Create switch counter and tester for 5000 cycles

Thread Starter

ajay251

Joined Nov 15, 2021
12
Dear All,

I have a small task at hand,

I would like to build a switch tester and counter for a cycle of 5000 times.

Hoping the following conditions should also be met,

1) Each time the switch is pressed it should be registered as '1' count and so on.
2) Each time the switch is pressed it should record whether the output is in ON or OFF mode.
3) If the switch is pressed and the output is not there, the instrument needs to record it while still carrying on for 5000 cycles.
4) Hoping the data recording could be done via arduino or rasberry pi.

Hoping anyone can help me regarding this task.
 

Marley

Joined Apr 4, 2016
502
How will the switch be operated? Manually or some kind of automated operator?
Assuming an automated operator - solenoid or a small air cylinder - I would use a small PLC/Smart relay like this. Other makes are available. Because you get a programmable display for the results and switch de-bouncing on the inputs. Easy to program.
Set it going, it could sound a buzzer when 5000 operations complete. Display will show the number of errors - if any.
 

Thread Starter

ajay251

Joined Nov 15, 2021
12
How will the switch be operated? Manually or some kind of automated operator?
Assuming an automated operator - solenoid or a small air cylinder - I would use a small PLC/Smart relay like this. Other makes are available. Because you get a programmable display for the results and switch de-bouncing on the inputs. Easy to program.
Set it going, it could sound a buzzer when 5000 operations complete. Display will show the number of errors - if any.
Thank you for your response actually the instrument is from this link below,
Series F50 Switch Testing Machines - ED&D (productsafet.com), where i was looking for a way to do as mentioned in my thread using a arduino or raspberry pi platform.
 

Thread Starter

ajay251

Joined Nov 15, 2021
12
How will the switch be operated? Manually or some kind of automated operator?
Assuming an automated operator - solenoid or a small air cylinder - I would use a small PLC/Smart relay like this. Other makes are available. Because you get a programmable display for the results and switch de-bouncing on the inputs. Easy to program.
Set it going, it could sound a buzzer when 5000 operations complete. Display will show the number of errors - if any.
There is an counter in the system, which can be bypassed right?
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,859
Dear All,

I have a small task at hand,

I would like to build a switch tester and counter for a cycle of 5000 times.

Hoping the following conditions should also be met,

1) Each time the switch is pressed it should be registered as '1' count and so on.
2) Each time the switch is pressed it should record whether the output is in ON or OFF mode.
3) If the switch is pressed and the output is not there, the instrument needs to record it while still carrying on for 5000 cycles.
4) Hoping the data recording could be done via arduino or rasberry pi.

Hoping anyone can help me regarding this task.
you’ll need to define what represents “On “ and “off”. One way to do that would be to feed a constant current thru the contacts then measure the voltage drop to determine contact resistance . The measured resistance would be compared against whatever standard you set.
 

Thread Starter

ajay251

Joined Nov 15, 2021
12
you’ll need to define what represents “On “ and “off”. One way to do that would be to feed a constant current thru the contacts then measure the voltage drop to determine contact resistance . The measured resistance would be compared against whatever standard you set.
Could this be done with a raspberry pi or ardruino?
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,859
Could this be done with a raspberry pi or ardruino?
Setup an external test fixture with the appropriate circuit, then use the pi or arduino to do the measurements. You could have an internal table to compare the results.

Back in the day we did this with digital circuits, except we tested relay coils and contacts for failsafe systems.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
I have created test setups a bit like this. For other than a totally mechanical test you need a load for the switch to be switching some power, to verify that the contacts are performing correctly. Then you need a system to physically operate the switch in a reasonably repeatable manner, force and rate. A motor driven cam is a good method to do that part. Then a photo pickup to tell the data system that the switch is operated. Then a data system to tell when the switch operates and when it does not operate at how many counts.

A bad situation can happen where a part fails at some number of cycles but no data tells how many cycles and the mechanism keeps working until the part is so damaged that an adequate failure analysis can not be done.
 

Thread Starter

ajay251

Joined Nov 15, 2021
12
I have created test setups a bit like this. For other than a totally mechanical test you need a load for the switch to be switching some power, to verify that the contacts are performing correctly. Then you need a system to physically operate the switch in a reasonably repeatable manner, force and rate. A motor driven cam is a good method to do that part. Then a photo pickup to tell the data system that the switch is operated. Then a data system to tell when the switch operates and when it does not operate at how many counts.
A bad situation can happen where a part fails at some number of cycles but no data tells how many cycles and the mechanism keeps working until the part is so damaged that an adequate failure analysis can not be done.
Thanks for your response, actually there is a switch tester instrument Series F50 Switch Testing Machines - ED&D (productsafet.com) that can give power to the switch and the physically Operation of the switch is done by small hydraullic arrangement in the system. Since i am not that well versed in electronics i was wondering if you could tell me if this Approach is right,

Taking the output reading of the counter in the instrument and the output current from the switch can be simultaneously read such that,

It records the whole set of readings such as one OFF and one ON of switch as one cycle for a total of 5000 cycles (where the number of cycles can be interchanged in the system)

And during each cycle if the switch is in on condition and no feedback is received, then it has to record as error and keep continuing the cycles.

Hope it can be done as easily as said here. If there are any better way kindly let me know.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
Thanks for your response, actually there is a switch tester instrument Series F50 Switch Testing Machines - ED&D (productsafet.com) that can give power to the switch and the physically Operation of the switch is done by small hydraullic arrangement in the system. Since i am not that well versed in electronics i was wondering if you could tell me if this Approach is right,

Taking the output reading of the counter in the instrument and the output current from the switch can be simultaneously read such that,

It records the whole set of readings such as one OFF and one ON of switch as one cycle for a total of 5000 cycles (where the number of cycles can be interchanged in the system)

And during each cycle if the switch is in on condition and no feedback is received, then it has to record as error and keep continuing the cycles.

Hope it can be done as easily as said here. If there are any better way kindly let me know.
A hydraulic system is far more complex than required and will use a lot more power just to run. Certainly there are package systems that will handle all of the data acquisition functions, but they are rather expensive, or at least they were rather expensive 20 years ago.
No mention is given for how much force the switch takes or the length of the stroke to cycle it, that matters quite a bit. Also, 5000 cycles is a very short life test for any item where reliability matters. Using a 30RPM gearmotor and cam, that would be 1800 operations per hour and so the test would be completed in less than three hours. And is there supposed to be some load on the switch? that matters as well.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,070
A hydraulic system is far more complex than required and will use a lot more power just to run. Certainly there are package systems that will handle all of the data acquisition functions, but they are rather expensive, or at least they were rather expensive 20 years ago.
No mention is given for how much force the switch takes or the length of the stroke to cycle it, that matters quite a bit. Also, 5000 cycles is a very short life test for any item where reliability matters. Using a 30RPM gearmotor and cam, that would be 1800 operations per hour and so the test would be completed in less than three hours. And is there supposed to be some load on the switch? that matters as well.
Hey, @MisterBill2 , he seems to be saying he is already using the instrument linked in his post and wants to augment it with something he will build. I can’t easily find any documentation on the instrument itself and am at a loss about exactly why he wants to add things. In any case, it appears the tester already exists.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
OK, I did look at the linked description, and certainly that system should be able to do the test, but given that the safety features are provided that would allow it to be used among those folks unwilling to avoid sticking their hands into harms way, it will cos many times what is actually required to do the job required.
 

Thread Starter

ajay251

Joined Nov 15, 2021
12
Hey, @MisterBill2 , he seems to be saying he is already using the instrument linked in his post and wants to augment it with something he will build. I can’t easily find any documentation on the instrument itself and am at a loss about exactly why he wants to add things. In any case, it appears the tester already exists.
Hi Yaakov,

As you have mentioned i have just started using the instrument, but what i need it is, while the switches are being tested, i want to keep a data log of each cycle (One off and one on position) and during the tests if the switch is in ON position and no supply is going through it then i want to take this reading as an error and keep the log while continuing with the cycles.
 

Thread Starter

ajay251

Joined Nov 15, 2021
12
OK, I did look at the linked description, and certainly that system should be able to do the test, but given that the safety features are provided that would allow it to be used among those folks unwilling to avoid sticking their hands into harms way, it will cos many times what is actually required to do the job required.
Hi,

As told to yaakov, those are the additional tasks i wanted to do during the instrument operation.

In simple terms while the instrument is running,

1) to keep data log of the number of cycles done
2) record errors if the Light switch is in ON condition and no supply passes through it.
 

Thread Starter

ajay251

Joined Nov 15, 2021
12
I have a small task at hand,

During the testing of the working of a single way electrical switch,

If supply is given to the switch and 1 ON and 1 OFF is treated as 1 cycle,

1)Can i record each cycle.
2)During If the switch is in ON mode, if supply doesnot go through it, it should record that error for individual cycle and continue recording the remaining cycles.
Hope someone can give any insight to this matter.

Hoping anyone can help me regarding this task.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,712
Do i need to add a datalogger Shield along with it ?
Not necessarily. It depends on how much data need to be recorded and what you plan to do with the data.
At some point I assume that you want to examine the data on a computer.
I would send the data directly to a computer via wires or wireless.
 
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