DVC-4

DIGITAL RANDOM CONTROLLER

ON-LINE MANUAL

Product Description       	File Menu

Vibration Testing Tutorial           	System Menu

Specifications	Inputs Menu

Installation   	Profile Setup

Screen Descriptions	Test Setup Menu

Operation                                  	Test Run Menu

Service	View Menu

Updating Software	Tools Menu

Calibration Procedure	Help Menu

Connector Pin-out, DB-37

Connector Pin-out, Remote

Revised 1/2001


PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The DVC-4 is a vibration control system for use with IBM compatible personal computers; it is essentially a programmable digital waveform generator and data acquisition system with sophisticated control and analysis software. It is shipped along with a computer interface card, Windows 3.1/95 software on 3-1/2" disks and a 2' cable, although a complete system would also have a shaker, amplifier, and an accelerometer at a minimum.

It is designed for controlling a wide variety of random type vibration tests with ease of use and automated record- keeping. The DVC-4 is used as the controller in a vibration test system for producing the desired shaped spectrum of vibrations for engineering test or production stress screening. Test profiles can be specified with up to 32 breakpoints and saved and recalled as needed.

The computer interface card installs in the computer in an ISA or PCI slot, depending on the model supplied; PCI will become the standard. It has a 24 line 8255 type digital interface. Several vendors cards are used, but all follow the ComputerBoards/Cyber- Research PCI-DIO24 connector interface. The ISA card may be set to any free I/O address space with jumpers on the card, with Hex 300 is the suggested starting point; the PCI card address is set by the Windows plug-and-play software, and the address must be checked after installation. The software is set with Hex 6200 as the default value ( see Software Installation ).

The DVC Controller module connects to the computer interface card via a short DB-37 female- female cable, and all drive and feedback connections are made with the BNC connectors. A 6 pin Molex type connector is available for remote control of the System. The DVC Controller can be configured for either 2 or 4 channel operation in Sine, Random, or Classical Shock modes; the software automatically detects the Controller configuration and enables the appropriate features.

Persons new to vibration testing should read the tutorial section to gain a better knowledge of the processes and terms used. Additional information is available on the web site www.vibrationworld.com, which is supported by the manufacturer.


VIBRATION TESTING TUTORIAL

Vibration testing is the process of applying a controlled amount of vibration to a test specimen, usually for the purposes of establishing reliability or testing to destruction. In practice the test article is securely mounted on a shaker table or actuator, which may be operated by electro-dynamic or hydraulic force; typically hydraulic force is used at very low frequencies because of the large displacements involved, and electro-dynamic force is used where higher frequencies are involved.

An electro-dynamic shaker is a linear motor: a moving coil in a fixed magnetic field that is the same principle used in the construction of a loud-speaker. The magnetic field is generated by either permanent magnets or by DC current in a field coil, and audio power is provided by an amplifier of suitable rating, typically about 10 watts of audio/ pound force generated.

Some type of signal source is necessary to drive the amplifier, and an accelerometer is needed to measure the vibration response of the test article. Accelerometers are referred to as Integrated, meaning they have a built-in amplifier and need a current source for power, or Charge type, requiring an external charge-converter to make a usable signal from their output. If the test article is large, then the response may vary across its surface and multiple accelerometers may be used and the outputs averaged.

The overall response curve is usually VERY non-uniform due to the response curves of the amplifier and shaker, and mechanical resonances of the shaker, test article, and mounting fixtures. To cure this, a controller us used to servo the actual measured response to the desired response curve. Controllers may be rack-mounted analog instruments or digital computer-based products.

The signal source usually attempts to simulate the real-world environment that the test article will operate in. Two methodologies are commonly used: Swept-sine and Random testing. In the Swept-sine approach the frequency is swept back and forth with amplitudes corresponding to the desired test levels. In Random testing the frequency spectrum of a noise source is shaped to represent the environment that the article will operate in. An additional test approach is Classical shock testing where the article is subjected to one or more high level shock pulses; this is similar to a one time drop-test that might occur in shipping. In all three approaches the test level can be increased until destruction occurs, thus establishing the safety margins.


SPECIFICATIONS

INPUT CHARACTERISTICS:

INPUT CHANNELS:  Four, any can be either control or monitor.

INPUT SENSITIVITY:  Settable from 5 to 1000 MV/G, 20 Vp-p max input.

CURRENT SOURCES:  Four, 4 MA each input, 18 VDC compliance, software selectable.

OUTPUT CHARACTERISTICS:

OUTPUT SIGNAL:  Continuous Gaussian random drive.

DRIVE LEVEL:  16 Vp-p or 3 Vrms maximum.

PEAK LIMITING:  User settable from 1 to 4 clipping ratio.

DYNAMIC RANGE:  > 60 Db.

CONTROL CHARACTERISTICS:

CONTROL MODES:  Single channel, Extremal, or Average.

CONTROL CHANNELS:  One, two, three, or four.

FREQUENCY RANGE:  2.5-500 Hz, 5-1000 Hz, and 10-2000 Hz.

SPECTRAL RESOLUTION:  400 lines.

CONTROL PROFILES:   Up to 32 breakpoints; profiles may be saved and

recalled from disk.

CONTROL ACCURACY:   +/- 1 Db typical.

LOOP TIME:  < 3 seconds for analysis and correction.

EQUALIZATION TIME:  < 10 seconds for full correction of 10 Db change.

ANALYSIS WINDOWING:  None, Hamming, Hanning, or Blackman selectable.

REMOTE CONTROL (Optional):  Inputs for Start, Pause, Resume, and 	Abort; 5 volt logic with switch closure to ground to activate.

TEST ARTICLE PROTECTION:

ABORT / ALARM LIMITS:  User selectable from 3 Db to 99 Db.

OVERALL LIMITS:  Overall D, V, A limits settable by user.

CONTROL SIGNAL LOSS:  Low gain and open loop detector check.

PRETEST LIMITS:  Settable by user.

EQUALIZATION:  Low level equalization of system.

MANUAL ABORT:  From keyboard, mouse, or optional remote panel.

TEST DOCUMENTATION:  Any of the following plots can be stored on disk or

printed	out on a printer in either color or monochrome.

REFERENCE SPECTRUM: The control profile that was entered in.

ABORT LIMITS: Upper and lower abort limit lines.

CH#1 CONTROL CHANNEL:  Response spectrum of channel #1.

CH#2 CONTROL/ MONITOR CHANNEL: Response spectrum of channel #2.

CH#3 CONTROL/ MONITOR CHANNEL: Response spectrum of channel #3.

CH#4 CONTROL/ MONITOR CHANNEL: Response spectrum of channel #4.

DRIVE OUTPUT: Spectrum of Controller drive output signal.

CH#1 WAVEFORM:  Oscilloscope type plot of CH#1 input waveform.

CH#2 WAVEFORM:  Oscilloscope type plot of CH#2 input waveform.

CH#3 WAVEFORM:  Oscilloscope type plot of CH#3 input waveform.

CH#4 WAVEFORM:  Oscilloscope type plot of CH#4 input waveform.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

COMPUTER:  Pentium 70 or better with VGA display, 16 Mb RAM and 6 Mb of hard disk space required.  A Pentium 166 or faster is recommended.

POWER REQUIREMENTS:  Powered by computer buss, < 10 W required.

SIZE:  1.5H x 7.25W x 15D Controller box with standard 1/3 AT size PC interface card ( 4.5" x 4.5" ).

CONNECTIONS:  Via DB-37 connectors and cable from computer to Controller box  and BNC connectors to signals; optional remote control connections via 6 pin Molex connector.


INSTALLATION

HARDWARE  INSTALLATION.  Install the DVC-4 computer interface card in a PCI expansion card slot of an IBM compatible personal computer of Pentium grade or better with a VGA display; a hard disk is necessary with Windows software. A Pentium 166 or better is recommended for superior performance. The card address is automatically set by the Windows plug-and-play software and the software must be set to the same value used by the system during installation; if an additional card is installed in the computer later, the address might be changed and the software must be changed accordingly in the System configuration menu.

Connections to the shaker system are through the BNC connectors on the front of the controller box; a 2' DB-37 cable is used to connect from the computer to the controller box.  Simple installations require only a coax for Servo Out to the amplifier drive input and a BNC cable from the Channel #1 input on the controller box to the accelerometer.  Remote control is accomplished by switch closures to ground by any of the 4 Remote Control pins on the Remote connector; refer to the connector pin-out diagram.

SOFTWARE INSTALLATION.  There are two programs to install on the computer: one for the PCI interface card installed inside the computer called INSTACAL, and the DVC16DSC software for vibration control; each comes standard on floppy disks.

After the hardware installation above, turn on the computer and the system should detect a new PCI card and ask for the driver disk; insert disk #1 of INSTACAL and proceed with the default instructions. The card address that was used by the system can be determined three ways: one is to start INSTACAL from START|PROGRAMS| (COMPUTERBOARDS or CYBER-RESEARCH) and select CONFIGURE from the INSTALL menu. The other is in the SYSTEM item in START|SETTINGS| CONTROL PANEL; select the DEVICE MANAGER tab, click DAS COMPONENT, then PCIDIO24, then properties, then resources to view the base address ( the first number of the range is the address ). The third is to use the Auto-Detect Address function in the System menu.


SCREEN DESCRIPTIONS

The DRC Windows software features a Control Panel screen and many windows offering expanded information; a description of each of these screens follows.

CONTROL PANEL.  This is a "virtual instrument" screen that mimics a real instrument with large digital displays, a plot of the response, LED type indicators and a monitor section that displays all system parameters. The operation is controlled either by the mouse or from the keyboard with single key keystrokes; the active keys are listed in the HELP Keyboard menu; for example "S" is start, "A" is abort, etc.  The operator has full control of system operation with the mouse or a few easily remembered keys. Operation is "automatic" with the controlled response following the desired profile. If an abort condition is encountered the Stop button will change from green to red and one of the following messages appear: OPEN LOOP, LOW GAIN, OVER-TEST, >D-LIMIT, >V-LIMIT, or >A-LIMIT.

MENU BAR.  If the setup conditions of the test need to be checked or changed, or files saved, loaded or printed, use the Menu Bar to list all of the setup conditions and the profile to be run. Use the mouse or up/down arrow keys to move the cursor to the item to be changed and click or press enter and the default value will be displayed. If that is OK, press enter and nothing is changed. If you wish to make a change, type in the new value and enter; f it is out of bounds it is thrown out and try again, and Cancel button or pressing the ESCAPE key restores the original value.  If the value is a choice, (e.g. SLOW, ON, etc.) click on the desired choice.

The Menu Bar is divided up into categories; selecting one will drop down a menu listing the items that the user can set. The categories are listed below:

RESPONSE PLOT.  This graphic screen is a LOG-LOG graph of the frequency range and acceleration spectral response.  The selected profile will be displayed in white and the responses in red, purple, brown, and blue. If the Trip limits have been turned on, they will also be displayed in yellow. The drive spectrum will be displayed in green if turned on also. The plot can be zoomed in/out using the VIEW menu commands or the X,x,Y,y hotkeys.


FILE MENU

A)  NEW PROFILE- Clears out existing test profile parameters.

B)  OPEN PROFILE- Opens a Windows dialog box to select the path and name of the previously saved test profile to be loaded. Opening a profile loads all of the setup parameters with it. Profiles are normally named as DVCFILER.*, where * is a number from 000 to 999, but any 8 character name with 3 digit extension can be used instead.

C)  OPEN REPORT- Opens a Windows dialog box to select the path and name of the previously saved test report to be loaded. Opening a report loads all of the setup parameters with it. Reports are normally named as DVCTESTR.*, where * is a number from 000 to 999, but any 8 character name with 3 digit extension can be used instead.

D)  SAVE PROFILE- Opens a Windows dialog box to select the path and name where the test profile is to be saved. Saving a profile saves all of the setup parameters with it. Profiles are normally named as DVCFILER.*, where * is a number from 000 to 999, but any 8 character name with 3 digit extension can be used instead

E)  SAVE REPORT- Opens a Windows dialog box to select the path and name where the test report to be saved. Saving a report saves all of the setup parameters with it. Reports are normally named as DVCTESTR.*, where * is a number from 000 to 999, but any 8 character name with 3 digit extension can be used instead. Note: the response plot is saved with the current background color; if the report will be printed out later, it may be desirable to use the white background to save ink.

F)  EXPORT TEST DATA- Exports the test setup parameters and test data into an Excel-format file; the suggested naming convention is DvcDataR.*, where * is a user assigned number. Refer to the application note on www.vibrationworld.com for full details on the file format.

G)  PRINTER SETUP- Opens a Windows dialog box to select printer to be used and it's setup options.

H)  PRINT COLOR/MONOCHROME- Sets the colors outputted to the printer to either the same colors as the screen, or all black for high contrast printouts. With some printer drivers this will automatically choose either color or black & white printing; others require setting the printer to color mode in the printer setup.

I)  PRINT REPORT- Prints the report on the default printer, or the one selected in Print Setup.

J)   EXIT- Opens a Windows dialog box to confirm your intention of exiting the program.


SYSTEM MENU

A) AUTO-DETECT ADDRESS- Windows assigns the addresses to plug-n-play PCI cards. This function attempts to find the address assigned to the installed PCI interface card. Enter this address as the base address in the System menu, and save the changes in the DvcFileR.000 default profile.

B)  BASE ADDRESS- Dialog box to set the computer interface card address, for PCI cards the Windows plug-and-play software sets the address, which is typically 6200 Hex. This number must match the system setting for the controller to work!

C)  UPDATE RATE- Dialog box to set the software the update rate, normally 10/Sec for Pentium grade computers.

D)  UNITS-  Selects the units to be used, either English or Metric (mm., cm/sec., m/sec^2.).

E)  MAX. DISPLACEMENT- Dialog box to set the maximum displacement allowable to protect the shaker.

F)  MAX. VELOCITY- Dialog box to set the maximum velocity allowable to protect the shaker.

G)  MAX. ACCELERATION- Dialog box to set the maximum acceleration allowable to protect the shaker.

H)  LOW GAIN TRIP POINT- Dialog box to set the low gain error message trip point.

I)  OPEN LOOP TRIP POINT- Dialog box to set the Open Loop error message trip point.

J)  CALIBRATION FACTORS, CH#-- GAIN:  Dialog box to reset the channel # -- scale calibration factor. The nominal value is 1.00. NOTE: Altering this value will affect the system accuracy; this should be done as part of the calibration procedure.

K)  UPDATE CALIBRATION FACTORS:  Saves the current calibration factors in the file DVC16CAL.DAT.


INPUTS MENU

A)  CH#1 SENSITIVITY- Dialog box to set the CHANNEL #1 sensitivity from 5-1000 MV/G.

B)  CH#2 SENSITIVITY- Dialog box to set the CHANNEL #2 sensitivity from 5-1000 MV/G.

C)  CH#3 SENSITIVITY- Dialog box to set the CHANNEL #3 sensitivity from 5-1000 MV/G. *

D)  CH#4 SENSITIVITY- Dialog box to set the CHANNEL #4 sensitivity from 5-1000 MV/G. *

E)  CH#1 CURRENT- Select the CHANNEL #1, 4 MA current source, either ON or OFF.

F)  CH#2 CURRENT- Select the CHANNEL #2, 4 MA current source, either ON or OFF.

G)  CH#3 CURRENT- Select the CHANNEL #3, 4 MA current source, either ON or OFF. *

H)  CH#4 CURRENT- Select the CHANNEL #4, 4 MA current source, either ON or OFF. *

I)  ACCELEROMETER- Opens Windows dialog boxes to record the accelerometer model # and serial #.

J)  REMOTE CONTROL- Select whether the Remote control inputs are activated or not.

K)  DLL CONTROL- Enables control of the Dvc16DSC.Exe software by another program through the device driver ( Dvc16Dll.dll ). The standard Remote Control functions are accessible; refer to the application note on www.vibrationworld for full details and examples.


PROFILE SETUP MENU

A)  FREQUENCY RANGE- Choose either the 2.5-500, 5-1000, or 10-2000 Hz frequency range.

B)  MODIFY PROFILE- Displays a new form to display or set the profile levels and the frequency breakpoints. The Frequencies, Levels, and Abort Limits can be set for each of the 32 segments of the profile as well as comments added.

C)  CLIPPING RATIO- Dialog box to set the CLIPPING RATIO from 1 to 4.

D)  FILTERS- Select either None (rectangular), Hamming, Hanning, or Blackman windowing filters.


TEST SETUP MENU

A)  CONTROL MODE- Selects the control mode, either AVERAGE, EXTREMAL, or MANUAL  control of the level. As the names imply, Average uses the average of the selected channels, Extremal uses the highest value of the selected channels, and Manual control turns off automatic and uses the keyboard or mouse for manual control

B)  CONTROL CHANNELS- Sets the channels to be active in the control loop; #1, #2, #3, and/or #4 can be made active.

C)  TEST DURATION- Dialog box to set the test duration.

D)  PRETEST LEVEL- Dialog box to set the pretest level in Db down from the full-test level.

E) FULLTEST TRANSITION- Sets the transition from PreTest to FullTest in Db down from the FullTest level; the default value is 2 ( Db ).

F)  ABORT LIMITS- Dialog box to set the abort levels in Db above and below the reference spectrum. Uniformly sets an Abort Limit for all profile segments; this over-rides the individual values that may have been set in Modify Profile.

G)  SPECTRAL CHECK- Turns on individual spectral line checking against the abort limits. After 60 seconds a warning will start flashing; after 60 more seconds the test will be aborted if the control has not been pulled within   limits by then.

H)  TITLE- Allows the user to type in a title up to 60 characters long for the report.

I)  AUTO PRINT- Prints the test report at the conclusion of a test if turned on (checked in the menu).

J)  AUTO SAVE- Saves the test report at the conclusion of a test if turned on

(checked in the menu). The user will be prompted for the path and filename at the start of the test.

K)  DEMO- Runs the demonstration program if checked; if the Buss-Check detects that the card is not installed or not communicating the program will be placed in the Demo mode. The Demo mode runs simulated tests, but all normal features are active.


TEST RUN MENU

A)  START- Turns the output On and starts the test.

B)  STOP- Turns the output off and stops the test.

C)  PRE-TEST- Reduces the test level to the pretest amount.

D)  FULL-TEST- Raises the test level to the normal test level.

E)  EQUALIZE- Places the program in the equalize mode, where the drive spectrum is adjusted to compensate for the system characteristics.

F)  HOLD- Turns off the equalize function and holds the current values.

G)  PAUSE- Temporarily halts the test; use RESTART to resume operation.

H)  RESTART- Resumes operation after a PAUSE.

I)  CLEAR AVERAGES- Erases all accumulated averages and starts over.

J)  CLEAR DRIVE SPECTRUM- Returns the drive spectrum to it's initial reference spectrum starting point.

K)  ABORT- Aborts the test.


VIEW MENU

*  Only active when 4 channel operation is activated

A)  CH#1 RESPONSE- Displays the CH#1 response on the plot in red if selected; the CH#1 legend appears in red at the side of the plot.

B)  CH#2 RESPONSE- Displays the CH#2 response on the plot in purple if selected; the CH#1 legend appears in purple at the side of the plot.

.

C)  CH#3 RESPONSE- Displays the CH#3 response on the plot in brown if selected ; the CH#1 legend appears in brown at the side of the plot. A warning message will appear if selected after a test has begun. *

D)  CH#4 RESPONSE- Displays the CH#4 response on the plot in blue if selected. ; the CH#1 legend appears in blue at the side of the plot. A warning message will appear if selected after a test has begun. *

E) AVERAGERESPONSE- Plots the average of the selected channels ( Ch#1-Ch#4 ) instead of the individual responses.

F)  ABORT LIMITS- Displays the abort limits on the plot in white if selected

G)  DRIVE SPECTRUM- Displays the drive spectrum on the plot in green if selected.

H)  CH#1 WAVEFORM- An oscilloscope type snapshot of the channel #1 input waveform, plotted in red.

I)  CH#2 WAVEFORM- An oscilloscope type snapshot of the channel #2 input waveform, plotted in purple.

J)  CH#3 WAVEFORM- An oscilloscope type snapshot of the channel #3 input waveform, plotted in brown. *

K)  CH#4 WAVEFORM- An oscilloscope type snapshot of the channel #4 input waveform, plotted in blue. *

L)  REFRESH SCREEN- Redraws the screen to remove clutter.

M)  PLOT BACKGROUND- BLACK- Selects black as the plot background color;   black views the best on-screen, but uses excessive ink during printing when using COPY TO CLIPBOARD to export into other applications.

N )  PLOT BACKGROUND- WHITE- Selects white as the plot background color; white doesn't view as well as black on-screen, but uses less ink during printing when using COPY TO CLIPBOARD to export into other applications.

O)  X-AXIS SCALE- ZOOM IN- Expands the scale of the plot X-axis one step.

P)  X-AXIS SCALE- ZOOM OUT- Contracts the scale of the plot X-axis one step.

Q)  Y-AXIS SCALE- ZOOM IN- Expands the scale of the plot Y-axis one step.

R)  Y-AXIS SCALE- ZOOM OUT- Contracts the scale of the plot Y-axis one step.


TOOLS MENU

A)  COPY TO CLIPBOARD- Copies the plot onto the system clipboard to incorporate into other applications. Press the Print-Screen key to copy the entire screen to the clipboard. The plot background color will be that set in the VIEW| PLOT BACKGROUND menu.


HELP MENU

A)  ABOUT SOFTWARE- Displays the version number of the software and pertinent phone numbers. Also displays the version number of the DLL driver.

B)  ABOUT HARDWARE- Reads the Controller configuration registers and displays the serial # and lists the hardware capabilities.

C)  KEYBOARD- Displays the keyboard hot keys that control operation without a mouse.

D)  ONLINE HELP- Opens a Windows help file containing the on-line manual.


OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

RANDOM CONTROLLER OPERATION. The TEST SETUP should be checked over and modified as necessary.

First review the SETUP parameters. The FREQUENCY RANGE should match that of the shaker system, typically 10-2000 Hz, and the DURATION set to the desired test length. CLIPPING RATIOS of 3.0, FILTERS = RECTANGULAR ( none),  and ABORT and PRETEST levels of 6 Db should suffice for most applications. The INPUT SENS numbers should match the nominal sensitivities of the accelerometers being used and the CURRENT sources should be turned on if external power supplies are not used.

Check the profile columns of FREQUENCY and test LEVEL for accuracy and change if necessary. The TITLE may also be changed to a more meaningful label. Next select SYSTEM CONFIGURATION to review the system setups and modify if necessary. All of the above setups comprise a profile that can be saved by selecting SAVE PROFILE in the FILE Menu; it is recommended that they be saved under the filename DVCFILER.### where ### is a 0-999 number entered in. The program loads DVCFILER.000 initially so save your favorite settings there.

To run a test, turn the gain up and press "S" (or click on START); the system should slowly come up to the specified PRE-TEST level, increase to the FULL-TEST level, and the test run for the specified duration. Press "P" (or click PAUSE) and the test will pause until a RESTART is activated. Clicking on STOP or ABORT will end the test. If a hard copy is desired, Select PRINT in the FILE Menu.

If there is any question of system accuracy, then the controller self-check described in SERVICE section B should be run prior to calibration tests and any system problems ironed out.


TROUBLESHOOTING & SERVICE

TROUBLESHOOTING. The controller is usually blamed for problems in vibration test systems when in fact controllers rarely ever fail and setup and cabling us usually the actual problem. The controller self-check is the best way to verify proper operation of the controller. If you are unable to locate the problem please have your serial # from the HELP|ABOUT HARDWARE menu, software and DLL versions from the HELP|ABOUT SOFTWARE menu, and equipment description ready before calling for technical support.

A)  BUSS-CHECK FAILS. Most likely the system address for the PCI computer interface does not match the setting in the SYSTEM|ADDRESS menu item; refer to the Software Installation section for instructions on checking the settings.

B)  CONTROLLER SELF-CHECK. Connect the SERVO OUT to CH#1 through CH#4 inputs with BNC cables and "tee"s and run a test. The servo should control at the specified levels, and the Channel #1 through #4 plots should be superimposed. If not, see section C below.

C)  POOR ACCURACY. Run the self-check in B if the plot innacuracies exceeds +/- 1 Db (10%) then something is wrong and must be found before real tests can be run. If erratic errors are observed, check for ground loops, excessive cable lengths, loose connections, or other noise-inducing problems.  Plug all instrumentation into the same 115V circuit as the computer is plugged into to minimize ground differences.

D)  WON'T PRINT. The wrong printer might have been selected in Print Setup.

E)  SCREEN LOCKED UP. Communication problem; check that both the address of both the card and software are the same, that the card is firmly seated in the connector, and that no other card is installed with the same address. Try changing the address to check for a conflict. When the software loads, it does a Buss-Check to establish communication and places the system in the Demo mode and reports a message if it fails.

F)  NO VIBRATION OUTPUT OR LOW GAIN MESSAGE. Check that the cables are securely connected and that the amplifier gain was turned up and the field is on if applicable.

G)  OPEN LOOP MESSAGE APPEARS. Check that the current sources or power supplies were turned on, that all cables are securely connected, and that there is motion on the shaker table.

H)  WON'T READ PROFILE. Check that the profile is stored on the default drive in the current directory.

I)  >D-LIMIT, >V-LIMIT, or >A-LIMIT MESSAGE APPEARS. The system limits that were set up in the SYSTEM CONFIGURATION sub-menu have been exceeded; check that the limits were properly set and that the level and/or frequency are not exceeding the limits.

J)  WINDOWS PROBLEMS. The DSC-1 software is supplied in 16 bit Windows 3.1/ Windows '95 format; be sure that you are using the right program to match the computer operating system. Windows NT is not currently supported.


UPGRADING VTS SOFTWARE

The Setup disks contain approximately 25 files in compressed ( zipped) format; most of them are Microsoft Windows shared files that are necessary for the program to run, but do not change with program upgrades. In fact the only files that change are the .EXE file ( named DSC16.EXE for Sine and DRC16.EXE for Random ) and possibly the driver ( DVC16DLL.DLL ); to upgrade is a simple matter of copying a new version over the old one. Setup de-compresses ( un-zips ) the files when installing them so the un-zipped version must be used in upgrades.

The files are normally placed in a directory or folder named C:\DVCShell; locate and open the folder using Explorer in Win 95/98 or File Manager in Win 3.1 and identify the .EXE file ( approximately  150K in size ).

Insert the new disk and in Win 95 Explorer click A Drive, select the new file, then click EDIT and then COPY;  scroll down to the previously located folder and click to open it; now Click EDIT and then PASTE and you will be asked if you want to copy the new one over the old one, and click YES. The new file will replace the old one and you are finished.

The procedure is similar in Win 3.1 File Manager.

The latest versions of the software are always available for downloading from the Internet; the WEB site URL is listed in the HELP|ABOUT SOFTWARE menu message.

Additional information is available on the web site Error! Reference source not found. which is supported by the manufacturer.


CALIBRATION PROCEDURE

1.	TEST EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:

1.1:  Personal Computer, Pentium or better running Windows 95.

1.2:  Digital Voltmeter, true RMS reading.

1.3:  Frequency counter, 5-5,000 Hz.

1.4:  Low-current shunt (e.g., 100 ohm 1% resistor), or DC current reading DVM.

1.5: BNC cables and "tee"s.

1.6:  Sine Generator, 5-10,000 Hertz, THD < 0.5%.

1.7:  Spectrum Analyzer, Stanford Research #SR-760 or better.

    NOTE: The Fluke 8060A true RMS Multi-meter meets all requirements of sections 1.2-1.4.

2.1: The DVC is a digital vibration controller that uses a PCI or ISA expansion card for the computer interface; it performs the functions of signal generation and control of a shaped-spectrum random noise generator and spectrum analyzer; there also are four switch-able accelerometer power supplies on the inputs. There are no adjustments on the system ; all tests are of a verification nature. The card should be installed in a personal computer and the cable connected to the DVC connector in the rear of the chassis. The computer should be turned on and the DVC Random software should be loaded in, which should come up in the CONTROL PANEL screen mode.

3.	CURRENT SOURCE TESTS:

3.1: Connect a DC current reading DVM, or precision resistor and DVM from Channel #1 Input to ground: a BNC cable with BNC-Banana jack adapter is a convenient way to accomplish this.

3.2: Activate the channel #1 current source with the Inputs | Ch#1 Current menu selection; click on the menu item to turn on the current source. Verify a DC current flow of 4.0 +/- 0.5 MA on the Input.

3.3: Move the meter to Channel #2 input connector, and repeat the steps in section 3.2 except use the Inputs | Ch #2 Current menu selection. Verify a 4.0 +/- 0.5 MA current on Channel #2 input also.

3.4: Repeat for channels #3 and #4.

4. SPECTRUM ANALYZER VERIFICATION

4.1:  The input channels of the DRC are a spectrum analyzer for the vibration bands (5-2000 Hz); the gains are set by the sensitivity numbers in the Inputs | Ch# - Sensitivity menu. Tee the Sine Generator output into channels #1 through #4 inputs and set the generator output to 0.2 +I-.O1 Vrms, 200 Hz. With the Profile Setup | Frequency Range menu select the 10-2000 Hz Frequency Range, select HANNING Filter in the Profile Setup | Filtering menu, Test Setup | Control Mode | Manual and 100 MV/G Sensitivity for all channels in the Inputs | Ch# - Sensitivity menu.

4.2:  Click on the START button to take a sample and

observe the highest red lines at 200 Hz of ASD=10 +/- 2 height. Click on the red STOP sign to abort and clear the readings, press X to clear the screen, and click the View | Ch#2-4 Response menu  to plot all channels simultaneously and START again; verify an ASD reading =10 +/- 2 for all channels.

4.3:  Select the 5-1000 Hz Frequency Range in the Profile Setup | Frequency Range menu, set Sine Generator output to 0.1414 +/- .01 Vrms, and repeat section 4.2 except at 100 Hz.

4.4:  Select 2.5-500 Hz Frequency Range in the Profile Setup | Frequency Range menu, set Sine Generator output to 0.100 +/- .01 Vrms, and repeat section 4.2 except at 50 Hz.

4.5:  Select 1.25-250 Hz Frequency Range in the Profile Setup | Frequency Range menu, set Sine Generator output to 0.0707 +/- .01 Vrms, and repeat section 4.2 except at 25 Hz.

5. RANDOM NOISE GENERATOR VERIFICATION

5.1:  Tee the SERVO OUTPUT to the CH#1 INPUT and the DVM set to AC Volts, select the NAVMAT P492 profile with the File | Open Profile menu if it is available, and select the 20-2000 Hz Frequency Range, Filters rectangular, abort limits=3 Db, CH#1-4 Sensitivities set to 10 MVIG, and all Currents OFF. If NAVMAT P9492 was not available select the Profile Setup | Modify Profile menu and set-up the following test:  FI=20 Hz § ASD=.01, F2=80 Hz, ASD=.04. F3=350 Hz, ASD=.04, F4=2000 @ ASD=.007; the calculated level will be 6.1 G-rms.

5.2:  Click on the START button and the system should output a low level signal Increasing to the Pretest level. It will automatically increase to the Full-test level; allow the system 2 minutes to equalize and then verify that the output level is 81.0+/- 10 MV-rms as best estimated on the varying readings on the DVM, and that the plotted response lies within the ABORT limit lines.

5.3: ( Optional Spectrum Verification ) Connect the input of a audio range spectrum analyzer such as a Stanford Research #SR760 to the DRIVE OUTPUT and monitor the test. Set up the analyzer for 100 averages minimum, repeat section 5.2 and verify that the analyzer output matches the screen plot within limits. NOTE: analyzer setup can greatly affect the plot results! Use similar frequency range and filtering settings as the DRC software, and select appropriate input range and scale factor settings.

This completes the calibration procedure.


CONNECTOR PINOUT, DB-37 MALE

         _____________________________________

P7

COMMON	19  	O

                          	O	37	PORT A- PA0

+5V	18	O

                          	O	36	PORT A- PA1

COMMON	17   	O

                          	O	35	PORT A- PA2

+12V	16   	O

                          	O	34	PORT A- PA3

COMMON	15   	O

                          	O	33	PORT A- PA4

-12V	14	O

                          	O	32	PORT A- PA5

COMMON	13   	O

                          	O	31	PORT A- PA6

-5V	12	O

                          	O	30	PORT A- PA7

COMMON	11   	O

                          	O	29	PORT C- PC0

PORT B- PB0	10	O

                          	O	28	PORT C- PC1

PORT B- PB1	9  	O

                          	O	27	PORT C- PC2

PORT B- PB2	8 	O

O	26	PORT C- PC3

PORT B- PB3	7  	O

O	25	PORT C- PC4

PORT B- PB4	6	O

O	24	PORT C- PC5

PORT B- PB5	5	O

O	23	PORT C- PC6

PORT B- PB6	4	O

O	22	PORT C- PC7

PORT B- PB7	3	O

O	21	GROUND

INT. ENABLE           	2	O

O	20	+5V

INT. INPUT	1	O


CONNECTOR PINOUT, REMOTE CONNECTOR

P6

START	1	O

ABORT	2	O

RUN	3	O

HOLD	4	O

N/C	5	O

GROUND	6	O

Rev 1/20/99   C:\DVC16DRC.Rtf