SOFTWARE SYSTEMS
Fracture Technology Associates provides custom laboratory computer systems
to a wide variety of commercial, governmental, and university labs. We provide all the
software and hardware required to run Fatigue Crack Growth Rate (FCGR) and Non-Linear Fracture Toughness (NLFT)
tests on suitably configured
closed loop servo-hydraulic mechanical test systems.
These are the same systems we use for automated testing
in our own lab.
Software
FTA software provides an integrated approach using the latest
technology in digital signal processing and MS Windows programming.
The software guarantees a high degree of reliability, flexibility and ease of use for the test engineer.
Two applications are currently available: FCGR (ASTM E647) and
NLFT (E399, E561, E1820, E1921).
Both applications include the following features:
- complete packages for testing and analysis
- support of compliance or DC potential drop methods of crack measurement
- English and SI units
- custom software applications
Hardware: the ADwin Gold
The core of each system is the ADwin-Gold, offering real-time control and data acquisition.
Manufactured by Jaeger in Germany, the ADwin has a dedicated Analog Devices SHARC DSP processor, local memory
and high speed 16-bit analog input and output. The time-critical processes are
designed to run independently of the PC operating system, so if the computer fails for any reason,
the test continues and no data are lost.
PD-500
An additional option for those labs requiring DC potential drop methods of crack measurement
is the PD-500 series of potential drop instrumentation, providing precision
current supply and amplification.
