Dearman is an innovative technology company developing zero-emission power and cooling solutions. At the heart of Dearman’s technology portfolio is an innovative piston engine powered by the rapid expansion of liquid nitrogen – the Dearman Engine. The Dearman Engine is the first engine to deliver efficient power and cooling from the expansion of a cryogen. Its first application is a zero-emission transport refrigeration system. Performance and durability in application testing is a vital part of its development, so it’s crucial for the company to see all relevant data and to be able to select specific channels for reporting and performance iteration comparisons. With this in mind, Dearman turned to Influx Technology for a vehicle data collection solution. As a North American distributor of Influx, CAS DataLoggers presents this Case Study showing the business benefits.

Installation

Since May 2015, Influx’s Rebel CT Vehicle Datalogger has enabled the Dearman team to remotely monitor the Dearman engine’s health parameters –e.g. pressure and temperature. Due to the compact size and robustness of the Rebel data loggers, they are uniquely suited for problem investigations in the field. The Rebel data logger can be confidently and discretely fitted to customer vehicles to investigate anomalies or performance.

Usage

Offering a complete solution for CANbus network and sensor data, the Rebel CT records any available CANbus parameter such as temperature, speed, and diagnostic trouble codes, DTCs. Setup is easy with no need to write complex scripts so users can start monitoring in minutes. For CANbus datalogger applications, the Rebel data loggers can be used to collect raw CAN messages in a ‘Listen Only’ mode. Additionally, any of the OBD data users require can be acquired without the need for other instrumentation.

The logger features up to 9 CAN bus inputs, a K-Line input, four digital I/O channels, and four analog input channels. This allows robust and reliable collection of data from several sources, without any user interaction, for extended periods. The Rebel CT is also equipped for USB communication and supports SDHC card data storage, with the SD card securely housed behind a flap panel. It is packaged in a robust IP68 enclosure and can be optionally equipped with GPS, an accelerometer, WiFi, and 4G. Users can also opt for a 1kHz internal XYZ accelerometer (+/-16G max), a K-Box, and a dash display.

OEM Engineering Data Acquisition

The Rebel family of data loggers is also ideal for OEM vehicle and powertrain calibration engineering. The high-speed sampling rates acquire internal ECU parameters. Advanced protocols support CCP/xCP and UDS fast data acquisition making the Rebel an ideal tool to support engineering projects.

Benefits

The Influx Rebel CT continues to be an important part of Dearman’s remote monitoring process and vehicle data collection. Its Wifi and 3G/4G connectivity enable both the pioneering operator and the Dearman team to gauge the health and performance of the system remotely. Dearman’s CTO comments:

“The Influx Rebel CT continues to be an important part of our refrigerated transport application development program. Dearman is bringing zero-emission power and cooling technology to market in a compressed time frame, and the Influx Rebel CT has supported our intensive application performance and durability testing program with outstanding reliability.” –Nick Owen, Chief Technology Officer, Dearman

For more information on the Rebel CT Data Logger, more Influx Technology products, vehicle data collection or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS DataLogger Application Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or request more information.

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CAS DataLoggers provided the datalogging solution for an automotive manufacturer who needed to ensure RICE NESHAP compliance, the EPA emissions regulation mandating that diesel engines reduce air pollutant emissions from many categories of new and existing engines. The factory needed to begin retrofitting and testing its diesel engines with emission control devices to meet the 2013 deadline. Following installation of each device, the engines had to be monitored for operating temperature, RPM, pressure and additional parameters for full compliance. Supervisors wanted to have a monitoring system in place well before May 2013, the EPA’s deadline.

Installation

CAS DataLoggers provided the factory with a Series 3 dataTaker DT85 Data Logger along with a CANgate Canbus to Serial Converter, both of which were installed in a test cell area. The DT85 datalogger offered 16 to 48 universal analog inputs and 12 digital channels, 4 high-speed counter inputs, and programmable serial sensor channels, allowing connection to every sensor type used in the factory. The 18-bit resolution measurements were shown on the integrated display. In this way the dataTaker can record almost any physical value including temperature, pressure, RPM, and speed. For example, some engines were fitted with continuous parametric monitoring systems (CPMS), so the dataTaker logged the catalyst pressure along with every other value. If necessary, the DT85 is expandable up to 900 inputs.

Usage

The data logger sent all the data out to the factory’s server over FTP for archiving and later analysis. Users can also choose to connect to the DT85 locally, remotely or over the Internet using the dataTaker’s communications capabilities including RS232 with modem support, Ethernet and USB memory stick ports. The DT85’s user-defined memory stores up to 10 million readings and features independent control of schedule size and mode to record only as long as needed.

The CANgate filters and converts users’ CAN (Controller Area Network) and GPS network data into serial ASCII, recording the real-time data (including temperatures, RPM, brake/ throttle settings, latitude/longitude, speed etc). The gateway then transfers this data to the DT85 for storage. Users can flexibly configure the CANgate to choose the signals they want to log at any given time, apply statistical functions (average, min/max) and pick the format in which data are returned. The CANgate also supports common protocols such as ISO-15765 and SAE-J1939 in addition to raw CAN frames. 2 CAN interface ports allow connection of separate independent CAN networks.

FREE dEX graphical interface software is built-in with dataTaker data loggers allowing easy configuration. Users can apply calculations and diagnostic information to historical data for analysis and view the data in real-time in convenient dashboard format, trend charts and tables. With no applications to install, dEX runs directly from a web browser and can be accessed locally or remotely where a TCP/IP connection is available.

The collected data from the dataTaker allows users to track all the engine values during operation including the CPMS data. Meanwhile, if an engine is running outside of the specified temperature windows, the data logger’s alarm features immediately notify users through SMS messages and emails.

Benefits

The dataTaker helped the factory to get well on its way to long before the deadline. The dataTaker DT85 and CANgate pair functioned well as an engine monitoring system to provide the needed data. During the installing and testing phases, the dataTaker DT85 logged, stored and transferred all the data from every temperature and pressure sensor, taking highly accurate readings from the engines and their attached emissions control systems.

For further information on the dataTaker DT85 data logger, RICE NESHAP compliance, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS Data Logger Application Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or request more information.

The post Auto Factory Ensures RICE NESHAP Compliance with Data Logger appeared first on CAS Dataloggers.

Real-Time Data Collection for Analog, Digital and CANbus Applications

In the automotive industry, Drive-by-wire (AKA X-by-wire) technology has replaced many traditional mechanical control systems with electronic and electro-mechanical control systems including brake-by-wire and electronic throttle control. This has resulted in improved safety and ergonomic designs along with more options in commercial cars. Drive-by-wire systems require rigorous testing and data collection, and for these applications CAS DataLoggers offers ADwin Real-Time Data Acquisition Systems. German manufacturer Jager-ADwin’s systems log signals from Analog and Digital sensors along with CANbus interfaces—all in real time. For more information call CAS DataLoggers at (800) 956-4437 today.

Drive-By-Wire Technology in Today’s Cars:

Modern automotive mechatronic systems employ a complex network of sensors to quickly determine the driver’s intention and to continually check system conditions. Increasingly, automotive designs use contactless sensor solutions to increase both the reliability and availability of mechatronic systems. The inductive measuring principle has proven to be highly suitable for this type of data collection application.

Here position sensors are of central importance. With this sensor technology, the momentary position of accelerators, throttles, leveling systems or turbochargers are reliably determined, all while undergoing demanding industrial environmental test conditions.

Analog, Digital, or CAN–ADwin Keeps Overwatch

The use of the various signal outputs provided by these position sensors depends on the specific measurement task or on the specific manufacturer.
For example, data can be collected from:

• Analog signals (ratiometric, current, voltage)
• Digital signals (PWM)
• CAN bus interfaces

The synchronicity of the data on all these outputs and interfaces is a key criteria in automotive production and development. To accomplish this, many users employ ADwin data acquisition and control systems which are expressly designed for automotive applications.

As a common example in a test environment, ADwin controls a stepping motor for the set point positioning and simultaneously acquires the reference position by an incremental encoder along with all signal outputs of the sensor under test. As an example, ADwin evaluates the time relation between the arrival of a CAN message, an analog signal output, and the reference position value, and then checks for compliance with the specified values. Thus the system can immediately calculate how well the DUT matches the required specifications.

ADwin: Real-Time Data Acquisition:

ADwin benefits:

• High-speed data acquisition can measure transients
• Easy to use
• Quick development time

ADwin systems can be configured individually in order to meet all test specifications.
ADwin data acquisition and control systems are commonly used for automotive test applications for ECUs and other CANbus devices, for actuators, sensors, combustion engines, field bus systems, and many more.

ADwin-light-16 and ADwin-Gold systems are low-cost solutions for applications with few I/O channels and limited expansion or configuration requirements. In contrast, the modular and expandable ADwin-Pro system is recommended for applications with many channels and flexible configurations.

ADwin applications always run in real time. ADwin’s strictly deterministic functioning principle with response times as short as 300 ns ensures that no information gets lost in testing of X-By-Wire components. This is due to the system design which incorporates a local CPU, additional analog and digital interfaces, and expansion options.

Data Analysis:

The PC can access the results on the ADwin system for further analysis and data logging. Since programming in ADbasic is simplified, users quickly gain a clear insight into their components under test. ADwin’s external SDRAM stores the recorded post-test data which has significant value to:

• ECU Manufacturers
• Systems integrators
• 3rd-party Testers

ADwin systems perform all the necessary tests and also perform post-test data analysis. Test information and measurement data is transferred to a control system and displayed on the PC through a graphical user interface (GUI). This is done via Ethernet or a Fieldbus interface. On production lines, a programmable controller is typically connected via Profibus, Interbus, CAN, serial interfaces etc. The ADwin automatically generates a table of the data and this information can then be stored as quality records in the production database.

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