Austria | Germany | France | Sweden | India | USA | China | Singapore
Q.series X A142
Products & Services | 2 minutes Reading Time |

Q.series X A142

Universal I/O module with analog output for closed-loop control applications

You can acquire data and control your testing operations with Q.series X systems. With the introduction of our new Q.series X A142, we have extended our capabilities for force and motion control applications. The Q.series X A142 is a universal input and output module designed with closed-loop control applications in the field of automotive, aerospace, and mechanical testing in mind. It features all sensor interfaces typically found on a hydraulic, pneumatic, or electric test actuator. By combining with an onboard 10 VDC analog output and test.con’s PID controller functionality, you can turn your Q.series X system into an integrated data acquisition and control solution for any force or motion control application.

The A142 comes with three 18-Bit, 20 kHz analog inputs (SAR ADC). You can use two inputs for LVDT/RVDT sensors or strain gage-based transducers, allowing you to use dual-bridge load cells for critical force control applications. The third analog input is a 10 VDC voltage input that can be freely configured for, for example, a potentiometric sensor or an external function generator as input for the PID controller. An additional Synchronous Serial Interface (SSI) makes the A142 unique. SSI is a point-to-point serial communication standard for digital data transmission between a master and a slave. SSI is commonly used with absolute encoders, as well as with Temposonics position sensors from MTS Sensors.

What is SAR ADC?

The method of Successive Approximation Register (SAR) is a method used in A/D converters for converting the analog signal into a digital signal. It is based on the comparison of the analog input voltage with a reference voltage. In successive approximation, the comparison is made step by step and is repeated continuously, whereby the reference voltage is changed so that it increasingly approaches the input voltage. Unlike a sigma-delta ADC, the SAR architecture does not have latency. The relatively high sample rate and zero-latency make the SAR ADC suitable for closed-loop control applications.

Key Features:

  • 2 Analog inputs for strain gage transducers or LVDT/RVDT sensors
  • 1 Synchronous Serial Interface (SSI)
  • 1 10 VDC analog input
  • 1 10 VDC analog output
  • 4 Digital inputs and outputs
  • 20 kHz update rate
  • Low-latency 18-Bit SAR ADC
  • 500 VDC galvanic isolation for all analog inputs
  • Onboard virtual channels for scaling, filtering, and calculations
  • Available in Q.bloxx X, Q.brixx X or Q.raxx X packaging
  • Optionally as EtherCAT slave module (XE version)
  • 15 Pin standard D-sub connectors

Read more about our Q.series X Data Acquisition System here.

More articles

Tips & Trends

Easy integration of Gantner Instruments product platforms into NI LabVIEW

NI LabVIEW has become an essential graphical programming environment widely used in engineering, R&D, testing, and industrial automation. Its flexibility allows engineers to quickly integrate and control diverse measurement hardware, streamlining the entire data acquisition process.

Read more...
Events

GDevCon 4 Glasgow

Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of graphical programming at GDevCon 2023 on the 20th and 21st of September, from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, at the esteemed Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland. This conference is a must-attend event for anyone striving to push the boundaries in the fields of engineering and technology.

Read more...
Success Stories

Trapped in Ice

Arctic ice is disappearing — the question is how fast. Summer sea ice could endure 100 more years, or it could vanish later this decade, with disastrous consequences for the rest of the planet. To nail down the answer, an expedition to the top of the world has to uncover the complex physics of ice.

Read more...
Tips & Trends

Streamlining Data Acquisition at CERN with Blinky-Lite and Gantner Instruments

Safe, secure, and traceable data acquisition is essential in complex, large-scale scientific environments like the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Reliable remote access is critical to supporting the diverse team members in their data acquisition (DAQ) setup and operations. Collaborating with the Blinky-lite team, we have implemented a test setup that successfully navigates these challenges in constrained environments.

Read more...