CAN FD monitoring.

A new CAN FD monitoring module for its ScopeCorder family of portable data-acquisition and recording instruments has been introduced by Yokogawa Europe. Their new 720242 plug-in module is compatible with the DL850EV (Vehicle Edition) instrument and the new DL350 ScopeCorder fitted with the /VE option.

Using a ScopeCorder together with bus monitor modules to decode data from automotive serial buses such as CAN (Controller Area Network) enables engineers to display information such as engine temperature, vehicle speed and brake pedal position as trend waveforms and compare this with the analogue data coming from the actual sensors. This enables automotive engineers to gain a thorough insight into the dynamic behaviour of the complete electromechanical system.

First announced in 2012, CAN FD (CAN With flexible data rate) is an extension format for CAN in which the transfer rate and data length of the data field has been increased while still following a protocol common to CAN. It enables data rates higher than 1 Mbit/s to be transmitted on a CAN bus and is thus able to deliver the higher bandwidths now required by the automotive industry for in-vehicle networks. Yokogawa already supports CAN FD triggering and decoding in its range of DLM mixed signal oscilloscopes for physical layer bus development.

Some automotive manufacturers in the US, Europe and Asia are planning to implement CAN FD as early as model year 2018 with a wider adoption expected in 2020. This means that automobile engineers are now free to consider CAN FD as the solution to meet the needs for higher data rates in automotive buses especially with regard to electric/hybrid vehicles where new powertrain concepts demand a much higher bit-rate and utilisation.

“The implementation and commissioning of CAN FD systems into actual vehicles requires either multiple instruments or a single versatile multi-channel instrument like the ScopeCorder to monitor the signals on the bus and display these together with those from the sensors along with data from the engine control unit (ECU)”, says Terry Marrinan, Vice-President Yokogawa’s Test & Measurement Business Unit for Europe & OCEANIA and South-East Asia. “This is necessary in order to analyse the complete system and check that it and its latencies, for example, are operating as predicted and to find the cause of errors. Yokogawa is the first test and measurement company to offer this level of CAN FD capability on an instrument of this type.”

“Our many automotive ScopeCorder customers recognise that a ScopeCorder offers them a one-box solution for their testing needs and enables them to easily analyse data without the need to synchronise and import data from multiple instruments and devices.  They have been considering the use of CAN FD, and in advance of their actual testing requirements they have been asking us to add the capability for CAN FD to the ScopeCorder so that it is available when they need it. We are pleased to be able to satisfy these requests..”

The new module is also compatible with classical CAN and will replace the existing 720240 CAN-only model.

Yokogawa was the first test & measurement manufacturer to provide automotive serial bus analysis on any oscilloscope. The introduction of support for this extension of the CAN bus is an indication of the company’s ongoing commitment to satisfy the needs of the automotive and transportation industries.

@Yokogawa_Europe  #PAuto #Automotive

Wireless paperless recorder.

The SMARTDAC+® GX20W wireless paperless recorder from Yokogawa supports the ISA100 Wireless™ industrial automation wireless communication standard and is expected to become an essential component of the SMARTDAC+ data acquisition and control system.

It is used for acquisition and recording of data such as temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, and pressure for the evaluation testing of products, monitoring of plant equipment, and environmental monitoring

The GX20W comes with an ISA100 Wireless gateway function that enables it to wirelessly collect and record information from ISA100 Wireless devices. It facilitates the acquisition of data from locations that are inaccessible to recorders or where it is difficult to accommodate conventional wired devices.

It targets markets such as monitoring boilers, coal yards, rotary furnaces, smoke control systems, and other facilities in plants for electric power, oil refining, petrochemicals, chemicals, iron and steel, pulp and paper, food, and pharmaceuticals

Development Background
Plants use all kinds of field devices to measure items such as temperature, pressure, liquid level, gas concentration, and vibration. With a field wireless system, communication between field devices and host monitoring systems is done wirelessly. Demand for field wireless systems is growing because the field wireless devices can be placed in locations that cannot be accessed with conventional wired devices and cost less to install.

Plant facility monitoring systems often include recorders that collect and record measurement data from field devices. The GX20W is ideal for use in such systems.

Product Features
Based on the GX20 paperless recorder, which has been well received in the marketplace due to its excellent scalability and reliability, the GX20W comes with a wireless gateway function that supports the ISA100 Wireless standard. With the GX20W, there is no need for an additional gateway or access point to communicate with a field wireless device or wireless sensor.

In addition to a maximum of 100 wired inputs, the GX20W can receive signals from up to 50 field wireless devices, which has the following advantages:

1. For safety reasons, it has not been allowed to install recorders in hazardous areas, which has necessitated running cable between the field transmitters and the recording device, at considerable expense. As the GX20W is able to wirelessly collect and record data from a remote location, this simplifies the task of building a monitoring system with recorders for use in facilities with hazardous areas, such as chemical plants that use inflammable organic solvents and pharmaceutical plants that manufacture active ingredients.
2. As there is no need for wiring, systems for monitoring equipment or small-scale processes can be built at low cost.

High-Speed, Rugged rackmount &portable recorders for ground, sea and air applications!

Two additions to the Talon® family of high-speed turnkey recording systems have been announced by Pentek. The Model RTR 2728 rugged portable and the Model RTR 2748 rugged rackmount recorders use state-of-the-art SSD (solid state drive) storage technology to achieve aggregate recording and playback rates up to 4 GBytes per second.

As complete recording systems, these Talon recorders are ideal for recording and reproducing wideband IF signals at sample rates up to 1 GSamples/sec. Systems are built on a Windows 7 Professional workstation with an Intel Core I7 processor and provide both a GUI (graphical user interface) and API (application programmer’s interface) to control the system. Signal analysis tools are also provided to allow the user to monitor and analyze signals prior to, during and after a recording.

According to Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek, “The new Talon recording systems have the ability to capture and reproduce signal bandwidths approaching 500 MHz. The recorded signals can be reproduced to replicate live sensor equipment or receivers in the field. Today’s higher-precision converters require more storage for long flights or experiments. The advanced SSDs we use in our ruggedized recorders not only add capacity, but they also keep up with the very high data rates. For example, the rackmount system can record up to 5.3 hours of contiguous data without interruption. And, both recorders operate flawlessly under shock and vibration, making them ideal for severe environments."

Data files include time stamping as well as recording parameters and optional GPS information. Files are stored in the native Windows NTFS (new technology file system) format, eliminating the need for file conversion. Files can also be transferred from the system through gigabit Ethernet, USB ports or written to optical disks using the built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.

The recorder’s SSDs are configured to support numerous RAID levels giving the user many options to balance performance versus failsafe trade-offs. They are hot-swappable and can be easily removed or exchanged during or after a mission to retrieve recorded data.

Data Streaming
Both recording systems use Pentek’s high powered Virtex-6-based Cobalt® boards that provide the data streaming engine for the high-speed A/D and D/A converters. A built-in synchronization module is provided to allow for multi-channel phase-coherent operation. The rackmount system is scalable to accommodate multiple chassis for more channels and higher aggregate data rates.

Supporting Features and Products
Pentek SystemFlow® recording software features a Windows-based GUI (Graphical User Interface) that provides a simple and intuitive means to configure and control the system.

"Hitting Your Performance Targets!"

Invensys Eurotherm, a global supplier of measurement and instrumentation for process and machine control applications, is launching four new products at the Aero Engineering Show on 12th -13th November 2013 aimed at helping regulated industries meet their performance targets. Dave Hartley, Global Marketing Director, who is speaking at the event in conjunction with partner Invensys IMServ, comments:  “I am very excited about Eurotherm taking part in this year’s Aero Engineering Show, especially as we are launching four highly innovative products that all contribute to our theme of ‘Hitting Your Performance Targets’. The increase in regulations such as AMS2750 and CQI-9 and the competitive nature of the industries we work in such as life sciences, heat treatment, plastics solutions and glass manufacturing - means that engineers and technicians have to be at the top of their game in terms of safety and performance all the time. Our products are all designed to meet these very high standards.” Dave’s talk will cover ‘Web-based service for support of heat treatment standards’ as part of the ‘Advanced Engineering – Heat Treatment’ track at the show.  Eurotherm has been providing engineered solutions for the Heat Treatment industry for more than 40 years and its furnace control solutions enable customers to reduce waste, optimise energy usage and eliminate paper trails, amongst other benefits.  The four products being launched are:  Eurotherm Online Services (EOS) – is an industry leading service for the heat treatment industry. EOS is made up of EOS Advisor and EOS Director, an innovative solution for anywhere/anytime management and analysis of plant information. Specifically designed for industry, EOS combines storage, workflow, access, and visualisation of critical data in one place. Ideal for industries such as aerospace, automotive, life sciences, healthcare and food and beverage, the tools combine the in-depth knowledge Eurotherm has on managing data, technology and calibration services with its own dedicated offsite storage facility offering secure and efficient web access. EOS is completely scalable and relevant to small scale manufacturing and large, multi-site businesses.  versadac™ Scalable Data Recorder  –   offers a versatile solution for data recording at the point of measurement.  Comprehensive security and data integrity make it ideal for use in regulated industries such as life sciences or heat treatment, or for any application where the loss of data during a manufacturing process would result in a loss of revenue through scrap or rework. Data is recorded in tamper resistant binary check summed files (known as UHH) and stored in on board flash memory.  Flexible archiving strategies ensure long term data is kept secure for later retrieval and analysis if required. The versatility of this unit comes from a flexible range of base sizes and selection of input and output modules to best suit specific application needs.       A wide range of software features are available including batch control,     maths functions, totalisers, communications channels and audit trail.       Electronic signatures and password control functionality which meets the      requirements of FDA21 CFR Part 11 is also available.  Upgrade of both      software and hardware can be easily carried out on site ensuring the      versadac recorder can grow with your process needs. EPack – Compact SCR Power Controller – the perfect replacement for aging contactors, SSRs and SCRs, EPack is simple to use and offers many advanced features not found in standard SCR power controllers.  The compact size, just 2.01” wide x 4.76” high (51 x 121 mm), and the ability to mount side-by-side make the EPack easy to retrofit into existing installations. Three distinct configuration methods are available (including factory and field based) and visual alarm messages can be customised with multiple severity settings.  EPack’s ability to select a single firing mode or combination of firing modes allows for close matching to load characteristics improving process precision and repeatability. The ability to measure voltage, current and power can provide energy consumption information. These features all allow for the unit to be setup to maximize the life of the load device (typically heater elements) and minimise process downtime.  nanodac™ Recorder Controller - The nanodac™ recorder/controller V.5  – offers the ultimate in graphical recording combined with PID (proportional-integral-derivative) control for a box of its size. The compact ¼ DIN panel mount unit offers four high accuracy universal inputs for data recording and PID control. This secure data recording device with accurate control is enhanced by a full colour, ¼ VGA display to bring a crystal clear operator interface to even the smallest of machines. It includes features such as webserver access, EtherNet/IP Client or Server mode, IP66 Washdown Front (particularly useful in the food and beverage industry), a range of I/O options, Dual Channel Programmer, Cascade with auto-tune, OEM Security.  In addition to these four, Eurotherm will also be previewing its latest contribution to more efficient and effective temperature control with its family of PLC (programmable logic controller) products. The demand for precision manufacturing has never been greater, driven partly by an increase in compliance standards across industry, but also the continuous drive for more accurate manufacturing. To address this need, Eurotherm has introduced its PLC technology to create self-contained complete solutions for when temperature matters.  With one easily deployed and installed device it will now be possible to combine future-proof precision control, the general sequencing needed to drive processes and the secure data recording demanded by regulators. This will not only deliver components that conform to the necessary standards but also means less wastage, higher output and lower energy costs.

Paperless recorders

The first components of the SMARTDAC+™ next-generation data acquisition and control system -

Yokogawa has released two new product series, the GX panel-mounted paperless recorders and the GP portable paperless recorders. These are components of SMARTDAC+™, a newly developed next-generation data acquisition and control system with excellent operability and expandability. The GX20 is available now, and the GX10, GP20, and GP10 will be available in late January 2013.

Development background
Recorders are used on production lines and in R&D units in a variety of industries to acquire, display and record data such as temperature, voltage, current, flow rate and pressure. Yokogawa has long been one of the world’s leading recorder vendors. Two major trends in the recorder market are a shift from paper to digital recording systems and the proliferation of computer networks, allowing all the data stored in recording devices to be centrally managed and monitored, no matter where they may be located.

With the recent significant improvements in the user interfaces of tablets, smartphones, and other mobile terminals, users have been calling for similar enhancements to be made with recorders and other industrial instruments to improve ease of use. There is also a need for I/O modules that will enable the flexible configuration of recorders for different applications, and a need to improve network connectivity.

The GX series panel-mounted paperless recorders and GP series portable paperless recorders for Yokogawa’s SMARTDAC+ data acquisition and control system meet all these needs, with features such as an easy-to-use operator interface like those found in the latest handheld terminals, flexible configuration, and excellent system expandability. The GX and GP series devices are the first products to be released for the SMARTDAC+ system.

Smart features
Key features of the new recorders include a smart user interface, smart architecture and smart functionality.

The intuitive smart user interface is engineered for ease of use via two-point touch screen technology similar to that found in the latest tablets and smartphones. This provides easy navigation, allowing users to scroll through a waveform image to view past data, just as if they were scrolling through a roll of recording paper. To read the digital values for a specific location on a waveform image, users only need to drag a scale to that position. And, with a “spreading” or “pinching” multi-touch gesture, users can zoom in or out on a waveform image. The resistive touch screen can even be operated while wearing gloves. Users can also write freehand messages and monitor multiple screens simultaneously on the multi-panel display.

The new units feature a highly flexible and scalable smart architecture with expandable modular construction. By selecting the appropriate input/output modules, users can easily configure I/O segments for a specific measurement task. The GX20 and GP20, each of which comes with a large touch panel, can accommodate up to ten modules or 100 I/O channels; the GX10 and GP10, which have a smaller touch panel, can accommodate up to three modules or 30 channels. An easy-to-read large display (12.1-inch TFT colour LCD) provides a resolution of 800 x 600 dots.

Smart functionality includes advanced data-logging and communication functions. The high-capacity internal memory supports continuous recording of many input channels. The external memory slot accepts the use of SD memory cards of up to 32 Gbyte capacity, offering local backup facility of data files for months or years.

Future product development SMARTDAC+ stands for smart data acquisition and control. In addition to the GX series and GP series of paperless recorders, the introduction of other product series as well as input modules for a variety of signal sources and output modules for control applications is planned for the SMARTDAC+ system, thereby supporting a wide range of data-gathering control applications such as production process monitoring and performance evaluation. The recorder market is expected to continue expanding, with this growth centered on paperless recorders. As the leading company in the recorder market, Yokogawa will continue to respond to a wide variety of needs with the release of new products for the SMARTDAC+ system. All company names and product names appearing in this document are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.

The GX and GP recorders support the Ethernet international LAN standard, enabling both monitoring and configuration to be carried out from Internet Explorer. In addition, FTP support enables all recorder data to be managed through a file server. A printer output function enables direct printing of reports and “snapshots” from the GX and GP recorders. These recorders also support Modbus communications, so data can be shared with Modbus-compliant devices.

Further details about the functions and features of the new SMARTDAC+ series are available at a dedicated web site: www.smartdacplus.com.

Major target markets
GX series: Production plants in industries such as iron and steel, petrochemicals, chemicals, pulp and paper, food, pharmaceuticals, water supply and wastewater treatment, and electrical equipment and electronics.
GP series: R&D units in industries such as consumer electronics, automobiles, semiconductors, and new energy; universities; and research institutes.

Applications
Acquiring, displaying, and logging data such as temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, and pressure.

Rugged high-speed, multi-channel serial FPDP recorders

The Talon™ family of high-speed, multi-channel Serial FPDP turnkey recording systems has been introduced by Pentek. These are the Model RTS 2716 commercial rackmount, the Model RTR 2736 rugged portable, and the Model RTR 2756 rugged rackmount recorders. Using state-of-the-art disk storage technology, these systems are highly flexible and achieve aggregate recording rates up to 2 Gbytes per second.

As complete recording systems, they are ideal for capturing any type of streaming sources including live transfers from sensors or data from other computers. The built-in Windows 7 Professional workstation with an Intel Core i7 processor gives the user total flexibility in routing data to various drives, networks, and I/O channels. Plus it allows the user to install post-processing and analysis tools to operate on the recorded data.

“These recorders exploit the latest storage technology to deliver the industry’s fastest recording rates and deepest capacities,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “Our SystemFlow recording software simplifies user operation and the application programming interface (API) allows system integrators to add the recorder as a peripheral to a larger system. We offer these recorders in many different configurations for operation not only in the lab, but also in the field and on board vehicles, ships, and aircraft. The SSDs (solid state drives) we use in the ruggedized recorders are immune to shock and vibration and are ideal for severe environments.”

Data files include time stamping as well as recording parameters and optional GPS (global positioning system) information. They are stored in the native Windows NTFS (new technology file system) format, allowing drive units to be read by personal computers eliminating the need for file conversion. Files can also be downloaded from the system through gigabit Ethernet, USB ports, eSATA3 ports or written to optical disks using the built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.

Talon recorders are able to move data at a very high rate to the latest generation of high-capacity disk drives. The rugged portable (Model 2736) and rugged rack-mount (Model 2756) recorders are configured with SSDs while the commercial rack-mount (Model 2716) recorder is configured with HDDs (hard disk drives). The drives are hot-swappable and can be easily removed or exchanged during or after a mission to retrieve recorded data.

About Serial FPDP Compatibility
The recorders are fully compatible with the VITA 17.1 Serial FPDP specification in all modes and operational features. Supporting 1.0625, 2.125 and 2.5 Gbaud link rates and options for multi-mode and single-mode optical interfaces, the modules can work in virtually any system. Programmable modes include flow control in both receive and transmit directions, cyclical redundant checks (CRC) support and copy/loop modes. The recorders can be ordered with either four or eight bidirectional Serial FPDP ports and with copper or optical interconnect options. The Serial FPDP interface provides an ideal light-weight protocol that is able to connect system-to-system and system-to-peripheral to enable recording in nearly any situation.

Supporting Features and Products
Pentek SystemFlow recording software features a Windows-based GUI (Graphical User Interface) that provides a simple and intuitive means to configure and control the system.


“Customers praise this easy-to-use interface for fast setup of their recording systems right out-of-the-box,” Rodger concluded.

Paperless recorder

The new FX1000 paperless recording system, from Yokogawa, provides premium features and performance for cost-sensitive OEM suppliers and end user process recording applications. Delivering a high level of measurement, recording, and networking functionality in a compact package, the shallow 6.5” case depth behind the panel allows for installation in tight locations and easy system integration.

A high-precision wide view angle 5.7” color display provides outstanding visibility of trend, digital, bar graph and historical display mode information. Up to 12 universal input channels are available with optional alarm relays, loop power supply, remote control inputs, and 24V AC/DC power. Standard 400MB secure non-volatile flash memory provides long term data storage. Compact Flash removable media and USB media support are optional.

A unique AC power measurement option allows the unit to trend and record 3-phase AC energy consumption that is highly useful for monitoring, diagnostic, and energy conservation applications.
Specialized options include pulse input integration for turbine flow meter measurement, logarithmic scale for vacuum furnace monitoring, and calibration correction for precise temperature measurement in a wide range of applications.

Flexible network connectivity options round out the FX1000 feature list to include FTP file transfer, email messaging, web browser display, and Modbus RTU master/slave \and Modbus TCP client/server functions.

16-channel module extends electromechanical testing capabilities

A new 16-channel temperature/voltage plug-in input module for the DL850 ScopeCorder has been added to the Yokogawa range of electrical and physical input modules available for this versatile instrument.

The new module extends the electromechanical testing capabilities of the DL850 ScopeCorder by allowing it to be used for a wide range of applications where parameters such as voltage and current need to be measured simultaneously with physical parameters such as temperature.

The new 16-channel temperature/voltage input module and its external scanner box will find use in many electromechanical processes where temperature change or heating is expected and needs to be monitored along with electrical parameters and physical ones such as pressure and strain. By configuring the ScopeCorder with multiple input modules, a portable measuring device with up to 128 channels can be configured to suit any R&D, service or maintenance task. Typical applications include tests on domestic electrical appliances, inverters and electric drives.

Up to 16 channels of temperature or DC voltage data can be measured by the input module, with the thermocouple or electrical connection being provided by a screw terminal on the external scanner box. The input terminal blocks contain the reference junction compensation circuitry and are isolated from ground. Isolation is also provided between channels within the input terminal block.

Excellent noise rejection is provided by using a delta-sigma analogue/digital converter which uses oversampling and digital filtering technologies to eliminate noise.

The Yokogawa DL850 ScopeCorder is a versatile instrument that combines the benefits of a high-speed oscilloscope and those of a traditional data acquisition recorder in a single, portable instrument.

The instrument features high-speed acquisition - up to 100 megasamples per second - over up to 128 channels, the ability to carry out real-time recording, a powerful user interface, and a comprehensive range of PC interfacing capabilities for wider functionality and ease of use. A key feature for electrical measurements is the isolated input module which, when combined with the 100 MS/s acquisition speed and the 12-bit resolution, makes the DL850 ideally suited to measurements on high-speed switching inverters.

The new plug-in module brings the total number of measurement modules available for the DL850 and DL850V ScopeCorders to seventeen.

Rugged, portable, multiband recording and playback system

This new instrument  is a complete workstation, data acquisition, and solid-state RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) recording system in a box for the capture and playback of signals up to 700 MHz in shock- and vibration-prone environments such as vehicles, ships, and aircraft.

The RTR 2726 is Pentek’s second-generation in portable recording devices, but the first to use the popular Cobalt™ series of software radio modules. “Customers with our first-generation RTS 2721 were using it in flight applications and asked for an upgrade to solid-state disk drives for tougher environments,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “We went much further, increasing signal frequency and bandwidth, and nearly tripling the recording speeds.”
The system includes built-in digital up- and down-converters, with record channels offering 16-bit, 200 MHz ADCs and playback channels offering 16-bit, 800 MHz DACs. It can stream data to and from storage at sustained data rates of 1600 Mbytes/second, allowing the RTR 2726 to support four channels of record and/or playback in a variety of configurations. Storage consists of eight hot-swappable solid-state disk drives in a RAID configuration with up to 4 TB in total capacity.

Data files include time stamping as well as recording parameters and optional GPS (global positioning system) information. They are stored in the native Windows NTFS (new technology file system) format, allowing drive units to be read by other PCs without the need for extensive file conversion. Files can also be downloaded from the system through Ethernet, USB ports, eSATA ports or written to optical disks using the built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.

Rugged Portable Operation
The RTR 2726 is housed in a steel enclosure with carry handle, measuring 16.9” W x 9.5” D x 13.4” H and weighing just 30 pounds. A fold-down front panel holds a full keyboard and touchpad and exposes the unit’s built-in 17” LCD monitor. The system can also be closed and operated remotely using a built-in Ethernet port. Connections are made through the unit’s side panel and include analog signal inputs and outputs, six USB ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, two eSATA ports, PS2 ports for external keyboard and mouse, and a VGA output for connection to an external monitor.

The cooling system in the RTR 2726 includes built-in temperature monitoring. A temperature monitor display is included underneath the system’s LCD and built-in temperature alarms provide users with early alerts when operating in very hot environments.

Turnkey System
Like all of Pentek’s recording and playback instruments, the RTR 2726 is a full Windows-based workstation. It includes a quad-core Intel Xeon® processor, a high-resolution 17” LCD monitor, keyboard, and a high-performance SATA RAID controller along with Cobalt modules for the data acquisition, signal conditioning and playback.

Software built into the RTR 2726 includes the Windows 7 Professional operating system and Pentek’s SystemFlow Recording software. SystemFlow features a GUI for setup and control of the record and playback operations and is able to store configuration profiles for later one-click set-up. In addition, the SystemFlow software includes signal viewing and analysis tools that allow the user to monitor the signal prior to, and during, recording as well as examining the signal during playback. The tools include a virtual oscilloscope and virtual spectrum analyzer, eliminating the need for additional equipment during a data collection session.

Real-time recording and playback instrument

Pentek has announced its first multi-channel real-time recording and playback instrument based on the company’s popular Cobalt family of Xilinx® Virtex™-6 FPGA modules – the Model RTS 2706. Housed in a 4U rack-mountable enclosure, the RTS 2706 utilizes 16-bit 200 MHz A/Ds and 16-bit 800 MHz D/As with as many as 20 hot swappable SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) drives configurable as RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) Levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 or 50. The RTS 2706 instrument includes COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) features that can be selected by the customer to suit his application.

These flexible, customer-selectable features include A/D channel count, DDC (digital down converter) capabilities, D/A and DUC (digital upconverter) resources for the real-time reproduction of recorded signals, storage drive capacity and GPS time stamping and positioning. The net result of this flexibility is a turn-key, high-bandwidth recording and playback instrument suitable for a wide range of applications, including with all the benefits of a COTS system including faster delivery and value pricing.

RTS 2706

"As an example, the RTS 2706 in a four-channel configuration, provides sustained recording rates of up to 1600 MB/sec,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. He added, "The instrument is much faster than Pentek's previously released recorders and this system offers unmatched flexibility. With the RTS 2706, our customers can now record larger signal bandwidths for longer periods of time and choose configuration options that work best for their specific application."

The RTS 2706 supports GPS (Global Positioning System) for GPS time and position stamping of recorded data. The RTS 2706 allows synchronization across all channels and operates under a single GUI (Graphical User Interface) virtual instrument that is scalable to meet any recording requirement.

Embedded Workstation Speeds Processing and Analysis
"In addition to the recording and playback of data, the RTS 2706 serves as a fully-functional signal processing workstation. Based on the Intel® Core™ i7 processor and Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGAs, the instrument can perform real-time signal analysis during capture and playback so operators can validate input sources and examine signals on the fly,” said Pentek product manager Chris Tojeira. “And the multi-core Intel Core i7 is only lightly loaded during recording, so users have a powerful workstation to handle post acquisition signal analysis and processing.”

The RTS 2706 is Pentek's first high-bandwidth digital recorder to utilize the Windows® 7 Professional operating system. By using this operating system, the instrument is able to handle as many as twenty, one Terabyte drives in a RAID configuration, recording data in NTFS (New Technology File System) format to eliminate the need for data conversion that can take as long as the recording itself.

Users have a variety of options for transferring data recorded on the RTS 2706 to other systems for additional processing or archiving. The instrument’s SATA drives are hot swappable, allowing them to be removed and inserted in another system for immediate access. Users can also offload data via two gigabit Ethernet ports, six USB 2.0 ports or two eSATA ports. Additionally, data can be copied to optical disk using the instrument’s built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.


Software Provides Full Analysis Capability
As with all Pentek recording instruments, the RTS 2706 has full software support with Pentek’s SystemFlow package. The software provides a GUI for easy instrument setup and control and can save user profiles for single-click configuration. The software also includes a Signal Viewer, which provides virtual instruments such as a spectrum analyzer and an oscilloscope for real-time viewing of data before, during and after recording.

Real time recording instrument

Signal recording instrument synchronizes two 16-bit channels at 200 MSPS

Pentek has announced its Model RTS 2703 Real-Time Recording Instrument, which packs up to 4 Terabytes of removable RAID storage and dual 200 MHz, 16-bit sampling channels into a 4U rack-mount instrument. Both sampling channels use the same start, stop, triggering and clock timing to ensure that the two data sets are fully synchronized. In addition to the data acquisition and recording functions, the instrument forms a complete high-performance Windows XP workstation that can run under standalone operation as well as connect to a gigabit Ethernet network for remote access and control.

“This instrument is the first to offer two A/Ds with 16-bit resolution and a 200 MHz sampling rate. It’s ideal for radar, communications and storage applications that need high-speed synchronized recording of multiple data channels,” said Chris Tojeira, recording systems product manager at Pentek. “A single instrument can capture two 90 MHz bandwidth signals and users can easily synchronize multiple instruments to increase channel count for beamforming applications.”
High Performance Data Acquisition and Storage
The two 16-bit data acquisition channels deliver nearly 90 dB of spurious free dynamic range, allowing users to detect small signals of interest surrounded by large interferers. A hardware-driven DMA engine continuously streams data at 200 Msamples/second from each channel to dedicated five-unit RAID arrays with a capacity of 2 TB per channel, ensuring more than an hour of continuous recording without dropping a single sample.

The storage system incorporates 10 SATA disk drives configured as dual five-unit RAID arrays. The units can offer RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6 10 and 50 and can be configured to offer redundancy in the recording to ensure that data is never lost. The hot-swappable RAID disks are front-panel accessible, which allows users to readily remove and replace the drives for extended recording or transport to another location.

Simple Access to Recorded Data
Unlike the proprietary file formats typically used in other high-performance data recording instruments, the RTS 2703 records its data files in the Windows-compatible NTFS file system. This means users can access files with the instrument’s workstation capabilities immediately after recording with no file conversion processing required. Users can also remove the RAID drives from the instrument and use them immediately in another Windows-compatible system with no file conversion or other special software.

Each data file includes a header containing a time stamp, file size and recording parameters such as channel number and acquisition settings. With long files, users can extract segments of interest from within the file and save them as separate files. Data is accessible off-unit through a variety of mechanisms, including transfers using the built-in USB or gigabit Ethernet ports to external storage or other network-connected computing systems. Users can also copy files to optical disk using the 8X double layer DVD +R/RW drive on the front panel.

SystemFlow Software
As with other members of Pentek’s RTS 27xx family, the dual-channel recording instrument is fully supported by Pentek’s Model 4990 SystemFlow Instrument Software. This includes a Windows-based graphical user interface (GUI) that provides a simple means to configure and control the instrument. Virtual-instrument push buttons, status indicators, pull-down menus and data-parameter entry windows provide simple and intuitive operation for all functions. Custom configurations can be stored as profiles and later loaded when needed, allowing the user to select pre-configured instrumentation settings with a single click.

SystemFlow Signal Viewer
SystemFlow also includes a powerful signal viewing and analysis tool, so users can monitor signals before, during and after a recording session. The Signal Viewer includes a virtual oscilloscope and a virtual spectrum analyzer for detailed signal analysis in both time and frequency domains.

Advanced signal analysis capabilities include automatic calculators for signal amplitude and frequency, second and third harmonic components, total harmonic distortion (THD) and signal to noise and distortion (SINAD). With time and frequency zoom, panning modes and dual annotated cursors to mark and measure points of interest, the SystemFlow Signal Viewer can often eliminate the need for a separate oscilloscope or spectrum analyzer to monitor signals of interest.

Tempcontrolled food shipping

Yokogawa Electric Corporation has developed a range of monitoring solutions for use on temperature-controlled container ships used for cold-treated food transportation. Based on Yokogawa’s data acquisition hardware integrated with customised software, these systems have received the all-important USDA certification, which is mandatory for all such food imported by ship into the USA.

The USDA Intransit Cold Treatment regulation stipulates that a USDA-approved recording system has to be on board every cooling vessel importing goods such as bananas and citrus fruits into the US. Approval for the Yokogawa recording systems and their associated software solutions means that Yokogawa can offer a range of USDA-approved recording systems that will suit vessels of all sizes and levels of sophistication.

Key products used in the USDA approved systems include the DXAdvanced DAQSTATION range of data-acquisition and control stations and the MX100 PC-based data-acquisition system. These products complement earlier Yokogawa devices that have USDA approval, including the DR240 hybrid recorder and the µR20000 chart recorder.

The DXAdvanced DAQSTATION, with its high-visibility TFT screen, is ideal for environments where instant visual feedback and alerts are essential. Measured values are captured on both a high-capacity internal memory (80 to 200 Mbyte) and removable flash storage (up to 2 Gbyte). Combined with MW100 remote input units, the DAQstation can log more than 240 input signals. When configured with Yokogawa’s Advanced Report software tool, USDA-approved reports can be automatically generated at user-specified intervals.

The PC front-end MX100 system offers reliable multi-channel data acquisition for easy connection to a PC running MCPS logging and monitoring software. The live monitoring screens give a clear indication of trend curves and actual measurement values, while the customised report function and automated tasks periodically create USDA reports showing the temperature conditions of all cooling compartments during a journey.

"We now have a USDA-approved recording system suitable for every class of cooled vessel", says Marco Bischoff of Yokogawa Europe: "Automated data monitoring has an increasingly important role in food transport, and the US regulations are among the most stringent. We are delighted that our systems have this accreditation, and we will continue to work with shipping operators to ensure that their refrigerated vessels continue to deliver their goods both safely and accountably."

Recorder & loggers

Print and/or video support guides published
for Chart Recorders and Data Loggers on Web

Dickson has announced web publication of online support guides—both in downloadable PDF formats and as videos on YouTube and the Dickson web site - to help its many thousands of worldwide customers to easily monitor temperature, humidity, pressure and other electronic signal “events” important to critical storage.

These video or print support guides can be accessed via the “SUPPORT” tab on each product page on the site.

These support guides cover information such as:

• Product Applications and Useful Features
• Product Specifications
• Getting Started
• DicksonWare Software Specifications
• Product Accessories
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Calibrations
• Troubleshooting
• Warranty / Factory Service & Returns

Dickson (which offers the world’s widest selection of data loggers and chart recorders to monitor temperature, humidity, pressure, or electronic signals) created this service to help organizations with needs to capture critical data get up and running with the least delay throughout the lifetime of the Dickson product.