StrainDAQ System

StrainDAQ Software Features

• Supported Systems:
  • Windows 7 (SP1 and later), Windows 8, Windows 10
  • 32-bit and 64-bit support
  • USB and Ethernet device support
• Supported sensor types:
  • Strain Gage — convenient default values throughout the setup process reduces the “setup to acquisition” time to an absolute minimum
  • Voltage Transducer — any device, such as a pressure transducer, displacement transducer, load cell, or full bridge
  • Current Transducer — any device, such as a pressure transducer, signal converter, or displacement transducer
  • Thermocouple — all common types supported (displayed in user-defined units – °F, °C, °R, K)
  • Digital Output Device — 24V logic or TTL device, such as an encoder or counter
  • IEPE Sensor — constant current excitation device, such as an accelerometer or pressure transducer
• Supported DAQ drivers:
  • National Instruments NI-DAQmx drivers
  • Measurement Computing drivers
  • Simulated signals — for training without hardware
  • Additional drivers can be configured by request
• Simple channel setup:
  • Sensor type, input limits, tag-name, calibration type, calibration parameters, scan rate—all selected within one window
  • Setup identical channels easily with the multi-channel copy wizard
  • Tabular view of all setup parameters allows for a convenient review of the entire channel list
• Calibration methods:
  • Offset only
  • Manual offset and gain entry
  • Two-Point Calibration — a zero and a single shunt calibration
  • Three-Point Calibration — a zero and two shunt calibrations
  • *New* Shunt Verification  — a method to verify that sensor and hardware are performing correctly based on calibrated gain
• Data recording options (multiple options may be selected simultaneously):
  • Manual — discrete recording where only single data points are needed when a button is pressed. Allows gauge readings to be manually entered.
  • Continuous — data recorded at user-defined time intervals (averaged to “smooth” the data). This recording type can start recording data at user-defined triggers or when a button is pressed.
  • Interval — data recorded at a user-defined scan rate with triggering to start the recording process. This recording type is useful for triggering off of events and limiting the amount of data stored.
  • Peak-Valley Recording — data recorded during user-defined peak and valley data values.
  • Automatic Summary File Generation — summary files automatically generated as files are completed
• *Updated* Real-time calculated (virtual) channels available to perform complex equations or logical operations:
  • Mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponentials, polynomials)
  • Conditional functions (logical If, Then, Else statements)
  • Common functions (hydraulic cylinder load calculations, additional functions can be added upon request)
  • Multi-channel averaging
  • Cycle counting
  • Remote system variable calculations
  • Calculations can be made through drag-and-drop setup or manual entry
  • Multiple calculations can be made within a single calculated channel
• Setups can be easily saved and reused during future tests
• *New* View setup function — view entire setup in a screen that can be exported and saved in CSV format
• Scan and Display:
  • User-defined display lists that can be toggled to monitor engineering units, raw voltage, zero offset, gain, excitation voltage, and reference excitation voltage
  • *New* Testing Display Screen
    • Display user-defined tables, charts, and graphs (time-based or X Y) while simultaneously acquiring data
      • Independent windows for each table, chart, or graph
      • Multiple tables, charts, and graphs can be displayed at the same time
      • Resizing available on many tables, charts, and graphs
      • On exit, system remembers which windows are open and where they are placed onscreen for future recall
      • *New* Real-time frequency spectrum plot available
    • Special meter functions can be added for display, including:
    • Peak-valley
    • Cycle counting
    • Min/Max
  • Time-interval based email generation (user must supply email server information)
• New Scan and Display:
  • Data files are stored in a binary format to conserve space, but these files can be exported to the following file types:
    • Tab-delimited ASCII
    • Comma separated variable (CSV)
    • Native Excel XLSX fi
  • User-defined export options
    • Export data range
    • Export selected channels
    • Export reduced data (every third sample, etc.)
    • Merge multiple binary files
• Summary file generator and viewer for summarizing long-term data logging into a compressed file. The viewer allows the summary file to be viewed graphically
• Additional optional plugins:
  • Rosette setups:
    • *Updated* Easier and faster rosette configuration — single and group rosettes can be configured from one screen
    • Supported rosette types include single, biaxial (tee), and triaxial (Rectangular and Delta)
    • Allows user to define strain gage rosette parameters (GF, K_t , temperature coefficients) used in “real-time” stress calculations
    • All applicable corrections performed on strain gage channels automatically (bridge nonlinearity, transverse sensitivity, and apparent strain)
    • Routine strain gage reduction (principle stresses, orientation-angle, and equivalent stress)
  • Pipe-bending calculations for axial stress, force, bending stress, bending moment, and axial dogleg — all made in both the 0° and 90° planes
  • Post-processing module (also shipped as a standalone utility known as “StrainDAQ Viewer”) that can create report-quality data plots and stress/strain tables from previously acquired strain gage data
  • Summary file generator and viewer for summarizing long-term data logging into a compressed file. The viewer allows the summary file to be viewed graphically
  • Plot Spectrum — plots the recorded data in the frequency domain for determining frequency components within the data
  • Auto-plot — automatically generates plots and prints them
  • Advanced external timing and triggering options for data collection