Pentek - Fully-Rugged Mil-Spec-200 MHz Real-Time Analog Recording and Analysis Instrument for Harsh Environments and UAV Applications

Streams data to/from RAID array at up to 1600 MB per second
Allows mix-and-match of eight record and playback channels
Supports remote operation and data visualization
Designed to meet MIL-STD-810F requirements

“This new family of ruggedized instruments opens our products to a wider audience,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “We serve a lot of customers who need instruments that are flight-certified or must operate in severe environments. The RTR 2746 specifically targets that requirement.”

Pentek collaborated with rugged computer manufacturer Crystal Group in development of these instruments. “We are pleased to team with Pentek on this project,” said Scott Kongable, president Crystal Group. “Pentek’s recording expertise joined with our rugged computer manufacturing capabilities gives developers a powerful new option for data collection and playback under airborne and other harsh operating conditions.”

High-Performance Operation
The RTR 2746 provides real-time 16-bit data capture on multiple simultaneous channels using 200 MHz ADCs and can play back recorded data through 1.25 GHz 16-bit DACs to reproduce the captured signal. Handling signal bandwidths to 80 MHz, the instrument includes built-in digital up- and down-converters that allow a direct interface to IF signal frequencies up to 700 MHz. The instrument supports up to eight data channels with a customer-specified mix of recording and playback capabilities.

The RTR 2746 streams data at 1600 MB per second to or from an array of up to 48 drives in a RAID configuration, providing up to 24 TB of storage. The solid state drives can support RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 and 50. The data format used for storage follows the NTFS standard, allowing users to remove drives from the instrument and read the data using standard Windows-based systems, eliminating the need for file format conversion. All drives are removable and can be immediately swapped for minimum downtime.

Ruggedized Construction
Based on Crystal Group’s 4U server family chassis, the RTR 2746 functions reliably under extreme conditions. Operating temperature is -15°C to +55°C and can stretch to -40°C to +71°C with the use of solid-state drives and a high-temperature CPU. The lightweight aluminum chassis handles vibration up to 4.43 gRMS 50-500Hz and the instrument is rated to operate up to 12,500 ft. altitude. Under transport or storage conditions, the RTR 2746 can tolerate -55°C to +85°C at altitudes to 40,000 ft.

The chassis occupies a 4U, 24-inch deep space in a standard 19-inch rack and uses thermally-controlled high-speed fans for cooling. Construction techniques include multiple attachment points on the motherboard, locking mechanisms on all connectors and fasteners, and secured cable dressing to prevent chafing.

Ease of Operation
As with all Pentek recording instruments, the RTR 2746 comes with the full support of SystemFlow software for simple system control and operation. The software provides a graphical user interface offering point-and-click configuration and can store custom configurations for single-click setup. The software also includes signal visualization and analysis tools that allow an operator to monitor signals before, during and after data collection. These tools include both a virtual oscilloscope and a virtual signal analyzer.

The RTR 2746 has the ability to be controlled remotely through a network connection. This allows the instrument to operate under full manual control in environments unsuitable for humans. In an avionics application, for instance, the instrument could be located in an equipment bay or on an unmanned platform and controlled by a user in the cockpit or at a remote facility.