Crystal Instruments Spider-81 / Spider-81B Vibration Test Controller

The Spider-81 is a vibration test controller built on a DSP-centralized architecture. Traditional controllers rely on an external computer for real-time operation; the Spider-81 instead integrates time-synchronized Ethernet directly with embedded DSP, so control algorithms and data recording run locally inside the controller. This improves control performance, reliability and failure protection while allowing many channels without sacrificing performance. Ethernet carries only the user interface, so it does not affect control reliability; the controller can sit far from the host to reduce noise and interference, and one computer can monitor several controllers.

Each Spider-81 front-end offers 8 BNC analog inputs accepting charge, voltage, TEDS and IEPE signals, with single-ended or differential inputs, AC or DC coupling, a ±20 V range, 160 dBFS dynamic range, 24-bit A/D and up to 102.4 kHz sampling per channel; networked with Spider-80X front-ends it forms a 512-channel system. Each unit also provides 2 BNC analog outputs with 100 dB dynamic range, 24-bit D/A and ±10 V output, and channel phase match better than ±1.0 degree up to 20 kHz. Internal 4 GB flash stores configuration for up to 64 channels plus real-time analysis data, alongside an LCD status display and ten monitoring connections. The Spider-81 measures 440 x 66 x 330 mm at 4.8 kg; the Spider-81B measures 220 x 66 x 276 mm at 2.56 kg.

Units run connected to a computer or standalone in Black Box mode, and multiple controllers synchronize over IEEE 1588 to nanoseconds. Software spans Random, Sine-on-Random, Random-on-Random, Swept Sine, Resonance Search and Tracked Dwell, Multi-Sine, Sine Oscillator, Classical Shock, Transient Time History, SRS Synthesis, Transient Random, Earthquake Testing and Time Waveform Replication.