LCR-Reader LCR- and ESR-meters

On a short trip to Shenzhen in May, Siborg created local connections for manufacturing, including components for a new model of LCR-Reader. They also appointed a sales manager for a new sales office in China which will handle all of Southeastern Asia. 

The interview focused on the future of the LCR-Reader brand, including a new device coming in 2018 and how the company plans to refocus on their software division

Siborg Systems Inc. is having a sale from March 1st to March 8th 2018 for the LCR-Reader-MP. The sale is in celebration of the device being available for 6 months and that our global distributors are now offering the device. You can see a list of distributors here https://tinyurl.com/y9yq4sa9. Visit the LCR-Reader Store on March 1st to get a discount!

Siborg Systems Inc. has begun offering the newest model in the Smart Tweezers line of LCR- and ESR-meters: the Smart Tweezers ST5S-BT.

Based on the popular ST-5S model, the ST5S-BT offers users the same features and functionality with the added ability to remotely record all measurement values in real-time.

The ST5S-BT connects to iOS, Android and computers with any communication software, with dedicated apps in the Play Store and Apple Store. To connect with a computer, or to use Native Instruments LabView® software, the Bluetooth USB receiver stick is required.

The USB receiver stick opens a virtual serial port which the data is sent over in a comma separated string of values. This string shows what is on the Smart Tweezers’ screen at time of measurement and includes the main and secondary impedance values, the test frequency, test signal level, measurement mode and 4 reserved values.

Depending on the software used to receive the data, it can be saved into a file or database for further processing. The ability to record measurement values is essential for users that are required to record all measurement values, or those that need to refer to past measurements.

Smart Tweezers have become an essential tool for testing and troubleshooting surface mount technology. They require no set-up before measuring with a 0.2% basic accuracy. When the sharp gold-plated tweezers have a grasp on a component, the device will determine the type of component and measure accordingly for L, C, R and any secondary values such as the ESR. All measurement values, including secondary values, type of component and test parameters are instantly available on the OLED display built into the device. For more customized measurements, the device features extensive menus that offer more options for specific measurements, including nulls/voids, holds, offset subtraction and more. Controlled with a 4-way navigational joystick users are able to change measurement mode, test frequency, and other basic parameters from the home screen.

Features on Smart Tweezers ST-5S and ST5S-BT include:

-Fully automatic and manual L, C, R, ESR, Q, Z, and D measurements -0.2% basic accuracy -Automatic test range selection -Gold-plated tweezer probes that can grasp components. either mounted or loose -Diode and Continuity testing -NIST Traceable calibration certificate -4-way joystick navigation -Li-Ion battery with micro-USB charging -Instantaneous measurement results

Still using long wire leads to measure SMT? Why?! Siborg now has SMD Multimeter Test Tweezers! The SMD Multimeter Test Tweezers plugs into almost all multimeters to measure small components using tweezers. The Tweezers are able to measure components to a 0402 size (metric 1005) and are lightweight and portable. When connected, just squeeze a component with the tweezers and the measurement values are displayed on the multimeter’s display.

The SMD Multimeter Test Tweezers have a wire length of 40cm and have colour coded wires to help determine polarity of the component under measure.

The advantages to these tweezers is that almost all multimeters are compatible, they are a lower-cost alternative to buying a tweezer type LCR-meter and that they can simplify testing SMT by allowing users to use only one hand.

The main disadvantage to the tweezers is that they are best suited for jobs that do not require high accuracy due to parasitics (Resistance: 0.3 Ohm, Inductance: 1 mH, Capacitance: 30pF)

Why are you still trying to work long wire leads? Head to the LCR-Reader Store now and get your SMD Multimeter Test Tweezers!

Siborg Systems Inc. will soon be offering a new model in the Smart Tweezers line of LCR- and ESR-meters, the ST5S-BT. This new model offers users the ability to remotely record measurements and results in real time using Bluetooth technology.

The ST5S-BT is based on the ST-5S model, with all the same functions and features and 0.2% basic accuracy, but with the added Bluetooth. This Bluetooth feature will allow users to connect using the NI LabView ® environment, and sometime in the future, the device will be able to connect to iOS, Windows and Android environments with compatible apps.

Using a USB reciever stick, the measurements made by the device are sent over a virtual serial port with the values being shown in a comma-seperated string. For example: “C1.398nf,R3.461kR,10kHz,0.5,S,,,,” These values are explained as such. “Main impedance value and type (C1.398nf), secondary impedance and its value (R3.461kR), test frequency (10kHz), test signal level (0.5V), measurement mode (S for serial), and 4 reserved values.”

This information is sent via the serial port and is recieved by any communication software, such as free Tera Term software (as shown below). The data can be saved as required; when using LabView software, the data can be process and stored in a database for future use.

Waterloo based Siborg Systems Inc. has been working with the Institute of Automation and Electrometry at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk, Russia, in creating a new calibration fixture for LCR-Reader and other models of Tweezer Type LCR and ESR meters.

The new calibration fixture utilizes 14 known components within the LCR-Reader’s measurement range. When a device is connected to the fixture, the fixture will cycle through the components with the measurement values displayed on the LCR-Reader’s OLED display. These values can then be compared to the known values of the components.

This is the second calibration fixture to be created. The first fixture used a 2-wire connection, which worked well for older models of the Tweezer Type LCR-meters, but could not handle the full measurement range of the newer devices, namely lower values of capacitance and inductance, and higher values of resistance. This was due to a parasitic capacitance and resistance on the fixture’s circuit board.

The new model uses a 4-wire connection which is used in newer models of LCR-Reader and Tweezer Type LCR-meters. The 4-wire connection is less sensative to parasitcs on the fixture’s PCB and measures the ranges that the older fixture could not.

This new fixture, along with 4 randomly selected LCR-Readers, were sent to Navair Technologies in Toronto, Ontario, one of Canada’s leading calibration houses. Navair verified the fixture allowing Siborg to begin offering NIST Traceable Calibration Certificates for LCR-Reader.

“With verification from Navair, we can finally offer periodic traceable calibration for all our LCR-meters, but most importantly the LCR-Reader. The LCR-Reader was overlooked by companies that require their test equipment to be calibrated annually, but with this new fixture, we can offer certificates to these customers.” says Michael Obrecht, the Director of Research and Development at Siborg.

Since their debut in the early 2000′s, Tweezer Type LCR and ESR meters have become a leading alternative to testing and troubleshooting Surface Mount Technology with conventional bench type testers. The design set the tweezers apart from the beginning; the combination of a set of gold-plated tweezers as probes and a lightweight LCR-meter in a nearly pen-sized device that requires only one hand to operate. Unlike conventional testers that impede work by requiring set-up between measurements, LCR-Reader and Tweezer Type LCR-meters can determine the type of component and best test parameters before measuring with high accuracy. All measurement values, including the component type, test range, secondary values (such as the ESR), and measurement mode.

The LCR-Reader is a lower-cost alternative to the Tweezer Type LCR-meters. The LCR-Reader retails around $200 USD; this is made possible by removing some features found on the other Tweezer Type LCR-meters and using a fixed test signal level of 0.45Vrms.  When the four randomly selected devices were sent to Navair, it was believed that the accuracy was closer to 1%, but Navair showed it was closer to 0.5%.

Siborg is excited to be able to include NIST Traceable Calibration Certificates for the LCR-Reader. These certificates are available in the LCR-Reader Store when ordered along with a device (each sold seperately).