MTS Series 793 Controller - Manual (Page 52)

MTS Series 793 Controller Overview
Using the Station Builder Application to Create
Operation Concepts 52
Using the Station Builder Application to Create Station Configurations
When you create station configurations with the Station Builder application, you
are not required to apply power to your station or handle station hardware--you
are simply creating files.
To create a station configuration, you allocate controller resources such as valve
drivers, conditioners, analog I/O, digital I/O, and hydraulic control resources to
create the following:
• Channels—used to control an independent quantity, such as force or
displacement, on the test fixture.
• Auxiliary Inputs—used to monitor signals for data acquisition or display. As
an option, you can create a calculated input resource for auxiliary inputs.
• Readouts—used to send analog signals to external readout devices such as
oscilloscopes and meters.
• Digital Inputs—used to receive digital logic signals from external devices.
As an option, you can create a calculated input resource for digital inputs.
• Digital Outputs—used to send digital logic signals to external devices. As
an option, you can allocate a resource for “virtual” digital outputs not tied to
hardware, but available for use in other calculations.
• Calculated Analog Outputs—this option is used to apply user-defined,
algebraic formulas to selected output signal values to generate new,
calculated output signal values.
• Calculated Analog Inputs—this option is used with calculated resources to
apply user-defined, algebraic formulas to selected input signal values to
generate new, calculated input signal values.
• Remote Setpoints—used to set up the Remote Setpoint Adjust (RSA)
controls (optional, stand-alone hardware controls used to control actuator
setpoints).
Once you have allocated the resources you need, you can save your configuration
file (it acquires a “.cfg” extension).
Where station
configurations are
stored
By default, configuration files are located at C:\MTS 793\Controllers\Controller
Name (for example, FlexTest GT)\Config. Configuration files are referenced
from the Project you selected when you started the Station Builder application.
(You can change where your station configurations are saved by changing your
Project settings with the Project Manager application.)