StrainBook/616

Ethernet-Based Strain Gage Measurement SystemFeatures• 8-channels built-in, expandable up to
64 channels per StrainBook• Multiple StrainBooks can be synchronized for applications >64 channels• Expansion options for voltage,­temperature, vibration, and soundmeasurements• High-speed Ethernet interface forcontinuous measurement transfer tothe PC• 1 MHz scanning A/D converter, withsimultaneous sample and hold oneach channel, guaranteeing channelto-channel match to within 100 nsec
• 100% programmable, no mechanicalpots to adjust• Full, half, and quarter arm support• 60 to 1000 Ohm bridge• Software-selected Shunt-Cal• Independent filter per channel• Programmable excitation source• DC operable for in-vehicle ­applications

Software• Includes WaveView for Out-of-the-Box
setup, acquisition, & real-time display:– Scope mode for real-time waveform
display– Logger mode for continuous streaming to disk
• Comprehensive drivers for DASYLab®,LabVIEW®, Visual C++®, Visual C#®,Visual Basic®, and Visual Basic® .NET
• Supported Operating Systems:
Windows 7/Vista/XP SP2,
32-bit or 64-bit
StrainBook/616 is a compact and portablestrain gage measurement system thatconnects to your PC’s Ethernet port.
Eight channels of strain measurement
are built into the StrainBook, and up
to 64 ­channels can be measured with
one StrainBook using 8-channel WBK16­options. For applications with more than64 ­channels, multiple StrainBook systems
can be combined and synchronized fora virtually limitless number of strain
measurement channels. The StrainBook
is also capable of measuring voltage,temperature, ­vibration, and sound using
other WBK signal ­conditioning options.

Measurement Computing

The Ethernet-based StrainBook/616 provides from 8 to 64 channels of automated bridge
measurements
WaveView software is included with theStrainBook, providing all set-up, dataacquisition, real-time display, and ­storage
to disk without having to program.
WaveView supports up to 64 channels ofstrain, voltage, or sound/vibration inputs.
For applications beyond 64 channels, orfor custom applications, ­comprehensive
drivers are included for DASYLab,­LabVIEW, Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual
Basic, and Visual Basic .NET.
Built into the StrainBook is a 16-bit, 1 MHz
A/D converter that scans all selected channels at 1 µsec per channel and continuouslytransmits acquired data to the PC in realtime. The only limit to the total amountof data acquired or the duration of a testis the storage capacity on the host PC. The
StrainBook hardware includes simultaneous sample and hold (SSH) amplifiers on
every channel. When the SSH option
is turned on, all channels are measured
within 100 ns of each other. In general,the maximum StrainBook sampling rate
per channel is equal to 1 MHz divided by
the number of configured analog input
channels. However, this maximum sampling rate is reduced for applications thatuse the SSH option or multiple analog
trigger channels.
The StrainBook supports a wide range ofbridge values for full-, half-, and quarterbridge configurations. Excitation voltage(508) 946-5100

1with remote sensing is supplied from aninternal supply, eliminating the need for an
external voltage source. The StrainBook’s
wide gain ranges and filter selection (seespecifications) also make it an excellent
general purpose or high-gain ­amplifier forother transducer inputs.
All input signals are attached via eight DB9connectors on the front of the unit. Each of
the eight channels has an ­independent gainstage, software ­programmable in 86 steps
from 1 to 20,000, providing optimal gain
for any strain application. The excitation
source is accurate to ±5 mV with very low
drift over time. The dual excitation sources
are set through software for 0.5, 1, 2, 5, and10 volt excitation, and can be used in eithera standard or 6-wire Kelvin configuration.
Each source is individually current limited to
85 mA to protect against accidental shorts.
Both high-pass AC coupling and low-passnoise rejection filtering can be enabledthrough software. Two 4-pole Butterworth
filters factory-set to corner frequencies of
10 Hz or 1 kHz can be selected. The filters
can be user-modified over a range of 2 Hz to
20 kHz simply by inserting a user-­supplied
resistor pack.
Unlike most strain instruments with a single
fixed configuration, the WBK16 ­allows multiple bridge configurations to be establishedin advance on a user-­installed header.

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StrainBook/616
General Information

Once installed, each configuration can be selected through software at the time of operation. Each header supports two half bridge
resistors, three quarter bridge values and three shunt cal values
per channel. All configurations can be selected via software on a
per-channel basis.

Unlike example programs that many suppliers provide withdata acquisition hardware, WaveView is a full-featured acquisition and display package designed to quickly configure strain,load cell, pressure, and other sensors for your data-logging anddisplay applications.

Three user-provided, software-selectable, shunt-calibration resistors can be installed on each channel, enabling each to be put
into a known imbalance condition to set channel calibration.
Shunt-Cal allows a full scale gain without physically loading thebridge to capacity.

WaveView’s intuitive approach to hardware control simplifies
system setup by automatically querying the StrainBook uponconnection to your PC. As WBK options are added for signal
conditioning or increased system channel count, WaveView’schannel configuration spreadsheet automatically expands toaccommodate the additional channels. Specific channel characteristics, such as gain, unipolar/bipolar, and channel labels,
are automatically updated, and any additional functionality(such as low-pass filtering, filter cutoff, or excitation output),
automatically appear in the channel-configuration spreadsheet.
WaveView is also designed for easy operation with other analysis
packages, providing data in formats compatible with a varietyof analysis ­packages.

Balancing the bridge is quick and convenient, since there are nopots to adjust. Simply select the channels to auto-­balance andthe StrainBook does the rest. Auto-balance removes the static
portion of the strain load and auto zeros the input to compensate
for any input drift.

WaveView Out-of-the-Box Software
WaveView is a Windows®-based setup and acquisition application that allows you to configure, display, and save data to disk
within minutes of taking the StrainBook out of the box. WaveView
provides a point-and-click interface to simplify StrainBook operations by allowing setup of all hardware, ­including the field added
WBK expansion options, all ­without ­programming.

Easy Strain Setup
Whether you are working with strain gages, pressure transducers,
load cells or some other strain based gage, WaveView’s pointand-click configuration makes the setup easy.

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WaveView supports various sensor types including strain

Type in your units of choice and user labels for quick signal

3 identification.

1 gages, pressure transducers, load cells, and piezoresistive
accelerometers.

2

IOtech’s smart cell approach to data entry takes the guess

4 work out what data is needed. Only the cells that require yourEasily calibrate various strain configurations using one ofthree user added shunt calibration resistors or the two point
manual method. In addition, name plate and two point auto
is available for load, pressure, and other transducers. The
date is automatically recorded at the time of calibration.

Measurement Computing(508) 946-5100

input are made visible based on your sensor type ­selection.

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StrainBook/616

General Information & Specifications
Specifications

Scan and Trigger Configuration
The StrainBook’s powerful event-capture capability is made available through the simple, fill-in-the-blank style dialog boxes inWaveView. In addition to single-channel, manual, and ­external TTL
triggering, advanced triggering for multichannel, ­digital ­pattern,
and pulse trigger is also available. When using multichannel trigger all channels can be combined with ­Boolean “AND” & “OR”
operators to begin the acquisition at the right time. In digital pattern mode, the StrainBook triggers on a user-defined bit patternmaking it easy to associate analog data with digital sequences.

Channels: 8 built-in, expandable to 64
Input Connector: Standard female DB9 per channel
Input Type: Differential
Input Impedance: 100M Ohms
Coupling: AC and DC, software selectable
Accuracy  Offset Drift: 1µV RTI/˚C
CMRR @ DC to 60 Hz: 100 dB at gains > 100
Cross-Talk Rejection:  > 90 dB @ less than 1 kHzBandwidth
50 kHz @ gains < 1 to 100
10 kHz @ gains > 100 to 2000
1 kHz @ gains > 2000
Bridge Configuration
Full-bridge (4 and 6 wire)Half-bridge
Quarter-bridge (2 and 3 wire)
Bridge Completion: User supplied resistors on removable headers(headers included)
Bridge Resistance: 60 to 1000 Ohms
Overall Gain: 1 to 20,000, software selectable in 86 steps
Shunt Calibration: Software selection of 3 user-supplied resistors
Auto-Balance: Selected per channel
Auto-Calibration: Either by actual measurement or by calculated load
Offset Adjustment±3 V RTI @ gains 1 to 10±300 mV RTI @ gains 10 to 100±30 mV RTI @ gains 100 to 2000
±3 mV RTI @ gains 2000 to 20000
Excitation Source: Two banks can be independently set to 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0,10.0 VDC, or “off” Bank 1 is for channels 1 through 4; Bank 2 is for channels
5 through 8
Excitation Accuracy:  ±5 mV
Excitation Capacity: 85 mA per channel with fold-back current limiting
Filtering: 4-pole Butterworth, software-selectable and factory-set to 10 Hz, 1 kHz,or bypass; field-changeable
Warm-up: 30 minutes to rated specifications
Environment: Operating: 0 to 50 ˚C, 0 to 95% RH, non-condensing
Storage Temperature:  -20 to 70 ˚CPower Consumption: 1.22A @ 15V (min); 1.84A @ 15V (max)Input Power Voltage Range: 10 to 30 VDC
Vibration: MIL STD 810, Category 1 and 10PC Communication: 10/100BaseT Ethernet
Dimensions: 285 mm W x 220 mm D x 70 mm H (11” x 8.5” x 2.70”)
Weight: 1.32 kg (2.9 lb)

Scope ModeUnlike a traditional scope with only two to four channels,
WaveView’s Scope Mode allows any eight channels within asystem to be displayed. WaveView is not handicapped by thesmall memory limitations of DSOs, and dynamically and transparently allocates a PC’s RAM prior to beginning an acquisition.
A simple point-and-click is all that’s necessary to initiate acquisitions. Because the data is already in the PC’s RAM, a second
point-and-click on the disk icon automatically saves data to disk
for import into PostView, a post-acquisition waveform review
package included with WaveView, or into analysis ­packages, suchas DADiSP™, or Excel®.

Logger Mode
For applications where PC RAM is insufficient to record the entire
test or where rapid back-to-back recordings need to be saved to disk,
WaveView provides a Logger Mode. It complements WaveView’s
Scope Mode by allowing continuous data recording directly todisk. Logger Mode can auto-increment file names to provide theunattended capture of millions of back-to-back events, without
user intervention. Acquired data can be stored in several dataformats for direct import to packages such as Excel, or PostView.

LabVIEW® Support
Extensive LabVIEW support is provided for the StrainBook, including expansion and signal conditioning modules. IOtech dataacquisition VIs for LabVIEW are more than just simple hardware
access VIs; they are complete with engineering data conversion,
data display, and ­logging ­capabilities.

Triggering
Multi-Channel Analog Trigger (up to 64 channels)  
Range: Selectable per channel to input range
Latency: 2 µs/channel, plus 4 µs max
TTL Trigger
Input Signal Range: 0 to 5V
Input Characteristics: TTL-compatible with 10k Ohm pull-up resistor
Latency: 300 ns
Software Trigger
Latency: 100 µs typDASYLab®
If your application requirements go beyond the scope ofWaveView, DASYLab software offers a great degree of flexibility
and customization. You can learn DASYLab in a matter of days,
without the weeks of training required for some other icon-based
application-­development software.

Measurement Computing(508) 946-5100

External ClockConnector: Available on DB25 digital input
Input Signal Range: 5V TTL compatible
Input Characteristics: 50k Ohms pull up (to +5V) in parallel with 50 pF
Input Protection: Zener clamped -0.7 to +5V
Delay: 200 ns
Signal Slew Rate Requirement: 20V/µs min
Rate: Up to 1 MHz
Divisor Ratio: Divide by 1 through 255, selectable
Clock Counter Accuracy: <0.02%
Clock Counter Range: 0.01 Hz to 100 kHz

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StrainBook/616

Specifications & Ordering Information
External Sync Ports
Number of External Sync Ports: 2, on rear panel
Maximum Number of Units to be Synchronized: 4 units, scan synchronous(post trigger)
Maximum Length of Sync Cables: 15 ft. (4.57 m), total for all cables

Sequencer
Operation: Programmable for channel, gain, and for unipolar/bipolar range inrandom order
Depth: 128 location
Channel-to-Channel Rate: 1 µs to 1.1 µs/channel, all channels equal
Maximum Repeat Rate: 1 MHz
Minimum Repeat Rate: 100 seconds per scan
Expansion Channel Sample Rate: Same as on-board channels, 1 to 1.1 µs, fixed

The WBK10A adds eight differential analog inputs

High-Speed Digital Inputs/General-Purpose Outputs
Connector: DB25 Female
Configuration: 16 TTL-compatible pins, selectable for input or outputInput Characteristics: TTL-compatible
Output Characteristics: ALS TTL output in series with 33 Ohms
Output Updates: Outputs may be changed via program control
Input/Output Protection: Diode clamped to ground and +5V

The WBK15 provides up to 8 isolated analog input channels

Period Counter
Operation: Internal counter calculates and reports the external clock’s period;
counter can be read with each scan
Clock Counter Accuracy: <0.02% error
Clock Counter Range: 0.01 Hz to 100 kHz

Ordering Information

Description
8 channel Ethernet-based strain gage measurement system,
including WaveView software; support for Visual Studio®
and Visual Studio® .NET; and comprehensive drivers forDASYLab®, and LabVIEW®

Part No.

The WBK16 provides eight channels of strain gage input

StrainBook/616

Expansion Options
8-channel voltage expansion option for the StrainBook
WBK10A
Simultaneous sample and hold option for the WBK10A
WBK11/HR
Programmable filter option for the WBK10AWBK12A
Simultaneous sample and hold plus filter option for the WBK10A
WBK13A
8-channel isolated multifunction option for the StrainBook(5B signal conditioning options sold separately)
WBK15
8-channel strain gage expansion option for the StrainBook
with simultaneous sample and hold
WBK16/SSH
8-channel strain gage expansion option for the StrainBook(without simultaneous sample and hold)
WBK16
8-channel counter/position encoder option for the StrainBook
WBK17
8-channel ICP accelerometer/microphone option for the StrainBook
WBK18
14-channel TC option for the StrainBook(Note: not supported in WaveView software – requires
DASYLab or a user-developed application with LabVIEWor Windows® language)
WBK40
14-channel TC option, plus 4 counter inputs, for the StrainBook(Note: not supported in WaveView software – requires
DASYLab or a user-developed application with LabVIEWor Windows language)		
WBK41

The WBK18 provides a full set of features for making dynamic signalmeasurements

AccessoriesHeader connector*			
Shunt and completion resistor header*Connector/adapter DB9 to screw terminal

CN-115
CN-115-1
CN-189SoftwareIcon-based data acquisition, graphics, control, and analysis
software with StrainBook driver

The WBK41 provides thermocouple and counter inputs (not supportedin WaveView)DASYLab* The CN-115 header is used for axial leaded bridge completion resistors. The
CN-115-1 can be used with both axial leaded and upright (square) precisionresistors. See user’s manual for assembly instructions.

Measurement Computing(508) 946-5100

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