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System Components
Sensor pad(s)
Sensor maps (software display drivers, each sensor has its own map)
Sensor handle(s) (A/D converter) w/ 12 standard cable (30 & 60 avail.)
Plug-in PCI card (each PCI card can accommodate up to four sensor
handles)
Expansion PCI unit (optional, convenient for a Notebook computer)
Tekscan Windows-based software (for most Windows OS)
IBM-Compatible PC
Color Printer (if color printouts are required)
System Notes
Tekscan Signal to Noise Ratio is much better than strain gauges (noisy)
since our system has a resistance range from ~ 20 KOhm up to ~ 5 MOhm.
Dynamic response is a strong point for Tekscan
Ink response has been matched with an Instron up to 35 Hz perfectly
Requires an IBM-compatible computer; the more memory, processor
speed, and available hard drive space the better. Ex. 300 MHz.to1GHz
processor speed, 1GB to 40 GB RAM (memory), and a Hard Drive of
20 GB to 40 GB is an example a computer in line with the latest
technology.
Tekscan sensor pads measure compressive loads (perpendicular to the sensor pad)
Shear forces may damage the sensor and are not accurately measured
The largest active region on a sensor pad is 22.7 x 34.8 with .66 symmetrical spatial
resolution
The smallest active region is ~ .5 x .5
Data sampling speeds range from 1 Hz through ~ 10,000 Hz.; 10,000 Hz is achieved
with sensor model 9550 coupled with High Speed version of software and hardware
Video Synchronization is an available add-on feature
Tekscan manufactures several equilibrator models (pneumatic bladders); most models
have a max applied pressure of 100 PSI. One model achieves 500 PSI and another model
reaches pressures of ~ 1000 PSI over a 5 x 5 area
Some applications require the customer to construct their own bladder (hydraulic or
pneumatic)
Tekscan offers a Data-Logger which allows for remote data collection which may be
downloaded at a later time. The F-Scan (in-shoe) is available and the I-Scan version
should be available 1st Qtr. 2004 or sooner.
Refers to column center to column center and row center to row center spacing
Symmetrical and Asymmetrical spatial resolutions offered
0.025 x 0.025 is the tightest spacing capability
Note: A single A/D converter accommodates 2288 sensels (52 columns x 44 rows)
Note: Eight A/D converters is the limit for a single sensor pad
To maintain a fairly tight spatial resolution (ex. 0.060) over a large area (e.g. 10.6
x 11.6), multiple sensor handles are required on the same sensor pad
127 Hz (frames / sec.) standard. Each sensel is sampled 127 times / sec.
Highest speed is 10,000 Hz (using 9550 model only)
A sensor pad with ~ 33,000 points will yield ~ < 32 Hz (model 8050)
A sensor pad with ~ 8,500 points will yield ~ < 63 Hz (model 8000)
The number of sensor handles, rows, and total sensels affects sampling speed
Pre-Triggering / Triggering Pre-triggering is available; it is a circular buffer which
will store frames of data before the Trigger point. Triggering is also a software feature
whereby you can select a Start threshold and an End threshold. The software will
automatically Start and Stop based upon your threshold requirements.
Driven
Lines
1 Handle
Max freq.
2 Handles
Max freq.
3 Handles
Max freq.
4 Handles
Max freq.
10,753 Hz
5,405 Hz.
5,405 Hz.
3,597 Hz.
5,405 Hz.
5,405 Hz.
3,597 Hz.
2,703 Hz.
3,597 Hz.
3,597 Hz.
2,703 Hz.
2,160 Hz.
2,703 Hz.
2,703 Hz.
2,160 Hz.
1,799 Hz.
2,160 Hz.
2,160 Hz.
1,799 Hz.
1,543 Hz.
1,799 Hz.
1,799 Hz
1,543 Hz.
1,350 Hz.
1,543 Hz.
1,543 Hz.
1,350 Hz.
1,200 Hz.
1,350 Hz.
1,350 Hz.
1,200 Hz.
1,080 Hz.
1,200 Hz.
1,200 Hz.
1,080 Hz.
900 Hz.
10
1,080 Hz.
1,080 Hz.
981 Hz.
831 Hz.
Sensor Equilibration
- Equilibration should be performed before calibration.
The Black and White image in the equilibration dialog window represents:
- cold (not as sensitive sensels) with black-ish color
- hot (more sensitive sensels) with gray-ish color
The sensels with light gray-ish color represents equilibration factor values
close to 0.5
The sensels with black-ish color represents equilibration factor values close to
2.0
Sensels with low output receive more gain to increase their Digital Output and sensels
with high output have their gain reduced to lower their Digital Output. Electronic
compensation for each individual sensel to sensel sensitivity difference, due to
manufacturing or history of use, is accomplished
Ensure that there is not trapped air inside the sensor which will give the pillow effect.
Sensors may be loaded a portion at a time in order to milk any air out from inside.
sensel output over the full operating range. A piece-wise linear approach is implemented
to normalize raw digital data on a sensel by sensel basis. Multi-point equilibration treats
each sensel individually; for each sensel, a different slope exists with incremental
increase of raw digital output. Tekscan allows up to a ten-point equilibration.
Technical definition: Interpolation between inflection points of a piece-wise linear curve;
inflection points refer to Digital Output average of all the sensels at one pressure point.
Example:
Three Sensel Values
1st Equilibration Point:
10, 16, 22
2nd Equilibration Point:
26,30,34
3rd Equilibration Point:
34,36,38
Average is taken for each equilibration point
1st Equilibration Point:
2nd Equilibration Point:
3rd Equilibration Point:
[10+16+22} / 3 = 16
[26+30+34] / 3 = 30
[34+36+38] / 3 = 36
Interface Profile If at all possible try to mimic the profile of the interface.
Ex. If the interface is a roller to roller, load the roller profile and material onto
the sensor pad. I recommend comparing a flat stock and profile calibration in this case.
Timing - To minimize the effects of drift, mimic the time of the application in the
calibration within reason. That is if the measurement will be for 30 minutes of recording,
you may wish to calibrate for ~ 2 minutes. Our systems drift curve levels off after ~ 30
seconds and then our 3% per log time is effective. One can record a loading in raw
digital output and then open a Force Vs. Time graph to view the curve to see where it
begins to level off. Where the curve levels off (stabilizes) is a good indication at the time
interval needed for calibration.
performed. Allows user to Tare out undesired preload. Ensure the two points in the twopoint calibration are close to linear.
Ensure sensels are not saturated (red); if a sensel(s) is saturated it no longer add to any increase
in load thus a poor calibration will be accomplished if red sensels are present.
Mimic timing of application load since our sensors experience drift (3% per log time)
Most drift occurs in the first 30 seconds of loading.
Example of drift:
1 sec
10 secs
100 secs
1000 secs
10,000 secs
=
=
=
=
=
100 lbs.
103 lbs.
106 lbs.
109 lbs.
112 lbs.
Impact load calibration: Example pendulum device for calibrating the force on the chest of an
automotive crash dummy is used since the mass of the pendulum is known and the acceleration is known
from an accelerometer in the dummy, thus the force can be calculated.
Editing a Single-Point or Two-Point Calibration is easily accomplished through the edit feature.
Rubber Parts - When loading a rubber part onto the sensor, a thin sheet of teflon paper
works well to minimize shear forces which are not measured by our sensor. Our sensors
measure compressive forces.
Soft Interfaces - When loading a crash dummy or a person onto a foam / cushion, try to
calibrate with the actual materials and with the actual profiles / curvature. CAUTION needs
to be taken. For example, when sitting in a luxury automotive seat, the sensor will bend
upward on the sides thus introducing horizontal loads which can give you misleading data.
Some customers elect to use the equilibrator even though the material interface inside the
equilibrator differs from the actual application; the equilibrator offers relative repeatability
Saturated Sensels You do not want to have all / mostly blue sensels or all / mostly
red sensels appearing on your display before you engage a calibration. If you have many red
sensels (255) you are saturated and you will not be able to resolve those points on the sensor
in the application and if you have all / mostly blue sensels on your computer screen
display, you will not be leveraging the best pressure measurement resolution you could be
with that given sensors saturation pressure (PSAT). Ideally, you would want to see some yellow,
orange, green, and blue colors on your display (sensor pad) before calibrating. You may need to
adjust the physical sensor for a more or less sensitive pressure range in order to find the ideal range
for the application.
Overall System Accuracy - +/- 10% of full scale (~ labeled saturation pressure on physical sensor)
Material Dependency - Do not assume that +/- 10% of the labeled PSAT on the
physical sensor will give you overall accuracy, since the sensor pads are very material
dependent. Different durometers will offload unlike a flat piece of steel; Sensel offloading
is dependent upon the % active sensor area Vs. % inactive sensor area.
own sensor such as four 5051 pads) is being used, one may calibrate each sensor
individually or calibrate all four simultaneously. If a four pad sensor is being used
(e.g. 6900 model), one may calibrate each sensor pad individually or calibrate all
four simultaneously. Requires Tekscan software version 5.10 or later.
White lines (boxes) in Calibration Dialog Window - Where the white lines / boxes
intersect the calibration curve represent(s) the average raw(s) in the calibration point(s); this
is true whether it is a single or two-point calibration.
Nip / Pinch (roller) applications - If the line contact is narrower than the
sensor pad row and a flat plate calibration is performed, strange results most
likely occur. So, it is recommended to calibrate with a line contact and ensure
the calibrated row is placed under the nip for the measurement. If nip is wider
than the sensor pad row, calibrating with a flat stock to obtain statistically
representative data is suggested.Calibrating on one region of the sensor and
measuring from another region will compromise results / performance.
Sensor models 5501, 5560, 5570, and 5580 have wide rows (roller contact
should fall within this wide row). Force will be accurate; however, pressure
will be inaccurate since the load is a narrow line.
Example: 5580 has a 1/8 wide nip loaded on itself in the machine direction.
The row spacing is 0.54 and column spacing is 0.24 which gives a sensel
area = 0.1296 square inches. A sensel reading of 20 PSI yields a force = 20
PSI * 0.1296 square inches = 2.592 lbs. This force acts over 0.24 (axis
direction) yielding 10.8 PLI. The force acts over 0.125, which is 1/8, in the
machine direction giving an average pressure of (2.592 lbs.) / (0.125 * 0.24)
= 86 PSI. Most nip pressures have a peak pressure twice that of the average
pressure, so about 172 PSI would be the expected peak pressure. Utilizing nip
sensors with a high spatial resolution (e.g. 5526) most likely would be a better
choice for narrow nips.
TARE Example: 3 diameter (circular) image is the preload whereby all 200
sensels which comprise this circular image are all blue in color (assume the same
shade of blue thus the same raw count for each sensel). I wish to TARE all 200
sensels, that is completely remove them so they do not factor into my
measurement calculations. Assume each of the 200 sensels have a raw count value
of 40. A TARE will reduce the value of each of the 200 sensels. Since the max
output of each sensel is 255, the reduced value of each of the 200 sensels will be
255 40 = 215. 215 becomes the equivalent of 255, thus 215 is the new
saturating point for the 200 sensels.
Pressure Measurement Resolution The I-Scan handle has an 8-bit A/D converter
which offers 255 discrete levels. Pressure measurement resolution is differnet for
each sensor pad. For example, a sensor with a saturation pressure (PSAT) of
200 PSI, will yield a pressure measurement resolution of 200 / 255 = .784 PSI /
Digital Output. The vertical Pressure Legend (color bands) consists of thirteen
colors; each of the thirteen colors represents all 255 levels of a sensel thus each
color will have a range of values.
Turn-ON Pressure
5 PSI
25 PSI
250 PSI
2,500 PSI
0.02 PSI
0.1 PSI
1 PSI
10 PSI
Sensor Protective Cover Most Tekscan sensors are constructed from two 0.001
mylar substrates and have a total thickness of ~ 0.004 +/- 0.0002. Most sensors are also
shipped with a 0.001 mylar protective layer which can add life to the sensor due to the extra
protection it offers; it is recommended that the calibration includes the protective cover as
well. Exception: Model 6220 / 6230 should have the protective mylar shipping cover
removed for calibration and measurements. The cover has an adhesive and release agent
on the sensor side; if a high load is applied, the cover may set in certain areas which can result in
artifact load, that is load contributed by the cover itself. The added 0.001 thickness of this cover can
cause the sensor to get caught inside the handle on the pogo pins; if pulled out, pogo pins will be
damaged. Fold the cover back so it does not insert into the handle.
Cutting Sensors Some sensors lend themselves to being cut, that is some sensor
designs allow for removing part of the sensor with an exacto knife, hole punch, or
scissors resulting in no loss of data from the physical sensor region left after the
cut. Sensor models 62220 / 6230 lend themselves to being trimmed from the
inside outward in order to accommodate sliding the sensor over a bolt or part
diameter.
Model 5250 may be cut to be 5 x 10 based upon its electrical trace routing.
Each sensor would be treated differently; sometimes it is easier to cut the sensor
and insert the sensor into the handle and view the screen image when the sensor is
loaded.
2)
Turn ON camera
3)
4)
5)
Select Capture Video button (camcorder with three lines in front of lens icon) on
tool bar to open a Real Time video feed from camcorder lens
6)
Check to see if Movie Recording button (sensor handle / camera icon) is selected
7)
Select Record button (red diamond icon Main Toolbar) which will record both the
sensor data (.fsx file) and the Real Time video feed from the camcorder lens.
8)
A playback window will automatically open when the recording has been manually
stopped or the frame count has been reached
9)
Select Separate Movie / Video button (two white sheets moving apart icon)
10)
Use play forward and play back buttons (video window) in order to
determine by eye the best synchd sensor image with video.
11)
Note: Canon brand camcorders tend to slow the refresh rate on a Real Time
Tekscan display.
Note: You may playback the video either from the Main Toolbar or from the
Video window. If you play from the Main Toolbar, then you need to
stop from the Main Toolbar. The same for the Video window.
Note: The playback speed from the Video window is fixed at 30 Hz. The
playback speed from the Main Toolbar is adjustable under Playback
Speed pull-down icon on the Main Toolbar.
Analog to DV converter
Video Miscellaneous
A computer screen refreshes ~ > 70 Hz (good for the human eye)
A video camera refreshes at ~ 30 Hz. (NTSC)
Note: European (PAL standard, 25 Hz)
A slight video delay exists on computer screen due to the nature of FireWire
Tekscan DV capture utilizes Microsoft libraries
Miscellaneous
Tekscan has tested sensor pads up to 24 V DC.
Parallel System: Adjustable Gain does not amplify the signal but rather changes the
resistance.
Piezo refers to a device which discharges; Tekscan can measure both Static and
Dynamic pressures / forces. Discharging is not part of our technology.
Flexiforce (single button sensor pad, 3/8 diameter standard) is a passive device with an
analog output. Our example excitation circuit will output 0 to 5 VDC. Another excitation
circuit could be made whereby 4 to 20 mA is the output.
High Speed sensor pad 9550 has one driven trace (serpentine) and 42 sensed traces;
the electrical routing plays an important role in maximizing the data sampling.
Wireless pressure mapping devices currently transmit less data throughput than Tekscan
non-wireless
Our sensor data is conditioned (smoothed) before it is converted to a digital signal
Miscellaneous
Application pressures < 1 PSI, may still be able to utilize Tekscans system;
it is recommended that you focus on trends in the pressure patterns in application
pressures less than 1 PSI.
Sensor Carrying Case
Miscellaneous
Increasing the voltage (semi-conductive ink) or increasing the resistance will make the
sensor more sensitive
ELF Adjustable Gain should be set such that the dynamic range should be ~ 80% of the
range
The Trigger feature works on the sum of raw sum of two Real Time windows if two are
open
Calculating sensor dimensions:
Example: If you wish to have 0.025 spatial resolution in both X and Y directions and
one direction of the sensor needs to be 0.200
0.200 / 0.025 = # of rows = 8
52 columns max wide X 0.025 = active width of sensor = 1.3
Sensor Screen Printing (block style): There are some cases where a sensor design requires
block printing (ink is deposited in a single swath) and the electrical traces are matrixed.
Some sensor designs are block printed on both substrates while other designs are block
printed on one substrate. Block printing can be an issue if the saturation pressure is too low
(cross talking). Block printing is dependent upon a few variables such as sensor geometry,
sensor size, sensel size, saturation pressure, active area : dead area ratio, and electrical trace
width. Block printing (one substrate or two) may be required if pressure shorts occur
with a normal stripe (rows and columns) printing design. Block screen printing is on a
case-by-case basis.
Batch converting .FSX files to ASCII files: Windows scripting may be an option whereby
A script would open each .fsx file (Tekscan movie) in our software and run the Save
ASCII feature on each file and then close the file.
MatLab may be able to do this.
If Tekscan could write software to accomplish this for New Product fee.
Miscellaneous
Spray Nozzle applications: spray nozzle fluid onto sensor for 30 seconds minimum
to
ensure most of the sensels have had time to register a value (impact)
Tire Bead:
It is important to determine if the proper full scale pressure range has been selected.
Use WD40 to clean wheel of any grease
Use a soap solution to lubricate the tire bead itself and the top surface of the sensor.
Use duct tape to adhere the sensor pad to the wheel; do not tape on active area of sensor
5101 at 0 2000 PSI is a good sensor to begin testing; the sensor was cut in half (parallel to
the sensor neck) and the cut was taped so no soap solution would migrate into the active
Area. The sensor was cut to minimize crinkling due to the compound curve
If you are filling the tire instantly (Cheetah tank), make sure the fill tube is on the
opposite side of the sensor location or the sensor may tear.
If you are using a air ring too fill the tire (slow fill), tape the holes which are in line with
sensor so the air will not move the sensor out of position.
Wear ear protectors in case of a tire blow-out
Ensure the proper full scale pressure range has been selected for the application by setting
the color pressure legend to its full raw scale 0 255, 0 being the bottom field and 255 being
the top field. Then position the sensor in the application and load to determine how much of
the full raw scale of the sensor pad you are actually using. A good rule of thumb is to have a
mix of colors such as blues, yellow, green, and possibly brown and some reds. You do not
want to see all red or all blues.
Some canning applications have a full scale range of ~ 0 50 psi while others are ~ 0 350
psi.
Leaving the protective layer on the sensor will improve sensor durability; however, test the
sensor with and without the protective layer to determine if there is a significant difference
in sensitivity.
Miscellaneous
Poissons Ratio:
Ratio of strains
V = E transverse = ratio of transverse contraction strain to longitudinal extension strain
--------------in the direction of the stretching force.
E longitudinal
V is typically negative (compressive). Tensile is positive.
Stress = Force per unit Area = F / A = lbs. / in.^2 = PSI
Miscellaneous
Youngs Modulus:
E = Stress = [ F / A ]
= [ F / A ] * [Lo / Delta L ]
--------- ---------------Strain
[Delta L / Lo]
Foams:
Impact Foams
Flexible PVC foam 5230 / E = 100 kPa / Poissons Ratio = V = 0.5
EVA Foam (ethylene vinyl acetate) Density = 30 kgm^3
Foam Blend ESI (40% Dow ethylene styrene interpolymer / 60% lower density
polyethylene). Density = 53 kg / m^3