Hummingbird 32 Overview

Overview

Hummingbird is an enhanced data acquisition system designed to provide a world class, highly flexible solution for dynamic data
The Hummingbird series features gigabit Ethernet connections, allowing control from remote laptops or PCs, as well as data streaming for monitoring / archiving. The system can also operate in extreme environments, operating at pressures down to 4.8 kPa with temperatures -25 to 65 C.
The Hummingbird has proven itself in numerous flight tests with engine and air frame manufacturers. It has also seen service worldwide for vibration monitoring in the power generation industry; and operates in wind tunnels that simulate high altitude conditions.
Key Features Include
  • Low Environmental Pressure Operation
  • 16/24-bit ADC, >114dB SNR, 5-256kHz Sample Rates
  • Gigabit Ethernet Connectivity
  • Conduction Cooled, Milled Unibody Chassis
  • Modular Architecture, Scalable to >1000 Channels
  • Multiple Signal Conditioning Options
  • Multi-unit Synchronisation (GPS, IRIG, LVDS, IEEE-1588)

Unibody Chassis

The unit is in a rugged aluminum milled housing for use in the proximity to the test article. External cooling fins are milled into the body to aid in heat dissipation. All internal PCBs mounted to thermal pads integrated into the chassis.

Connector Compatibility

Standard options available are BNC, Fischer, Lemo, or 15-way D-type. HGL can also provide customer specific connectors on request.

Independent Inputs

  • Equipped with 32 channels. 
  • One ΣΔ ADC per channel.
  •  Simultaneous Sampling. 
  • >120dB SNR. 
  • Multiple Conditioning Options.

No Moving Parts

All components are securely mounted internally directly to the unibody chassis. No fans. No rotating storage. Solid State electronics.

LVDS Synchronisation

  • LVDS (low voltage differential Signalling) Synchronisation Interface
  • <10nS Unit to Unit
  • 0-200m Unit to Unit cable lengths 
  • Daisy-Chain, Star or mixed topologies

Networking

Gigabit data stream. All command and control performed over Ethernet. Long distance communications easily accomplished using fiber optic media converter.

IEEE1588 Synchronisation

Both ports and internal switches are IEEE1588 compatible.

1/4" Conditioned Air Supply Connection

External cooling (or heating) air can be provided to enable operation in extreme enviroments. Steady internal temperatures can also improve the quality of the measurements. Air supply pressures up to 100 psi are supported.

Calibration

Hummingbird facilitates quick on-board correction with the use of a standard bench signal generators/multi-meters.

HGL Dynamics provides multiple software platforms for Hummingbird Acquisition systems; these range from low level Network APIs, Windows® DLL, LabVIEW TM Drivers, Single Instrument Applications (Apps), and full Measurement System software. This flexibility allows users to choose the best platform for their particular applications and / or increases the utilisation of the hardware for multiple uses.
Network API
All HGL Dynamics hardware modules are Ethernet connected to each other and their host PC(s); a fully documented Programmer’s API is available for integrators / customers who wish to access the modules at this level or need to integrate the modules with a non-Windows operating system.
Microsoft Windows DLL
HGL provides (as standard) a Windows DLL with every Hummingbird Acquisition System; for Microsoft Windows users this provides a simpler method to access all the functions of the hardware.
LabVIEWTM Driver
HGL can provide a LabVIEW TM driver for the Hummingbird Acquisition System; this driver allows fullaccess to the functionality of the hardware, and is available for the Microsoft Windows Operating System.
Single Instrument Apps
The Hummingbird is a complete measurement system and as such is supplied as standard with the HGL data acquisition and real-time monitoring software suites.
  • FFT Analyser
  • Oscilloscope
  • Chart Recorder
  • Rotating Machinery Analyser
  • Trim Balance
  • Power Dip & Rise (requires isolation amplifier hardware)

Full Measurement System Software

For the past 15 years, HGL has providing a fully integrated, modular, network, distributed Dynamics Measurements System; this software is intended for wide variety of applications and for systems ranging from small portable units to large multi-site systems with hundreds or thousands of channels.

The System comprises four main parts, Acquisition, monitoring, Analysis and Data Management, and is focused on providing robust, flexible, fixed or mobile operation with ease of use as a primary consideration.

Data Acquisition (Hawk) Module
HGL’s Hawk acquisition software provides everything a user needs to configure, calibrate and acquire data from the acquisition hardware. Full control and feedback of the system is provided by the Hawk GUI Client application; this provides an intuitive instrument-like interface that allows even novice users to operate large channel count systems, even from remote locations.
Real-Time Monitoring (Hawkeye) Module
Hawkeye allows one or more users to monitor the signals being acquired in realtime (<0.1s latency).
Fully customisable displays such as FFTs, Waterfalls, Oscilloscopes, Numerical, Speed and Tracked-orders, Phase, Bode, Orbit, nth Octave etc, provide a rich monitoring environment.
Hawkeye also provides Time, Frequency, Order and Phase domain alarming facilities for all channels simultaneously, with support for many different alarms types per channel. Hawkeye is also client / server based with the ‘thin’ Hawkeye Client allowing local or remote monitoring (performance dependent on network infrastructure).
Post Acquisition Analysis and Reporting (Aurora) Module
Aurora provides an in-depth analysis tool for acquired data; this is usually required post-test, but can be operated simultaneously with testing if useful. Post-test analysis can pinpoint areas of interest / problems to be further investigated, and for this purpose Aurora provides a range of client / server based tools to analyse, investigate, mine, summarise and report on acquired data.
Multiple users can use Aurora simultaneously, and in common with HGL software portfolio access is via a network connected thin-client (Aurora Client) application, thus allowing both local and (potentially widely) remote users to access data simply and efficiently.
Data Management (Hercules) Module
Prolonged or large-scale data acquisition generates a lot of data, 10’s and 100’s of TBytes are not unusual for large enterprises. Data is expensive to collect and the functionality to efficiently store and retrieve legacy data is essential for in-service investigations, product development etc.
HGL’s Hercules software provides an integrated, low-cost, yet highly scalable and safe data management solution for any sized data acquisition operation. The key to the system’s success is support for virtually any common media type (SD cards, HDD/SSDs, LTO tapes etc.) combined with a unique database architecture providing simple, yet highly efficient data storage information, and a client/server architecture which allows data to be managed across multiple remote sites from a single intuitive Graphical User Interface.
Signal Conditioning
The Hummingbord32 module can be fitted with a wide range of internal signal conditioning cards which further extend the Hummingbird’s capabilities. Single or multiple conditioning functions are possible depending on card choice. 
HGL has designed a set of conditioning cards that fulfil most industry standard requirements. However more cards are developed as clients’ requirements change. The signal conditioning options currently available for the Hummingbird32 module are:
  • FE-1404-DFY:      Voltage, IEPE, and Proximeter Probe conditioning card
  • FE-1407-IA:         4-Channel High voltage isolation amplifier
  • FE-1408-APC:      All purpose conditioning card including Voltage, IEPE, Bridge, Dynamic Strain, and Charge. On-board sensor health check and buffered dual analogue outputs
  • FE-1409-DFY       Voltage and IEPE (ICP) multi-range conditioning card. On board sensor health check and buffered analogue outputs
  • FE-1410-BRG/DYN Voltage & Bridge Only and IEPE & Dynamic Strain only variants of FE-1408-APC card
  • FE-1411-MIC        Voltage, IEPE & 200V Excited Microphone Conditioning
  • HGL-HiZ               AC/DC Voltage only conditioning with gain

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