When selecting a data acquisition system for acoustics, NVH, and vibration testing, it is not enough to compare sampling rate, ADC resolution, or channel count alone. The evaluation should also consider field deployment, synchronization, power supply, data storage, analysis workflow, and report delivery. This article compares the application boundaries of SonoDAQ + OpenTest and NI [...]

When evaluating the noise of an appliance, a single sound level meter reading only indicates how loud the sound is at one specific measurement location. It does not directly represent the inherent noise emitted by the product itself. This article begins by explaining the difference between sound pressure level and sound power level, clarifying why [...]

The key to a multi-device data acquisition system is not simply the number of channels, but whether all acquired data share the same time base. In applications such as acoustic arrays, sound source localization, NVH analysis, and distributed vibration testing, even a small timing offset can affect phase relationships, time-of-arrival differences, and source localization accuracy. [...]

Wind tunnels were originally built to see the flow. Within a controlled test section, engineers direct airflow at a specified velocity over vehicles, wings, UAVs, rotor blades, or scale models. By analyzing pressure distributions, aerodynamic forces and moments, smoke visualization, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), and balance measurements, they can determine whether flow separation occurs, drag [...]