfall or spectrogram from which any order track or record may be extracted in a separate display. Any number of tracks or records can be overplotted for comparison.
Waterfall and Spectrogram
Any measurement may be displayed cascaded in a waterfall or as a spectrogram providing the ability to monitor trends in spectral variation with respect to a second independent variable. RPM-dependent or time-dependent phenomena are often studied in this manner. Slice and record displays and a wide variety of cursor and marker options make it easy to gain understanding of the wealth of data contained in a waterfall display.
Noise and Vibration Testing Features
Two independent signal generators provide choices of sine, swept-sine, random noise, pseudo-random, burst-random, pink noise, chirp, impulse and half-sine transients. For impact tests, excellent trigger controls combined with force and response windows, automatic overload rejection and preview averaging assure the capture of optimum data. For shaker tests, burst random eliminates spectral leakage from lightly damped structures while sine sweep and dwell support holographic studies. In Modal testing, ACE prompts for measurement points and directions and saves this information with the data in the native format of all currently offered commercial Modal Analysis programs.
Comprehensive Engineering Units
ACE captures and records physical measurements in the units of the transducer. ACE can derive related measurements, enabling you to display displacement, velocity and acceleration simultaneously from a single sensor. Using a microphone, you can observe completely calibrated Sound Power Level (SPL) measurements in mPa or dB. Related units are driven by an Engineering Unit Table that translates each physical unit to and from its SI equivalent. The table is extensive, and you may also append additional units as required.
Multiple Analysis Domains
Choose the analytic viewpoint that best explains the physics of your application. ACE provides uniquely informative displays in Time, Frequency, Amplitude, Order, Amplitude and Angle domains.
Connectivity, Networking and Sharing
ACE provides a broad range of Export formats, storing its measurements in the native format of other popular applications. This allows Matlab, all commercial Modal Analysis programs, Excel and other popular technical applications to use ACE measurements directly, without programming. ACE can run concurrently with other Windows applications including word processors and spreadsheets. It can share its findings through the well-accepted "cut and paste" metaphor.
Plug ACE into your network to multiply its value. Perform remote monitoring from the comfort of your office, through LAN and Internet. While you make measurements with the hardware, others can review, analyze and generate reports from previous measurements. Licensed networked operation allows the ACE to respond to any user location on your network.. Sharing your ACE with associates is as easy as pushing a button and handing it over.
ActiveX Automation
Add ActiveX and your ACE becomes part of a distributed system. It can be controlled remotely via network and its measurements can be passed directly to a concurrently running program. This allows custom solutions including unique signal processing, automated test control/report generation, "from a distance" data monitoring and application-dedicated interfaces.
SignalCalc ACE has the capability to act as an ActiveX Automation Server. When so equipped, the ACE can be controlled by a "client" program that can reside on the same computer or another computer networked to the ACE host.
Client programs can be written in a variety of languages including Visual C++, Visual Basic, MatLab, HP-VEE and LabView. Data Physics provides an industry-standard type library and dedicated on-line Help file to facilitate rapid application development.
Order Information
DP104 ACE 2 Channel, 2 Source FFT Analyzer
DP104-11 RPM-based Spectral Analysis
DP104-23 Throughput to Disk, Disk Playback, and Replay Analysis
DP104-24 Real-time Zoom
DP104-25 Real-time Waterfall Analysis
DP104-26 Real Time Full and 1/3 Octave Analysis
DP104-27 Order Track Analysis (requires opt. 11)
DP104-29 High Resolution, up to 25,600 Lines
DP104-30 Sound Quality - Loudness (requires opt 26)
DP104-31 High Sensitivity Cable (¡¾50 mV to ¡¾1.25 V)
DP104-33 ICP Cable
DP104-34 High Sensitivity ICP Cable
DP104-43 Remote Operation via ActiveX Communication
DP104-51 Event Capture (requires opt 23)
DP104-100 Structural Analysis package (includes DP104 with options 23, 24, 25, 29, and 31)
DP104-101 Rotating Machinery Package (includes DP104 with options 23, 24, 27, 29, and 31)
DP104-102 1/3 Octave Package (includes DP104 with options 23, 25, 26, and 31)
DP104-103 Acoustics Package (includes DP104 with options 23, 25, 26, 30 and 31)