Simcenter Testing Solutions Simcenter Testlab Neo: Process Designer
2021-06-23T02:55:39.000-0400
Simcenter Testlab
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Direct YouTube link: https://youtu.be/-v19xo4ktZc
Simcenter Testlab Neo Process Designer makes processing data easy and interactive. It is part of Simcenter Testlab Releases 18 and higher, and can be accessed using token licensing.
Processes are designed by linking together methods as shown below:
Figure 1: Octaves, sound quality metrics, a spectral map, and map statistics are all processed at once. Each individual method’s settings are controllable.
The process designer includes features such as:
- Processing data based on attributes
- Processing tracked and stationary data simultaneously
- Previewing data before it is saved to the project
- Much more!
Index:
1. Open Process Designer
2. Build a Process
2.1 Add Methods
2.2 Add-ins
2.3 Adjusting Method Properties
2.3 Adjusting Method Defaults
2.4 Process Data Based on Attributes
2.6 Method Status: On / Off / Bypass
3. Saving and Loading Processes
4. Executing a Process
1. Open Process Designer To access the process designer, launch the Testlab icon. The process builder is available in any Testlab Neo folder. It can be opened from both “Desktop Neo” and “Process Designer”.
Figure 2: Open the process builder from a Neo application.
The processing tab has four sub-workbooks: universal, data selection, process, and validate (see tabs highlighted with red box in Figure 3).
The universal workbook contains all these working areas: data selection, process, properties, and display. All examples in this article will use the universal workbook.
Figure 3: The universal processing tab contains areas for data selection, processing, properties, and displaying data.
The universal tab is most commonly used as it combines everything needed to process data.
2. Build a Process
2.1 Add Methods
Processes are built by combining methods.
Methods can be added from three different places:
- The “Add method” list (it is possible to type and search in this list)
- The favorites area (this will populate with commonly used methods)
- The method library
Figure 4: There are three different ways to add a method.
To create a process, add one or more methods. Connect the methods by arrows to dictate the process flow.
Figure 5: Build a process by adding multiple methods. Connect the methods with arrows to control the process flow.
By default, a process begins with the input method and other methods can be added on.
2.2 Add-ins
The methods that are available are controlled by the add-ins. To turn on / off various add-ins, go to “File” (upper left of screen) and then open the “add-ins” area.
The add-ins area is shown in Figure 6, below. All the add-ins highlighted in yellow will add methods to the process designer.
Figure 6: The add-ins highlighted in yellow will affect what methods are available in the process designer.
The added methods will appear in the process designer. The methods will be grouped corresponding to which add-in they are controlled by.
2.3 Adjusting Method Properties
Every unique method type has different properties that are adjustable.
To view the properties for each method, select the method in the process. The properties will update in the properties pane (highlighted in yellow, Figure 7, below).
Figure 7: The properties will update to correspond to whichever method is selected.
Changes to the method properties can be saved as the new default.
2.4 Adjusting Method Defaults
It is possible to change the default properties of a method. For example, by default, the “Spectrum map” method uses a 4Hz frequency resolution. In the properties below, the frequency resolution is changed to 1Hz (Figure 8, below).
Right click on the method and select “Set Default Parameter Values” (Figure 8, below).
Figure 8: Changing the default parameters values.
Now, anytime the “Spectrum map” method is added, it will have a default frequency resolution of 1Hz.
2.5 Process Data Based on Attributes
One very useful method is the “Split” method. The split method splits the data stream into separate branches based on channel attributes.
The split method has two outputs: red and green.
Figure 9: The split method.
All data matching the split criterion goes to the green port, all other data goes to the red port.
To change the properties of the split, click on the method. Then, in the properties pane, select the data attribute type(s) to filter on.
In Figure 10, below, the split icon is selected. The properties pane on the right updates to show “split” attributes.
It is desired to filter data based on the y-axis unit. This option is selected in the properties pane. In the “Select Values” window, acceleration is selected.
Figure 10: Adding a split based on y-axis unit. Anything that has a unit of acceleration will go to the green port, the rest will go to the red port.
NOTE: It is possible to split based on multiple data attributes at the same time.
2.6 Method Status: On / Off / Bypass
The method status bar on the left side of the method indicates how the method will be used.
Method status options include
- On – the method will be used in the process
- Off – the method will not be used, and no data will pass thru it
- Bypass – the method will not be used however, the data will pass thru it to the next method
Figure 11: Adjust the method status by clicking on the bar on the left side of the method icon.
NOTE: Some methods can only be turned on or off and do not have a bypass option.
3. Saving and Loading Processes
To save a process so it can be recalled later, press the “Save” button under the “Process” tool ribbon.
Give the process a name and press “OK”.
Figure 12: Save a process so it can be recalled later.
To open a saved process, press the “Open” button under the “Process” tool ribbon.
Figure 13: Open a saved process by pressing “Open” and selecting a process from the menu.
NOTE: If a process is opened and some of the methods are crossed out, it may be because required add-ins are not loaded. See this article for more information.
Figure 14: If methods are crossed out, certain required add-ins may not have been loaded.
It should be noted that processes can be shared between users.
4. Executing a Process
To run a process, add data to the input basket. This can be done by right clicking and selecting either “Add to Input Basket” or “Replace in Input Basket”.
Figure 15: Add data to the input basket.
The data in the input basket can be viewed by selecting the input basket in the Data Selection Tree.
In the input basket view, the checkboxes indicate what data will be fed through the process. Uncheck any data that should not be fed to the process.
Figure 16: Preview what data is in the input basket. Use the checkboxes to control what data is fed to the process. Click on a channel(s) in the input basket to preview it in the display area.
The process is controlled by the action bar at the bottom of the screen (highlighted in red in Figure 17, below).
Click “Run” to run the process (bottom left, Figure 17).
Figure 17: Run the process.
After the process completes, users will be prompted to accept or reject the data. No data will save to the project until a user selects “Accept”. This gives users a chance to evaluate the data before saving.
Figure 18: Users can either accept or reject the processed run.
To view the processed results, click on “Active Analysis”. This will load the pivot table with the data that was just processed.
Click around on various functions in the table to determine if the results are as desired. (NOTE: Learn more about the pivot table and displays in this article).
Figure 19: Open the active analysis to preview the data that was just processed.
If the processed results are satisfactory, press Accept. This will save the run to the project.
Alternatively, the results can be rejected. The Active Analysis will empty out. This gives users a chance to modify and re-run the process.
By default, the software will ask to accept or reject the results.
However, it is possible to automatically accept the results of a process by switching the “Accept” mode from “Manual” to “Auto”.
Figure 20: Switch the accept mode from “Manual” to “Auto” to automatically accept results.
The process designer makes processing intuitive, efficient, and highly customizable. The process designer includes fantastic features such as:
- Processing data based on attributes
- Processing tracked and stationary data simultaneously
- Previewing data before it is saved to the project
- Much more!
Related Links:
- Index of Testing Knowledge Articles
- Simcenter Testlab Neo Introduction
- Simcenter Testlab Neo Displays
- Simcenter Testlab Neo: Pivot Table
- Calculating and Comparing Orders and Overall Levels in Simcenter Testlab Neo
- Simcenter Testlab Neo: Combined, Block Calculator, and Signal Generation Methods
- Simcenter Testlab Neo Audio Replay
- Accessing Simcenter Amesim Models in Simcenter Testlab Neo
- Processing Multiple Segments in Simcenter Testlab Neo
- Simcenter Testlab Neo: Calculating Signal Rise Rate
- Simcenter Testlab Neo Data Queries
- Simcenter Testlab Neo: Reporting
- Simcenter Testlab Throughput Processing Tips
- RPM Extraction in Simcenter Testlab
- Run Comparison in Simcenter Testlab
- Order Cuts: How to Get the Correct Amplitude?
- Time Signal Calculator Tips
- Simcenter Testlab: Calculating Statistics from Time Histories
- Simcenter Testlab: Appending Time Histories
- Simcenter Testlab: Create a new recording from a segment cut
- Simcenter Testlab Sound Diagnosis
- Can I view data in Google Earth?
- Simcenter Testlab: Switching Frequencies and Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) Signals
- Simcenter Testlab Neo Advanced Tips Seminar
- Simcenter Testlab Neo YouTube Playlist
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