ESA

Mechanical Data Handling

General Description

The Mechanical Data Handling (MDH) facilities provide data acquisition, data reduction and data presentation for vibration, micro-vibration, acoustic and shock testing.

The acquisition system can handle up to 800 various analogue inputs and consists of three mobile/modular 196 and two 48 channel racks, interconnected to the test article via mobile patch panels. Two additional racks provide each 64 bridge type input channels and can be added to the other racks. Thanks to versatile patch panels, the instrumentation lines stay connected to the test article when moving from one facility to the other and where they can be easily reconnected to the acquisition racks.

The MDH mostly used to support and perform tests with the following facilities:

  • HYDRA
  • LEAF
  • VIB 160 – VIB 320
  • VIB 80
  • QUAD

but the system can also be used to support stand-alone tests, e.g. deployment and drop tests, at ESTEC or at the customer’s premises.

ESA
TECHNICAL PARAMETERS

Charge amplifier for Piezo-electric transducers 

(type Siemens Scadas Lab SCL-VC8-ER): 

Input range

±3160 pC to ±100000 pC 

Frequency bandwidth

92 kHz 

(Sampling rate max. 204 kHz)

Dynamic range

> 95 dB 

Amplitude accuracy

±0.1 % 

Programmable AC coupling of 0.5Hz and 5Hz cut-off frequency 

Amplifier for ICP’s (TEDS) 

(type Siemens Scadas Lab SCL-VC8-ER): 

Voltage input range

±316 mV to ±10 V 

Frequency bandwidth

92 kHz (Sampling rate max. 204 kHz)

Dynamic range

> 100 dB 

Amplitude accuracy

0.2 %

ICP supply

4 mA 

ICP sensor power supply incl. TEDS (Transducer Electronic Data Sheet) 

IEEE 1451.4

Bridge amplifier for strain gauges 

(Siemens Scadas Lab SCL-VB8III-RT): 

Bridge configuration: Full bridge, half bridge and quarter bridge

120 ohm and 350 ohm 

Automatic bridge nulling and calibration 

Frequency bandwidth

20 kHz

Dynamic range

> 90 dB

Amplitude accuracy

±0.1 %