MRD - Gantner DAQ System Upgrade.docx

Minimum Requirements Document Gantner DAQ System Upgrade 24 February 2026

Background & Scope:

Existing data acquisition (DAQ) hardware used in static, fatigue, and thermo-mechanical testing in Building 65’s Full Scale Structural Facility (FSSTF), is obsolete and does not meet current structural testing requirements. A robust and modern DAQ is essential to meeting the aerospace structures testing mission.

Requirements/Salient Characteristics:

1. Requirements (System)

· The system shall be rack-mountable and capable of collecting data from a minimum of 1000 channels of various sensor types at different simultaneous data rates (min 3).

· The hardware shall include companion software that facilitates channel setup, data storage, graphical display, and DAQ system health monitoring.

· The system’s sensor input cards shall have a data resolution of at least 20 bits.

· The system shall be able to capture and record 200 samples per second data rate with 1000 simultaneous data channels.

· Include real-time data displays (100ms latency, 30Hz update rate).

· All data collected shall be stored in a single data file. Shall be able to export data as a CSV file.

· Any specs that exceed the requirements are acceptable but will be evaluated on a value-cost basis.

2. Requirements (Hardware) I. Input Channels

· Quarter Bridge Input Channels

· Usage: Low-level voltage signals, such as strain measurements for plastics

· Quantity: 32 channels (minimum 4 channels per card)

· Channel density: minimum 16 channels per 1U rack slot

· Type: Constant Voltage Type Quarter Bridge Strain

· Bridge Completion: 350Ω

· Excitation: selectable from ±1 to ±10 Volt. Lead wire compensation loss continuously evaluated and corrected to selected excitation voltage.

· Input Range: Automatically selectable gain values based on channel configuration up to 100mV/V. Delta-Sigma analog to digital converter.

· Shunt Resistor: Built in fixed type.

· Voltage Isolation: Minimum 500vDC channel to channel, and channel to power supply.

· Acceptable Error: ± 0.05%

II. Full Bridge Channels

· Usage: Measurements of bridge devices such as load cells, pressure sensors, strain, and deflection sensors

· Quantity: 750 channels (minimum 4 channels per card)

· Type: Constant Voltage Quarter, Half, or Full Bridge sensors (Selectable)

· Interface Connector Type: RJ45

· Bridge Completion: 120Ω and 350Ω

· Excitation: selectable up to 4v threshold 5 volts target. Lead wire compensation loss continuously evaluated and corrected to selected excitation voltage.

· Input Range: Automatically selectable gain values based on channel configuration up to 10mV/V on all input types. Delta-Sigma analog to digital converter.

· Shunt Resistor: Built in fixed type.

· Voltage Isolation: Minimum 500vDC channel to channel, and channel to power supply.

· Acceptable Error: ± 0.05%

III. Analog Input Channels

· Usage: Voltage and current sensors

· Quantity: 100 channels (minimum 8 channels per card)

· Type: ± 10 Volts and 4-20mA loop powered (Selectable)

· Input Range: Automatically selectable gain values based on channel configuration up to ±10v and 20mA.

· Voltage Isolation: Minimum 500vDC channel to channel, and channel to power supply.

· Acceptable Error: ± 0.05%

IV. Thermocouple Input Channels

· Usage: Thermocouple inputs

· Quantity: 500 channels (minimum 8 channels per card)

· Channel density: minimum 16 channels per 1U rack slot

· Type: Thermocouple input for types S, K, C, T, N, E, B, J

· Compensation: Individual cold junction compensation per channel

· Interface Connector Type: Universal (copper) Mini TC receptacles

· Specification: Open TC detection

· Sample Rate: lower rate of 100 samples per second acceptable.

· Input Range: Automatically selectable gain values based on channel configuration up to ±80mV/V. Delta-Sigma analog to digital converter.

· Voltage Isolation: Minimum 500vDC channel to channel, and channel to power supply.

· Acceptable Error: ± 0.05%

V. Digital Input/Output Channels

· Usage: Digital I/O

· Quantity: 8 channels per controller

· Voltage: 24V for inputs and outputs

· Specification: Channels should be selectable between input and output modes. Alternatively, each card shall support a minimum of 4 input channels and 4 output channels

3. Requirements (Chassis)

· Quantity: 10

· Usage: Ability to deploy multiple systems and run/setup multiple tests in parallel

· Form Factor: 19in rack mountable

· Specification: Provide blanks for all card slots to allow for storage while not in use

· Card Slots: 10

· Slots that would be taken up by a controller, memory or any non-input sensor cannot be included in card slot totals

· Onboard storage:

· Quantity: 1 Terabyte per Chassis

· Type: SSD storage

· Specifications: The system shall include the capability to store data locally on the purchased hardware.

4. Requirements (Controller)

· Quantity: 8

· Data Rate: 200 samples per second

· OS Type: Real-Time OS built into the onboard controller

· Specifications: The controller shall acquire and store all associated channels. It shall handle multiple sample rates. The system shall be scalable, stackable, or daisy-chainable to support channel quantities exceeding the number of card slots in a single rack. Additionally, it shall communicate with companion software over Ethernet. Finally, the system shall support time synchronization through one or more of the following protocols: NTP (Network Time Protocol) or PTP (Precision Time Protocol), with IRIG (Inter-range Instrumentation Group).

· Mean-Time Before Failure: 9 years' operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

5. Requirements (Software) I. Operating System

· Companion software shall be able to work on windows 10 & 11 machines.

· Companion software shall be able to function on machines without internet access.

**Note: PC’s, DAQ equipment, servers, and networking devices operate on a private local area network (LAN) disconnected from the internet

II. Snapshot Capability

· The software shall allow users to manually capture and save snapshots of data through a virtual and/or physical trigger. This includes options such as an on-screen button within the software interface, a keyboard shortcut (e.g., Ctrl + S), and/or a software command from a menu or command line input. Additionally, it shall support physical triggers like an external device (e.g., a physical button or switch connected to the system), or a sensor input that detects specific events and triggers the snapshot automatically.

**Data snapshot is defined as is a record of a channel and/or dataset at a specific point in time. It’s like taking a photograph of your data, capturing its exact value(s) at that moment. Snapshots shall be separate from the main data file.

III. Data Alarms

· The software shall include functionality to set and trigger alarms based on predefined data thresholds.

· Alarms shall have visual indication the threshold was met.

IV. High Speed Data Buffer

· The system shall have the capability to have a faster sample rate than the base rate, stored in a temporary data buffer when triggered via software, alarm, or physical contact will store data in the buffer. The buffer shall contain historical data up to 5 minutes prior to the event and continue for up to 5 minutes after. Base rate is defined generally as the rate(s) of which continued data is stored at. The sample rate shall be selectable but will not exceed 200 samples per second.

V. Real-Time Data Display

· Real-time graphical displays shall be accessible from separate remote PC’s (2 or more) running windows OS, via web browser or applications, supporting drag-and-drop functionality for graphs and tables. These displays shall offer customizable and interactive data views, ensuring seamless access to up-to-date information. Additionally, they shall support the simultaneous display of 20+ graphs, each capable of displaying 20+ channels. Graphs shall also have customizable x and y axes and the ability to highlight data points on the graph. Graphs may only have a latency of 100ms and shall maintain an update rate of 30Hz

VI. Calculated Channels

· Produce data through the use of a virtual variable or similar methods, instead of directly measuring a physical quantity. These channels shall derive their values from one or more physical channels using mathematical operations or algorithms.

VII. Plugin Support

· The companion software shall support interfacing with common programming languages using data streams or similar methods, enabling the creation of custom in-house applications. These applications shall be capable of passing data to and from variables within the base software. The software shall provide APIs or libraries in Python and LabVIEW, with MATLAB being a desirable but optional language. Plugins shall operate independently of the base application while maintaining the ability to interface with it through API toolkits or similar tools.

VIII. Integration with Third-Party Devices

· The software shall be capable of interfacing with various third-party devices and systems using Modbus TCP/IP and EtherCAT protocols.

· Hardware or software shall interface with the MOOG Aerospace Testing Suite to receive data from MOOG hardware. Additionally, it shall have the capability to trigger MOOG hardware via an Ethernet protocol.

IX. Remote storage

· The system shall be able to export and store data to remote storage locations automatically, without requiring manual initiation of the data transfer.

X. Software programming license's

· Quantity: 3