Dual Shaker Vibration Control
Dual Shaker Vibration Control

Vibration testing is continuously evolving throughout time. The requirements of testing large and heavy devices demand shakers with larger sizes and higher force ratings. On the other hand, with the increase of size and force ratings comes the cost of lowering the usable frequency range of a shaker system. Shakers with 50,000 lbf force typically operates up to 2 kHz. Larger shakers can have usable frequency ranges of less than 1.5 kHz. The main reason for this frequency reduction in performance is that higher force requires larger armature, and this results in a lower first resonance frequency, thus reducing the useful shaker frequency range. Intuitively, the larger the shaker, the higher the price tag.  

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Jeff Zhao, Ph.D.Environmental Testing
Noise Criteria (NC) Curves
Noise Criteria (NC) Curves

Noise Criteria (NC) curves are primarily used to rate indoor noise levels. It is important that the background noise levels are within acceptable limits to ensure optimal speech communication for structures ranging from residences and offices to hospitals and schools.

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Sandeep MallelaAcoustic Testing
Understanding the Stability Diagram
Understanding the Stability Diagram

The Stability Diagram is an effective way to display and identify the modes of a structure under test. Nowadays, the Stability Diagram is the standard method for the modal parameter identification stage. It provides a graphical representation of the system's poles (modes) at different mode orders during the modal parameter identification stage.

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Jeff Zhao, Ph.D.Structural Dynamics Testing
Distribution Agreement with company MotionTech for Israel
Distribution Agreement with company MotionTech for Israel

Crystal Instruments (CI) is proud to announce an agreement with MotionTech LTD (located in Moshav Ein Vered, Israel) for the distribution of our products in Israel.

MotionTech was established by experts from the test, experiment, and measurement world from the defense and military industries. MotionTech professionals have knowledge regarding high performance acquisition systems and vibration systems. They are highly experienced in consulting and preparing tailored solutions according the needs of the customer. MotionTech offers highly advanced technological solutions in the test, measurement, communications, security and defense industries. Applications covered include: drop test, automotive test, aerospace, shock and vibration, impact testing, etc,.

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Jordi Gargallo - Europe Sales ManagerNon-applications
Running Multiple Large Channel Systems on a Network in Real-time
Running Multiple Large Channel Systems on a Network in Real-time

The Ethernet based network structure of Crystal Instruments Spider Systems provides the maximum flexibility and scalability for the configuration of test and measurement instruments in the lab environment. With the implementation of IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP), the same Ethernet connection used for data transmission also provides time clock synchronization. This advanced technology is applied to CI Spider systems, ensuring the possibility of nearly any topology of device and computer connections. In theory, the user will be able to access the test instruments on the network at any time and any distance, with electrical physical limitations as their only limit.

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James Zhuge, Ph.D. - Chief Executive OfficerStructural Dynamics Testing
EDM 7.1 Release by Crystal Instruments
EDM 7.1 Release by Crystal Instruments

A new software release of EDM 7.1 is now available from Crystal Instruments. This new updated version of Engineering Data Management Software (EDM) provides users with convenient improvements and enhancements to the vibration control software (VCS). EDM 7.1 also supports the elegant and powerfully updated new versions of Spider hardware.

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Crystal InstrumentsNon-applications
Distribution Agreement with company Álava Ingenieros for Spain and Portugal
Distribution Agreement with company Álava Ingenieros for Spain and Portugal

Crystal Instruments (CI) is proud to announce that we reached an agreement with Alava Ingenieros (locations in Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Lisbon) for the distribution of our products in Spain and Portugal.

Álava Ingenieros – Grupo Álava has been providing high technology solutions since it was founded in 1973. The company focuses on the following technological fields: sensors, data-acquisition, predictive maintenance, calibration, testing, security, communications, imaging, photonics and nanotechnology, and environmental, marine and terrestrial technologies. They provide value-added services such as technical advice, integration, configurations, commissioning, training, support and post-sales service. Álava Ingenieros seamlessly connects manufacturers, systems integrators and end-users to provide technology that contributes to social development.

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Jordi Gargallo - Europe Sales ManagerNon-applications
VIATC 2018 New Orleans, Louisiana
VIATC 2018 New Orleans, Louisiana

Summertime…birds chirp in the warm early mornings, crickets sing late into the evening haze, and the Vibration Institute holds their Annual Training Conference and Expo! This year’s exhibition was hosted by VI as well as Reliabilityweb.com, the world’s most trusted source of the latest reliability and uptime maintenance news and information in the Predictive Maintenance and Reliability Industries. As organizers of the expo, they even hosted numerous interesting live-streamed interviews with industry professionals right on the exhibit floor.

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Anastassia Tolpygo - Application EngineerNon-applications
Power System Stabilizer
Power System Stabilizer

Stability is an important part of ensuring operability of power generation systems. Large transients can cause power systems to become unstable and can eventually lead to blackouts. Power systems need to be designed to withstand large disturbances and maintain stability under changing operating conditions. Devices such as the generator automatic voltage regulator (AVR) and power system stabilizer (PSS) are widely used to manage these system instabilities. These control devices can be attached to power generation systems to help improve stability.

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Walter Kemphaus - Product ManagerSpecial Applications
MIMO Stepped Sine Testing Technique
MIMO Stepped Sine Testing Technique

The EDM Modal MIMO Stepped Sine Testing option provides multiple Stepped Sine excitations to measure Frequency Response Functions (FRFs). The MIMO Stepped Sine test runs with one frequency at a time, thus providing a high signal-to-noise ratio of sine excitations. The drive voltages can be specified, or input forces are controlled to provide the proper excitation levels for the structure under test. During MIMO Stepped Sine testing, a multiple number of sweeps with different phase conditions are implemented to make the MIMO FRF measurement possible. This process is equivalent to the randomized phase situation of MIMO FRF testing using uncorrelated random excitation methods. An accurate sine tracking filter provides leakage-free response spectra. A system identification step prior to the stepped sine test helps control excitation levels.

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Jeff Zhao, Ph.D.Structural Dynamics Testing
Improving the Flagships - Spider-81 and Spider-81B
Improving the Flagships - Spider-81 and Spider-81B

In 2010, Crystal Instruments introduced the fourth generation of vibration controllers, the Spider-81 and Spider-81B. Through continuous revisions in the past years, these flagship models have improved and evolved into the most reliable vibration controller offered in the market. Now in 2018, Crystal Instruments is proud to announce a new edition of the Spider-81 and Spider-81B.

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Trung-Duong Nguyen - Application EngineerEnvironmental Testing
Whole Body Vibration Measurements Help Obtain Vibration Emission Data
Whole Body Vibration Measurements Help Obtain Vibration Emission Data

What is WBV used for?
Many industrial workers are subjected to whole-body vibration on a regular basis, which can have a noticeable effect on their health. Employers are expected to provide an accurate risk assessment of whole-body vibrations resulting from use of their equipment. WBV measurements are therefore necessary to provide access to vibration emission data. The availability of accurate vibration emission data is essential to the process for employers completing a vibration risk assessment.

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Walter Kemphaus - Product ManagerMachine Condition Monitoring
Automotive Testing Expo Stuttgart 2018
Automotive Testing Expo Stuttgart 2018

For the third year in a row, Sentek Dynamics and Crystal Instruments attended the Automotive Testing Expo in Stuttgart, Germany.  This event is regarded as the world’s largest vehicle, component, validation technology, and services exhibition that featured more than 400 exhibitors with over 9,000 attendees.  It was very exciting to have the opportunity to interact with the industry and display our products to a global audience.

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Reza Tavana - Sentek Dynamics Sales DirectorNon-applications
Patented Technology & Improved Hardware Extends Spider System Dynamic Range to 160 dB
Patented Technology & Improved Hardware Extends Spider System Dynamic Range to 160 dB

Crystal Instruments pioneered the concept of using Dual ADCs at each input channel. With the two ADCs working in parallel and set to different voltage ranges, Spiders system can measure low amplitude variations within a high amplitude input signal with great amplitude resolution and accuracy.

With advancements in electronic components and manufacturing, electronic components with lower noise have evolved. Crystal Instruments integrated the advances in electronics into the Spider systems to achieve an additional 10 dB in dynamic range, extending the dynamic range of Spider systems to 160 dBFS. An experimental analysis highlighting this new achievement is published in this article.

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Sandeep MallelaEnvironmental Testing