The VE432 is Sercel's latest Vibrator control system.
It is generally a very reliable piece of equipment.
Here are a few interesting points about it.
It is generally a very reliable piece of equipment.
Here are a few interesting points about it.
Recovering from Corrupted software
If for some reason it is not possible to start a DSD to reload the software (eg some dickhead loads the DPG code into a DSD by mistake or a PCMCIA screwup) then to force the DSD to load it's basic OS from PCMCIA, load up a PCMCIA card with the DSD software, turn off the DSD, insert the PCMCIA in the DSD and then:
Hold in the RESET and ABORT buttons
Power on the DSD, Release RESET then release ABORT, wait for "BOOT END"
then press Reset again.
If successful, you can connect and communicate with a Husky and load software as normal.
If for some reason it is not possible to start a DSD to reload the software (eg some dickhead loads the DPG code into a DSD by mistake or a PCMCIA screwup) then to force the DSD to load it's basic OS from PCMCIA, load up a PCMCIA card with the DSD software, turn off the DSD, insert the PCMCIA in the DSD and then:
Hold in the RESET and ABORT buttons
Power on the DSD, Release RESET then release ABORT, wait for "BOOT END"
then press Reset again.
If successful, you can connect and communicate with a Husky and load software as normal.
Accelerometers
There are 2 types of Accelerometer used with the 432. The Old type is much larger than the new type.
The connectors are the same though.
Usually you can mix them, but Sercel recommend that you don't. A problem can occur however with the new type - the Radio Sim will look bad, it can generally be heard to be breaking up during transmission.
Sercel have produced a fix for this which involves adding a capacitor on the ASC board of the DSD and to the SAPG Board of the DPG to improve the filtering of the signal before it gets to the radio.
This is detailed in French in Modif 03019, available from Sercel.
The big problem with this mod of course is that if you do it to one Vib, you will have to do it to all, even if using the old style accelerometers, as the change in filtering also results in a change in phase of the signal sent for similarity (it does not affect the response of the Vib in any other way).
Also, the DPG has to be modified. If you can run without doing Radio Sims for a few days, then it is practical to perform the mod on a rotation basis of a couple of Vibs per day.
There are 2 types of Accelerometer used with the 432. The Old type is much larger than the new type.
The connectors are the same though.
Usually you can mix them, but Sercel recommend that you don't. A problem can occur however with the new type - the Radio Sim will look bad, it can generally be heard to be breaking up during transmission.
Sercel have produced a fix for this which involves adding a capacitor on the ASC board of the DSD and to the SAPG Board of the DPG to improve the filtering of the signal before it gets to the radio.
This is detailed in French in Modif 03019, available from Sercel.
The big problem with this mod of course is that if you do it to one Vib, you will have to do it to all, even if using the old style accelerometers, as the change in filtering also results in a change in phase of the signal sent for similarity (it does not affect the response of the Vib in any other way).
Also, the DPG has to be modified. If you can run without doing Radio Sims for a few days, then it is practical to perform the mod on a rotation basis of a couple of Vibs per day.
Pilot Motor Driver Chip
The most common failure I have seen in the DSDs is the driver IC for the Torque motor.
The symtoms are that the mass will not centre and hence the Vib cannot shake. Running of Installation and Identification will fail.
The IC is located on the motherboard of the DSD and is an OPA541 from Burr-Brown. It is the big very obvious IC with a heatsink up one end of the board.
They are not difficult to replace if you have a high power heat gun or a decent Surface mount rework station. You will NOT be successful if you try to use an ordinary soldersucker!!
Remove the heat sink in the usual way, then use the heat gun to melt all the solder on all the pins of the IC and gently remove it. If you don't do it this way, you will destroy the board.
The ICs are priced at about 40USD each depending on where they are purchased from, so it is well worth having a couple on hand.
The most common failure I have seen in the DSDs is the driver IC for the Torque motor.
The symtoms are that the mass will not centre and hence the Vib cannot shake. Running of Installation and Identification will fail.
The IC is located on the motherboard of the DSD and is an OPA541 from Burr-Brown. It is the big very obvious IC with a heatsink up one end of the board.
They are not difficult to replace if you have a high power heat gun or a decent Surface mount rework station. You will NOT be successful if you try to use an ordinary soldersucker!!
Remove the heat sink in the usual way, then use the heat gun to melt all the solder on all the pins of the IC and gently remove it. If you don't do it this way, you will destroy the board.
The ICs are priced at about 40USD each depending on where they are purchased from, so it is well worth having a couple on hand.