Data Logging Services

We have many years of expertise in design and manufacture, and specialise in Data Capture. We have developed many specialist instruments, and have gained a great deal of experience in the field of electronic data capture. Applications include any on site measurements where transducers are used to monitor physical changes such as pressure, temperature etc., and where it is required that the data be stored for subsequent analysis.

Our team of trained electronics personnel will set up all the equipment and interface to the appropriate transducers on site.

Above: on site commissioning of a 10 megawatt hydro-electric turbine in Kinlochleven, Scotland, showing a typical plot from an associated pressure sensor.

The system consists of an electronic interface which signal conditions the outputs from transducers (these are devices which convert physical changes into electrical signals e.g. heat, pressure, flow rate etc.). In industrial situations, the transducers used are usually 4-20 mA types, which reflect zero to full scale deflection of the transducer. We have developed an exclusive 16 channel hardware conversion unit providing an accuracy of ± .02%. Once signal conditioned, the signals are fed into a PC with 12-bit interface cards having an accuracy of 0.015% ± 1 bit.

We have also designed an accurate voltage interface and hence any transducer producing a voltage, current or resistance change can be accurately monitored by the system. Final calibration is completed on site prior to data capture.

The system has three separate data capture subsystems. The first captures the test data. The second allows a number of channels to be viewed in real time on computer screens as tests are being performed. The third system is used to continuously log in background mode so that back up data is always available.

The software for this computer based system has been especially commissioned by us and is totally flexible. The data captured on the PC can be used to generate text files which can then be imported into any spreadsheet such as Excel. The data produced may be analysed by yourselves or by a suitable consultant, e.g. Dr. A.P. Boldy of Hydrosim, who is a specialist in Computer Simulation of Pressure Surges in Internal Flow Systems. The HYDROtransient SIMulation Unit has combined advanced computer technology, academic research and practical engineering expertise in order to provide a comprehensive consultancy service related to the analysis and measurement of pressure surges in internal fluid flow systems.