MANNER MAsterminD – a modular, flexible, remotely expandable and freely configurable near-field telemetry for all common sensor types with 24 bit
In the past, measurement technology was often ordered for one specific measurement task. However, the costs of the measurement technology make it an investment good, which should ideally be suitable for different tasks.
Since the measuring tasks of measurement engineers are diverse, especially in the rotating area, in the past often several telemetry systems had to be procured for different measuring tasks.
Sometimes one channel is sufficient for a standard torque measurement, but often other variables such as strain, pressure, axial force or even temperatures with PT 100 or thermocouples have to be measured later in a measurement application.
Instead of 1-4, there are often 8, 12 or even 16 or more measuring channels with different sensor applications. The user-friendliness and connectivity of different sensor types are therefore of decisive importance.
A lengthy evaluation of possible future measurement tasks is in turn time-consuming and difficult to do in advance.
Especially in times of Covid-19, budgets are sometimes tight or only small investments are possible without a long approval process – a flexibly configurable and expandable system offers enormous advantages here.
To provide our customers with the greatest possible flexibility, our new multi-channel telemetry MasterMind offers flexibly configurable telemetry that can also be expanded retrospectively.
It is a measurement amplifier construction kit – modular, flexible, remotely expandable and freely configurable sensor signal amplifiers.
The module MasterMind
In the compact 4-channel design, the system can be purchased in standard enclosures as well as in customised enclosures. The 4-channel modules and a power supply module can be expanded as desired by purchasing several modules. The other modules are controlled by flexible interconnection via the master module. In total, between 4 and up to 128 channels can be realised with one system.
The possible distance between the individual 4-channel modules should also be emphasised. Up to 500mm distance per module can be realised here. This means that even in large and complex machines with widely spaced measuring points, a measurement can be realised with one system.
Each module is very compact with the dimensions: 33.5 mm x 23 mm x 5 mm and can therefore be used in a variety of ways if the installation space does not require direct application.
Of course, several 4-channel modules can also be built into one housing:
Remote sensor selection
By means of software, the respective sensor for the respective channel can be selected and parameterised remotely. The user can select from a variety of sensor types (half, full, quarter bridge, isolated and non-isolated thermocouples, RTD sensor, etc.) and has the option of performing the hardware tests.
Remote adjustable sampling rates
By means of software, the desired sampling rate or the acquired signal bandwidth of the measurement signals can be selected remotely. This allows filter frequencies to be selected as required and annoying interfering signals to be suppressed.
The MasterMind module can be used with all common MANNER transmission methods: for small transmission rates/low module numbers up to high-speed.
The concept is completed by our new MAcquisition measuring, configuration, data acquisition, monitoring and data analysis software. When configuring the sensor type, the connection is also conveniently displayed, thus offering maximum user comfort.
In addition to monitoring functions for your telemetry system, the software allows new data visualisation options, including an integrated oscilloscope that offers extensive online analysis options.
Figure 1: Setting the sensor type in the channel interface
Extension of the number of channels of the system
With the associated programming unit, up to 128 channels can be re-parameterised and interconnected. The decisive advantage: You may have only bought a 4-channel telemetry system in the first step, but this can now be expanded.
If initially only a 4-channel system is desired, the system is pre-configured by us for this purpose.
By importing a new configuration, the system can be expanded to up to 128 channels.
Figure 2: Cascaded 4-channel amplifier expanded to 128 channels.
Figure 3: Design of a digital evaluation unit – optionally also possible in analogue form in the tabletop unit