The Ethernet connection interface is one of the most important features of the 4th generation Spider series vibration controller. It provides the flexibility of location, reduces noise and electrical interference, and uses one PC to monitor multiple controllers.
In a lab environment, multiple computers and controllers are set up and connected to the same LAN. The EDM VCS software on each computer detects all Spider controllers on the network and connects any controller not yet connected by EDM VCS to a computer. Users can conveniently connect any controller from one computer, one at a time. When using multiple controllers at the same time, the same number of computers are needed to run EDM VCS on each controller.
Crystal Instruments offers the “socket message” feature to allow users to customize their own vibration control panel for all systems. Users can monitor and control each EDM VCS system with a Spider controller at the same time. However, the socket message feature requires deep programming skills and it does not provide powerful reporting and display features such as EDM VCS does.
Since the EDM 8.0 release, users can now launch multiple EDM VCS instances on one computer. Each instance of full-featured VCS software connects to one controller that drives one shaker. Each instance runs the vibration control test individually. All instances may run different test types or the same test type. The operator performs the tests and monitors the test status from the same computer, where all reports and signals by multiple instances are saved on for better management.
In addition, communication between EDM-VCS instances is also available. Users can send operation commands from one instance to all other instances in order to start or stop all instances and controllers at the same time. Please note that each instance runs independently, and they are not synchronized.