Editorial Calendar 2007

Editorial Board

Submit an Article or Press Release

10 Top Sensors Products of 2007

Sensors & Transducers Journal 2007

Journal Subscription 2008

Top 25 Downloaded Article

2000-2002 S&T e-Digest Contents

2003 S&T e-Digest Contents

2004 S&T e-Digest Contents

2005 S&T e-Digest Contents

2006 S&T e-Digest Contents

Central Measurement System Gateway for Complex Applications in the Automotive Industry

7 May 2008 – Everything from a mobile data logger to a complex testing application: IPETRONIK, the world’s leading manufacturer of mobile measurement equipment in the automotive industry, has launched its specially designed “TESTdrive” real-time software that allows users to stay in control of increasingly complex testing tasks within the car manufacturing sector. TESTdrive is a practical all-round tool for jobs such as measurement and diagnosis, stable long-term data capture, online classification, and pre-processing and networking of different measurement variables. The measurement system uses the M-LOG data logger platform as its central synchronizing measurement system gateway. The logger can be modularly configured and expanded to include a wide range of interfaces and external components. In addition to traditional logger functions, TESTdrive can optionally be expanded to include communication protocols that allow it to communicate with the entire range of control systems in a vehicle. The logger also permits synchronous linking of physical variables via access to protocols, error memory, DAQ lists, etc. All data and protocols can easily be accessed and managed, thanks in particular to its user-friendly configuration software, which runs on all computers with current Windows operating systems. The included import tool allows convenient use of all common description files, such as CANdb, A2L and others.

As an autonomous continuous-operation system, during measurement operations M-LOG collects and stores both the measurement data from the individual measurement points in a car, which are then measured, processed and transferred via a built-in synchronized CAN bus by the relevant IPETRONIK modules, as well as data captured via other sources. When the measurement sequence is complete, the data are packed and transferred wirelessly by a communication gateway such as COMgate, for example via a hub or an access point. From there the measurement data are sent via the internet or via a local area network to the analysis server.

TESTdrive transforms IPETRONIK’s modular data loggers into intelligent and flexible measurement system gateways that offer an enormous variety of functions: storage, analysis, computation and intelligent trigger functions for a range of record sets on the one hand, and rapid bus analysis, protocol interfaces and output of CAN messages on the other hand. Everything can be networked and configured together.

Measurement configuration is not static, but can be changed and customized at any time. All the settings for data transfer can be made using the user-friendly configuration software, and changes can be transmitted to the car off-line via an USB stick, online via a direct Ethernet connection on the computer, or, with the fleet management solution, simply via a web interface. The multiple encryption settings for data ensure very high security against unauthorized access.

IPETRONIK’s fleet management offers support for a comprehensive range of pre-processing and conversion tools, and provides features such as automatic analysis of the data transferred from the vehicles to the server, access to measurement data and diagrams via an online web interface, and automatic e-mail notification of clients of the current status of measurement data from vehicles throughout the world.

“Our clients have to struggle with the increasing complexity of measurement tasks, as the number of prototype units and the time available for testing are constantly decreasing. They are right to call for flexible and intelligent measurement systems that are easy to master. Our data loggers are the key, as they are not mere data recording systems, but instead give the user the possibility to stay in control of these increasingly complex measurement tasks and to have a centralized intelligent gateway in the installed measurement system. Their features include optional configuration, communication, display and monitoring components, as well as the connection of the ECU side with physical variables, thus allowing for versatility in measurement applications,” explains Andreas Geh, head of sales and marketing at IPETRONIK. “Additionally, the uncomplicated support by IPETRONIK’s measurement technology specialists ensures that our clients are not left in the lurch when it comes to complex measurement projects or capacity shortfalls.”

Andreas Geh

IPETRONIK GmbH & Co. KG

Jägerweg 1

76532 Baden-Baden

Tel.:+49-7221-9922-270

Fax: +49-7221-9922-100

E-mail: andreas.geh@ipetronik.com