DC Potential Drop Crack Monitor Software

DC Potential Drop Crack Monitor Software
For MTS TestStar and FlexTest Controllers
Benefits
Automated Testing
� Allows you to automate your
fatigue or creep crack growth
testing on a wide variety of
specimens.
More Convenience
� Works with other standard MTS
products to accelerate your
learning curve.
More Versatility
� In conjunction with TestWare ®—
SX or MultiPurpose TestWare
applications*, MTS DCPD CM
allows you to run spectrum
fatigue crack growth, creepfatigue
crack growth, or fatigue
crack growth with overloads.
Faster, Repeatable Test Setup
� Monitor Settings can be stored
and retrieved allowing setups to
be reused for different specimens.
* MTS DCPD CM is typically used with
TestWare SX or MTS Fatigue Crack Growth
application SW on the TestStar II platform,
or Multipurpose Test Ware or MTS Fatigue
Crack Growth application on the TestStar IIs/
IIm/FlexTest SE & GT platform.
MTS DC Potential Drop Crack Length
Monitor (DCPD CM) application software
calculates crack length on a loaded specimen
using the reversing DC potential drop
method. Monitoring load and potential
(voltage) data from both a loaded and reference
specimen, it calculates crack length
by calculating ratios of potential on both
the reference and loaded specimen. The
current is switched on and off, or reversed,
to correct for thermal couple effects. An
appropriate calibration equation is then
applied to the ratios resulting in the specimen
crack length. The calculated crack
length is provided to other application
programs and any external data acquisition
devices that can read a high level (0-10
Volt) analog output. Using other programs
on MTS digital control platforms, you can
periodically store the crack length data to
disk for further analysis.
Simple User Interface
MTS DCPD CM application software uses
a single screen window to configure the
monitor and display the crack length to
the user. You can start and stop the crack
m
length calculation with buttons in the
monitor window. Another button opens
a simple text file configuring the monitor.
The text file can be created in any word
processor or text editor, such as Microsoft
Word or Notepad. The configuration file
identifies parameters such as input signals,
output channels, crack length calculation
rate (including settling time), specimen
geometry, and data limits.
Custom or Standard Calibration
If your specimen has a simple, standard
geometry, the software probably contains
the calibration coefficients needed to run
your test for typical lead placement. If
not, you can add the coefficients needed
to run the configuration allowing you to
run special or proprietary specimens or
lead placements. Standard geometry specimens
include C(T), and M(T).
MTS Compatible
Using other applications for waveform
generation and data acquisition keeps the
DCPD CM application simple. If you only
want to precrack the specimen, applica-

Accessories
Cables for TestStar II
� Powered switching cable for
older Fracture Technology
Associates hardware
� Un-powered switching cable
(used with newer Fracture Technology
Associates hardware)
� Analog input cables, BNC
connectors
Cables for TestStar IIs
� Powered switching cable for
older Fracture Technology
Associates hardware
� Un-powered switching cable
(used with newer Fracture Technology
Associates hardware)
� Analog input cables, BNC
connectors
� MTS Model 793.45 A/D daughter
card (required)
Cables for TestStar IIm/
FlexTest GT
� Powered switching cable for
older Fracture Technology
Associates hardware
� Un-powered switching cable
(used with newer Fracture Technology
Associates hardware)
� Analog input cables, BNC
connectors
� MTS Model 793.45 A/D daughter
card (required)
� MTS Model 793.46 D/A daughter
card (required for full functionality)
� MTS 793 Digital I/O (required for
full functionality)
Cables for FlexTest SE
� Power or unpowerd switching
cable
� Analog input cables, BNC
connectors
� MTS Model 793.45 A/D daughter
card (required)
Suggested DCPD Electronics
� Fracture System Research DCPD
electronics including
• Model PD 510 current amplifier
• Model PD 502 Dual PD Amplifier
• Modified Tektronix TM506A
chassis
MTS Systems Corporation
14000 Technology Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55344-2290 USA
Toll Free: 800·944·1687
Phone: 952·937·4555
Fax: 952·937·4515
E-mail: info@mts.com
www.mts.com
ISO 9001:2000 CERTIFIED QMS
tions such as MTS Function Generator or
Station Exerciser provide simple waveforms.
The control platform’s limit detectors
can be used to detect a specified crack
length and shut down waveform generation.
For more complicated waveforms, generalpurpose
applications like MTS TestWare-
SX or MultiPurpose TestWare must be used.
General-purpose applications can provide
complicated wave shapes including hold
times, overloads, and spectrum file playback.
These applications can also be used
to store data, including crack lengths, to
disk at various crack length increments or
time intervals. You can analyze this crack
length data after the test using Microsoft
Excel or other standard analysis tools.
Use MTS or Existing Hardware
MTS DCPD CM allows you to continue to
use any DC potential drop equipment you
already have in your lab. You can configure
the DCPD in a variety of ways to take
advantage of your previous investment.
For labs with an existing “black box” DC
potential drop measurement system, thermally
corrected potentials can be presented
to the DCPD CM and a crack length will
be calculated. In this instance, the DCPD
CM will not switch the current. For labs
that do not use reference potentials, the
DCPD CM can be configured to calculate
an appropriate crack length with no corrections
for possible current drift or mate-
m
rial resistance. The DCPD CM software can
also be configured to work on systems with
long settling times or systems requiring digital
filtering or averaging.
Simultaneous Multiple
Specimen Monitoring
Because MTS DCPD CM runs on Windows
NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP multiple
copies of the application can be run
to monitor the crack length of multiple
specimens in the load train. This allows
you to increase your testing efficiency
by running multiple load-controlled specimens
at once.
The DC Potential Drop Crack Length
Monitor application program provides a
simple method to calculate, acquire and
make decisions during your test using
crack length data calculated using the
reversing DC potential drop method.
Availability
MTS DCPD CM is an optional application
available on new MTS FlexTest SE and
FlexTest GT controllers. It is also available
as an add-on feature for existing TestStar
and FlexTest controllers on Windows NT,
Windows 2000, or Windows XP.
Requirements
The TestStar IIs/IIm/FlexTest SE & GT
version of the DCPD CM application
requires the 793.45 6-channel A/D option.
The TestStar IIm/FlexTest GT version also
requires the 793.46 6-channel D/A option
for full functionality. The Model 793 version
of DCPD CM requires system software
793.00 V3.2 or greater. The Model
790 version of DCPD CM requires system
software 790.00 V4.0D or greater. All versions
require some simple cables, and
DCPD electronics.
For More Information
Contact your local MTS sales engineer for
more information on MTS CCM software.
Or, e-mail us (info@mts.com) Visit MTS
on the web at www.mts.com
Specifications subject to change without notice.
MTS and TestWare are registered trademarks and
TestStar and FlexTest are trademarks of MTS
Systems Corporation. RTM No. 211177. Microsoft,
Microsoft Word, Windows NT, and Windows 2000
and are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
© 2004 MTS Systems Corporation.
100-056-971a DCPotential Printed in U.S.A. 5/04