WinFACT 7 - Windows Fuzzy And Control Tools

Release 7 of our Windows Fuzzy And Control Tools WinFACT is now available. The main new features are:

Block-oriented simulation BORIS:
A new toolbar (options toolbar) now enables the direct search for blocks or texts as well as the changing of the block sizes without invoking a special dialog. If necessary this toolbar can, of course, be hidden.
The new option Search Text allows you to find concrete parts of structures by descriptive texts very fast (alternatively via dialog or the new options toolbar).
The option to insert scalable bitmaps in system structures makes an even better presentation of the system possible in many cases.
The new option Minimize to toolbar/Restore allows the "folding" of BORIS to toolbar height so that the system structure is no longer visible. Clicking it again restores the original window size.
BORIS now allows the direct determination of the frequency response of a series connection of standard elements (PT1, PT2,...) like it is found e. g. in an open loop. The frequency response can be presented as Bode diagram or Nyquist plot. Furthermore the corresponding transfer function can be shown. Besides a measuring function the display window offers many addional options. The open loop as well as the corresponding closed loop can be displayed.
Besides the known presentation of the whole system structure the improved structure overview enables a relative-to-worksheet, zoomable view with hinttexts. Thus the navigation especially of complex structures has become much easier. Both views allow the direct jump to any position by a double click within the overview window.
Superblock export parameters can now be read from files. Thus especially the parameterization of complex systems with frequent changes of system parameters becomes much easier and the possibility of errors is reduced because it is no longer necessary to open the BORIS system file for changing parameters.
All signal levels can now be marked by color offline and, of course, also during simulation. This new feature especially enables a much better analysis of digital systems.
The new block Logic Analyzer is a display instrument with numerous functions and predestined for the analysis of digital systems.
The new system block MIMO state space model enables the easy simulation of multi-input-multi-output state space systems.
The new multi-time response allows the simultaneous display of up to 50 input signals. Besides a measuring function it offers a lot of further functions.
The new 3D-plotter allows the presentation of system trajectories in the x-y-z-domain and offers numerous options.
By the new block type Block List it is (like it is in the modules LISA and RESY now) possible to build a series connection with standard control elements (PT1, PT2,...) which is then presented within BORIS as one block. The block list can be protected by a password to prevent an unauthorized viewing or changing of the list.
The new block types AUDIOIN and AUDIOOUT now support the sound card of the PCs and allow the input of audio signals and the output via the loudspeakers.
A new visualization block (block type HISTO) allows the calculation and graphical presentation of frequency distributions (histograms).
The new system block TABLE allows the clear presentation of measurement and simulation values in table form with numerous options.
The simulation of control loops with switching controllers has become much easier because of many new switching controllers (most of them with feedback). They all can be found - together with other types of controllers - on the system block palette Controller.
New elements for visualization: horizontal and vertical LED-displays with numerous options (VLEDBAR and HLEDBAR)
The new email client block enables the automatic sending of an email at a defined system state. Besides the message text itself an attachment (e. g. a log-file) can be sent.
The new block type VIEWDOC allows to display any documents (e. g. PDF-files) via mouse click.
Besides the known action and display elements with a separate window for control and visualization now so called in-block-action- and in-block-visualization windows are available. They do not have separate windows so that the complete system structure is visible during simulation. The interaction with the user resp. the display is realized within the block (therefore the name) itself.
Various new virtual instruments (e. g. I/O-elements with 1-50 in- resp. outputs, function generator) enable an even more comfortable input resp. visualization of simulation and measurement results.
Further new system block types resp. new block features: Resettable integrator with y0-input Block type BUTTON now offers the modes switch/button resp. change-over-switch/ change-over-button Two-point characteristic element with hysteresis Random generator for various distributions Four channel oscilloscope Digital decoder and digital encoder A/D- and D/A-converter Frequency counter Incremental encoder SIMRESTART-block (allows to restart the simulation using another file) SIMCANCEL-block with the new operation mode "Terminate simulation and quit program"
All types of controllers can additionally now be found on an extra palette of the system block toolbar. Most controllers can alternatively now be presented resp. operate conform-to-standards, i. e. instead of the error signal the reference and actual value are fed. The error signal is then determined within the controller itself.
BORIS now supports the mouse wheel so that scrolling in complex systems has become much more comfortable.
The improvement of the real time behaviour reduces the deviation between preset and actual simulation step sizes resp. sampling time.
The new autostart function enables the automatic loading and, if desired, starting of the system file that was used last.
Because of the new IDispatch interface BORIS can now work as a COM-automation-server. This enables the "remote control" of BORIS by other applications (e. g. a visual basic program, see screenshot).

Other modules:
The modules LISA and RESY now allow the input of linear standard elements like PT1, PT2 (block list) as series connection besides the known input as transfer function in order to preset plant resp. controllers. Thus a much more transparent presetting of time constants, gain factors etc. has become possible. The plants resp. controllers preset in this way keep their structure so that single parameters can at any time be changed or single elements can be added resp. deleted. Block lists can be saved as files with the extension .BL so that programs can exchange them (BORIS now knows this block type, too). It is always possible to convert a block list into a corresponding transfer fucntion. Of course, old files of type UFK can still be loaded and created.
The module RESY for the design of standard control loops has totally been revised. Like in the module LISA plant and controller can now alternatively be built of standard elements in form of a block list (see above) and are always displayed at the right edge of the program window. Single elements can easily be modified via a context menu. Also the characterisitic values of the control loop like overshoot, settling time can be displayed at any time if necessary so that effects resulting from changes of parameters can directly be recognized.
Nyquist plots can be parameterized in all relevant modules with frequency ω, if desired, to get an overview of the position of significant frequency values when printed.
Nyquist plots can be scaled in all relevant modules in such a way that independent of the current screen resolution and window size a real circular unit circle is displayed on screen or is printed.
In the views Bode diagram and Nyquist plot of the module LISA auxiliary lines can now be displayed for stability analysis which enable a quick reading of relevant characterisitcs like gain crossover frequency and phase margin etc..
The graphic module INGO now allows the later deletion of curves in all operating modes.
Furthermore INGO can save whole desktops (i. e. the order of graphic windows incl. all curves, comment texts etc.) and reload them later. This is an important new feature especially for presentation purposes.

Common improvements:
Upgraded training and student licences: up to 100 "real" system blocks (signal sources, drains and labels free in any number)
In connection with a corresponding hardware driver the new WinFACT module FRED * now allows to record experimentally created frequency responses and the graphical presentation as Bode diagram or Nyquist plot. Details on this new module you find under Experimental frequency measurement.
The new BODE-Trainer * is a program which is primarily intended for training purposes to learn the dealing with Bode diagrams of simple and composed systems and the stability analysis according to the Nyquist criterion. For that purpose any number of linear standard elements (P-, PT1-, PT2-element etc.) can be combined to a series connection and the Bode diagrams of all single elements as well as the composed system can be presented in many different forms. Furthermore characteristic values can be determined which allow a stability analysis of the corresponding closed loop. Details on this new module you find under Analysis and synthesis of Bode diagrams.
The new SIM-Trainer * is a program which is primarily intended for training purposes to learn the dealing with step responses of simple and composed systems and the analysis of system dynamic. For that purpose any number of linear standard elements (P-, PT1-, PT2-element etc.) can be combined to a series connection and the step responses of all single elements as well as of the composed system (series connection of the single elements and/or corresponding closed loop) can be presented in many different forms. Furthermore characteristic values can be determined which allow an evaluation of the system dynamic. Details on this new module you find under Calculation and analysis of step responses.
* The modules FRED, BODE- and SIM-Trainer are contained in the WinFACT 7-Complete system as well as in the training licences type C and D.
Licences distributed with a dongle can alternatively be delivered with an USB or parallel dongle.

Download of the WinFACT 7-demo-version, as at January 31st, 2007

More files for downloading you find in the download area!

If you are interested in further information, need a concrete offer or have specific questions please fill in the contact form below.

	Please send us a WinFACT-demo CD.
	Please send us further information in paper form about your whole program and a WinFACT-demo CD.
	We already are WinFACT users. Please send us a WinFACT 7-update offer for the following components:

	(Note: Add-ons like hardware drivers, plant models, PID Design Center, FAB etc. run under WinFACT 7 without modifications - No update is needed for these components! Only for the AutoCode-Generator an update has to be purchased if it is to run under WF7.)
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