Introduction
Thank you for your interest in the Measurand ShapeArray (SAA).
Measurand's ShapeArray is a flexible, calibrated 3D measuring system. It measures 2D and 3D shape using a compact array of MEMS accelerometers. Unlike collections of tilt sensors or arrays of sensors that bend in a single direction, ShapeArrays require no other guides or fixturing.
This kit is provided to facilitate the demonstration of the ShapeArray hardware and how it captures data. The demonstration kit includes two pieces of hardware: a demo ShapeArray and an SAAUSB interface.
Instructions
To get the most out of your demonstration kit, you should download Measurand's software to your computer and physically connect your demo ShapeArray to the computer with the SAAUSB interface provided. Downloading and installing the software takes only seconds. The following steps should be followed in order to accomplish this.
STEP 1. Download and install the SAASuite software. SAASuite is your gateway to Measurand's software offerings. From the SAASuite application, you can download, install, and update all of Measurand's software applications and utilities. This software can be obtained from Measurand's web site. More detailed instructions for downloading and installing the SAASuite software can be found in our online guides here.
Figure 1: SAASuite
As part of the SAASuite installation, you will be prompted to install device drivers. Click through the FTDIChip CDM Drivers installation wizard, shown in the figure below, by clicking the Extract button, the Next button, and finally the Finish button.
Figure 2: FTDIChip CDM Drivers installation wizard
STEP 2. Once you have SAASuite downloaded and installed, you must download and install calibration files. Click on the Get Calibration Files menu item and then the Get All Calibration Files button.
STEP 3. Physically connect the SAAUSB interface to your computer, the demo ShapeArray, and the included 12V DC power supply. The figure below describes how these connections should be made. Connect A to the ShapeArray, B to the computer, and C to the 12V DC power supply. Plug the power supply into an AC power source.
Figure 4: SAAUSB - Connect A to SAA, B to computer, and C to 12V DC power supply
STEP 4. Start the SAARecorder application and click the Connect SAA button. More detailed instructions for connecting the SAAUSB and starting SAARecorder can be found in our online guides here.
Figure 5: SAARecorder - Startup dialog
STEP 5. In the Connect window, on the Connection tab, ensure that the SAAUSB radio button is selected in the
Connection to SAA section and your COM ports are selected in the Serial Port(s) section. After a brief period of searching, a Start with found SAAs button should appear with green text. Click this button to continue. Should the button not appear after a brief period, you may need to manually locate your SAA. Detailed instructions for this can be found in our online guides here.
Figure 6: SAARecorder - Connect dialog
STEP 6. Finally, configure the Basic Settings in SAARecorder as shown in the figure below and click the OK button.
Figure 7: SAARecorder - Basic Settings
For real-time demonstration purposes, Measurand recommends the following settings.
- SAA Reference: Reference to Far (Tip) End
- Averaging: 15 samples
- Use Averaging-in-Array (AIA) mode: deselected
- Modeling Mode: 3-D for vertical demonstrations or 2-D for horizontal demonstrations
- SAA Reference: Reference to Far (Tip) End
- Averaging: 1000 samples
- Use Averaging-in-Array (AIA) mode: selected
- Modeling Mode: 3-D for vertical installations or 2-D for horizontal installations
With your basic settings configured, the SAARecorder window should display the absolute shape of your ShapeArray in near real-time as shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8: SAARecorder
Troubleshooting
Should you encounter any issues connecting to your ShapeArray, the following troubleshooting steps will resolve most common problems:
- Download and install the latest versions of SAASuite, SAARecorder, and the Calibration Files as described in steps 1 through 3 above. When installing SAARecorder, ensure you install the FTDI drivers when prompted.
- Check all wiring to ensure solid connections are made between the ShapeArray, the SAAUSB interface, the power supply, and the computer as described in step 4 above. In particular, ensure the SAAUSB has power. The USB port on the computer is NOT sufficient to power the SAAUSB interface and the ShapeArray.
- Check your computer's Device Manager to ensure the COM port driver is properly loading when the USB cable is plugged into the computer. Detailed instructions for checking this are available in the Measurand Support web site in the following FAQ article: I am having problems connecting my ShapeArray to SAARecorder. How do I check the connection?
More detailed documentation for Measurand hardware and software products is available online at the following URLs.
https://support.measurand.com/
We hope you enjoy experience with the ShapeArray and should you have any questions or concerns, please, feel free to contact Measurand directly for support.
Email: support@measurand.com
Phone: +1 (506) 462-9119