::: Data acquisition system for impact machine
::: CHALLENGE :::
Develop a data acquisition system to record the Force vs. Time curve in an impact test. The test data will be used to determine the energy absorbed by the test piece before it breaks.
::: SOLUTION :::
Using a microcomputer with a data acquisition board from National Instruments, and a specially developed application software in LabVIEW for the signal processing, charting, reporting and data storage.
::: Description :::
The Gerdau Group is the 13th largest steel producer in the world and is a leader in the segment of long steel in the Americas. GERDAU Special Steel Piratini unit is located in the city of Charqueadas-RS, and needed a system to acquire a quick signal, which reproduces the impact of a piece called “hammer” in a steel test sample. For the data acquisition was used a data acquisition card with a PCI bus and simultaneous channel of 3MS/s/ch from National Instruments, which acquires the signal from an external amplifier. This signal is compared and associated with a force (kN), equivalent to the voltage value sent by the amplifier.
The software was developed in LabVIEW and was based on information provided by the customer. This software has a calibration curve registration screen, which can be created, edited or deleted various tables that provide the equivalence in force (kN) of the signal acquired by the board, enabling the exchange of “hammer” in the event of any damage, with no change in the application framework.
Access to this feature, as well as some other features of the software is password protected and is allowed access only to certain levels of users, which is configured via a user management screen.
The system allows the collection of a standard curve for impact testing Force (kN) x Time, and the software is also responsible for the test control performed by the operator by displaying a message after a given number of test pieces.
At the end of the test the user can request a test report, which is generated by the application software in the form of an MS Excel document with a table with results of the test. The curves are also stored in the computer for future viewing of the tests, as a trend history.
For more information about this application or others developed by DAQSYS, contact by phone +55 (41) 9967-6977 or info@daqsys.com.br.
