Recent Experimental Modal Analysis Seminar with Dr. Pete Avitabile

Crystal Instruments recently hosted an Experimental Modal Analysis Seminar with Dr. Pete Avitabile at the Crystal Instruments Training Center in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Over the course of three days, participants benefited from lectures by Dr. Avitabile in the morning and received hands-on experience with practical modal testing hardware and software in the afternoon.

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New Programming Corner

The Programming Corner offers resources for custom software integration and/or a way to communicate with our EDM software or Spider devices. This page will feature articles written by our lead engineers and senior product managers that show a quick start into how to code specific API integration, a quick look at the available demo programs and much more in the future.

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How to Read Time Data from CI Data Files in Python & Matlab

The ATFX API consists of two DLL files that can be integrated with custom software to directly read and extract data from an ATFX file. This post will show a simple Python & Matlab code example in extracting and creating a DateTimeNano object that has accuracy in nanoseconds.

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MESA Sine on Random Vibration Control

This paper concentrates on the MESA Sine on Random control per MIL STD 810H, method 514.8, annex D, 2.3 category 14. This category governs Sine on Random control for helicopters.

Crystal Instruments designed and released the Spider-80M Multiple-Exciter Single-Axis (MESA) vibration controller in 2018. Further details regarding the MESA testing system are available on the Sentek Dynamics website. Detailed product specifications may be requested from the Crystal Instruments team.

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How to Read CI Data Files in Python

The ATFX API C# DLL files can be used in three supported coding languages: Python, Matlab and LabVIEW. For the C# DLL files to work in Python, a specific package that allows Python to integrate with .NET Common Language Runtime needs to be installed. There are several packages that do this, such as IronPython and Python.NET. For this example, Python.NET will be used.

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Modal Testing to Improve Team Icewave’s Battle Performance

Written in collaboration between PCB Piezotronics, Inc., Crystal Instruments, and Team Icewave

Icewave has an overall record of seven wins and six losses. Marc DeVidts, Icewave creator and team lead, believes some of the losses may have been due to the blade not impacting opponents effectively. Because of the power behind Icewave, some of these losses can be attributed to self-inflicted damage from its own rotating horizontal blade. The modal testing will be used to help increase striking effectiveness.

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