PRODUCT LITERATURE

Sound and Vibration, May 2004

Data Acquisition PCI Card

Alligator Technologies introduced their new AAF-3PCI, a signal conditioning instrumentation amplifier and filter card. It is a fully programmable 2 to 8 channel plug-n-play PCI board with optional lowpass and high-pass filters, amplifier, or amplifier/filter/band-pass combination formats. The new card is compatible with all 12 or 16-bit A/D boards, and each of its 4 channel pairs can be configured as dual channels of 8-pole elliptic, linear pass, Butterworth or Bessel filters. Each channel can be independently selected for a differential or single-ended measurement, attenuation up to 90 dB, and AC or DC coupled, all under software control. A flexible software package of menu-driven programs and drivers completes the AAF-3PCI package. Alligator Technologies, Costa Mesa, CA.

Circle 201 on Inquiry Card

ANSYS Software Release

ANSYS, Inc. has released ANSYS version 8.1 with new high-end simulation capabilities and design process enhancements. Using a minimum memory approach, ANSYS users now have the ability to solve eight million degrees of freedom models in inexpensive 32-bit clusters. Improvements in the Component Mode Synthesis (CMS) algorithm allow for accurate eigenvalue catenation at the mid- and high-end of the spectrum. Through the modal harmonic analysis capabilities, users can now specify system damping independent of frequency. Enhancements have also been made to support node-surface contact elements for multiphysics analysis through electric, magnetic and thermal contact. ANSYS, Inc., Canonsburg, PA.

Circle 202 on Inquiry Card

Vibration Indicator with Set Points

The Model 683A is a panel mount, digital vibration indicator with alarm. The device operates from AC or DC power and provides excitation for ICP® accelerometers or 4-20 mA, loop-powered vibration sensors. An LED display provides scaling and menu-driven setup of up to four set points, each with individual status indicators and relay outputs. An adjustable time delay eliminates false alarm trips due to momentary vibration upsets. IMI Sensors Division of PCB Piezotronics, Inc., Depew, NY.

Circle 203 on Inquiry Card

8-Channel Frequency Counter

KineticSystems is introducing a full range of instruments and systems based on the PXI platform. The first product of this new family, the P635, is a singlewidth 3U module with eight frequency measurement channels. This counter module can be used to monitor a variety of pulso sources in a frequency range of 0.06 Hz to 100 kHz. A wide range of frequencies can be monitored without changing any settings. The P635 includes a Plug-and-Play driver and application examples for configuring and using the device. Lab VIEW VIs and sample programs will operate under Windows NT, 2000 and XP. KineticSystems Company, LLC, Lockport, IL.

Circle 204 on Inquiry Card

TEDS Data Acquisition Systems

IOtech is introducing new data acquisition equipment capable of reading calibration information from the transducer. The Wavebook(TM) portable laboratory data acquisition system and the WBK18(TM) 8channel dynamic signal conditioning option now offer TEDS (Transducer Electronic Data Shoot) support. Under WaveView(TM) software, the standard templates for piezoelectric accelerometers and microphones are supported. Each channel connected to a TEDS capable device can be configured to use automatic calibration scaling stored in the device. IOtech, Cleveland, OH.

Circle 205 on Inquiry Card

Dynamic Force Sensors

Piezoelectric force sensors accurately measure dynamic force in compression, tension and impact modes. These dynamic force sensors possess the necessary response and endurance to accurately follow fast-rising, short duration force events such as crimping, stamping, punching, forming and drop and impact testing. A variety of sensor types is offered, including ring, three-component ring, link, impact, penetration and strain styles. ICP® and charge output versions are available; signal conditioning is also offered. Applications include tensile and fatigue testing, press force and machine process monitoring, package drop testing, force limited vibration testing, penetration testing, biomechanics research and modal analysis. PCB Piezotronics, Inc., Depew, NY.

Circle 206 on Inquiry Card

3-Axis Accelerometers

A unique annular shear sensor element that exhibits a high immunity to base strain and transverse acceleration is used in the new 8798A accelerometer series from Kistler Instrument. Precise vibration measurements are enabled in three mutually perpendicular directions over a wide operating frequency range. The 8798A series is available in three ranges of 5, 10 and 50 g with sensitivities of 1000, 500 and 100 mV/g respectively. These CE compliant accelorometers can be powered by any Kistler 5100 series Piezotron® coupler/signal conditioner or by any IEPE voltage modo piezoelectric sensor power supply. Kistler Instrument Group, Amherst, NY.

Circle 207 on Inquiry Card

FEA Software

Among the many new features of ALGOR V14.3 are additional result evaluation and presentation options, a new iterative solver, new analysis capabilities for Mechanical Event Simulation (MES), electrostatics and heat transfer. The new solver provides significantly faster solution times, especially for large CAD assemblies. Many new evaluation and presentation options are available. ALGOR, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA.