SubscribeThis month, ACAL Microsystems are introducing the 76CS2 from the North Atlantic stable.
The 76CS2 is a single slot card contains separate transformer isolated Synchro/Resolver-to-Digital tracking converters with an optional internal 5 VA reference, and extensive diagnostics.
System reliability has been substantially improved by the in-built diagnostic which immediately alerts the user to channel malfunctions, at the same time reducing bus traffic because the Status Registers do not require constant polling.
One on line and two off line tests can be selected:
D2 - This test for measurement channels initiates automatic background bit testing. Every 5°, each channel is tested to an accuracy of 0.05°. The user transparent tests need no external programming, can be enabled via the bus and do not affect standard operation. Failures trigger an interrupt, if enabled, with results showing in the S/D Test Status Registers.
D3 - or Post Test, if enabled, is an initiated bit test that isolates all input channels from the outside connecting them across internal test signals that generate and test 72 different angles to an accuracy of 0.05°, without an external reference, with failures triggering an interrupt. Enable / disable is via the bus and no external programming is required.
D0 - Card and interface check. All inputs are again isolated from the outside and connected across internal test signals allowing the user to write any angle to the card and read the data from the interface. Again no external reference is required.
The measurement channels can be field configured for either single or multi-speed to any ratio between 2 and 255 and incorporate Synchro/Resolver inputs, high linearity digital velocity outputs and angle change alert.
Having the unique capability to automatically shift to higher bandwidths, the S/D channels never lose tracking and even when large accelerations are encountered the shifting is smooth and continuous with no glitches. Tracking rates are only limited to bandwidth restrictions, up to 150 RPS, at 16-bit resolution. A "Latch" feature permits the user to read all channels at the same time and the use of Type II servo loop processing techniques enables full accuracy tracking up to the specified tracking rate. A step input will not cause any hang-up condition.
Intermediate transparent latches assure that current valid data is always available for any channel without affecting the tracking performance of the converters. For two-speed applications, the ambiguity circuits maintain monotonic outputs by compensating for variations of the zero positions between the Coarse and Fine Synchros. However, if the maximum allowable angle difference of 90°/n is exceeded, a flag will be set that indicates to the user that the input Synchros are out of alignment.