Magnets mounted on the track, which are used for the “train protection system” (PZB) and whose exact position is known, are detected during the measurement process to equalize inaccuracies in kilometer measurement. During measurement, vehicle-mounted optical sensors scan both sides of the rail tracks to detect elevated objects. They required a system that filtered out the PZB magnet from the field of observation. The information whether a PZB magnet is in close proximity needed to be available via a digital output. In addition, the status of the digital inputs and outputs had to be transmitted via a network interface to the control system.
Realisazation
The Q.raxx system and the Q.station test controller from Gantner Instruments were chosen as the platform for the implementation.
To save space the system can be installed in an existing 19-inch rack and provides twelve slots for measurement or I/O plug-in boards. The D101 digital metering unit has eight isolated digital inputs and an equal number of digital outputs. The free slots allow for easy expansion for future measurement tasks.
Programming of the controller was accomplished using the graphical programming tool of the test.con programming system. The combination of flow charts and macros makes the code easy to read.
Thanks to the real-time processing capability of Q.station with 10 kHz, the PZB magnets could be reliably detected even at measuring speeds up to 230 km per hour.
In addition, the Q.station test controller provides the control system with all relevant data via Ethernet interface. The values of the four sensors are sampled every 5 mm (!), recorded, compressed, and transmitted in IP packets to the control system.
The position of PZB magnets is correlated with measurement data from the measurement vehicle by means of Green-Eye analysis software from Aplica. Green-Eye provides a clear and flexible user interface for the display, analysis and storage of all measurement data.
More articles
Force monitoring improves efficiency of Airbus’ Final Assembly Line
In November 2016 the Airbus A350-1000 flew for the very first time. The A350-1000 is part of the A350 XWB family and is Airbus’ largest and most powerful twin-engined airliner ever. Airbus began the assembly of the A350-1000 in September, 2015, less than a year after the first delivery of the A350-900. For maximum flexibility, the existing A350 XWB Final Assembly Line (FAL) can be used for both A350-900 and A350-1000 models.
Read more...Measurement Data in the Cloud and IT Security Aspects
The GI.cloud concept acquires and stores data of many decentralized data acquisition systems like Gantner Instrument’s Q.Station. IT Security is an increasingly important aspect to secure the communication and data transfer between the acquisition system and the cloud server.
Read more...Turbomeca Chooses the Q.series
Turbomeca is a french manufacturer of compressors and turbines for the aviation industry, among its customers Eurocopter, Augusta und Sikorsky. For the test and measurement design of future test stands were the products from four manufacturers tested, and the companies rated on quality in production, and in all functional processes. Turbomeca selects Gantner Instruments GmbH as manufacturer and accredited according to strict rules. Gantner Instruments is exclusively represented by BGP Electronic in France.
Read more...Python Integration – A New Level of Automation and Analysis
Engineering teams rely on powerful, customizable tools to handle increasingly complex test scenarios. GI.bench now includes integrated Python scripting, empowering engineers to automate measurement workflows, perform advanced real-time analyses, and seamlessly integrate with external software. This feature leverages Python's rich ecosystem, ensuring flexibility and efficiency in test and measurement projects.
Read more...