New product range: Pico Storage Solutions

This month we are releasing a new range of products. Our Pico Storage Solutions range is designed around supplying our customers with products to help store and arrange their equipment in a ready to use manner. These have been designed to be compatible with many toolbox providers. The trays come in two sizes: 185 mm(W) x 390 mm(D), and 370 mm(W) x 390 mm(D) depending on function. Both sizes include a removable 20 mm strip so they will fit in 370 mm deep trays. The trays will be available on our website from the 1st December 2015, and will be available either with kit, or without if you have your kit already. In addition to these foam trays we also have our trolley boom available for arranging your diagnostic station. A selection of products from our new range is shown below:
Image	Descripiton	Price
	PQ003 - 4-Channel 4425 Standard Kit in foam Get Pico's most popular 4-Channel Scope kit with a set of Pico foam trays for easy storage. The 4-Channel Standard Kit gives you the ability to measure and record up to four signals simultaneously. It comes complete with a variety of accessories including leads, probes, clips and current clamps to allow virtually all the components on modern vehicles to be tested. This kit has the same contents as the PP923 but replaces the PA084 carry case with the following 2 foam trays: PP983 Scope and basic adaptors PA108 Current clamps	£1555 / €2175 / $2565
	PQ019 - Low amps current clamps in foam Our two Low Amps current clamps pre loaded in a Pico Foam tray. This option combines both the TA018 20A / 60 A clamp and the TA234 30 A in one bundle along with a protective storage tray.	£269 / €379 / $439
	PQ025 - Pico 3-axis NVH Diagnostic Kit (in foam) Includes 3-axis accelerometers and a microphone Full screen, high-resolution results are presented clearly and accurately No external memory required - saves directly to laptop or computer Record up to 500 seconds of data Automatic analysis Detects multiple vehicle vibrations Customer report function Plugs into your Automotive PicoScopeR (sold separately)	£499 / €699 / $819
	PA107 Suitable for the WPS500X and all the accessories in the PP939 WPS500 Pressure Transducer kit. Additionally, there is space for 3 pressure taps, 3 optional compression adaptors, and a spare compression hose (e.g. AST).	£59 / €83 / $98

Latest software: Beta release feature

Latest release

As soon as we release new software, it is made available in a free download to all PicoScope Automotive owners from our website. To check which version you are using, start the PicoScope Automotive software and select Help | About.

The current stable version is: PicoScope 6 Automotive R6.10.18.

Beta release

The latest beta release is: PicoScope 6 Automotive R6.11.7. Don't forget, the beta software installs alongside your standard PicoScope installation so as not to disturb your stable software.

Important note: If you have a version of PicoScope earlier than R6.10.16, you must update to R6.10.16 or later before installing this new beta. To update automatically, use the 'Help > Check for Updates' menu command in PicoScope.

Last month we mentioned the new Guided Test format, and improvements to NVH testing within the PicoDiagnostics software. The NVH update is covered in more detail below, along with a feature that wasn't mentioned last month, Crank Maths Channel.

New feature highlight: Crank Maths Channel

An invaluable feature now included with the beta software version 6.11.7 is the crank maths channel.

Graphing RPM using a frequency maths channel has become invaluable when evaluating cylinder balance or confirming misfire detection reported by PCM's. In the example below the frequency maths channel formula 60/36*freq(A) is used to graph the RPM of the inductive crankshaft sensor monitoring a pick-up ring with 36 teeth (36-2) connected to Channel A.

Here we can graph RPM and zoom in to evaluate the acceleration and deceleration of the crankshaft (at fixed engine speeds) attributed to combustion and compression events (all things being equal this should be uniform across all cylinders).

The missing teeth of our pick-up ring produce a momentary drop in the signal frequency seen above as the long downward spikes that consume the screen.

While there is real value in the frequency maths channel, how good would it be if we could ask the software to graph the RPM but ignore the frequency drop attributed to the missing teeth of the pick-up ring?

The new crank maths channel will now do exactly that!

For further information on this feature, please read Steve Smith's post on our support forum.

New feature highlight: NVH 3 output kit

The current beta PicoScope 6 Automotive software 6.11.7 has a new feature that has been requested by users all over the world...

The current generic NVH kit utilises a 3 axis accelerometer capable of measuring vibration in 3 directions X, Y, and Z or to put this another way, X axis = vibration Fore/Aft, Y axis = vibration Vertical, and Z axis = vibration Lateral. However all 3 axis are summed together inside the single output NVH interface box in such way as to give the end user an overview (average) of all 3 axis . Here then there is no rejection of a particular vibration in a specific axis/direction, everything is accounted for.

Within the new beta, all 3 axis can now be measured and displayed individually from the existing 3 axis accelerometer (current NVH kits) in conjunction with the new 3 output interface box:

Any combination of accelerometers and microphones can now be attached to PicoScope to measure the transfer path of a vibration or to locate the source of vibration/sound.

The new beta NVH software can be used in the identical fashion to the original generic version as a 3 axis "average" device (or single microphone) allowing for very simple and effective diagnosis accompanied with maintenance/monitoring measurements or overview testing.

In effect, with the new beta NVH software, we have features that can be configured by the user with a multitude of options to suit any application.

Measuring all 3 axis individually using 1 x 3 axis accelerometer allows the user to quickly identify all vibrations applicable to the vehicle in all axis. Here very quickly we can reveal the frequency of vibrations, the amplitude of vibrations and the direction of vibrations.

For further information on this feature, please read Steve Smith's post on our support forum.