PULSE 17: Our latest analyzer platform release

Sept. 10, 2012 - PRLog -- For vehicles and powertrain engineers, PULSE 17 brings important developments, with new angular analysis software providing a new post-processing application for analysing sound and vibration in the angle domain. Primarily designed for crank-angle analysis of internal combustion engine/powertrain systems, it can however be used to analyse any rotating system where cyclic phenomena need to be investigated.

A new auxiliary input front-end module complements this analysis software. Specially designed for powertrain data acquisition applications, it uniquely supports high-speed tachometer signals on four 51.2 kHz input channels. Together, these two new products allow recording of the signals needed for angle-domain analysis, with a further eight simultaneously sampled low-frequency auxiliary channels.

Our unique time-domain source path contribution technology – for identifying the paths taken from sound sources to the receiver position – gets more workflow enhancements based on extensive work alongside customers. The experience of using the SPC Time Insight user-interface – which allows easy playback and data visualisation – has also been improved, with draw-in filters that give tactile control to the operator, letting them get their hands on the data.

Field pass-by systems now support multiple regional standards, and can calculate to multiple standards during the measurement, rather than having to export data for further calculation. Indoor pass-by is ready for coming new standards that will make this time-saving technology even more applicable. Our system is now available with external noise contribution analysis that shows the contributions from each individual source to the exterior sound. Further quality improvements include setup and organisational optimisation that make it faster to load desired data, and more efficient selectivity options.

The array acoustic suite has been enhanced with the addition of two dedicated moving-source beamforming options for road vehicles and rail vehicles. There are also three new acoustic holography options for in-cabin beamforming applications: panel contribution which quantifies the contributions of each interior panel to the sound pressure at the driver’s ear, intensity component analysis enabling mapping of the sound field inside reverberant cabins, and in situ sound absorption testing on components such as aircraft windows.

For telephone testing, a powerful new testing platform is set to provide a standardised approach to voice testing of telephones in a fast, reliable and efficient way, in both real-time and post-processing workflows. Using a network simulator, the full receive-and-transmit signal paths are measured, giving realistic measurements of telephone performance. Automation features cut time and help with reporting, and modules are available to fulfil different testing standards.

Finite Element models are much easier to update and refine with correlation analysis software that shortens the time needed from concept to production stages by correlating FE and test models. By bridging the gap between the discrete disciplines of design and experimental analysis, the software improves testing strategies for structural models, allowing users to relate prototypes and computer models at any time in the design process. This can significantly compress development stages and allows more design iterations, as well as vastly improving the ease of updating FE models. Very powerful and able to work as a stand-alone program, it is unique in offering these comparison capabilities within the test environment.

Other structural dynamics improvements include new batch processing techniques that speed up calculations in what is already a mature, stable and powerful solution. Large FE models can now be imported into PULSE Reflex Modal Analysis and manipulated more easily, and Abaqus® FE programs can now be interfaced with. Many more quality enhancements include to the handling of information tables, more nuanced selectivity, and interactivity improvements that help to smoothly visualise and animate large geometric models quickly. Models have more instantly graspable information with dynamic point numbering that intelligently responds to provide more information when zooming in.

Sound quality engineering software is now introduced to assist with relating human sound quality perceptions to quantifiable parameters and metrics, and help with sound design. This software – PULSE Reflex Sound Quality Metrics – includes a comprehensive range of metrics including tonality and articulation index.

Hardware flexibility and connectivity is improved with five new connector front-panels for the LAN-XI data acquisition hardware. These are quickly swappable making the modular LAN-XI system even more flexible, and making the same module work with different cables and connectors. A new array front panel bridges many combined modules to connect 132 channels in one quick movement.  

For more information, please visit: http://bksv.com/Products/pulse-analyzer/pulse-platform/la...