Test rig automation
An apparently simple application to develop a control system for railway distributor valves turned out to be quite complex for AG Measurematics
Working for a large company, which manufactures distributor valves (DV) for railways, AG Measurematics developed application software to control its DV test rig.
This application demanded the measurement of pressures at different points and the on/off control of about sixteen solenoid valves.
This seemingly simple application became very comlex when we started to automate the entire testing process.
As many as 25 different tests were required to be conducted in a specifed sequence.
Each test had different set of initial conditions, control sequence during the test, measurement of pressures at different and pre-defined stages, display requirements and test stop conditions.
Results of different types were required for each tests.
Working with this set of basic requirements, we developed a very comprehensive, flexible and powerful software, which was named, very aptly, Automate.
Automate is an application software designed to support our very versatile and well-proven data acquisition system AI8000+.
This system has capability of being supplied in very many different configurations.
It is very simple to setup - it can be connected to a computer through RS232 (serial) port.
Its input-output capabilities include analogue input, pulse train input, digital input, digital output and analogue input.
Its architecture permits its channel capacity to expanded to over 1400 point of inputs and outputs.
However, for the application of automating the testing on a DV test rig we configured the AI8000+ for 16 analogue inputs for pressure transducers and LVDTs and 16 digital ouputs (relays).
This Windows compatible software allows the user to add and setup each test separately in a tst file.
For different components one can have different tst files.
At the end of each test the test results, as programmed, are displayed.
Test reports, with embedded graphs and test results, are generated through a printer.
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