Programmable Motion System for Positioning Flow Probes

The validation of computational-fluid-dynamics (CFD) software used for the design and analysis of turbomachinery has made it necessary to resolve measurement of the flow field more finely by recording more points per survey. The demand for these measurements has resulted in additional requirements for the actuation systems used to move flow-measuring probes in testing facilities. An electronic computer-based programmable motion system (PMS) has been developed to satisfy these requirements. The system is designed to be user-friendly and versatile, giving the user many features not available in older probe-positioning systems. Although originally developed to control probe actuators, the PMS can also be used to control the actions of movable stator vanes, laser tables, or other devices that accept velocity control signals from -10 to 10 Vdc.