www.davidson.com.au - SnapShock-PLUS Series Acceleration Recorders

Overview
The SnapShock Plus (SSP) series data recorders are compact, battery powered acceleration event recorders. The new generation devices offer several improved capabilities over the standard Snap Shock model. In addition to measuring peak-g shock levels with a built-in accelerometer sensor, the SSP also measures and records shock duration and velocity change for all events which exceed user defined thresholds. In addition the SSP is now available in triaxial version referred to as the SnapShock Plus/3D (SSP/3D).
The SSP/3D offers all features of the SSP with the benefit of 3-dimensional measurement capability.

Each instrument measures and records the peak acceleration (shock, vibration, or impact) levels to which it is exposed along with shock duration and velocity change, and the exact date and time of occurrence.

The user may specify recording thresholds in g-level, as well as velocity change, so that only those events which exceed g-level and velocity change thresholds of interest are actually recorded into permanent memory. The SSP series recorders utilize a low power design, enabling operation for weeks at a time while running on a single 9-volt battery.

Easy Calibration Checks
Since the SnapShock Plus accelerometer offers DC response capability, the recorder's calibration can easily be checked against Earth gravity, without requiring any additional test equipment.
A simple 90 degree rotation produces a traceable 1g change in acceleration level, and a 180 degree rotation produces a 2g change. This is a simple and easy technique for introducing a calibration reference input into the recorder prior to sending the unit out for field recording.

Programmability
The programmable parameters for the SnapShock Plus include the g-trigger levels-(x, y, z), velocity trigger thresholds (x, y, z), 3dB cutoff frequency for signal filtering (Hz), and pre-set start and stop dates/times. A separate recording mode switch is also available for allowing the user to simply select either Shock Event or Drop Height mode, for which the triggering parameters are automatically selected for optimal analysis results.

Interfacing Other Transducers
The SnapShock Plus can be factory-modified to support data recording from transducers other than accelerometers. Examples of other measurements possible include pressure, strain, load, temperature, and humidity. Contact IST for specific information in these areas.

DynaMax for Windows 95/98/NT/Me/2000/XP
Data from the SnapShock Plus series recorders may be uploaded and analyzed in a variety of formats using IST's DynaMax for Windows software package operating under most Windows Operating Systems.
DynaMax is the same program used for our more sophisticated waveform recorders, so it provides all the views and sorting abilities you've come to expect with easy snapshots to Word or Excel and quick exporting. In designing DynaMax the customer's ease-of-use has been the #1 priority.

You'll find the familiar scroll bars, dialog boxes, buttons file navigation features, etc., all there just as you would expect in a full featured Windows application.

Here are sample screen shoots of DynaMax:

Event Table
Histogram Plot
Scatter Plot
Statistical Summary
Time Line

The Sensor
The SnapShock Plus utilizes an internal piezoresistive (PR) accelerometer sensing element. This solid state sensing element offers excellent low frequency response capability, enabling accurate measurement of low frequency phenomenon such as rail car impact, freight handling impacts, packaging drop and impacts, aircraft turbulence and landing impacts, etc.
Two standard measurement ranges are available: + 10g and + 100g. Other ranges may be available on special order.

The Instrument
The SnapShock Plus is supplied with an integral single-axis or triaxial accelerometer, microprocessor controlled data acquisition, user-selectable filtering and signal conditioning, solid-state non-volatile data memory, and an external activation push-button. For setup and data recovery, the SSP is connected with a host PC running IST's DynaMax user interface software running under Windows.

The SSP uses a standard serial data communications port directly to the serial port of a host PC, or USB.

During operation the SnapShock Plus can measure and record up to 1475 time-tagged, peak acceleration levels. With the optional extended data memory this can be increased to 5900 readings.

The storage medium is non-volatile, solid state EEPROM, providing maximum data security even if the battery becomes completely discharged. The SSP may be activated for recording under either computer control or by the manual push button control. The unit may be cycled repeatedly in and out of recording mode during a single test session without requiring a host PC.

Once activated the SnapShock Plus triggers and records only those acceleration events which exceed the trigger criteria.

Applications
The SnapShock Plus is designed for documenting dynamic environments such as moving vehicles, trains, planes, packaged products and containers, ships, etc. The device is also useful in characterizing environments such as production and assembly lines of delicate electronics, IC fabrication, communications and computer components, as well as vibration sensitive active pharmaceuticals.
Applications include:
Rail car Coupling/Humping Impact
Drop Testing
Package Shipment Monitoring
Package Drop Height Measurement
Ride Quality Measurement
Transportation Monitoring
Crash/Impact Testing
Aircraft Turbulence
Elevator/Escalator Monitoring
Aircraft Maintenance
Brake Testing