NEW Making Basic Strain Measurements using 24-Bit IOtech Hardware

Learn about the basic principle of operation of strain gages, the various ways in which they may be connected, and the requirements of their signal conditioners to reduce susceptibility to noise that can contaminate their low-level output signals.

Induction Motor Testing and Evaluation

DASYLab® allows the user to configure customized software applications combining multiple input signal types and sources. Combining MCSA with standard vibration analysis techniques, and utilizing DASYLab’s Electrical Characteristics Module provides a complete view of over-all motor performance and health.

Bridge Crane Testing

IOtech's high-speed ZonicBook/618E allowed the capture of high-speed, transient data on multiple inputs to accurately predict wheel assembly failures.

Liquid Air-Separation Compressor Testing

IOtech's 600 Series DSA was used to obtain waveform and spectra data in testing centrifugal compressors which operate at extremely high speeds.

Microturbine Testing

IOtech ZonicBooks were selected over another stand-alone system for microturbine testing because of its ability to measure turbine speed over 60,000 rpm.

Jet Engine Testing

The MiniLab™ Gas Turbine Power System, specifically intended for universities and technical institutes around the world contains an embedded IOtech Personal Daq data acquisition system and is being used both as a teaching tool and as a test stand for numerous research projects.

Military Aircraft Modal Testing

Structural and dynamics engineers use IOtech's ZonicBooks to perform modal tests on US Military aircraft before and after installing rocket launchers and similar gear to ensure that the craft's flight dynamics continuously meet specifications.

Ballistic Ejection Seat Testing

IOtech's WaveBook measures acceleration, pressures, and forces in ballistic-driven mechanisms and rocket motors used on pilot ejection seats.

Aerospace Rocket Engine Testing

A LogBook/300 measures critical rocket engine temperatures on SpaceShipOne during development, and IOtech's Remote Operation Display provides the pilot with real-time readings during flight.

Exercise Machine Monitoring

IOtech Personal Daq data acquisition systems gather in-flight data from NASA Johnson Space Center's new Advanced Resistive Exerciser Device aboard the orbiting space station.

Diesel Aircraft Engine Testing

IOtech's Personal Daq data acquisition system tests new experimental diesel engines for personal aircraft.

Optical Fiber Testing

Dynamic testing with IOtech's WaveBook outperforms dedicated optical amplifier testers and costs one-fifth as much.

Wind Tunnel Rotor Blade Testing

Turbine compressor blades for wind tunnel testing are statically balanced using IOtech's DaqBook.

Space Simulator Chamber

The TempScan monitors liquid nitrogen levels and cryogenic and bake-out temperatures in a space simulator vacuum chamber.

Solid-Propellant Missile Testing

Rocket scientists monitor the effects of stress on instrumentation during missile test launches into orbit.

Aircraft Field Service

Aircraft operators use portable PC-based data acquisition systems to troubleshoot electrical problems.

Atmospheric Research

A NASA laboratory employs a notebook-PC-based data acquisition system for atmospheric research, reducing size, weight, and cost while increasing performance.

Hole Gauging System

An automotive small parts supplier is using an IOtech DaqBoard/2000 data acquisition system to measure hole size and location parameters in die cast engine mounting brackets.

Automotive Brake Testing

IOtech's WaveBook dramatically cut costs on dynamic brake tests for warranty returns.

Hydraulic Motor Testing

Eaton's hydraulic motors are audited and reliability tested with IOtech DaqBooks before leaving the production line.

Load Cell & Vehicle Jack Testing

IOtech's DaqBook measures load, torque, and displacement on an automobile jack to verify that it complies with its capacity ratings and safety requirements.

Timing Chain Testing

A WaveBook records and analyzes critical data during the validation and life testing of automobile timing-chain systems.

Hydraulic Component Testing

Hydraulic components for off-road vehicles have a better life when IOtech WaveBooks monitor their durability tests.

Automobile Torque Converter Testing

WaveBooks help characterize high-performance cars as well as fuel-efficient commuters for achieving optimal durability and drivability.

Automatic Transmission Testing

WaveBooks provide the shift test data needed to assign realistic engineering units to otherwise subjective vehicle-handling performance parameters.

Off-Highway/Utility Engine Testing

LogBook/360 fine-tunes Kawasaki's small gasoline engines for tractors and mowers providing mobility and data with the accuracy and dynamic range essential for successful tests.

Electric Window Testing

The DaqBoard/2000 eliminates the "aperture of uncertainty" in a PC cell controller during manufacturing and safety testing of electric motor-driven automobile windows.

Military Vehicle Body Mount Testing

Military vehicles run over wild terrain while engineers measure and record engine mount performance in real time with IOtech's WaveBook – conveniently powered from the on-board 12 VDC supply.

Vehicle Noise, Vibration, and Harshness Testing

New production vehicles that don't meet QA's noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) standards immediately loop back through the test lab and connect to IOtech's WaveBook data acquisition systems for analysis.

Vehicle Transmission and Brake Testing

A company that designs and builds precision test machines and vehicle test systems for major auto makers and automotive component manufacturers, chose the WaveBook due to its modularity, software compatibility, and easy integration.

Turbocharger Testing

Researchers needed a PC-based data acquisition system to monitor, record, and analyze their supercharger's performance.

In-Vehicle Temperature Testing

An automaker tests engine temperatures under extreme operating conditions.

Vehicle Crash Testing

An airbag manufacturer tests its products with a sturdy, stand-alone data acquisition system.

Truck Turbocharger Testing

Engineers testing diesel engines used a DaqBook and 20 transducers to measure turbo charger performance data.

Military Vehicle Off-Road Testing

Automotive engineers monitor the effects of extreme off-road environments on a military vehicle using the IOtech WaveBook.

Electric Car Battery Testing

An electric utility company evaluates attempts at improving an electric vehicle's operating efficiency using IOtech's DaqBook.

Airbag Testing

A manufacturer of airbag ignitors uses the WaveBook to examine the ignitor's response time and trigger detection mechanism during the unit's design and test phase.

In-Vehicle Brake Testing on Trucks

An original-equipment manufacturer of truck braking systems uses the WaveBook to verify lab tests in the field.

In-Vehicle Seat Suspension Testing

Engineers choose IOtech's DaqBook to develop a seat suspension system for maximizing comfort and safety in heavy-duty construction equipment.

Battery Monitoring

Battery-test engineers automate their battery testing process without encountering the problems typically associated with integrating multiple discrete instruments.

Chiropractic Alignment Tool Testing

IOtech's DaqBook measures and records thrust force pulses produced by a Chiropractor's impact tool, which treats joint displacements and stimulates muscle tissues.

Prototype Wheelchair Testing

IOtech's DaqBook data acquisition systems let designers certify durability and reliability tests on wheelchairs and scooters for people with disabilities.

Biomechanical Impact Testing

IOtech's LogBook measures force, strain and acceleration of racehorse's hooves to help owners and trainers prevent common equine injuries.

Hearing Implant Research

Specialty hearing aid designed with PC-based data acquisition system can help people with severe deafness.

Microturbine Testing

IOtech ZonicBooks were selected over another stand-alone system for microturbine testing because of its ability to measure turbine speed over 60,000 rpm.

Nuclear Pump Bearing Testing

EME Associates designed and built a novel simulator for testing nuclear pump bearings and integrated an IOtech ZonicBook in the control panel to record vibrations and shut down the pump motor in the event of excessive temperature, speed, or vibration.

Generator Shaft Stress Testing

The Army Corps of Engineers maintains about 75 hydro generators around the country to ensure their safety and longevity. Recently, it purchased an IOtech LogBook to measure generator shaft stresses and bending moments.

Power-Grid Balance Testing

IOtech's WaveBook collects the critical data that systems analysts need to create accurate models and simulators to ensure safe and reliable power-generating systems.

Transient Voltage Measurements

Motor current transient at the Sizewell Nuclear Power Plant in Great Britain are measured, monitored, and analyzed with an IOtech WaveBook.

Turbine Generator Vibration Testing

Finite Element Models of MW generators are fine tuned with vibration tests in the lab.

Remote Turbine Vibration Monitoring

IOtech's ZonicBook used to capture generator and exciter vibration signals on a gas-turbine-powered machine.

HVAC Energy Efficiency Testing

A lab depends on IOtech LogBook/360 data acquisition systems to measure temperatures to better than one degree F, as well as relative humidity, airflow, speed or rpm, and compressor pressure.

Hydroelectric Generator Maintenance

Hydroelectric generators keep humming with the help of IOtech's ZonicBooks that detect vibrations in worn or unstable turbine shaft bearings long before they are serious enough to cause catastrophic failures.

Oil and Gas Well Drill Monitoring

An energy service firm uses a PC-based data acquisition system to monitor and analyze underground detonations.

Paper Mill Equipment Field Service

A data acquisition package small enough to fit into the overhead compartment of a jetliner is used to improve field service in the paper industry.

IEEE 488 Troubleshooting

To efficiently diagnose, troubleshoot and verify IEEE 488 systems, you should first have some basic knowledge of the IEEE bus. This note contains a brief IEEE tutorial followed by troubleshooting techniques.

Bridge Crane Testing

IOtech's high-speed ZonicBook/618E allowed the capture of high-speed, transient data on multiple inputs to accurately predict wheel assembly failures.

Liquid Air-Separation Compressor Testing

IOtech's 600 Series DSA was used to obtain waveform and spectra data in testing centrifugal compressors which operate at extremely high speeds.

Compressor Testing

Using IOtech's ZonicBook, vibration testing and 3D animation exonerates a suspected failure source.

Pyrotechnics Device Testing

IOtech's WaveBook data acquisition system is used by a manufacturer to acquire critical information during the testing of pyrotechnic devices.

Refrigeration Compressor Testing

IOtech's ZonicBook detects insufficient coolant flow in a refrigeration compressor for a pharmaceutical chill room.

Slurry Pump Development

IOtech's DaqBook measures and records critical heat-treating and cool-down temperatures of gigantic slurry pump castings during manufacturing and product development.

Steam Turbine Rotor Testing

Watson Engineering, Inc., uses an IOtech ZonicBook to troubleshoot large turbine and compressor problems that originate from unbalanced rotors and bearing problems.

Gearbox Testing

IOtech's ZonicBook monitors the vibration profile of giant gearboxes for mixers used in chemical processing plants to prevent costly failures and avoid downtime.

Extrusion Machine Testing

DaqBook helps extrusion machine specialists reduce dead-cycle time and increase aluminum billet throughput.

Slip Ring Testing

DaqBoard/2000 plug-and-play board for PCI bus computers provides both data acquisition and motor control for testing slip rings.

Material Characterization Tester

A universal mechanical strength tester uses a data acquisition DaqBoard/2000 in a computer-operated test system for evaluating all forms of adhesion, microelectronic wafer interconnects, material characterization, and QC tests.

Pharmaceutical Control Testing

Process control engineers at a pharmaceutical company selected a portable, PC-based digitizer as the primary production line monitoring tool for the startup, optimization, and maintenance of a new production line process.

Conveyor Field Service

A producer of custom conveyors and cam-driven parts-handling systems uses a portable, PC-based digitizer to identify excessive mechanical vibration sources at customer sites upon installation.

Injection-Molding Testing

WaveBook replaces DSO used for plastic injection mold machinery test diagnostics.

Surface Grinder Monitor

A manufacturer of ceramic wheels for precision surface grinders uses the WaveBook to monitor vibration, breaking force, and acoustic emission on multiple units in an industrial environment.

Rotating-Shaft Bearing Testing

IOtech's DaqBook's modularity, accuracy, portability, and open software features give users the flexibility needed to measure a wide range of vibrations in machinery.

Machine Shock & Vibration Testing

Optimized support frames isolate sensitive machines from shock and vibration.

Refrigerator Testing

IOtech's DaqScan is used in revealing extraordinary or sinister anomalies that might get past the day-to-day quality assurance procedures.

Steel Mill Monitoring and Vibration Testing

IOtech's ZonicBook measures vibration on cold and hot-strip rolling mills and uses eZ-Analyst software with FFT and waterfall presentations to solve problems.

Ceramic Kiln Temperature Testing

A leading US kiln manufacturer, uses IOtech's Personal Daq for measuring internal kiln temperatures to ensure uniform heat distribution.

Glass Production Testing

To detect equipment malfunctions and to minimize scrap, a leading glass-products manufacturer installs a PC-based data acquisition system.

Materials and Component Failure Testing

A testing lab for bicycle frames and components, currently uses an IOtech DaqBoard for verifying that new products meet specifications and government regulations.

Liquid Chromatography Polymer Testing

DaqBooks monitor the output signals of liquid chromatographs to determine molecular weight distributions of new polymers developed in the research lab.

Military Vehicle Body Mount Testing

Military vehicles run over wild terrain while engineers measure and record engine mount performance in real time with IOtech's WaveBook – conveniently powered from the on-board 12 VDC supply.

Military Vehicle Off-Road Testing

Automotive engineers monitor the effects of off-road driving on a military vehicle.

Explosive Ordnance Testing

Engineers at an explosive ordnance test site validate the effectiveness of earthen protective structures with the WaveBook/512.

Compressor and Turbine Vibration Testing

Petrochemical company uses IOtech's ZonicBook to monitor vibrations and analyze problems in high capacity process pumps and turbine generators.

Deep Water Platform Analysis

IOtech DaqBooks and WaveBooks collect high-frequency vibration signals from simulations of a floating oil rig's support structure.

Microturbine Testing

IOtech ZonicBooks were selected over another stand-alone system for microturbine testing because of its ability to measure turbine speed over 60,000 rpm.

Nuclear Pump Bearing Testing

EME Associates designed and built a novel simulator for testing nuclear pump bearings and integrated an IOtech ZonicBook in the control panel to record vibrations and shut down the pump motor in the event of excessive temperature, speed, or vibration.

Turbine Generator Balance Testing

ZonicBook's adaptability lets vibration consultants balance turbine generators used in all private, commercial, and public utility industries.

Power Quality Testing

A power industry supplier develops a compact notebook PC-based power-demand and line-quality monitoring system.

Refrigerator Testing

A refrigerator manufacturer replaces a manual testing system with an integrated control and data acquisition system to improve product reliability.

Fire-Fighting Apparatus Testing

IOtech's DaqBook uses over 100 channels to measure and analyze pressure, speed, flow and temperature on firefighting equipment to ensure that it withstands especially rough handling during emergencies.

Forklift Truck Testing

Data acquisition system records data on forklift truck shakedown tests.

Black Box for Trains

IOtech's LogBook helped engineers determine root causes of failures, which has resulted in preventive maintenance schedules that have reduced downtime.

In-Vehicle Brake Testing

Group researches braking behavior when drivers encounter unexpected obstacles.

Bridge Monitoring

A civil-engineering consulting firm has developed an easy-to-use, nondestructive solution to accurately determine the support-piling depth of bridges.

Video Signal Alarm Monitoring

A company uses Personal Daq/56 modules and DASYLab® software to look for several types of common video failures, including frozen images, lost video signals, or completely black, green, or blue screens.

The Vibration Consultants listed below represent a unique cross-section of talented individuals who specialize in providing
customers with complete, economical solutions for their applications needs. They have the engineering depth and skill diversity
to solve the most complex machinery vibration problems. For training or assistance designing your system,
contact a Vibration Consultant today.

Nelson Baxter has more than 30 years of vibration analysis experience in the following industries: nuclear power plants, fossil power plants, paper mills, refineries, steel mills, automotive factories, foundries, pharmaceutical firms, hydro-electric units, and drag lines. His education includes a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, and a MS in Nuclear Engineering from Purdue University. Baxter is a registered Professional Engineer certified to Levels I, II, III, and IV in Vibration Analysis by the Vibration Institute; a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Board of Directors of the Vibration Institute; a contributing editor to Sound and Vibration Magazine; and an instructor of Mechanical Vibrations Level IV course for the Vibration Institute. Baxter has also authored papers for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Sound and Vibration Magazine, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Vibration Institute.

Baxter's specific experience includes balancing large steam turbines and generators, fans, exhausters, motors, turbine drives, vertical pumps, and cooling towers. He also aligns fans, motors, pumps, gearboxes, and turbines using reverse dial, rim and face, and laser alignment techniques. In addition, Baxter tests fans, motors, vertical and horizontal pumps, gearboxes, and turbines. He determines the natural frequency of structures; performs modal analysis of phase leads and rotors; analyzes vibratory conveyor and sound problems; measures current waveforms of electric motors to detect broken rotor bars; tests electric lines for harmonics; and tests and analyzes variable speed drives.

Delaware Analysis Services, Inc. specializes in Vibration Analysis, Balancing, Modal and Rotor Dynamic Analysis, Vibration Monitoring Systems Design, Vibration Training, and Periodic Vibration Monitoring Services. Delaware Analysis Services, Inc. is WBE/MBE Certified and has been in business since 2005. Kevin Guy, Senior Field Engineer has 30 years experience in the Predictive Maintenance field. He is a Certified ISO Category IV Vibration Analyst. His experiences have been published in over fifty articles including papers, magazine articles, case histories, and a Power Industry Case History Book. We can help your organization improve productivity, control maintenance cost, and much more.

Jim Berry received BS and Master Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from N.C. State University in 1973 and 1974, respectively. Berry has 32 years of mechanical engineering experience, which includes 30 years in vibration analysis and noise control, 28 years in Finite Element Computer Modeling, designing and implementing Predictive Maintenance Programs, and performing Vibration Diagnostics and Modal Analysis, and 7 years of experience in stress and fatigue analysis of machine and structural components. Berry has published several articles in journals and magazines such as Sound and Vibration.

Berry has given presentations to several engineering societies including the Vibration Institute, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Acoustical Society of America (ASA), the American Institute of Plant Engineers (AIPE), the American Society of Textile Management Engineers (ASTME), and the Predictive Maintenance Technology National Conference (through P/PM Technology). He has performed vibration analysis of machines, frames, and foundations using a wide variety of single and multiple-channel, real-time analyzers, programmable data collectors, tape recorders, and so forth.

Berry has authored five Seminar Texts in "Analysis I", "Analysis II", "Analysis III", "Advanced Vibration Analysis", and "Applied Modal & ODS Analysis" with an emphasis on the use of Vibration Signature Analysis and Corrective Methods in Condition Monitoring programs. These seminars are offered at various locations in the United States and in Europe, and are given throughout the year by Berry as well as other qualified Analytical Group personnel. Currently, Berry has about 18 years of experience as an instructor in Vibration Analysis.

Stan Bognatz has more than 20 years of experience in the nuclear, fossil, and wind-power generation fields, as well as the petrochemical, pulp and paper, and wastewater sectors. Prior to founding M&B Engineered Solutions, he worked for GE/Bently Nevada for almost 20 years, where he managed and staffed their Machinery Diagnostic Services and Asset Care teams. He currently specializes in critical rotating machinery analyses, large turbo-machinery train balancing, modal analyses, optical and laser alignment, predictive maintenance, and oil analyses and thermography. He is Six Sigma Green Belt certified, and he completed a number of customer projects, which contributed to marked reliability improvements.

Bognatz has authored and presented numerous technical papers, which covers topics such as optical alignment, diagnostics techniques, system integration, and lube-oil analysis. He earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology in 1982, a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1985 from Penn State University, and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Wilkes University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Bognatz is also a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Vibration Institute, and the Society for Manufacturing and Reliability Professionals.

Tim Irwin has more than 20 years of experience in the nuclear and fossil power generation fields as well as the textile and pulp and paper sectors. Prior to joining M&B Engineered Solutions, he worked for Siemens Power Generation as a Field Service Engineer on large turbine generator sets; Seminole Electric Coop., Inc. as a Rotating Machinery Engineer at a 1300 MW coal fired power generation facility; and Bently Nevada/GE in their Machinery Diagnostic Services group performing various vibration diagnostic activities and long term Engineering support for various customers. He currently specializes in critical rotating machinery analysis, predictive maintenance support, and turbo-machinery inspections, overhauls, and repairs. He is Six Sigma certified.

Irwin has authored and presented numerous technical papers covering topics such as vibration diagnostic techniques, vibration monitoring system requirements, machinery inspection case studies, and optical alignment. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1985 from the University of Illinois. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Florida and South Carolina. Irwin is also a member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Vibration Institute.

Ray Kelm is the owner of Kelm Engineering, Danbury, Texas. His primary duties involve numerical modeling and field-testing of dynamic systems including rotating, reciprocating and static machinery. He has 24 years of experience in petrochemical and engineering consulting businesses.

Kelm received a BSME from Texas A&M University in 1983, and a MS in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1986. He is member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Vibration Institute, a Category VI ISO certified vibration specialist, and a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.

Ken Singleton is the Manager of KSC Consulting, LLC; Bristol Va. KSC provides rotating machinery analysis services primarily in the South East. These services include vibration, modal, and operating deflection analyses.

Singleton has more than 40 years of experience in maintenance and rotating machinery analysis. He retired from Eastman Chemical Company in 1999 as a Senior Engineering Technologist in the Rotating Machinery Technology Group after more than 32 years of service. He has presented technical papers at Vibration Institute National Meetings, Preventive/Predictive Maintenance (P/PM) Conferences, ASME Joint Power Conferences, and the Piedmont and Tennessee River Chapters of the Vibration Institute.

Nelson Watson established Watson Engineering, Inc., in 1999 to provide vibration services from an office in Baton Rouge, La. He has provided services to many of the Fortune 500 companies in the Gulf Coast Region including Exxon Mobil, Dow Chemical, Shell Exploration and Production, Formosa Plastics, Chevron Texaco, Air Liquide, Cargill, and Elliott Turbomachinery, to name a few. Prior to 1999, Watson acquired 38 years of experience in industry as a vibration engineer, machinery repair superintendent, maintenance engineering manager, and engineering design manager for various companies.

Watson’s education includes a Bachelors Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Mississippi State University, and a Masters of Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Watson teaches the Basic Machinery Vibration and the Machinery Vibration Analysis courses according to the Vibration Institute/ISO standards, and he proctors the ISO Category I, II, and III certification exams at his office in Baton Rouge. He is certified as a Category III vibration specialist by the Vibration Institute/ISO.