Crystal Instruments Spider-80Xi / Spider-80Hi High Channel Count Dynamic Measurement System

The Spider-80Xi is Crystal Instruments' high channel count dynamic measurement system, serving dynamic data acquisition, vibration test control and machine monitoring. Each front-end provides 8 analog input channels plus 2 channels software-selectable as analog outputs for vibration control or tachometer inputs for rotating machinery analysis. Multiple chassis combine into a system of up to 512 simultaneously sampled channels with a 250 GB solid-state drive (upgradable to 2 TB); time signals from all input channels can be recorded at up to 256 kHz per channel, and real-time FFT, octave, order tracking or vibration control functions can be enabled.

The Spider-80Xi is a compact, lightweight 64-channel chassis weighing under 10.5 kg that can be carried in one hand, ideal for field testing where portability matters; the 64-channel chassis runs on 100 to 240 VAC and the 32-channel chassis on 10 to 22 VDC. A chassis can host different front-end cards: Spider-80Hi (8 channels, IEPE/voltage, BNC), Spider-80Ci (8 channels with charge input, BNC), Spider-80Gi (16 channels, 256 kHz, 50-pin D-Sub), Spider-80SGi (8 channels, strain/bridge, LEMO) and Spider-80Ti (16 channels, RTD/thermocouple, 2 kHz). The Spider-80M MIMO controller shares the same architecture with 8 outputs per chassis for 6-DOF MIMO testing, and one Spider-80M can chain with multiple Spider-80Xi chassis for up to 504 input channels.

The Spider-80Hi front-end supports single-ended/differential AC or DC coupling per channel and an IEPE mode (22 V, 4 mA) for built-in-amplifier accelerometers, reading IEEE 1451.4 TEDS. Each channel combines two 24-bit ADCs per US Patent 7,302,354 for up to 175 dBFS dynamic range, with +/-20 Vpk input, +/-220 V input protection, crosstalk better than -100 dB, +/-0.1% amplitude accuracy at 1 kHz/1 V, and phase match better than 1 degree to 20 kHz. The system supports IEEE 1588 PTPv2 and a grandmaster clock for sub-microsecond time stamping and 100 ns synchronization across physically separate front-ends; the built-in GPS module also provides 100 ns time stamps. The Spider-HUB Ethernet switch supports IEEE 1588v2 with better than 50 ns time-stamping accuracy and Master, Boundary Clock and Transparent Clock modes. Spider-NAS storage supports up to eight front-ends, and a PC-free Black Box mode lets the system run autonomously on a preset schedule or external events.