Start to test- How to use Serge Tester IWT-5000A

Before seeIing how IWT-5000A works, let's just know its evolution history quickly.
The first modal of our surge tester is IWT-5000, not IWT-5000A . In fact, IWT-5000A is the fourth edition. That's because we always looks for a better product and better service.

We enlarge the storage from 100 to 360 sets waveform, add I/O communication, improve the inductance range from 20uH to 0.2 uH, and add the self-calibration function...etc.

Anyway, let's start to see how this machine work:

Basically you just have to save the waveform of golden sample in IWT-5000A and connect the other samples you want to test to the black and red high voltage test line.

Then press the test button , the pass or fail result will show on the LCD monitor. It is easy for operator to judge . (Unless he or she doesn't understand the meaning of PASS and FAIL.) The default comparison is 10 %, but it can be set by the operators.(Some customers set it up to 20% or less.)

For testing motor, apparently surge tester is using in the factory, but how to use it for the mass production? 

So if the operator has to to test 4000 pcs of  the samples in a  factory per day, how could IWT-5000A meet their requirement?

If the operator has to connect the samples to the high voltage lines and press the button to test it, then remove it and test another samples, the total testing time will be more than 10 seconds for 1 sample. If the factory only work 8 hours per day, it can not meet their requirement. 

The only solution is to design the Automated  system or the semi automated system to reach this numbers of the production.

It is a tough question to solve, since we are in Taiwan and most of our customers are from overseas. But our distributors are very reliable and know how to solve these problems.

This is a video shows how they design the fixture and a system to test the samples. (They test 4000/pcs samples per day successfully. )

Most of our end users use our handler I/O control mode for connecting external controller as automatic use.

Of course, they can also connect it to computer and write more commends for remote control.

Below is a video of how they test rotor with an old unknown tester.

You can see the operator has to look at the messy waveform on the monitor and judge whether it is good or not.

It is not friendly, without the pass and fail on the monitor, the end user has to be a very very experienced worker to judge the waveform is good or not , I suppose. 

So the best solution is to design a test system with our IWT-5000A, and this is also one of a project we are planing to work on in the future.

We call this modal IWT-5000A-12, why is we call it "12 " is because there are 12 sets of high voltage test lines for testing the 24 windings of the rotors. We will design a box for connecting the high voltage test lines and a customized fixture for testing the motor. 

(I will share more information here once the project is working on, because I want all information and detail are 100% correct here. )

Besides, in the future, we will design more model for our surge testers for the different application.

This is Leap, we are always willing to accept challenge . We welcome all customized cases so that we can leap.

Why to use a surge tester? (Impulse Winding Tester- IWT-5000A Introduction 1 )

Today I am going to introduce Leap's (Leaptronix's) top sell tester- IWT-5000A.
This Tester is an Impulse winding tester, which is called surge tester also.

I personally study this product the most because Thailand is my region and there are many factories there, and it is amazing that this tester is almost becoming our top sell products. 
I always remember that once a motor company from Thailand came to visit us for this machine. I was so surprised because they came to Taiwan and told us they want to visit us on the afternoon.

And I was barely prepare nothing, but fortunately, the good product is no need to introduce much, it speaks for them-self. So basically we just demonstrated it for them and answered few questions. Of course, they did not just buy it at the moment because we had to make sure IWT-5000A can actually test their products. 

So they did send two motors to us (Very heavy) for testing and it worked, then they just bought it. (Of course there were some technical questions from the customer. ) I would say that is because IWT-5000A is a very competitive product due to its surprising low price and good quality.

So if you are manufacture of motors, voltage transformer, generators, solenoid or inductance. You will need a surge tester(Impulse Winding Tester) to test the self-insulating property of the coil, so that the the defective products could be separated.


Why there are the defective products?  Below are the reasons:
  1. Layer short : The defect ( the wear off skin) of the lacquered wires, which caused brass wire to conduct.
  2. Layer insulation defect: The brass wires are not conduct, but the lacquered wires are chap and cause the corona discharge or spark discharge.
  

There are four comparison measurement to test that : AreaSize Comparison, Diffzone Comparison, Corona Amount Comparison and Corona Number Comparison.



Areasize Comparison: The total area of A-B interval can be calculated to identify the difference degree of the two areas.

   Diffzone Comparison: The area difference of A-B interval can be calculated to compare the standard wave and identify the deviation degree. 

Corona Amount Comparison and Corona Number Comparison:

•1.The test coil may discharge due to material damage, thus generating corona in the discharging curve.

•2. Statistics is made with respect to the frequency of corona generation, which called as Corona discharging number.

•3. After differential calculation, the number is Corona amount.

•4. The test volume is subject to high frequency filter.

•5.Application for discharging flutter.

In this first introduction, we just introduce who should use this machine and its testing theory.

For the coming articles, we will show how it actually works and the successful stories by our customers. 

 

Universal Programmer- Leaper-56

                                (Small and light (282 g only ) Universal Programmer- Leaper-56)

  An universal IC programmer is a programmer that can support wide variety of devices. It is suit for development projects and low volume production for an engineer.
But when a engineer want to buy a programmer, what is the priority?  Is the price? Or is the support device lists? The programming speed ? Software or the customer service?
  This is also a question I ask myself. Because I am response to the developing countries, which means they don't have too much budget to buy high level programmers. Some of them just told me they started to use some cheap programmers from China. I was so frustrated by the low price they expect at first. So I did a little research about these so call low price programmers from China, and can't help but laughing.

 "it is kind of like a niceish device but really rather crap

 The snag with this programmer is the software. It is horrific. Simple as that. This peace of s*it must be one of the worst pieces of code ever produced and the support is non existent.

The main problem I've had was getting the right version of the software and getting their USB driver to work. It is totally unpredictable if it will work or not. I've spent dozens of hours installing and uninstalling the software. One day it works on one PC the next it doesn't but now works on the notebook which it didn't like previously. "

This is a user's feedback from eevblog. So apparently,  price can not be the only factor for the end user.   Who want to buy a programmer that can not be worked normally, even with the lowest price ? And that's why leap not only survive but also thrive more than 30 years.

So here are the 4 factors that I think is the most important for the users, and I am going to take our universal programmer Leaper-56 for example.

1. Price
2. Quality
3. Programming  Speed
4. Service 

1. Price:
 In fact, I think we all agree it is impossible to buy a high quality product with very low price. It is possible to buy it with a reasonable price. This is Leap's IC programmers, we won't set a high price that customers can not afford. On the contrary, our list prices are lower than other famous brands. We may not famous as Xiltek , Elnec, Data-IO...etc. But our programmers are also used by some large companies around the world . For example, Foxconn and Calcomp. They are using our models for the mass production.( However, due to our company rule, I can't list the price here. But I am willing to tell you by mails.)

2. Quality:
  It seems complicated to define quality. First, I suppose users want a product that can work for a long time without any problem. In fact, I don't know this is our programmers' feature till I get many inquires from the end users.  Some of them will ask " Can you add this IC on SU-2000? " I have to admit I am impressive because this product is phased out for almost 15 years! So it means our programmers work normally for 15 years.  Well, I won't surprise if a electrical fan works for more than 10 years. But for this high level electrical product, it is impressive. Second, the software of the programmer. I think the software has to be easy to use and operate smoothly . This is not something that can be described, so I just attached some pictures below:
                                                 
                                               (The procedure of using Leaper-56)

                                  1.Select device, quick search device database

                                2. Load the working file

                                  

                                 

                                 3. Click ALL RUN to finish the programming

Is it user friendly enough ? Most important of all, it works well all the time.


3. Programming speed: 

  If you ask me the most advantage of our programmer, it is definitely the programming speed. In fact, the FAE in MXIC once told me that"Sometimes I doubt when it finishes programming, I thought it is not complete because it is too fast."  Time is Money, so the faster the programming speed is, the more time can be saved.   They even push Leaper-56 to the limit. For example, Leaper-56's signal pin drive bandwidth is 75 MHz. That's fast enough, we thought.  But they test it and find that it can run to 110 MHz!  
 For this, we also have some comparison chart of the programming speed :

As you can see, Leaper-56 is the fastest programmer of Leap now. And if you read the data carefully, you will find out the differences of the speed are huge.

I mean, how much time you can save if you use Leaper-56?


4. Service:
  For all factors of a good IC programmer, service is the most important but less to be mentioned. Most of manufactures just want to let you know how good the product is.(Something like support more than "a huge number" devices, or can program all variety of the devices.) But what if the customers meet some problems?

  In my opinion, service includes updating the IC,debugging the problem and instruction of the product.
 As I know, few manufactures charge fee for updating devices. I admire their courage but I think this kind of service should be free. Leap won't charge any fee for updating the programmers.(Of course, do not ask us to update the phased out products. ) Then what about debugging problems? Should it supposed to happen?
This is something you won't know before buying a product, and I think this is why people intend to choose the famous brands to avoid risk. To be honest, even the most famous product needs debugging sometimes.

In Leap, we sometimes debug and revised the driver for certain part number. It only takes one or two days the most, and the problem can be solved. But the SW and Hardware are always works well in few years. We always solve the problems promptly because this is the way we show respect to our customers.


So if you unfortunately spend a low price to buy a cheap programmer, you may find out that it can't even work, or it may take you half a hour to program one device. And the service doesn't exit. Basically you just throw your money to the garbage can.

If you spend the reasonable or a little bit high budge to buy a  programmer from a famous brand. I suppose it can work well, and with not slow programming speed. The service system exist, but you may wait for awhile till the problems solved  because there are just too many inquiries from end users.

If you fortunately buy Leap's programmer, you will spend a reasonable budget. It can work well and with a tremendous high programming speed.  The service is sound and quick. (If you have any questions, please just contact with me. overseas@leap.com.tw I will definitely reply you ASAP.)   

So why not give Leap a shot? 

  As a sales coordinator, I enjoy knowing people from the whole world. So I willing to answer any question of our products or anything else. If you contact with me, you can know more than Leap, you can know a man and his country Taiwan, of course, if you willing to. Though work is tough and dull the most of time, but I always cherish the opportunity to associate with and serve different people.  
  Maybe you will consider to arrange a travel in Taiwan on your next vacation, and I can definitely introduce you the best part of our country.