| Developers Kit |
| Q. Is the source code for the Developers Kit available? |
| Q. How can I re-program the Developers Kit? |
| Q. Can the Developer Kit drive the K & L series piezo transducers? |
| |
| The OEM Kit |
| Q. What’s the difference between the OEM Kit and the Developers Kit? |
| |
| Ultrasonic Ranging System |
| Q. How does the Ultrasonic Ranging System work? |
| |
| 6500 series Ranging Module |
| Q. What components are included on the 6500 ranging modules? |
| Q. What is the output of the ranging module? |
| Q. What transducers will the module drive? |
| Q. What are the power requirements? |
| Q. How do you change the transmit frequency of the 6500 series ranging module? |
| |
| Electrostatic Transducer, 600 series, Environmental series, 7000 series |
| Q. What is an Electrostatic transducer? |
| Q. What are the advantages of electrostatic technology? |
| Q. What is the difference between the 600 series Instrument grade transducer and Environmental transducer? |
| Q. What is the difference between the Instrument grade transducer and the 7000 series transducer? |
| Q. Will electrostatic transducer work when they get wet? |
| Q. What is the frequency response of the Electrostatic transducer? |
| Q. What is the nearest/farthest distance that I can measure with the Electrostatic transducers? |
| Q. What is the resolution? |
| |
| 9000 Series Transducer |
| Q. What is the beam angle of the 9000 series transducer? |
| Q. Do you have drive electronics for the 9000 series transducer? |
| Q. What is the range of the 9000 series transducer? |
| |
| Piezo Transducers |
| Q. How does a Piezo transducer work? |
| |
| K-series Close Face Piezo Transducer |
| Q. What are the beam angles for these transducers? |
| Q. Do you have drive circuit recommendations for the K-series transducer? |
| Q. What is the range of the K-series transducers? |
| Q. What the beam angles of the High Frequency transducers? |
| Q. What is the range of the High Frequency transducers? |
| |
| L-series Transducers |
| Q. What is the difference between the L-series transducers and the K-series transducers? |
| Q. What are the beam angles for the L-series transducer? |
| |
| Transformers |
| Q. What is the difference between the transformer part#614096 and the 6500 series transformer part#619391? |
|
Q. Is the source code for the Developers Kit available?
A. No, the source code is proprietary and not available. Some information about communicating with the kit through the rs232 port can be found in the read-me file of the configuration software that came with the kit.
Top |
Q. How can I re-program the Developers Kit?
A. You have to write your own source code. The microprocessor is an Intel 80C196. The I/O descriptions for the kit can be found in the user manual schematic.
Top |
Q. Can the Developer Kit drive the K & L series piezo transducers?
A. No, not directly. The kit can be modified to drive these transducers. Additional impedance matching circuits have to be added to drive the K & L series transducers. For separate transmitter receiver transducers, the transmit/receive circuitry has to be separated. The kit will drive the 9000 series transducers directly.
Top |
Q. What’s the difference between the OEM Kit and the Developers Kit?
A. The Developers kit is the most complete kit. It can operate independently without any additional electronics and has a 4-digit LCD display that provides distance information. All the user has to do is provide the power source. This kit is best for getting a quick start.
The OEM Kit is the front-end drive electronics for a ranging system. The user has to provide the trigger circuit, timing function and display functions as well as the power source. This kit is good for building prototypes.
Top |
Q. How does the Ultrasonic Ranging System work?
A. The Ultrasonic Ranging system uses a 6500 series ranging module and a unique electrostatic transducer as a speaker to generate a short burst of high frequency sound. The sound travels out form the transducer in a narrow cone and reflects back to the transducer from objects in its path. The same transducer then becomes a microphone, used to receive the reflected sound energy and converts it into an electrical signal.
Top |
Q. What components are included on the 6500 ranging modules?
A. The 6500 series ranging module contains all the necessary components to: (1) generate the drive signal for the transducer, (2) control timing functions, (3) receive, amplify and filter the returning echo, (4) process the signal and provide a TTL output when the echo returns.
Top |
Q. What is the output of the ranging module?
A. The output from the ranging module is an open collector TTL compatible signal, going from low to high when an echo is received. To get distance information out of the module, the user measures the elapse time between when the module transmits until the echo is received. Knowing the speed of sound in air, (343.2 m/sec), this time measurement can be converted into distance. There is no analog signal output from the module.
Top |
Q. What transducers will the module drive?
A. All of the electrostatic transducers can be driven with the 6500 series ranging module. With modifications, the module will drive the 9000 series transducer. See Application notes.
Top |
Q. What are the power requirements?
A. The ranging module will operate from 4.7 to 6.8 Vdc. Nominal voltage is 5Vdc. Peek current 2.5 amps during transmit, the average current 100 milliamps.
Top |
Q. How do you change the transmit frequency of the 6500 series ranging module?
A. You can change the frequency of the 6500 series module by changing the ceramic resonator. The output transmit frequency can be changed from 50 kHz to 45 kHz by replacing the 420 kHz resonator with a 384 kHz resonator. This is the frequency required to drive the 9000 series transducer.
Top |
Q. What is an Electrostatic transducer?
A. The electrostatic transducer is similar to an electrical capacitor, with one fixed plate and one movable plate. The fixed plate is an Aluminum disk with concentric groves on one side. The movable plate is a film of Kapton material coated on one side with a thin layer of Gold, which is stretched over the Aluminum backplate. The Kapton material acts as an insulator between the Gold and Aluminum. When an electrical potential, a 50 kHz drive signal, is placed between the two plates, the foil is attracted to the backplate. The moving foil displaces air and generates a burst of ultrasonic sound.
Top |
Q. What are the advantages of electrostatic technology?
A. The advantages of electrostatic technology are an ultra sensitive, responsive transducer with low ring characteristics. This desirable trait is well suited for detecting soft objects and ranging to targets at both near and far distances.
Top |
Q. What is the difference between the 600 series Instrument grade transducer and Environmental transducer?
A. Electrically and physically they are the same. The only difference is is, the Instrumental grade transducer is made from cold roll steel, and the Environmental transducer is made from a 304 stainless steel. The Environmental transducer is better for outdoor applications.
Top |
Q. What is the difference between the Instrument grade transducer and the 7000 series transducer?
A. The Instrument grade transducer is 1.5 inches in diameter and the 7000 series transducer is about 1.0 inches in diameter. The Instrument grade transducer is more sensitive and has a 12-degree beam angle. The 7000 series transducer has a 17-degree beam angle.
Top |
Q. Will electrostatic transducer work when they get wet?
A. No, they will stop working when they get wet. They will continue to work when they dry.
Top |
Q. What is the frequency response of the Electrostatic transducer?
A. The Electrostatic transducers have a broadband response. They are optimized for 50 kHz, but are usable from 40 to 100 kHz.
Top |
Q. What is the nearest/farthest distance that I can measure with the Electrostatic transducers?
A. When using the 6500 series ranging module, you can range from 6 inches to 35 feet.
Top |
Q. What is the resolution?
A. Plus or minus 1% of the reading over the entire range, within 10 feet, +/- 1/8th of an inch.
Top |
Q. What is the beam angle of the 9000 series transducer?
A. The 9000 series transducer has an asymmetrical beam pattern, 15 degrees in one plane and 40 degrees in the other plane.
Top |
Q. Do you have drive electronics for the 9000 series transducer?
A. Yes, the Developers kit will drive the 9000 series transducer directly. The 6500 series ranging module will also drive the 9000 series transducer with some modifications to the board.
Top |
Q. What is the range of the 9000 series transducer?
A. The 9000 series transducer will range from 1 foot to about 20 feet. It will detect a soft target such as a person up to about 10 feet.
Top |
Q. How does a Piezo transducer work?
A. The key elements of a Piezo transducer are crystal or ceramic Piezo material bonded to a metal case or cone. As this Piezo material is excited by an electrical potential, e.g. a 40 kHz drive signal, the physical size of the Piezo material expands or contracts. The moving can or cone displaces air and generates a burst of ultrasonic sound.
Top |
Q. What are the beam angles for these transducers?
A. The beam angles range from 22 degrees to 52 degrees.
Top |
Q. Do you have drive circuit recommendations for the K-series transducer?
A. Yes, refer to the piezo transducer application notes.
Top |
Q. What is the range of the K-series transducers?
A. When used in a transmitter/receiver pair, as close as 3 inches out to 30 feet.
Top |
Q. What the beam angles of the High Frequency transducers?
A. The 120KHF25 transducer has a beam angle of 10 degrees; the 200 KHF18 has a beam angle of 7 degrees.
Top |
Q. What is the range of the High Frequency transducers?
A. The range fir High Frequency transducers is from 1 to 10 feet.
Top |
Q. What is the difference between the L-series transducers and the K-series transducers?
A. The L-series transducers are open face construction and are more sensitive than the K-series transducers. The K-series transducers are more environmentally rugged. The L-series transducers are best used in an indoor environment.
Top |
Q. What are the beam angles for the L-series transducer?
A. The beam angles for the L-series transducers range from 55 degrees for the 40LT/R16 to 72 degrees for the 40LT/R10.
Top |
Q. What is the difference between the transformer part#614096 and the 6500 series transformer part#619391?
A. The transformer part#614096 has a metal can shield, is tunable, and has a larger footprint than the 6500 series transformer part#619391. Both transformers will drive all electrostatic transducers.
Top |
