Control Dynamic Range AN002

Application Note
A critical performance attribute for a digital number of digits. Hence, only a limited set of
vibration control system is its control dynamic value levels are available to approximate the
range. Unless the controller has a wide dynamic infinite value levels of the analog signal. In
range, the dynamics of shaker and test article converting analog level values a choice is
cannot be controlled within tight tolerances. In always made between two successive digital
addition to non-compliant test results, the level representations. This sampling effect is
problem can be severe enough to result in the known as digital quantization.
test article being over-excited and possibly Analog Signal Digital Level
damaged. Dynamic range is also an important
consideration in accessing the ability of a L + ∆L
controller to deal with noisy signals. For these L
reasons, control dynamic range should high on L - ∆L
the list of performance characteristics to
evaluate when selecting a shaker control system.
Time
Dynamic Range Sampling Time
Quantization converts an analog signal into a discrete
Dynamic range is the ratio of the maximum digital value at each sample time.
level of a parameter, such as power, current, or
voltage, to the minimum detectable value of that Digital quantization accuracy is directly related
parameter. Usually, dynamic range is measured to the number of digital levels, or resolution,
in units of decibels (dB). Expressed as a available in the ADC. The number of digital
formula, bits determines the resolution of an ADC.
Resolution is given as one part in 2N where N is
dynamic range in dB = 20 * log10(xmax/xmin) the number of bits. An ADC with 16-bits has a
resolution of one part in 65,536 (216). The table
where xmax is the maximum level value and xmin below shows the resolution and equivalent
is the minimum detectable level value. For decimal accuracy for five ADCs.
example if maximum level is 1.0g and the
minimum level is 0.0001g then the dynamic ADC Resolution Decimal
range would be: Bits (one part in) Digits
12 4,096 3.6
dynamic range = 20 * log10(1/10-4) = 80 dB. 14 16,384 4.2
16 65,536 4.8
Digital Quantization 18 262,144 5.4
In a digital shaker control system analog 24 16,777,216 7.2
transducer signals, such as those produced by Resolution and equivalent decimal digit accuracy as a
accelerometers, are changed to digital signals by function of the ADC bits.
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The
ADC converts the signal value using a fixed

Dactron Incorporated JAN ’99

1629 South Main Street Copyright  Dactron Incorporated 1999 AN002REV1
Milpitas, CA 95035-6261 (All Rights Reserved)
408-934-9160 Fax:408-934-9161
www.dactrom.com [email protected] 1
 Control Dynamic Range

Digital quantization effects also apply to digital- Dactron Optimizes Dynamic Range
to-analog converters (DACs). For DACs Great care was taken in the design of the data
quantization effects are referred to as acquisition and signal generation subsystems of
“reconstruction” as a digital signal, with discrete Dactron’s LASER Shaker Control System to
levels, is “reconstructed” as an analog signal. minimize these factors and maximize the
realized dynamic range. As a result, Dactron’s
As the chart below shows, Dactron’s 24-bit System offers unprecedented control dynamic
input channels and 24-bit output channel offer range.
extraordinary resolution relative to competitive
systems with only 16-bit or even 18-bit input
Analog Digital DSP
channels. Dif.
PGA
Anti- ADC Anti- 32-bit
Amp Aliasing 24-Bit Aliasing floating
Filter Filter point

Input Channel Electronics

2.00E+07 Analog Digital DSP

Anti- DAC Anti- 32-bit
Atten
Imaging 24-Bit Imaging floating
1.50E+07 Filter Filter point

Resolution Output Channel Electronics

1.00E+07
(one part in)
Dactron’s high-quality, high-accuracy design for the data
5.00E+06
acquisition and signal generation subsystems provides a
0.00E+00 wide dynamic range capability.
12 14 16 18 24
ADC/D AC Bits High-quality high-accuracy ADCs, DACs, and
amplifier/filter components were selected for
Resolution is a function of the number of bits in the ADC use. Both the data acquisition and signal
and DAC. generation subsystems reside in a low-noise
enclosure external from the PC. PC backplanes
Realizable Dynamic Range are noisy and can reduce the effective bit
Unless due care is used in the design of the data resolution of the ADCs and DAC by several
acquisition subsystem, the realized dynamic bits.
range can be significantly degraded from that
expected based on the number of bits in the To minimize extraneous noise from the
ADC and DAC. environment, true differential input connections
are included. Programmable gain amplifiers
There are a number of factors that directly affect (PGA) magnify low-level signals prior to digital
the realized dynamic range. These factors quantization in the ADCs. A programmable
include the following: attenuator on the output channel optimizing the
voltage range for analog signal reconstruction in
! Internal noise for the ADCs and DAC the DAC.
! Input/output channel filter/amplifier noise
! Backplane electrical noise Finally, 32-bit floating-point Digital Signal
! Extraneous electrical noise picked up from Processors (DSPs) maintain the high precision
the environment of the input and outputs signals in all control
! Excessive noise due the signal levels being loop computations.
too low

2 AN002REV1
 Control Dynamic Range

Input Dynamic Range dB Vpk

0

Source Signal
-10.0

A two-tone test demonstrates the extraordinary -20.0

dynamic range of Dactron’s input channels. In -30.0

this test, an external signal generator mixes two -40.0

sine waves, one at 1.1 kHz and the other at 1.6 -50.0

-60.0
110 dB
kHz, with their peak amplitudes separated by -70.0

120 dB. This signal was connected to an input -80.0

channel and the auto-spectrum measured. An -90.0

incredible dynamic range of 120 dB was -100.0

-110.0

measured. In practice this means that while -120.0

measuring a 10 volt peak signal other signals as 0 1.0K 2.0K 3.0K 4.0K 5.0K 6.0K 7.0K 8.0K
Frequency (Hz)
9.0K 10.0K

low as 1/100 of a millivolt can be detected! Dactron’s sine drive signal has exceptional purity with
the largest harmonic 110 dB down from the fundamental.
dB Two Tone Test; 1.1 kHz & 1.6 kHz
20.0

10.0
Programmable Gain for Low Level
0 Signals
-10.0
-20.0
-30.0
Programmable gain amplifiers (PGA) on each
-40.0
120 dB
input channel maximize the measurement
-50.0
-60.0
dynamic range by magnifying the input signal
-70.0 so that the full bit range of the ADCs can be
-80.0
-90.0
utilized. The PGAs change the effective full-
-100.0 scale voltage range prior to digitizing in the
-110.0
-120.0 ADCs.
0 250.0 500.0 750.0 1.0K 1.3K 1.5K 1.8K 2.0K
Frequency (Hz)

A two-tone dynamic range measurement demonstrates

Dactron’s extraordinary 120 dB input channel range.
ADC

Drive Signal Purity

Analog Poor Digital
The dynamic range and purity of the drive Signal Quantization
signal are critical to maximizing a system’s A system without a PGA gives poor digital resolution
control dynamic range. Dactron’s high whenever the signal level is less than the full-scale
performance design, and the high resolution of voltage range of the ADC.
the 24-bit DAC, provides exceptional drive
signal purity. A two-volt sine output at a
frequency of 1000 Hz shows that the largest PGA ADC
harmonic is down 110 dB from the fundamental
signal. This means that if a two-volt peak sine
wave is output the highest harmonic peak’s Analog Amplified Good Digital
Signal Analog Signal Quantization
value will be less than 1/100 of a millivolt.
A system with a PGA gives good digital resolution even if
the signal level is much less than the full-scale voltage
range of the ADC.

3 AN002REV1
 Control Dynamic Range

Consider this example of the benefit of PGA Control System was used to perform closed-
circuitry. Say that a 1 volt-peak signal is loop random control on a shaker with a beam
measured on a 10 volt full-scale range with a attached. This test demonstrates Dactron’s
12-bit ADC. The effective bit resolution is then ability to accurately control closed-loop random
reduced to be 8.7 bits. Instead of resolving the over a 95 dB range.
signal to one part in 4096 (212), the signal can
only be resolved to one part in 409. If a PGA (G)2/Hz profile(f)
0.0100
high-abort(f) low-abort(f) high-alarm(f) low-alarm(f) control(f)

with an amplifying ratio of 10 is used, the signal 0.0010

then appears as a 10 volt-peak signal to the 0.0001

ADC and it is digitized with the full 12-bit

1.0E-05
resolution.
1.0E-06

Control Dynamic Range 1.0E-07

1.0E-08

It is not unusual for the structural dynamics of a

1.0E-09
test article and shaker fixture to have a dynamic
1.0E-10
range exceeding 90 dB. This is particularly true 20.000 100.00
Frequency (Hz)
1000.0 2000.0

for structures with lightly damped (high Q) Closed-loop random control PSD for a test with a
resonances. The dynamic range demands of the resonant beam mounted on a shaker. This test requires
resonances and anti-resonances make accurate 95 dB of control dynamic range to accurately control.
control impossible unless the control system has
a wide dynamic range. If the control system is The output drive spectrum was measured by
not up to the task then it is necessary to modify, connecting the output signal to an input channel.
or even completely change, the design of the This measurement verifies that the system
fixture. Both of these actions are expensive and outputs a drive signal with a 95 dB dynamic
can cause significant delays in the test schedule. range. Some control systems show a
“calculated” drive spectrum that has a dynamic
dB
-10.000
range much greater than the actual dynamic
transmissibility(f)
-20.000
Hinv(f)
range of the output signal. Measuring the drive
-30.000
spectrum is the only valid way to determine a
-40.000

-50.000
control system’s dynamic range capability.
-60.000
dBV input2(f)
-70.000 0

-80.000 -10.000

-90.000 -20.000

-100.00 -30.000

-110.00 -40.000
200.00 1000.0 2000.0
Frequency (Hz)
-50.000

This transmissibility plot shows structural dynamics -60.000

typical of a test article mounted on a shaker fixture. The -70.000

95 dB
sharp resonances and anti-resonances demand over 90 -80.000

dB of control dynamic range. -90.000

-100.00

-110.00

The combined demands of the test profile and 200.00

Frequency (Hz)
1000.0 2000.0

the structure’s dynamics often combine to make The measured drive signal spectrum for the closed-loop
severe demands on the control system. To random test with a resonant beam mounted on a shaker.
demonstrate this point a Dactron LASER Shaker Note the 95 dB dynamic range of the drive spectrum.

4 AN002REV1
 Control Dynamic Range

Control of the severe dynamics shown above A wide dynamic range can also help overcome a
requires, in addition to a wide dynamic range, common practical problem – instrumentation
high spectral resolution. Here 950 lines were line noise. Ambient noise levels can fluctuate
used with up to 1800 lines available for even daily and degrade the effective dynamic range
more challenging tests. A 100 millisecond loop of the control system. Superior control dynamic
processing time also provides fast equalization. range helps to make it possible to run tests
regardless of current conditions. Not just on
Dactron’s incredible control dynamic range for those days went conditions are perfect.
swept sine can also be demonstrated using the
shaker with attached resonant beam. In this Conclusions
case, the combined demands of the structural Control dynamic range is an essential
dynamics and test profile required 100 dB to performance capability for a shaker control
control. Dactron’s fast loop processing speed, system. The combined demands of test profile
less than 10 milliseconds, and wide dynamic and shaker/fixture dynamics place severe
range provide capabilities for accurate control of demands on the controller. Test tolerances for
even difficult fixtures. the desired reference profile must be maintained
within extremely fine tolerances. Inadequate
G profile(f) high-abort(f) low-abort(f) high-alarm(f) low-alarm(f) control(f)
100.00
dynamic range capability can necessitate costly
modifications to the shaker fixture and costly
10.000
schedule delays.
1.0000
Dactron’s LASER Shaker Control System
0.1000
features 24-bit inputs and a 24-bit output,
together with programmable voltage gain and a
0.0100 low-noise enclosure. It has a control dynamic
range of over 95 dB, providing accurate and
0.0010
1000.0 2000.0 safe control even with low level signals.
Frequency (Hz)
Superior dynamic range, together with fast loop
Closed-loop swept sine control spectrum for a test with a
resonant beam mounted on a shaker. This test requires processing time and high spectral resolution
100 dB of control dynamic range to accurately control. capabilities, make Dactron’s controller a robust,
high-performance control system.
dB V input2(f)
20.000

10.000

-10.000

-20.000

-30.000

-40.000 100 dB
-50.000

-60.000

-70.000

-80.000
1000.0 2000.0
Frequency (Hz)

The measured drive signal spectrum for the closed-loop

swept sine test with a resonant beam mounted on a
shaker. Note the 100 dB dynamic range of the drive
spectrum.

5 AN002REV1