I ran one test with an x-excitation and can see some modes and another test with a y-excitation and see some different modes. Could I use an oblique angle instead?

Well, that's a very good question. Its one that comes up often in terms of running modal tests with a shaker excitation. Of course it is totally acceptable to run one test with a shaker at some oblique angle to the structure. But the only thing we need to be careful about is to assure that we don't select the reference point at the node of a mode.

NewsDr. Pete AvitabileMay 29, 2019Non-applications

2019 IEST ESTECH Conference & Exposition - Las Vegas, NV

The 2019 IEST ESTECH conference was held in Las Vegas, NV from April 29 through May 2nd, 2019. This year, Dr. James Zhuge provided a technical presentation explaining Crystal Instruments’ combined Temperature, Humidity, and Vibration (THV) Control system. Dr. Zhuge provided the opportunity for attendees to gain first-hand knowledge regarding Crystal Instruments latest technologies offered for environmental testing systems. The Crystal Instruments THV system provides one convenient user Interface to set up schedules for temperature, humidity, vibration, and more.

NewsAli Farrokhian - Western Region Sales ManagerMay 28, 2019Non-applications

2019 Automotive Testing Expo Europe in Stuttgart, Germany (May 21-May 23, 2019)

Crystal Instruments and Sentek Dynamics attended the 2019 Automotive Testing Expo held in Stuttgart, Germany. Every year all the main players in the automotive testing industry display their new products and technologies at this exhibition.

NewsJordi Gargallo - Europe Sales ManagerMay 25, 2019Non-applications

Running Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Vibration Control Tests Without a PC (Black Box Mode)

The capabilities of Crystal Instruments’ Spider devices are well known and the ability of the Spider to operate without a PC makes it advantageous for several applications, including vibration control.

View Statistics Time History Signals in Vibration Control Software

Crystal Instruments recently released version of EDM 8.0 software allows users to view the selected characteristics (e.g., Peak, RMS or Peak to Peak) of a channel versus time for the entire duration of the test. This feature is included in all vibration control tests and allows users to track user-defined characteristics of any channel (including the control signal) for the duration of a test.

MIMO FRF Testing of License Plate

Extracting the natural frequencies, damping shapes, and mode shapes of a structure aids in improving the design of the unit under test. In this case, the modal characteristics of a license plate is acquired by performing a modal analysis.

Modal Space - In Our Own Little World

Could you explain the difference between time domain, frequency domain and modal space? I hear it all the time but I'm not sure what's the difference.

There's a lot to explain but let's start with something simple.

NewsDr. Pete AvitabileApril 1, 2019Non-applications

Automotive NVH Seminar 2019 in Birmingham, UK - March 13th 2019

Crystal Instruments’ partner AcSoft provided a helpful Automotive NVH Seminar on March 13, 2019 at the National Conference Center in Birmingham, UK. AcSoft is a valued partner and distributor of Crystal Instruments data acquisition solutions in the United Kingdom.

NewsJordi Gargallo - Europe Sales ManagerMarch 26, 2019Non-applications

Poly-X, the Poly-reference LSCF Implementation and Experiment

Abstract
A poly-reference least-square method for modal parameter identification of a system in frequency-domain is discussed and implemented. It can also be considered as a multi-reference frequency-domain implementation of the recognized time-domain based Least-Squares Complex Exponential (LSCE) estimator. The main advantages of the Poly-reference Least-Squares Complex Frequency-domain estimator (p-LSCF) are its capabilities of handling high system orders and high modal density. The stability diagram is much cleaner which makes the selection of system poles easier. Other advantages are lower computational times and the ability to handle multiple references. The Poly-X is Crystal Instruments’ version of p-LSCF, which is included in the EDM Modal software package. A MIMO FRF experimental test is carried out to demonstrate these advantages.

Announcing Crystal Instruments’ new distributor, Avenir Technologies FZE for the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait region

Crystal Instruments (CI) is excited to announce Avenir Technologies FZE as our new distributor in the United Arab Emirates region. Avenir Technologies FZE is located in the UAE, with offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

NewsJordi Gargallo - Europe Sales ManagerMarch 18, 2019Non-applications

May 2019 Experimental Modal Measurement and Analysis Seminar (Montreal & Toronto, Canada)

Join Crystal Instruments’ “Experimental Modal Measurement and Analysis Seminar” from May 6-7, 2019, in Montreal, Canada and from May 9-10, 2019, in Toronto, Canada. All are invited to attend.

Registration cost is $199, visit the following link to register: http://www.Swiftpage6.com/dalimar.dalimar/SurveyMODALSEMINAR2019/Survey.aspx

NewsCrystal InstrumentsMarch 15, 2019Non-applications

Vibration Visualization

The EDM Vibration Visualization feature is available in all modules of EDM software (VCS, DSA and Modal). This option provides fast and efficient structural model generation and full 3D visualization of the online vibration pattern on the structure under test

EDM 8.0 Release

Crystal Instruments is pleased to announce the release of EDM 8.0, the most advanced featured version of Engineering Data Management software. This new release of EDM supports exciting new hardware systems, convenient new software features, and helpful online resources.

NewsCrystal InstrumentsFebruary 26, 2019Non-applications

Variable Sampling Rate for Synchronized Data Acquisition

The Spider-80Xi platform gives users the immense flexibility to combine the Spider-80Xi, Spider-80SGi or Spider-80Ti devices into one system with synchronized data acquisition. The Spider-80SG and Spider-80SGi can work as general-purpose data acquisition systems that not only supports strain measurement but also supports several sensor types requiring precision excitation voltage, including MEMS and strain gage based sensors. The Spider-80Ti on the other hand can acquire temperature data along with any other type of measurement quantity by using it with any combination of Spider-80Xs and Spider-80SGs.

Multiple VCS instances

The Ethernet connection interface is one of the most important features of the 4th generation Spider series vibration controller. It provides the flexibility of location, reduces noise and electrical interference, and uses one PC to monitor multiple controllers.