DewesoftX 2023.6 Released - Digital Meter Widget Improvements

Digital meter widget improvements

The Digital Meter widget has proven to be a valuable tool for presenting measured data. With this latest update, we're introducing enhanced features that elevate data presentation and give you a more intuitive and visually appealing experience. 

A notable addition is an ability to use the assigned channel's colour as the colour of the data on the digital meter widget. This feature makes it easy to identify a particular channel, especially when displaying its data across multiple widgets.

We've also focused on improving text presentation. You can now take advantage of various text alignment options and bold text representation, added with the option of a corresponding channel unit next to the data value. 

Your channel recognition is further supported as the update allows you to adjust the caption size. This customization ensures that the channel information is prominently displayed and easily visible on screens of any size.

Online counter math

Rotational data such as speed, RPM, and angle are used heavily across multiple application domains. For many years, DewesoftX has successfully supported such measurements to a great extent based on the wide range of supported angle sensors, the SuperCounter® technology, and dedicated analysis modules designed for rotation-specific applications. 

In this release, we extended our rotational capabilities even further by unlocking the new Counter Math module you can use as the angle and speed data processing algorithm in both Measure and Analyze mode. 

The Counter Math module provides a great set of parameters to specify and determine angle and speed data, which can improve the quality of the data. It also enables recalculating the rotation data after a measurement campaign to correct and optimize used parameter settings. 

We base the new Counter Math module angle and speed determinations on the Counter module channels called ‘Raw count’ and ‘Raw edge separation.’ These two counter channels will still contain values based on SuperCounter® processing done on the hardware devices. 

The Counter math processing can also be included directly in the Counter module as an experimental feature. You enable this under Project settings.

Simplified approach to creating and using sensors

Using the same sensors for various tests is common when doing measurements. Recognizing the significance of saving sensor configurations for future use, DewesoftX introduces a sensor creation option available through the Analog Sensor Editor and the Channel Setup.

Configuring analog sensors in the channel setup has undergone significant changes with a new user interface, promising you an improved experience. We introduce an intuitive drop-down menu that offers flexibility - to create a sensor, edit existing sensor details, write to a TEDS (Transducer Electronic Data Sheet), or erase a TEDS chip. 

All the advanced sensor options are now easily accessible under the new tab in the channel setup menu. Upon creation, the sensor links seamlessly to your analog sensor database. 

When your sensor database is finely tuned, you easily select a sensor within the Analog In channel grid under the Sensor S/N column. 

Sensors typically have unique serial numbers and are linked to a specific channel. However, in some instances, the same sensor configuration is required across multiple channels. This update lets you apply the same sensor to different channels. The second instance of the sensor detaches it from the database, ensuring that any changes to the database do not impact these un-linked sensors. The sensor in the database then serves as a template, effortlessly applied to multiple channels as needed.

Moreover, you can create unlinked sensors directly from the Dewesoft grid by choosing the "Unlinked Sensor" option. Despite being unlinked (not saved in the database), these sensors function similarly to other sensors, implementing a locked grid mechanism to prevent inadvertent human errors.

Alignment function for 3xMEMS-ACC 

We now also offer the coordinate system alignment of our triaxial accelerometer IOLITEi-3xMEMS-ACC. This reorients  X, Y, and Z acceleration channel values as if the sensor was physically rotated. The function is typically used when the users seek acceleration in horizontal (X, Y) and vertical (Z) directions when the sensor is not mounted perfectly horizontally due to local mounting conditions or a slight tilt of bridge spans, walls, and towers.

The function allows alignment to gravity, to a custom vector, or by a custom pair of angles (roll, pitch, yaw). Alignment to gravity requires just a single click, as the device calculates its rotation relative to gravity and adjusts its coordinate system accordingly. Custom angle correction can be added atop the gravity alignment. This allows the user to align one of the axes to gravity and subsequently rotate the coordinate system around that axis, achieving the desired rotation in the horizontal plane.

Alignment always impacts all three channels of the device. It is possible to align each device individually in the individual channel setup. It is also possible to align all the devices in the Analog In channel grid at once or in groups. To utilize the alignment function, ensure the IOLITEi-3xMEMS-ACC device runs firmware version 2.6.7 or newer.

What else is new? 

You will find additional details about all features listed below on Dewesoft’s Customer Support Portal:

• You can now simulate packet headers when only UDP payload is available in the Ethernet Receiver plugin

• Access Live Setup Status functions via the Input Control widget from any display in DewesoftX.

• Aligning CEA outputs to the end of the engine cycle. Added under Results settings in F1 Manual

• TestBed v7.1.0. Can transfer value on certain conditions. You can find more in TestBed manual chapter 5.3.

• Simultaneously write licenses to all connected devices

• Adjust the font size of values in the Tabular Values Display widget.

• You can use two instances of the Chapter 10 plugin to use the ch10 recorder and ch10 reproducer simultaneously.

• You can now sort data files by modification date in Analyze mode.

DewesoftX 2023.6 is a free upgrade for all Dewesoft customers and is compatible with all Dewesoft data acquisition systems. You can download the upgrade from our download center, where you will also find a changelog listing all the minor improvements and bug fixes.