THE PULSAR SOFTWARE OVERVIEW

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1 Page: 1 THE PULSAR SOFTWARE OVERVIEW The Pulsar software uses the latest and most advanced tools and techniques in software engineering, with extensive use being made of object-oriented design and programming to ensure a solid base for future development. Throughout its design, great emphasis has been placed on ease of use, without compromising the power and flexibility of the system. The system configuration is stored within industry standard database files, which are created and updated using a set of simple configuration screens. The Pulsar software runs within the Microsoft Windows environment, providing the user with a powerful, easy to use interface. The software revolves around the concept of signals which are arranged into groups for ease of selection. Command signals to the actuators can have Cycle Counter and multiple Function Generator inputs applied to them. Signals can be Monitored, displayed on software Oscilloscopes, sent to the Analogue Outputs or the Data Logger which allows triggering and user-defined acquisition rates. Monitored signals can be displayed as Maximum, Minimum, Average and RMS or Instantaneous values, and have a user selectable averaging period. Multiple Safety Limits can be set on any signal with the Limit action selectable between Indicate, Trip or Shut. A large high resolution colour monitor will be supplied with the control system providing the user with a large screen area to display signals, configure tests and analyse data.

2 Page: 2 SOFTWARE MODULES The following is a list of the key Pulsar software modules: Standard Basic Software Generic Control Software Limits Monitors Digital Oscilloscope Application Specific Front Panels Multi Axis Shake Table Vehicle Test System (2 4 and 6 posters Race Car (4 poster with aeroloaders) Damper Testing Optional Software Multi System EZFlow Data Logger Replay Filter Universal File Converter Resonance Spectrum Programmer ICS (Iterative Control System) Analysis Data Analysis Package Desired File Generator Please note: This list does not represent the entire range of software available for the Pulsar System. If you have a specific requirement for which you cannot see a relevant application, please contact: sales@servotest.com or speak to a Servotest representative. STANDARD BASIC SOFTWARE The main system launch screen greets users and provides a simple and intuitive method of launching test systems or pre-processing software.

3 Page: 3 Database Database contains all servosystem configuration data. This includes signal names, scaling, units of measurement, servo loop settings, control loop configuration, boot-up shunt calibration check limits, safety limits configuration, on-screen appearance/layout. Advanced user features allow real-time integration, differentiation, mixing and multiplication between external or internal signals to create new signals - application would include inertia compensation where a Load Cell reading has acceleration mixed and removed from it. Database is in HTML format and can be edited using any appropriate editor. Schematic Front Panel The main user interface screen shown below offers the user easy point-and-click operation of all the main test options: The background images for the Schematic Front Panel are user configurable and can contain any image or photograph

4 Page: 4 Starting The Rig Test Rig start Up Allows control of hydraulic power supplies and dual pressure switching of solenoid controlled manifolds. This also enables/disables the limits, as well as globally starting and stopping the function generators. Actuator Control Servo controller with choice of control mode Force, Displacement, Remote, etc (no limit to number), bumpless transfer between modes, selection of command signal (signal gens, ext inputs), up to 3 command inputs with graphic equaliser type control of each, overall SPAN control and SETPOINT control. Additional Actuator Controls can be added with the expansion of actuator channels. Full properties of this function are available from the right mouse button. See below. Compressors Compressor module allows control of peak displacement, velocity, acceleration and other (usually Load, where backlash in fixturing prevents good load control by direct method) whilst compensating for changes in servo actuator dynamic response.

5 Page: 5 Internal Signal Generation Signal Generators Signal generator with Sine/Triangle/Square waveform facility. Manual adjustment of frequency together with Log/Lin sweep (single or repeat) capability. User can add and delete signal generators without additional hardware. Soft Start / Soft Stop adjustable with together with ramp up/down time. Numbers of generated cycles is adjustable including ¼, ½, ¾ and full cycles. Frequency sweep with either linear or logarithmic sweep rates is available. Cycle Counters Selectable to stop test after number of cycles, time and digital inputs. Crossing Counter On Screen Digital Display of level crossings, of any chosen variable. The counter may be stopped on request. Timer Counter On Screen Digital Display of Elapsed Time. The counter may be stopped at any chosen time. Digital input Counter On Screen Digital Display of Digital Input event counts. The counter may be stopped on request. System Safety and Shut Down. Limits Safety Limits can set the three limit actions: Unlimited numbers of Limits can apply on any external signal, any internal signal (i.e. servo error) and any digital input (i.e. Pump interlocks, UPS). Limits comes with a limits logger which stores to file, all limits occurrences together with time and date. An Underpeak limit can be set to ensure that a certain level is reached, otherwise limit actions are taken.

6 Page: 6 Display of Signals Monitors On Screen Digital Display of signal Max Peak, Min Peak, Average, RMS and Instantaneous value. Any external or internal signal can be displayed, together with measurement units. Unlimited number of monitors can be displayed. Update rate of Max/Min/Ave/RMS is adjustable in 0.25 seconds steps. The text is variable in any of 5 sizes of which 3 are shown. Scope A 4-channel, colour digital x-y oscilloscope with selectable channels (may be internal or external signals) and selectable pre or post triggering. Scope is an on-screen Windows implementation and offers the user tremendous advantages as the need for external instrumentation and cables is eliminated. Scope is recommended for easing the control loop set up process.

7 Page: 7 ADDITIONAL APPLICATION SPECIFIC SOFTWARE All systems include the above basic software, Special systems have specific front panels for the ease of set up and operation These consist of the following MultiSystem For General purpose multi channel testing with variable configurations Allows different systems to be controlled from a single Pulsar system. VTS VTS is designed for tyre coupled road simulators. 4 posters are the norm, although 2,6,7 poster systems have been developed. This software module allows the user to play sine sweeps or real time history files through the system. It also allows the user to control the hydraulics, if available. There are also 2 different user levels, engineer and operator. The operator is locked out of some of the functionality, and a password is required to change to engineer mode. Replay and Datalogger are required with this module.

8 Page: 8 MAST The Mast module has been developed to allow the control of multi axis shake tables to be easily achieved using the Servotest Pulsar Digital Control System. The module contains a series of control panels, each relating to a particular aspect or group of functions for the test system. Also, a graphical representation of the shake table is given, labelling the available axes of movement. In common with the other software modules within the Pulsar system, the Mast module uses the in-built databases to configure the software module to match the test system being controlled. The main window from a typical configuration of the Mast multi axis shake table control software is shown below:

9 Page: 9 Damper The latest generation of Damper has been developed using Servotest s vast experience and knowledge in damper testing and in conjunction with various manufacturers. There are three different types of testing: Performance Testing Performance testing includes multi-speed tests, priming, preload/friction tests and autobalancing. Test results are saved and can be viewed and printed in tabular and/or graphical form. Endurance Testing This module allows either hetrodyning or real time history endurance tests to be run. It allows side forces to be applied (if applicable) and temperatures to be monitored. Performance tests can be performed at predefined points during the tests if required. Production Testing A Servotest production system can be interfaced with the damper production line. The software executes and displays industry standard performance tests, and has the ability to accept/reject dampers as they are tested.

10 Page: 10 ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE MODULES FOR ALL SYSTEMS EZFlow EzFlow is used to create test programs and sequences. In many cases this will become the main test set-up and run panel for customers tests. Once prepared and saved the test can be run by the operator by selecting the test and hitting the run button This block programming software enables sequences of various drive files (either SBF, ADF or RPCII) to be created. Each sequence is made up in the form of a block diagram with each block being either a signal generator, real time drive file, a synthesised drive file or an existing imported sequence. This way individual files can be concatenated, looped and nested to construct a durability schedule. Events can be triggered by EZFlow and events in the program can be triggered by an external signal. Full properties of this function are available from the right mouse button.

11 Page: 11 Pre-processing Universal File Converter This module allows the conversion of certain file formats to other file formats. Servotest SBF drive files can be converted into ASCII format such that data can be imported into a commercially available package such as Excel or Lotus for post processing. UFC can also convert the SBF file format to and from either RPCII or ADF file formats. ICS Analysis Servotest s Iterative Control System (ICS) was developed to provide simulation control capabilities to test rigs that are required to reproduce accurately the dynamic response that is present when a test specimen is subjected to actual service conditions. The simulation control software carries out the reproduction of the test specimen response, from the same transducers used to measure the service conditions. ICS analysis employs an iterative process that creates a drive file for the test rig controller, which reproduces the desired test specimen response. ICS Analysis makes use of advanced system modelling techniques and an intuitive user interface to provide the user with a system that produces accurate results without the need to understand the complexities of simulation testing. The drive file produced by the ICS process can then be played to the rig by Servotest s Replay. In the case of fatigue or endurance testing the file will be played a set number of times using EzFlow. The ICS Analysis package provides the user with the necessary tools with which to re-produce time history files from track data. The software has been designed specifically for ease of use and in view of this, ICS interacts with Replay and Datalogger either automatically or with a degree of control from the user. Included is a set of tools for analysing the results and generating filters and white noise files. Although generated around the SBF format, ICS can support various formats including RPCII and ADF. ICS Auto-Iteration mode Usually the iterative process, once started, does not require any more user intervention until it is completed. Furthermore, when the desired files are very long or the process necessitates many iterations, the whole operation can be time consuming. For these reasons it was important to introduce an automatic mode into ICS.

12 Page: 12 Once the system matrix is correctly determined the user can select the auto-iteration mode and set the performance criteria which will be used to decide when to stop. The ICS session stops when all response channels meet the criteria or when any of them starts diverging. This, for example, can allow the process to run over-night, unmanned and in a safe manner. Generating Artificial Desired Files In many cases, using pre-recorded time histories as the starting point for the ICS process is impractical or ineffective. For example, seismic studies cannot solely rely on recorded earthquake ground accelerations because there are only few of them and often of poor quality. Similarly, vibration testing engineers are much more interested in the frequency domain so they prefer to use desired files whose characteristics are defined in terms of PSD or FRS. Desired File Generator (DFG) Modules Allows the user to generate five types of artificial files: 1. Power Spectral Densities (PSD) 2. Frequency Response Spectra (FRS) 3. Classical shock pulses 4. Sinusoidal frequency sweeps These frequency domain specifications are entered via four different editors and the time histories meeting the specifications are generated, plotted and saved to disk ready to be used by ICS. 5. Sythesised wave forms Signal Generation Replay Takes an external multi channel time-history file in either SBF or RPCII formats, performs on-line conversions (if necessary) to SBF format and then spools the file channels to user specified Servo Control objects. On-Screen display (bar graph & % through file) of play out status. Links to Logger for synchronous drive and response capture.

13 Page: 13 Real Time Display Most vibration control systems and sinusoidal control systems offer the possibility of visualising instantaneously the system responses in the frequency domain. This gives the user reassurance that the specimen under test is still intact or that all the sensors are working. Similarly it provides an early warning when this is no longer the case. The Servotest Real Time Display (RTD) was introduced to meet these requirements. It complements DFG and ICS but can also be used in other environments. The Real Time Display (RTD) contains a Spectrum Analyser and a Sine Sweep Monitor and allows these two types of graphs to be displayed and continuously updated. The Spectrum Analyser can be used to display simultaneously the instantaneous Power Spectral Densities (PSD) of up to six signals. If the channel names match those of a DFG configuration file containing desired profiles for these channels, tolerance bands can be superimposed on the PSD s. The Sine Sweep Monitor is used to display the peak amplitude of the signals against frequency. Again, tolerance bands can be added if the channel names match those in a user specified DFG configuration file. Trend Monitor In the case of fatigue or endurance testing the drive files produced by ICS are played repeatedly to the rig and the successive response files are stored on disk for possible analysis. Servotest s Trend Monitor has been created to help the user start the analysis before the end of the fatigue test, i.e., while the responses are still being generated. Every time a response file is generated, Trend Monitor computes the statistics for all the channels and appends them to the list of statistics already stored on disk. The statistics history is continuously displayed on a graph which allows the user to quickly identify trends and detect slow changes in the specimen structure. Limits can be specified so that if any of the statistics reaches critical levels the test is automatically interrupted and operator intervention is solicited.

14 Page: 14 DataLogger Data Logger allows the user to acquire data (external or internal signals) at a sample rate which is a divisor of khz. Data acquisition can be for specified duration or linked to signal generator start/stop status. Logger enables the user to: 1. Specify trigger channels 2. Save logger set-up to a configuration file 3. Specify a name of data logging file. File format is SBF or SEF (Servotest Format). Data Analysis The Servotest Data Analysis Package (SDAP) allows the user to turn test rig data into useful information through editing and analysis. SDAP can be used at any time during the test cycle from editing raw data to plotting histograms to performing frequency analysis. This package provides powerful and comprehensive signal analysis, visualisation and processing features, with the ability to import files and export results in various formats.

15 Page: 15 Tools Filters Real-time digital filtering with adjustable breakpoints, roll-off, low/high/bandpass or any internal or external signal. With Filter, there is no need for a separate analogue rack. Resonance This resonance dwell feature can lock onto the damped and undamped natural frequency of the tested specimen. The locking technique used is a Fourier based system. HAS A POLICY OF CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT TO ALL ITS PRODUCTS, AND THEREFORE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR ALTER THE SPECIFICATIONS OF ITS PRODUCTS AT ANY TIME. ALL DETAILS IN THIS DOCUMENT ARE CORRECT AT TIME OF ISSUE. HIGHER SPECIFICATION OF VARIOUS SYSTEM COMPONENTS MAY BE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED BY A PARTICULAR SYSTEM. THIS DOCUMENT REPRESENT TYPICAL SYSTEM. SPECIFICATIONS.