HBM seminars combine DAQ knowledge with hands-on experience

Each of the seminars contains significant practical elements enabling delegates to undertake a variety of exercises on specially equipped workstations while benefiting from expert advice. Delegates will also be given a chance to tour the world's largest collection of Grand Prix Formula 1 racing cars, and there will be many opportunities to network and share ideas with colleagues from different areas of engineering. Delegates will have to choose one of two possible options that are available on each day and places are limited.

On 11 June delegates can opt for either a workshop on The Installation of Strain Gauges and an Overview Of Optical Strain Gauges or a workshop on Professional Measurement Software Made Easy.

The strain gauge workshop will look at the principles of measuring with strain gauges and how they work, which will include an in-depth examination of the different types of strain gauge along with their properties and technical data. The different types of adhesive and covering agents that are available to ensure accurate measurement with strain gauges will also be covered in the workshop, and there will be practical exercises to fit a strain gauge on a bending beam. Other aspects of the workshop include how to measure strain and compensating for different aspects such as temperature that might adversely affect measurements. Information on using fibre-optic strain gauges is also included in the workshop.

The workshop on 'Professional Measurement Software Made Easy' focuses on variants of HBM's catman DAQ software including catman, catmanEasy and catmanAP. Topics covered include configuring devices and installing software. Delegates will be shown how to connect to a QuantumX unit along with utilising Live Update, as well as how to use filters. An in-depth look at the sensor database and the use of TEDS will also be covered, along with visualisations and creating DAQ jobs in catman.

By contrast, the choices on 12 June are either a workshop on the Practical Use of Modern Day Data Acquisition Systems or a seminar on Efficiency Testing on Electric Drive Trains. The workshop on modern day data acquisition systems will look at various developments in DAQ technology including the digitisation of analogue signals and the different kinds of A-to-D converter, as well as the impact of sample rate, aliasing effect and filter characteristics. The workshop includes three practical exercises to challenge delegates, enabling them to explore various theoretical concepts with the trainers, and the key capabilities of HBM's Glyphworks will be introduced.

The electric drive seminar looks at the importance of torque and the different methods that it can be measured, as well as the importance of calibration. There will then be an examination of the different methods of measuring power on inverters that will look at different ways of obtaining measurements and consider calculations of both sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal quantities. The trainers will also introduce HBM's e-drive system that covers the connection of a GEN3i to an inverter, displaying the raw data and how efficiency can be calculated with a formula database.

HBM On Tour 2014 represents a wonderful opportunity for engineers to deepen their knowledge of new measurement technologies and quickly learn how to use modern systems effectively and safely. HBM's team of highly trained facilitators will conduct the workshops and seminars. Further information can be found on HBM's website.