For data acquisition at speeds up to 100 kHz, choose the Microlink 770 unit with Streamer software.

Features

• Includes the Streamer high speed data acquisistion software for Windows: no programming required.
• Measures temperature, strain, pressure, voltage or current through 16 analogue input channels.
• Quick to install and easy to use.
• A 16-bit analogue-to-digital converter gives high resolution readings.
• For more accurate timing than your computer's clock allows, you can connect an external crystal-controlled clock.
• Save data both before and after an event (pre- and post-trigger data). Useful for seeing, for example, what happened immediately before a fault occurred.
• Use the 770 to start other equipment simultaneously with data capture.
• A digital input into the 770 lets other equipment trigger data capture.
• Alternatively wait until 1 or 2 readings cross a threshold before automatically starting to collect data. For example, when the temperature goes above or below your set points. signals for example - without losing resolution.
• Exclude channels from a scan if necessary. This lets you use the 770 with different set-ups without having to rewire.
• Set both the interval between reading each channel (thermocouple, strain gauge, etc), and how often all channels are read. For example, you may choose to wait a millisecond between reading each channel, but after the last channel has been read pause for 10 seconds before starting again.
• Independent input ranges let you mix different types of measurements - thermocouples and 4-20 mA process
• Free technical support for life

Temperature, Strain, Pressure and Current

Depending on your transducers, you might need extra hardware units to make your connections. For example, for thermocouples you will need a Microlink 593 box which provides cold junction measurement. (When monitoring thermocouples it is essential that the system knows the temperature of one of the thermocouple junctions. Housing this junction in the Microlink 593 isothermal box keeps the temperature constant, and a cold junction sensor in the box tells the system the temperature. You connect the thermocouple wires to screw terminals in the 593 isothermal box, and connect the terminals to the Microlink 770 unit with a ribbon cable. The 593 also detects broken thermocouple leads for you.)

For strain you would use a Microlink 594, which enables the 770 USB unit to monitor strain gauge bridges and balanced bridges such as pressure transducers. With the 594 unit you can configure individual channels to accept any of these inputs:

• voltage
• quarter bridge: single strain gauge
• half bridge: tensile + compressive strain gauge
• half bridge: normal + transverse strain gauge
• full bridge: 2 tensile + 2 compressive gauges
• full bridge: 2 normal + 2 transverse gauges
• full bridge: tensile normal + compressive normal + tensile transverse + compressive transverse gauge

For current measurement choose the 590-8A Current Connection Box.

Software

Windmill Software, including the high speed Streamer mondule, is included in the Microlink 770 package.

Streamer saves data to disk and can capture pre- and post-trigger data. It has built-in linearisation for 8 types of thermocouple and Pt100 sensors, and can balance strain gauge bridges.

You can view several charts of data as Streamer collects it. By choosing different time scales you can see, for example, long- and short-term trends.

Streamer can save data in a variety of formats. These include ASCII for loading into software like Excel, and binary for compact file storage. Streamer runs under Windows 98 and later.

Powerful, Easy-to-Use, Fast

There are three steps to data acquisition and control.

1. Plug the 770 into your computer’s USB port—no need to switch off your PC or even restart Windows.
2. Connect your sensors and signals to the Microlink.
3. Load the Windmill software and you’re ready to start capturing data.

The combination of the elegant design of the Microlink 770, the ease of use of the universal serial bus and the exceptional Windmill software for Windows ensures a simple yet powerful system.

Ideal for Portable Applications

The compact Microlink 770 system is ideal for portable applications, such as collecting data from moving vehicles. Other applications include crash testing, product testing and dynamic strain measurement.

Hardware Specifications

 Dimensions (mm)           180 x 120 x 40
 Maximum length of cable   5 m
 Maximum distance from PC can be increased by 
 use of USB hubs
ANALOGUE INPUTS
 Number of inputs        16
Maximum safe input voltage:
 Computer on         ±35 V
 Computer off        ±20 V
 Ranges (V)              ±10, ±1, ±0.1
 Common mode range       ±10 V
 A-D Resolution          16 bits
 Throughput              100 kHz
 Maximum linearity error ±0.02%
 Input impedance         100 M Ohms
 Crosstalk               75 dB
 On resistance           400 Ohms
 Switch off leakage      <2 nA
 Input bias current      ±30 nA
 Settling time to 0.01%  15 uSec
 Initial accuracy of 
 gain and offset         ±1 LSB
 Input noise voltage     2 uV rms

Trigger and Clock Inputs and Outputs
 Signal compatibility    5 V logic level
 Run output              5 V when sampling
 (external trigger)     
 Trigger input -         Trigger on falling edge
 Trigger input +         Trigger on rising edge
 External clock -        Scan starts on falling edge
 External clock +        Scan starts on rising edge
 + Inputs                Tied to 0 V by 10 K resistors
 - Inputs                Tied to 5 V by 10 K resistors