Fluke Corporation have introduced two new models to their range of Fluke Colour ScopeMeter Test Tools with automated test capability for Fieldbus, Profi Bus and other industrial communication protocols. The new models, the Fluke ScopeMeter 225C (200 MHz, 2.5 GS/s) and 215C (100 MHz, 1 GS/s), include all the features of the market-leading Fluke 199C and 196C Colour ScopeMeters.
The Fluke 225C and 215C ScopeMeter Test Tools are designed for maintenance specialists who keep automation and process plant equipment operational. Today’s plants and industrial facilities are installing digital networking systems to improve efficiencies, gather management data and improve quality.
These systems often operate in harsh environments requiring special techniques and tools for maintenance and troubleshooting, including verification of electrical signal quality on industrial buses such as Fieldbus Foundation, CAN-bus (or DeviceNet), Profi, RS-485, ModBus and ASI.
The new instruments feature easy signal validation of all the critical signal parameters like amplitude and noise and have floating and fully isolated inputs for differential signal measurements on two-wire differential bus systems. They allow users to verify the electrical integrity of bus and network, performing ‘physical layer tests’ and getting answers quickly and easily.
Bus Health Test:
Bus Health Test analyses the electrical signals on the industrial bus or network and gives a clear ‘good’, ‘weak’ or ‘bad’ validation mark for each relevant parameter, next to the actual measured value. Measured values are compared to standard values based on the bus type selected, or personal reference values if users require different tolerances.
The Fluke 225C and 215C ScopeMeter Test Tools can validate the signal quality as soon as electrical signals are passed along the network, without looking at data content. They help in finding errors like improper cable connections, bad contacts, incorrect grounding and missing or superfluous terminators.
Floating, independently isolated input channels:
The independently isolated input channels and the floating inputs mean that the Fluke ScopeMeter Test Tools can take floating differential measurements from balanced two-wire systems like RS-485 and CAN. One input channel can measure the voltage between the two signal wires and at the same time the other can independently measure the common mode voltage over ground.
The large colour screen shows the individual parameters with validation, the actual measured value, the minimum and maximum values recorded over time, and the reference values used for the validation. The choice of parameters differs with the bus type and may include bias voltage, signal high- and low-levels, rise- and fall-times, in-band and out-band noise levels, jitter, pulse width and baudrate.
Activity indicators will tell users that the data flow is ongoing and stop flashing the moment communication comes to a halt. In the eye-pattern mode, a waveform display is built over successive signal passes to give a visual indication of overall signal quality, noise levels and signal jitter.
All Fluke ScopeMeter Test Tools allow users to perform basic electrical tests like copper resistance and isolation on an electrical system or a cable. They also have extensive network signal analysis capabilities. The isolated channel structure gives excellent immunity to common mode noise and disturbances and can measure common mode voltages separately.
Like all members of the Fluke Colour ScopeMeter Test Tool family, the 190C series (including the 225C and 215C) includes a wide range of test capabilities that make these instruments the signal analysis tool of choice for engineers working on electronic and electrical systems.
The instruments include FFT analysis for identifying individual frequency components contained in a signal. The TrendPlot paperless recording function helps uncover long-term trends and shows changes in any of the measurable parameters (like the rise time of a signal).
The ScopeRecord function lets waveform recordings be made for up to 48 hours and the ‘Replay’ function lets the user take a closer look at any anomaly seen flashing on screen, by re-playing the last sequence of 100 screen images.