Flight Stand 500: DAQ and Software Setup Guide

By Kaleb Mannion

The Flight Stand 500 Force Measurement Unit (FMU) measures thrust and torque during propulsion testing. Before collecting data, the force measurement unit must be connected to the Data Acquisition Unit (DAQ) and configured correctly in the Flight Stand software.

This guide walks you through how to connect the Flight Stand 500 FMU to the DAQ, load its calibration, map the analog inputs, and verify the measurements.

Below is our video tutorial of the process:

Table of Contents:

1. Connect the Force Amplification Unit to the DAQ

2. Record the Calibration Code and DAQ Serial Number

3. Load the Calibration in Flight Stand Software

4. Configure the Thrust Transformation

5. Configure the Torque Transformation

6. Tare the Sensors

7. Verify the Force Measurement

What You'll Need

Before starting, you will need:

• Force Measurement Unit, typically already mounted to your Flight Stand 500

• Force Amplification Unit, typically attached to the Force Measurement Unit

• Seven TRRS cables

• Two Data Acquisition Units, connected and powered

• Computer running the Flight Stand software

Step 1: Connect the Amplifier Unit to the DAQ

1. Connect a TRRS cable to port 1 on the Amplifier Unit and port 1 on the DAQ.

2. Continue connecting the remaining TRRS cables in order from ports 2 through 7.

3. Check that all seven connections match between the Amplifier Unit and DAQ.

Step 2: Record the Calibration Code and DAQ Serial Number

Before moving to the Flight Stand software, record two values from the hardware:

1. Calibration code: This is located on the Force Amplification Unit. In this example, the calibration code is K7V7E.

Figure 3: The calibration code found on the Force Amplification Unit

2. DAQ serial number: This is located on the Data Acquisition Unit connected to the Amplifier. In this example, the serial number is 957F0D8F.

You will use these values to load the correct calibration and identify the correct DAQ when mapping the inputs.

Step 3: Load the Calibration in Flight Stand Software

1. Open the Flight Stand software.

2. Check the hardware list for the connected DAQ. If multiple DAQs are connected, they will appear in this list.

3. Navigate to the Input Transformations menu at the bottom of the page.

4. Enter the calibration code from the Force Amplification Unit into the calibration code box.

5. Press Load.

Once the calibration is loaded, the thrust and torque transformations should appear in the transformations list.

Step 4: Configure the Thrust Transformation

1. Select the thrust transformation from the list.

Figure 6: The Flight Stand software thrust transformation

2. Click the dropdown next to formula input A.

3. Select voltage general analog input 1 for the DAQ connected to the amplifier unit.

4. Repeat this process for the remaining formula inputs:

• A → analog input 1
• B → analog input 2
• C → analog input 3
• D → analog input 4
• E → analog input 5
• F → analog input 6
• G → analog input 7

5. Press Save once all inputs have been assigned.

If more than one DAQ is connected, the serial number will be shown in the software. Make sure it matches the serial number of the DAQ connected to the Force Amplification Unit.

If only one DAQ is connected, you can assign the analog inputs in order.

Step 5: Configure the Torque Transformation

1. Return to the transformations list and select the torque transformation.

2. Assign the formula inputs to the corresponding analog inputs, making sure the DAQ serial number matches the unit connected to the Force Amplification Unit.

3. Once all inputs have been assigned, press Save.

Figure 8: Seven analog inputs assigned for torque

Step 6: Tare the Sensors

1. After configuring the thrust and torque transformations, press the Tare Sensors button in the top-right corner of the screen.

Figure 9: Tare Sensors button in the Flight Stand software

Step 7: Verify the Force Measurement

The final step is to check that the hardware is connected correctly and the inputs are mapped properly:

1. Place a known weight on the FMU. In this example, a 5 kg weight is used.

2. Check the thrust measurement in the Flight Stand software.

3. Confirm that the measured thrust matches the known weight. This confirms that the system is reading the applied load correctly.

Figure 11: Measured thrust (circled in red) in the Input Transformations window

Conclusion

The Flight Stand 500 is now connected to the DAQ and configured in the Flight Stand software. With the calibration loaded, thrust and torque inputs mapped, and the force measurement verified with a known weight, the stand is ready to measure thrust and torque.