Infrastructure for Detector Research and Development towards the International Linear Collider

The EUDET-project was launched to create an infrastructure for developing and testing new and advanced detector technologies to be used at a future linear collider. The aim was to make possible experimentation and analysis of data for institutes, which otherwise could not be realized due to lack of resources. The infrastructure comprised an analysis and software network, and instrumentation infrastructures for tracking detectors as well as for calorimetry.Comment: 54 pages, 48 picture

The test ability of an adaptive pulse wave for ADC testing

In the conventional ADC production test method, a high-quality analogue sine wave is applied to the Analogue-to-Digital Converter (ADC), which is expensive to generate. Nowadays, an increasing number of ADCs are integrated into a system-on-chip (SoC) platform design, which usually contains a digital embedded processor. In such a platform, a digital pulse wave is obviously less expensive to generate than an accurate analogue sine wave. As a result, the usage of a digital pulse wave has been investigated to test ADCs as the test stimulus. In this paper, the ability of a digital adaptive pulse wave for ADC testing is presented via the measurement results. Instead of the conventional FFT analysis, a time-domain analysis is exploited for post-processing, from which a signature result can be obtained. This signature can distinguish between faulty devices and the fault-free devices. It is also used in the machine-learning-based test method to predict the dynamic specifications of the ADC. The experimental results of a 12-bit 80 M/s pipelined ADC are shown to evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of using a pulse wave to test an ADC

Tractor Measurement and Data Acquisition System for Hydraulic Power, Draft Force, and Power Take-off Torque

Numerous advancements in machinery performance of agricultural tractors have been made in recent years. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) tests predetermined points (e.g., maximum power and torque) for drawbar, Power Take-Off (PTO), and hydraulic power as separate tests for tractor performance. Testing methods with the tractor operating at a steady state have been done for years, which were uncharacteristic of agricultural tractor operations in field conditions. As part of this thesis work, field usable data acquisition systems (DAQs) were developed to record implement energy consumption (e.g., drawbar loading, PTO torque, and hydraulic power). The system used LabVIEW software and National Instrument’s compact data acquisition systems (cDAQs) to record data from instrumentation measuring drawbar, PTO, and hydraulic loads. Data were collected and verified in accordance with OECD standards at the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab (NTTL), an official OECD testing facility. Requirements of the systems were: implementation of each system on multiple machines with minor alterations, minimal changes to the tractor, and equivalent data compared to that recorded by the NTTL testing devices and procedures. Manufacturer’s calibration information along with standardized testing equipment used to tune NTTL testing devices were used to verify that the system would provide data in conformance with OECD testing procedures. The hydraulic system was verified with varying hydraulic line curvatures near the sensors that provided data within a 1 percent difference of the actual hydraulic power. Drawbar tests included calibration of a strain gage instrumented drawbar which recorded loads within 0.67 kN of the calibration fixture. Track testing of the drawbar resulted in measured differences of less than 1 kN with the NTTL load car. For PTO measurements, a power take-off calibration was conducted using a commercially available torque transducer. No statistically significant differences were found between the torque values of the PTO transducer and the dynamometer. The differences in torque values ranged from 3 N∙m to 23 N∙m. Advisor: Santosh K. Pitla and Roger M. Ho

Tractor Measurement and Data Acquisition System for Hydraulic Power, Draft Force, and Power Take-off Torque

Numerous advancements in machinery performance of agricultural tractors have been made in recent years. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) tests predetermined points (e.g., maximum power and torque) for drawbar, Power Take-Off (PTO), and hydraulic power as separate tests for tractor performance. Testing methods with the tractor operating at a steady state have been done for years, which were uncharacteristic of agricultural tractor operations in field conditions. As part of this thesis work, field usable data acquisition systems (DAQs) were developed to record implement energy consumption (e.g., drawbar loading, PTO torque, and hydraulic power). The system used LabVIEW software and National Instrument’s compact data acquisition systems (cDAQs) to record data from instrumentation measuring drawbar, PTO, and hydraulic loads. Data were collected and verified in accordance with OECD standards at the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab (NTTL), an official OECD testing facility. Requirements of the systems were: implementation of each system on multiple machines with minor alterations, minimal changes to the tractor, and equivalent data compared to that recorded by the NTTL testing devices and procedures. Manufacturer’s calibration information along with standardized testing equipment used to tune NTTL testing devices were used to verify that the system would provide data in conformance with OECD testing procedures. The hydraulic system was verified with varying hydraulic line curvatures near the sensors that provided data within a 1 percent difference of the actual hydraulic power. Drawbar tests included calibration of a strain gage instrumented drawbar which recorded loads within 0.67 kN of the calibration fixture. Track testing of the drawbar resulted in measured differences of less than 1 kN with the NTTL load car. For PTO measurements, a power take-off calibration was conducted using a commercially available torque transducer. No statistically significant differences were found between the torque values of the PTO transducer and the dynamometer. The differences in torque values ranged from 3 N∙m to 23 N∙m. Advisor: Santosh K. Pitla and Roger M. Ho

A built-in self-test technique for high speed analog-to-digital converters

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PhD grant (SFRH/BD/62568/2009

European White Book on Real-Time Power Hardware in the Loop Testing : DERlab Report No. R- 005.0

The European White Book on Real-Time-Powerhardware-in-the-Loop testing is intended to serve as a reference document on the future of testing of electrical power equipment, with specifi c focus on the emerging hardware-in-the-loop activities and application thereof within testing facilities and procedures. It will provide an outlook of how this powerful tool can be utilised to support the development, testing and validation of specifi cally DER equipment. It aims to report on international experience gained thus far and provides case studies on developments and specifi c technical issues, such as the hardware/software interface. This white book compliments the already existing series of DERlab European white books, covering topics such as grid-inverters and grid-connected storag

Pathway to the PiezoElectronic Transduction Logic Device

The information age challenges computer technology to process an exponentially increasing computational load on a limited energy budget - a requirement that demands an exponential reduction in energy per operation. In digital logic circuits, the switching energy of present FET devices is intimately connected with the switching voltage, and can no longer be lowered sufficiently, limiting the ability of current technology to address the challenge. Quantum computing offers a leap forward in capability, but a clear advantage requires algorithms presently developed for only a small set of applications. Therefore, a new, general purpose, classical technology based on a different paradigm is needed to meet the ever increasing demand for data processing.Comment: in Nano Letters (2015

Universal Evaluation Platform

Universal Evaluation Platform (UEP), the lab bench on a board, seeks to streamline the process of testing new integrated circuit products. It replaces costly custom test fixtures, and allows test engineers to fully characterize new devices before datasheets exist. Features include fixed and adjustable voltage supplies, common digital communication protocols, filter generation via digital signal processing, and a user interface. Communication and digital signal processing were implemented on an FPGA, while power supplies were assembled through custom circuitry. The platform aims to save engineering time and resources, while accommodating testing of a wide array of products