Before we dive into those questions, let’s take a brief detour and have a short overview of how data is acquired by the Spider and CoCo hardware.

Both the Spider and CoCo hardware utilize dual analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) in order to capture data at both low and high frequencies, without saturation in the lower frequency range. High amplitude resonant signals are filtered out before the analog signal is amplified, passed through an anti-aliasing filer, converted to digital data, and output to the digital signal processor (DSP) or the EDM software on the PC.

Triggers:
Both the Spider and CoCo hardware allow you to configure triggers to initialize data recording.

Spider trigger setup	CoCo trigger configuration

Trigger Modes:

Trigger Conditions:

Alarm Limits [Spider]:
Alarm limits on inputs can be used to start data recording with the Spider hardware.

• Vibrations with alarm limits
  • Time blocks
  • Long recording signals
  • RMS or peak levels
  • Harmonics level
  • Power spectra
  • FRF (Frequency response function)
  • Phase measurement
• Various sound levels with alarm limits
• Temperature, humidity, voltage, strain gage

Spider alarm limit window	Frequency signal alarm limit setup	Spider alarm limit display

Digital Input/Output (DIO) [Spider]:
DIO inputs to a Spider module can commence data recording as well.

Spider DIO setup

Socket messages [Spider]:

Spider socket message communication process

Learn more about Crystal Instruments’ socket message capabilities

API [Spider]:
The Spider hardware can also communicate with other non-Crystal Instruments devices using the Spider API. The supported languages are C++ and C#.

Spider API Interface

Learn more about how to integrate API and EDM.

CAN bus [Spider]:
A CAN bus message to the Spider can start data recording.

Spider CAN bus message window

Recording can be manually started with either a software button (Spider) or a physical hard key (CoCo).

Spider Recording button


CoCo Recording hard-key

Automatically start recording:

In Spider DSA, automatically recording for the rest of your data runs is set by clicking only one setting.

For the CoCo, recording can be automated using the schedule feature.

Capture video [Spider]:

Capture synchronized video with other data in Spider DSA.

Major video capture function features:

• Photo capture
• Scheduled recording
• Playback

To learn more about Video Capture, visit: www.crystalinstruments.com/blog/2021/11/18/video-capture-for-test-monitoring

Scan barcodes [Spider]:
For quality control or production environment applications, Spider DSA implements a barcode scanner feature for your convenience.

Spider DSA barcode scanner interface

Send messages:
During data recording, both product lines can send out messages using a variety of methods.

Via DIO [Spider]:
If an input channel is triggered or an alarm limit exceeded, the Spider can send a DIO pulse to external hardware.

Via Anybus [Spider]:
The Spider system can communicate via Anybus and integrate with PLC systems.

Via CAN Bus:
Both product lines can send out CAN Bus messages to other hardware during data acquisition.

Via Profibus [Spider]:
Refer to the section on Anybus.

Integrate with LabVIEW [Spider]:: The Spider unit can also integrate with LabVIEW.

Spider LabVIEW integration

Ditch the PC and use Black Box Mode [Spider]:
If you are unable use a CoCo unit to take data or connect a Spider unit to the PC – you can run your Spider module in Black Box Mode and acquire data without a live PC connection. The Spider module then will be controlled using the external buttons.

Black Box Test Management window in Spider DSA

For more information on Black Box Mode, visit www.crystalinstruments.com/spider20-remote-timer-onoff-with-black-box-mode or watch the following video:

Save battery with Spider Auto-wake [Spider]:

Spider Auto-Wake setup

To learn more about this feature, visit www.crystalinstruments.com/blog/2022/2/23/auto-wake-function-for-data-acquisition-daq-machine-condition-monitoring-and-vibration-analysis

Automate with EDM Testing Sequence:
Run multiple tests back-to-back with an automated testing sequence on your Spider and CoCo device. Set up the test and click “Run”!

Use circular recording to streamline acquisition [Spider]:
Crystal Instruments provides you with the ability to simplify data recording and reduce file sizes by only capturing the desired event. Trivial data does not get saved.

Basic circular recording cycle

To learn more about circular recording, visit the following page: www.crystalinstruments.com/blog/2022/2/23/advantages-of-circular-recording-vs-standard-timestream-recording

Alarm Limits [Spider]
Alarm and abort limits can also be used for monitoring data with the Spider hardware.

CAN Bus Alarms [Spider]:
The Spider hardware gives you the powerful option to set alarm limits on incoming CAN Bus data from other devices.

Spider CAN Bus alarm setup

Event Action Rules [Spider]:
The Spider DSA software provides you with the cutting-edge function of executing various measures during data acquisition with the Event Action Rules feature. For instance, if a high limit is triggered on an input channel, the current test can be immediately stopped and a report of the event could be generated too.

Event Action Rules window in Spider DSA

Event Action Rules features include 15 default event names, which can be combined with 18 unique event action rules, including:

• Warn the user onscreen
• Create a report
• Take a screenshot
• Send a socket message
• Send an email
  
  Spider DSA setup to send an email based on an Event Action Rule
• Send a DIO pulse
• Clear the internal memory
• Save data
• Turn on a signal
• Record video

Event Action Rules Sequence:
Event action rules can also be combined in a sequence for a single action:


Sequence for Event Action Rules

Customize messages for Event Action Rules:
Users can configure customized messages for any Event Action Rule.

Run Log Event Strings for Event Action Rules

To learn more about Event Action Rules, visit www.crystalinstruments.com/remote-condition-monitoring-software

Alarm Limits [CoCo]:
CoCo hardware allows users to set up alarm limit tests, monitor a system, and receive a report if any alarm conditions were violated.

After recording, there are many possibilities to take advantage of with Crystal Instruments hardware and software. Let’s explore a few.

View recorded time streams and saved signals:
In Spider DSA, CoCo DSA, and on the CoCo hardware, the saved data can be viewed an manipulated just like the live data.

Spider DSA saved data view	CoCo DSA saved data view	CoCo saved data view

Save files:
For both hardware platforms, the collected data can be saved in the various file formats listed in the following table:

Export files:
Data collected from a Spider module or CoCo unit can be exported in the following file formats:

Save to network attached storage (NAS) [Spider]:
EDM software allows users to save data on a network attached storage device instead of the Spider internal memory. Crystal Instruments provides a dedicated NAS unit. To learn more, visit the following page: www.crystalinstruments.com/spider-nas-network-attached-storage

Simplify saving with Auto-Data Storage Management [Spider]:
For repetitive data collection, the Spider DSA software allows users to automate the saving of your data by helping you:

• Download data from Spider internal storage to PC
• Convert file type
• Download to PC, then clear internal storage

Spider Auto Data Storage Management process

Generate reports:
Both product lines allow users to export customizable reports for each iteration of data acquisition. These report formats can be standardized and are identical for both the Spider and CoCo systems.

Post process data:
The collected data can be exported as various file types for post processing (see Export the files). However, Crystal Instruments also offers the powerful Post Analyzer (PA) software.

To learn more about PA, visit:

• www.crystalinstruments.com/data-recording-and-edm-postanalyzer-the-thinking-mans-alternative
• www.crystalinstruments.com/edm-post-analyzer-software

Want to know more about how our products and team can help you reach your goal? Reach out to us here.