Motion feedback PCI card offers four-plus-two channel capability

Citation

(2002), "Motion feedback PCI card offers four-plus-two channel capability", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 74 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2002.12774aad.008

Motion feedback PCI card offers four-plus-two channel capability

Keywords: Motion, Computer hardware, Computer software

DDC has announced the latest addition to its suite of motion feedback cards: the SB-362OOIX. This four-channel synchro/ resolver-to-digital and two-channel digital-to- synchro/resolver COTS (Commercial Off the Shelf) card complements DDC's existing line stated to be a lower cost, half-size version of its six-channel SB-3 62 1 OIX and SB-3622OIX with several performance enhancements (Plates 1 and 2).

Plate 1 DDC's latest motion feedback card: the SB-36200IX. A four channel synchro/resolver-to-digital and two-channel digital-to-synchro/ resolver COTS card

Synchros and resolvers are described as rugged electromechanical angular transducers widely used in aerospace, defence and industrial applications. The SB-362OOIX is designed for use in applications such as military ground vehicle, missile, aircraft system, and industrial robotics motor and machine control where position feedback data is critical.

Plate 2 DDC's new DD4291613 PCI mezzanine card analyses and simulates ARINC 429 data to and from electronic equipment and systems in commercial airlines and military avionics

"Giving our customers a DDC alternative for applications that don't require six channels, and providing them with new benchmarks in accuracy and convenience is important to our continued success in motion feedback technology," said Jerry Kessler, motion feedback technologies product marketing manager at DDC.

The SB-362OOIX measures and simulates synchro and resolver signals with its four channels of fully independent synchro-to- digital, resolver-to-digital, and up to two channels of digital-to-synchro/resolver. Each D-S/R channel can accommodate DDC's DSC-11520, DSC-11524, and DR-11525 cards. The SB-362001X claims an optional, power oscillator that supports 2, 26, and 115 Vrms from 57 to 7 kHz.

The card uses a 16-bit, monolithic R/D approach to measurement that, according to DDC applications engineer Thomas F. Knowles, has distinct advantages. "Not only does our approach require fewer components, it provides a Type-2 servo-tracking loop that avoids the latency and timing issues similar cards experience." In addition, the new card provides a wraparound self-testing feature that lets the user verify the board is operating properly once a synchro/resolver simulation channel is populated.

The SB-362OOIX uses a familiar graphical user interface, in line with DDC's other motion feedback cards, that saves the application programmer from performing many low-level tasks. The GUI operates on Windows 95/98/2000/NT platforms. DDC also includes a dynamic link library for complete hardware utilization, and sample code for DOS consoles.

DDC has also launched its DD-4291613 PCI mezzanine card which analyses and simulates ARINC 429 data to and from electronic equipment and systems in commercial airlines and military avionics. Each of the card's 16 channels can be programmed for either receive or transmit mode on ARINC 429, the data bus system widely used in the Western world's commercial aircraft.

"The flexibility the DD-42916I3 provides in a testing and simulation environment is being extremely well received by our customers," noted Mike Hegarty, data bus technologies product marketing manager at DDC. "We realize that in ground support and on-board data acquisition applications, operators don't necessarily know beforehand how many transmit/receive channels will be needed. With the DD-4291613, they can program each channel independently to either transmit or receive."

The DD-42916I3 is said to provide 16 independently programmable receive/ transmit channels that can perform high- or low-speed operations. It is also said to support high-speed data rates on all channels, simultaneously; engineering unit conversion; and wraparound self-testing for each channel. Requiring only a single PCI slot, all wiring connections to the DD-4291613 are made via a locking connector panel.

An intuitive graphical user interface simplifies fast bus traffic simulation and monitoring. The GUI operates on Windows 95/98/NT/2000. DDC includes a programmer's toolbox with C, LabView, and LabWindows libraries and drivers for Windows 95/98/NT/2000 and LINUX at no extra charge.

Details available from: Data Device Corporation (DDC), Tel: +44 (0)1635 811140; Fax: +44 (0)1635 32264.