SysCheck2TM - The First Intelligent Acoustic Sensor System
SysCheck2TM Technology
SysCheck2TM is a new GRAS-patented technology by which the two new microphones GRAS 246AE and 246AO are equipped with a high-precision built-in microprocessor able to generate a reference signal that enables remote verification of the entire measurement chain. It is a tool that allows test and production engineers to remotely check the health of microphones, channel gain and cable integrity.
SysCheck2TM enables users to quickly validate their calibration with a single click and requires no physical interaction. It is easy to set up with standard cables making it adaptable for any testing setups and is highly recommendable for both production line and distributed measurement setups.
The verifications are easily made on each SysCheck2-enabled microphone connected to a CCP/IEPE/ICP/CCLD power module with transducer electronic data sheet (TEDS) support and measurement software. SysCheck2TM functionality also provides on-demand environmental data: Temperature, barometric pressure and humidity.
Measurement Challenges
Ensuring reliable and consistent data in each measurement setup can be challenging. Test and production engineers often experience issues relating to one or more of the following factors:
> Difficult to check the entire measurement chain
> Personnel with limited acoustical training in a production line setup
> Risk of human errors
> Time-consuming calibration/verification
> Hard-to-reach microphones
> Testing standards that need to be adhered to
Built-in Self-verification
SysCheck2-enabled microphones allow a remote-controlled, fast and precise verification of the complete measurement chain. SysCheck2TM integrates directly with an Audio Precision APx series analyzer and is also fully compatible with Siemens Simcenter Testlab Signature Acquisition software. Other data acquisition systems only require using a software development kit (SDK) from GRAS, which offers full functionality of all features. A SysCheck2-enabled system ensures a healthy measurement chain:
> End-to-end verification of the measurement signal chain without requiring an external calibrator or any physical intervention by the user.
> Monitoring of environmental data, including temperature, barometric pressure and humidity at the point of use.
> Easy visual assessment of microphone health and/or location via RGB LEDs on the microphone preamplifier body.
Explore the Benefits
GRAS 246AE with SysCheck2TM is a ½″ free-field microphone set and, as such, is optimized for all acoustic applications where the location of the main sound source is known and the microphone can be pointed directly at it ensuring 0° incidence. It is ideal for general acoustic testing and conforms with IEC 61094 WS2F and IEC 61672 Class 1.
GRAS 246AO with SysCheck2TM is a ½″ high-precision microphone suitable for laboratory work and ideal for production line testing in coupler setups for test of hearing aids, earphones, headphones, and headsets.
Both are ½″ CCP microphone sets, which are improved versions of GRAS 46AE and GRAS 46AO – with the added SysCheck2TM functionality. This makes them the first inteligent acoustic sensor systems with built-in self-verification and environmental data.
> Remote-controlled verification of the entire measurement chain
> Rapid check of all channels with a single click
> Monitoring of environmental data (temperature, humidity and barometric pressure)
> No physical interaction with microphones required
> Plug n' Play with Audio Precision and Siemens platforms
> An intelligent microphone with self-test capability
> Detects variation in sensitivity greater than 0.3 dB
> Detects temperature change greater than 2 ºC / 3.6 F
> RGB LEDs to locate microphones easily
> CCP compatible - no need for expensive cabling
Main Applications of SysCheck2TM
SysCheck2TM has been developed to add value to production line setups, where it can help reduce downtime as well as increase efficiency and data reliability. It is also essential for test setups when microphones are placed in dangerous or hard-to-reach locations as well as for distributed measurement setups where many microphones need to be validated in a short period of time.
Production Line Testing
SysCheck2TM helps improve productivity.
A very important application area for the GRAS 246AE and GRAS 246AO microphones sets is for End-of-Line testing. In particular, test setups using ear simulators/couplers and test fixtures/chambers would benefit from using SysCheckTM technology.
The SysCheck2TM functionality of the microphones make it possible to validate microphone calibrations with a single click. This means that operator requirements and the risk of human errors is significantly reduced.
Distributed Measurements
SysCheck2TM - Remote verification with a single click.
Another important application area for the GRAS 246AE microphone set is for validating the calibration of many microphones in ground arrays, for environmental surveillance or when microphones are hard to reach. Often, there is also a critical time requirement involved, meaning that certain measurement tests require that all microphones are validated shortly before the actual measurements, which can be very difficult in practice.
SysCheck2TM functionality makes it possible to validate all the microphones with a single click and hereby reduce testing time as well as increase data reliability. SysCheck2TM is particularly useful when microphones are placed in difficult or dangerous-to-reach locations, or when many microphones are spread out and need to be validated in a short period of time.
AUDIO PRECISION PLATFORM
In the first collaborative effort by the GRAS and Audio Precision engineering teams, APx500 version 7.0 enables an APx user to run SysCheck2TM and receive a pass/fail indication for each connected SysCheck2-capable microphone, without the need of a calibrator or physical access to the microphone.
Full SysCheck2TM functionality is ready for use out of the box when connected to APx500 v7.0 Measurement Software, in conjunction with an Audio Precision APx series analyzer with CCP and TEDS read/write capability or a non-CCP compatible analyzer and a GRAS 12BA, 12BB or 12BE power module.
From a microphone in production test fixture to an array of microphones in an anechoic chamber, the combination of SysCheck2TM and APx allows the user to verify the accuracy of the entire signal chain without physical access or the potential disruption of the test setup.
If you would like to learn more about SysCheck2TM on the Audio Precision platform, click the below button.
SIEMENS PLATFORM
Siemens Simcenter Testlab Signature Acquisition has integrated SysCheck2TM for use with the GRAS 246AE microphone with a dedicated remote-check procedure, allowing it to smoothly check the validity of a calibration previously performed in the field. After initial calibration, the system enables a remote check to be performed in a dedicated tab. All 246AE SysCheck2TM microphones present in the field can be checked simultaneously with a single click, and each microphone’s measured value is stored in that microphone’s TEDS as a reference value.
The combination of SysCheck2TM and Simcenter Testlab Signature Acquisition enables you to verify your measurement chain prior to each measurement and target any flagged microphones for further investigation with up to 80% time savings compared to other chain verification methods.
If you would like to learn more about SysCheck2TM the Siemens platform, click on the below button.
OTHER SOFTWARE PLATFORMS
GRAS offers full functionality on other software platforms by way of providing a software development kit (SDK). This makes all features easily accessible with a TEDS-enabled CCP acquisition system, depending on your software platform. The SDK is available on the relevant GRAS microphone product pages.
If you want to know more about SysCheck2TM on other platforms, click the below button.
SysCheck2TM and APx500
In the first collaborative effort by the GRAS and Audio Precision engineering teams, full SysCheck2TM functionality is ready for use out of the box when connected to APx500 v7.0 Measurement Software.
Watch how SysCheck2TM and APx500 form the perfect test solution.
Check the Specifications
GRAS 246AE and 246AO are improved versions of the existing GRAS 46AE and 46AO ½” CCP microphones sets, but with the added SysCheck2TM functionality.
Read the product specifications here:
