Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Compatible Hardware:
Alto
Concerto
Conductor
Soft dB Inc.
1040, Belvedere Avenue, Suite 215
Quebec (Quebec) Canada G1S 3G3
Toll free: 1-866-686-0993 (USA and Canada)
E-mail: info@softdb.com
CONTENTS
1
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 2
Quick Start.............................................................................................................................. 5
Measurements tab................................................................................................................ 14
7.1 Measurement Interface .......................................................................................................... 17
10 File Manager......................................................................................................................... 22
Appendix 1: Concerto Hardware ................................................................................................. 24
Introduction
SLM 4-ch module : 4-channels, Class 1 (IEC 61672 and ANSI S1.43)
SLM & 3Vib module : 1 SLM channel (same as SLM 4-ch module) and 3 vibration channels
(ISO 8041 and ISO 2631)
Data Logger module
Building Acoustic module
The Opus Suite is intended to run on a Concerto. The software can also be installed on a Conductor
unit or on any PC if using an Alto unit. Moreover, some post-processing functions are available on a
PC even if no compatible unit is detected.
The current users manual presents the Hammer Impact Module.
General Specifications
Purpose
Software Features
Compatible Hardware
Every hardware option has an embedded state of the art Soft dB SR-MK3 DSP board allowing realtime and precise measurement with very low energy consumption.
Concerto
Handy, lightweight, fully rugged military tablet
All in one instrument
WLAN communication allows using the Concerto as a monitoring
station with remote access.
http://www.softdb.com/en/acoustic/products/concerto.php
Alto
6 or 4 24-Bit asynchronous inputs and 2 outputs
Compact, low-consumption, and flexible
Needs to be connected to a PC.
Competitive price.
http://www.softdb.com/en/acoustic/products/alto.php
Conductor
Rugged platform for acoustics and vibration measurements.
Mainly used for the I-Track sound intensity mapping system.
http://www.softdb.com/en/acoustic/products/conductor.php
Opus Environment
The Concerto unit comes equipped with the Opus Environment. This environment acts as a main
interface that gives access to the different modules and tools.
Modules
The module buttons launches the associated module. When the license of a
module is not found, the text of its button is greyed, but the module can still be
opened to access measurement files.
The File Manager button launches the File Manager Utility (see section 0, p. 20)
The Software Install button launches a browser from which an Opus software
installer can be launched.
The Network Manager button launches the Network Manager interface. This
tools is only available on a Concerto unit
The Unit info gives the information about the hardware type (Concerto, Alto or
Conductor) and the serial number of the unit.
The Clock indicator displays the time and date on the unit. To change time,
simply click on the indicator to display a dialog window.
The Quit button quits the application differently according to the hardware used.
Concerto hardware:
Hold 5 sec to shut down the unit.
Press and release to enter standby mode.
Alto or Conductor hardware:
Quick Start
The Hammer Impact module can be accessed from the Opus Suite main panel.
Hammer Impact main interface
Measure the
selected element
Table of
Measurements
Step 1
In order to facilitate the measurement procedure, the operator should identify the measurement
nodes properly. A good way to do that is by drawing a mesh of nodes using equidistant vertical and
horizontal line. At that point, it should be decided which of the excitation (hammer) or the response
(accelerometer) will be the moving part over the nodes and which will be fixed during the
experiment. This fixe location should also be identified.
.
Step 2
Click on the
The sampling rate and frequency resolution can be adjusted according to the type of structure being
tested. The test mode (roving excitation or roving response) should also be set here.
The operator should set the sensitivity of the sensors used. The sensor sensibility of the response can
be set by using the software calibration tool and a calibrator.
At the bottom there is Test Impact button that will help the operator adjusting the setup by testing
with real signals. Several parameters can be adjusted directly within the test impact measurement
interface.
Notice that the several parameters must stay the same during all the measurements in order to keep
the impacts compatible with each other. Here is the list of parameters that cannot change:
Click
Sampling Frequency
Frequency resolution
Excitation Window
Response Window
Pre-Trigger
Step 3
Do a Measurement
Measurement
State
Accept the
measurement
To proceed to a measurement, select a node in the table of the main panel and click the button
to open the measurement interface.
Once in the measurement panel, the unit is harmed and waiting for a valid trigger signal. The
acquisition start once the hammer strike is detected and stops once the measurement block size is
reached (as set in the setup).
Impact
detected
Block size
reached
Main Interface
Setup Interface
General Setup
Indicates which of the excitation of the response is moved during the
test.
The only effect of the parameter is to change the label of a few
controls during the measurement.
The sampling rate of the acquisition. The displayed bandwidth of the
spectrums is half the sampling rate.
10
11
The button
pops the measurement interface in test mode. This allows
the operator to better adjust most of the parameters directly using real signals.
12
6.1
Sensor Calibration
The input sensitivity can be calibrated using the calibration function and a sensor calibrator. Click the
button on the Setup interface to launch the Calibration interface.
Step 1
Averaging time:
Frequency:
Calibrator Level:
5s
156 Hz
1 g rms
Step 2
Step 3
Click START
After the average time is elapsed, the sensitivity value will update.
Step 4
13
Measurements tab
Fixed sensor information
Table of Measurements
The Measurements tab can be divided in three parts. The information about the fixed sensor
(Response if roving excitation and Excitation if roving response) is in upper left corner. Just under is
the table of measurements. Finally, the details of the selected element are on the right side.
Measurements controls
The Response/Excitation information fields allow the operator to write
the position and description information of the fixed sensor. In roving
excitation mode, the response (accelerometer) is fixed. In roving
response mode, the excitation (hammer) is fixed.
The measure button call the measurement interface (see the following
subsections).
Click this button to delete the selected table element (either a single
impact or the whole node row).
Table of Measurements
14
Table of Measurements
The first column of the table of measurements contains the node
headers. Each node may contain several impacts, which appear on the
same row.
Click on new below the last node in order to add an unlimited
quantity of nodes.
When a node header is selected, the data displayed in the graphs is the
average of all its impacts. The data available are: FRF amplitude/phase
and coherence.
To measure a series of impacts for a node, select the node header and
press the measure button.
The impact measurements are visible beside each node header.
Click on new beside the last impact element in order to add an
unlimited quantity of impacts.
When an impact element is selected, the corresponding data are
displayed in the graphs. The data available are: excitation time signal,
response time signal, FRF amplitude/phase and coherence.
To measure a given impact, select the impact element and press the
measure button.
By selecting the component element, the data displayed in the graphs
are the average of all the nodes contained in the table.
Details of the selected element of the table
The text information at the top of the main interface
gives some precisions on the selected element.
The time signal graphs of excitation and response are
available when an impact element is selected.
The input signals are the blue plots.
The window functions (for the FFT evaluation) are
the white dot plots.
15
16
7.1
Measurement Interface
Impact
detected
Once in the measurement panel, the unit is harmed and waiting for a
valid trigger signal. The acquisition starts once the hammer strike is
detected and stops once the measurement block length is reached (as
set in the setup).
The start button is mainly used to restart the measurement when it
was not satisfying.
The stop button can be used to abort/disable the acquisition.
Block length
reached
17
The FRF tab shows the frequency response function (amplitude and
phase) of the current impact.
18
19
Comments tab
The Comments tab on the main panel can be used as a general note pad that will be saved along with
the measurement data.
20
Explorer Dialog
File / Folder Operators
Directory Path
Shortcuts
Directory Content
Shortcuts
Desktop
My Documents
Computer
When used on a Concerto, the shortcuts are linked to:
Opus Root
USB Device.
21
10 File Manager
The File manager is used to perform most file operations:
Although not very useful on a stand-alone computer, this manager is necessary on the Concerto, on
which Windows explorer is unavailable. Its primary function is to allow the user to manage the
Concerto directory structure and to export files and folders to a USB memory stick.
Directory
Path
Shortcuts
Move/Copy
Operators
File/Folder
Operators
Directory
Content
Disk Info
22
Directory Path
Shortcuts
Desktop
My Documents
Computer
When the File Manager is used on a Concerto, the shortcuts are linked to:
Move/Copy
Operators
Opus Root
USB Device.
File/Folder
Operators
Go to parent directory
Open directory
Create new folder
Rename folder or file
Delete folder or file
Displays the content of a directory and responds to common actions from the
user:
Directory
Content
Disk info
23
Loudspeaker
Headphone Jack
Power-on
button
2 Outputs
DC in
20
insert
Second
Battery
USB
port
Battery indicator
Right click
24
Enter
Arrow keys
Power on/off
Power-on
Turn On
Turn Off
Stand-by
Shutdown
To Shut down the unit, click and hold the Turn Off button for five seconds.
25
Power Reset
If the Concerto happens to crash and it is not possible to take back the control, a power reset might
be necessary. To complete the power reset, the three buttons on the front of the Concerto must be
used.
Here is the procedure:
Step 1
Press and hold the Function, Enter and Down Arrow button for 5 seconds until the
Concerto shuts down
Step 2
Step 3
Wait 5 seconds and press the power button a second time to restart the Concerto from
a power reset.
Step 1
Step 2 and 3
Power-on
Press 2 times
to restart from
power reset
26
Inputs and Signal Processing Specifications (Embedded Signal Ranger MK3 DSP Board)
Texas Instruments TMS320C6424
DSP Processor
Inputs
Outputs
Linear Range
Conditioning
16 GB SSD
Data Transfer
USB
Display
Dimensions
Weight
Battery
Power
10-20 VDC, 2A
Protection rating
27