New Industry Products

AMETEK Launches RS Series AC & DC Power Sources for High Power, Flexible Control

June 29, 2011 by Jeff Shepard

AMETEK Programmable Power introduced the California Instruments CSW Series, a completely new generation of ac-dc power sources that the company says address the demands for more features without additional cost. By combining a flexible ac-dc power source with a high performance power analyzer, the compact CSW Series is capable of handling complex applications that have traditionally required multiple systems.

A direct-coupled, transformerless design allows the CSW Series to output ac and dc on up to three separate phases or on the same phase. A single unit provides up to 5,550 kVA output, and up to six units may be connected in parallel to provide up to 33,300 kVA output. Instead of changing configuration settings from a front panel or reconfiguring internal jumpers, as you need to do with other systems, all a user needs to do is to connect each auxiliary power source to the master power source with a system interface cable. When powered, the system recognizes that auxiliary units are connected and automatically configures itself.

Built around a modern, DSP-based digital controller, the CSW Series offers powerful waveform-generation capabilities allowing users to more easily generate complex harmonic waveforms, transient waveforms, and arbitrary waveforms than ever before. This controller allows the power source to provide both ac and dc outputs simultaneously on any of the three outputs. The ac outputs can run at frequencies up to 5 kHz, much higher than the typical 1.2 kHz offered by most other ac power sources.

The supplied Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI) program can be used to define harmonic waveforms by specifying amplitude and phase for up to 50 harmonics. The waveform data points are generated and downloaded by the GUI to the ac source through the remote interface. Up to 200 waveforms can be stored in nonvolatile memory and given a user defined name for easy recall.

Using the GUI program, users can also specify and generate arbitrary waveforms. The program includes a catalog of custom waveforms and also allows real-world waveforms captured on a digital oscilloscope to be downloaded to one of the many ac source’s waveform memories.

The CSW series can also be ordered with firmware that provides pre-programmed test sequences for avionics testing and EMC testing. For avionics testing, there are options for both Airbus and Boeing test sequences, and includes both commercial and military tests. For EMC testing, test firmware is available for running IEC 61000 tests.

The CSW Series includes a measurement system that digitizes voltage and current waveforms in real time and stores measurements in a 4K deep sample buffer. This time domain information provides detailed information on both voltage and current waveforms. Waveform acquisitions can be triggered at a specific phase angle or from a transient program to allow precise positioning of the captured waveform with respect to the ac source output. The front panel LCD displays captured waveforms with cursor readouts. The included GUI program also allows acquired waveform data to be displayed, printed, and saved to disk.

The CSW Series can also provide detailed harmonic information on acquired waveforms. Information on the first 50 harmonics of the fundamental voltage and current signals (up to 16 kHz) are available. Harmonic content can be displayed in both tabular and graphical formats on the front panel LCD for immediate feedback to the operator.

Alternatively, the included GUI program can be used to display, print and save harmonic measurement data.

The CSW 5550 Series units are available 10-12 weeks after receipt of order.