The ScopeCorder is a powerful portable data acquisition recorder that combines features of a multi-channel digital oscilloscope and a high-performance oscillographic recorder. As such, it can capture and analyse both short-term transient events and long-term trends for periods up to 200 days.
Using flexible modular inputs it combines measurements of electrical signals, physical (sensor) parameters and CAN/LIN serial bus signals, as well as being able to trigger on electrical power related events and carry out calculations in real time.
The ScopeCorder has several unique features that offer users of other types of measuring instruments an alternative measuring method to consider for their applications.
This article presents ten key features of the ScopeCorder, along with the reasons why users should consider choosing a ScopeCorder as the optimum instrument for their next measurement application.
1. Flexible and swappable input modules
The ScopeCorder's modular design allows users to choose from a range of 17 types of input modules, each with built-in signal conditioning, and install up to eight of these modules in the instrument at any time. This setup allows time-synchronised measurements on up to 128 channels with a mixed selection of data-acquisition cards to measure electrical and physical parameters as well as logic signals and CAN/LIN bus signals.
2. Isolated and shielded measurement channels
Channel isolation allows measurements to be carried out on floating signals or to measure at different points of a circuit, where the grounds of those points are at different potentials, without having to use any special differential probes. The housing for the input modules includes both shielding for the single input channel and extra shielding for the housing of the input module. Using this double shielding method results in high noise rejection. Using internal high-speed optical fibre-based transmission, this module achieves high sample rates (up to 100 MS/s) and high resolution (up to 16 bits), and provides the performance needed for precise measurement of fast switching signals even in the harshest environments.
3. Capture detailed waveforms from milliseconds up to months
The ScopeCorder is equipped with a large and fast acquisition memory of up to 2 GPoint capacity, which enables high sample rates (up to 100 MS/s) on multiple channels simultaneously. For testing over longer periods of time – for example, days or weeks - data is typically acquired at lower sample rates.
The ScopeCorder's "dual capture" function can record at two different sampling rates. As an example, it is possible to set waveform triggers and capture 5000 high-speed transient events at 100 MS/s while at the same time continuously recording a trend measurement at 10 kS/s for 10 hours.
4. Powerful trigger functions
The ScopeCorder allows the user to set different types of triggers on multiple channels to help investigation into what causes a particular transient event. A feature called "action on trigger" allows the user to leave a ScopeCorder unattended and automatically save the waveform to a file or send an email for notification of a trigger event.
5. Giga Zoom Engine II
The ScopeCorder is equipped with Giga Zoom Engine II, a powerful processor designed for optimising access to data seamlessly. The user can activate two zoom windows while displaying the entire original signal, allowing long-term recordings to be observed while also examining every detail of the waveforms - for instance, to observe and analyse transient events.
6. Convenient analysis functions
Analysis after the measurement can be done on the instrument itself or with PC-based waveform analysis software. The ScopeCorder offers a range of built-in analysis functions including parameter measurements and cycle statistics.
7. Real-time mathematical computations and digital filtering
The ScopeCorder can perform mathematical calculations on acquired measurement data and display the results during waveform capture in real time. Steep digital filters can also be selected to isolate or trigger on the amplitude of certain frequency components.
The user can also carry out trend calculations and can calculate and display up to 125 types of electrical power-related parameters in real time.
8. "Good to go" right out of the box
The ScopeCorder can be used immediately without any programming, and can also be easily taken from the laboratory environment into another location.
It can save most common measurement setups in its internal memory or can be loaded easily from a USB stick to start measurements at a convenient location without delays.
9. Supports integration with automated test systems
The ScopeCorder is equipped with Ethernet, USB and GPIB interfaces, allowing easy interfacing and integration within an automated test system.
Third-party software, including Visual C++/Visual Basic, MATLAB and LABVIEW, can be used to control the ScopeCorder and transfer measurement results.
10. Quality first
"Quality first" is an integral element in Yokogawa's development philosophy, and that is why the reliability of a ScopeCorder is supported by a standard 3-year warranty.
Yokogawa's instruments are renowned for maintaining high levels of precision and for continuing to deliver value for far longer than other instruments.
