Frequently Asked Questions
General Operation
The sensor that comes with the equipment is an (AC 102-1A (100 mv / g)), however in the technical data you talk about accelerometers (50 100 500 mv / g) what are their characteristics?.They come with magnetic bases to settle on the surface of measuring point?
The equipment works with sensors 100 mv / g that are for general use, and works well. When analyzing low frequencies would be better to use an accelerometer 500 mV / g.
The equipment supports different sensitivities of sensors and that is configurable from the software.
Each sensor is supplied with a high power and low-profile magnetic base , to unrestrict the frequency response of the equipment.
How long does it take the calibration of equipment.?
It depends of the customers standards; according to ISO, equipment should be calibrated once a year. Calibration remains even the equipment is heavily used. It is recommended to do a calibration every 3 years.
When I transfer a route in my MX 300 DSP Logger with USB port, a windows saying TRANFER, the DSP Logger MX300 drivers are not installed.Los drivers are not compatible with Windows Vista? Why the access is not allowed?
DSP Logger MX 300 drivers are not loaded on the computer you are using. To get them, you shall use the installation CD and locate the executable file driversMX300.exe. If you do not have the CD, you can download it from the Download section of our Web: www.dsplogger.com
Do Firmware and Software licencies expire? Do I have to update anyway? How often do I have to renew licencies and what is the cost of them?
The programs do not expire, if the equipment does not have all the features, missing modules can be purchased at any time and be loaded by user. DSP Data Management Software can be purchased with a permanent or temporary license, which can be renewed up to 4 times. After completion of the fourth renewal, the license become permanent.
How to install the firmware update ?
Connect the DSP LOGGER MX 300 with the transfer cable, turn your equipment on and go to the configuration \ program option . Then follow the instructions attached to update program package.
The equipment remains with the display blue, I do not see the firmware menu. What I would do?
Turn the eqipment on with no connectors plugged in and hold on the contrast key for 30 seconds.
The cause may be a complete discharge of batteries, that results in a contrast controller RESET.
The battery discharges fast, What should I check?
Check that the equipment without charge recovers full charge in about 3hs. This is the way to verify the operation of the charger. Once charger cuts the load and LED indicator turns off, turn your equipment on and enter setup and verify that the value of the voltage is between 8.2 and 8.6v.approximately.
My MX300 DSP Logger communication cable is damaged. What is the configuration of it. ?
There are two types of transfer cables :
Equipments serial No.: C100 and C200, use an RS232 serial 9 pin type cable.
Serial Number C300 equipment uses USB Standard printer type cable.
How can I check the firmware versions on my equipment?
The version number of each firmware, including date of creation, is located on the bottom of the first screen of each of them.The equipment operating system version is at option 6 (configuration )
Data Collector
If I should go to another city visiting more than one company, Can I upload routes from different companies?
You can upload as many companies and routes as your memory capacity (12Mb) allows. When you load different routes or customers or plants, software allows you to do it with a single step.
For your information,12Mb allows to save 120,000 spectrums of 400 lines of resolution.
An equipment to be measured, may be in more than one route?
Yes, an equipment can be repeated in as many routes as needed. This is useful when you need to control the same equipment in different working conditions. For example, to measure a generation turbine in different loading conditions, you can generate routes : R1 - Vacuum, R2 - 10MW, R3 - 20MW and R4 – 30MW.
In each one, only the turbine in question is there and, in that way you will have 4 routes in the collector to track the equipment on its various operating states.
If you control an equipment in route and for some reason you need to redo the measurement, the module will allow you to do it?
Once a measure is done, it can not be erased, but you can measure again. To do it, just go to the collector module main menu, go to the Plant / Route / Equipment / Item that you want to re-measure, look for the right measure and press "Measure". At this time, equipment will ask you if you want toreplce the value. If you accept, last measure is being save.
Phase analyzer
To perform phase analysis, do I have to use an optical sensor?
No, phase analysis is performed with two accelerometer sensors connected one on each channel and mounted on suitably chosen points.
Do you need to know exactly the rpm of equipment before making the phase analysis?
You shall have a rough idea of the rpm, the data does not need to be exact because the equipment will tune the filter in a broad setting refered to the input value. It should be noted that if there were very close fequencies to the frequencies to be analyzed then rpm income must be as much exact as possible.
At the time of making a phase analysis the equipment shows very unstable RPM values despite you have entered the correct value?
It is likely that one of the sensors is reading very low amplitude vibration, then the wave is flattened and equipment is not able to "focus". Try setting the gain on X10.
Machinery Balance
If I'm making a dynamic balancing in any plant and, for any delay, the equipment turn off, the rolling data are lost. Then, I have to start the process again?
When you start with a balance, you load a data series, as the client, the equipment and from there generates reports. This report has the data of measurements and even the spectrums before starting and after completion. If for any reason you should stop doing the balance, this report can be accessed from the cequipment memory and go back to work.
You can store more than 200 balance reports.
I can manually enter data to do balances?
If you have this option, with the data entered by hand you can ask to calculate the corrections.
The system includes the elements of measurement (accelerometers, RPM sensor, etc.), the data acquisition box and software as the competitors products ?
Does the system provide balancing solutions and indicates where I have to put counterweghts and how many?
Purchasing the equipment plus the balancing module you will have all the tools needed to balance rotors in one or two planes.The MX 300 displays position and amount of mass required to make the correction.
Besides the data of vibration speed amplitude, can we also read maximum acceleration and displacement?
Doing balancing, you can see a graph of velocity versus frequency;
to measure acceleration, displacement and other variables the out of route measurement module is required.
Each module can be purchased separately.
It uses batteries or AC power supply for machines balancing?
The equipment works with batteries that have a range of 8 hours. If your batteries get discharged in a middle of a balancing proces, you can save partial information and finish it later.
How much reflective tape should I settle for a balance?
Approximately 1.5 cm ² for Monarch sensor (sensor with indicator pointer), the Banner sensor (yellow) varies with the RPM (check). For more information download balancing machines Tutorial .
How far should I place the optical sensor referred to the tape?
From 20cm to 100cm. Take into account that the distance could create measurement problems. If the sensor is placed within 20cm, it will produce a pulse signal saturation.
Measurements outside path / Analyzer
How do I measure a current spectrum in a motor?
You need an amperometric clamp (optional accessory). Just put the clamp on one of the motor supply cables and setup an spectrum of high resolution (4000 lines), variable Current and maximum frequency 200 Hz.Take into account that the motor shall be controlled running at least 80% of the rated load.
I wanted to use the headset to hear the sound of an unbalanced rotor and I could'nt, but it works well in bearings, why?
The headset works automatically for the measurements of acceleration and mutes for other variables, however if you want to hear the noise generated measuring other variables only press the (zero) key to turn on the volume and the (enter) key to unmute it.
DSP Data Management Software
What are the versions of software available for PC?
There are different versions, one that allows to see only the balancing reports, another that store and print off-road measurements (with several diagnostic tools) and the full one for generating measurement routines.
If you buy the DSP Data Management (full version), you do not need to buy the editor for balancing reports.
DSP Data Management includes balancing reports, as well as the DSP Data Management Version View
How to update the HASP key after changing the DSP software version DM?
In the PC go to Start \ All Programs \ DSP Data Management \ Semapi Remote update. Click on Read key ID and send them by email, then you will receive the file with instructions.
How to upgrade to a newer DSP Data Management software version?
First step, uninstall the current program, place the interactive CD and follow the instructions , at the end, open the program. Databases in use shall be copied inside the program folder, before running the new version, this is a very important step because the system will update the databases automatically, to be compatible with the new version installed.
How do I configure the transfer program ?
For equipments with RS232 serial communication port, select the speed to 115200, in the case of USB, select MX 300 with built-in USB and the speed to 230,400.
Having created the plant with all its equipment, points and measurements, I can not transfer to the data collector of data, why?
Usually this happens because it has failed to create the routes, or containing in a predetermined order on the same teams with their points. Go to PATHS option and create them according to plant inspection plan.
