I'm in the process of upgrading a number systems using MDL2 modules and intend on using a MD4/XA2 combination in its place. Since this upgrade is largely due to the obsolescence of the MDL2 units I am concerned about the product line expected lifetime for the MD4s and XA2s. I remember that the MDL2s appeared to become obsolete rather suddenly, so are there any plans to make today's MD4 or XA2 modules obsolete in the next 5 years? 10 years? How would we find out when/if this status changes in the future?

We work with NMEA 2000 devices and have had a great deal of issues with the dynamic Source Address nature of the standard. On startup the devices will jockey for Source Addresses and, depending on what's powered on or connected at the time, the Source Address scheme will be different.

We've made due so far with GFINs and using an ajust parameter for the Source Address to build the Identifier, but this requires one of two things to reconnect to a module: 1) blindly cycle through addresses until we find the right one, 2) connect a CAN analyzer to the bus and find the right address. Also, GFINs don't allow for the "Don't Care" option for priority that JFINs offer, which has also been a problem with manufacturers using different default values.

What I'm proposing is kind of the best of both worlds, where we can have the Identifier flexibility of the GFIN, but with the wildcard capability of the JFIN. That, or native NMEA 2000 support...

It is now possible to purchase licenses also for the developer tools IQANdesign and  IQANscript on

IQAN store.

Previously it was only possible to get the licenses for  IQANrun and IQANconnect via the store, the licenses for the developer tools were ordered in the same way as hardware and shipped in boxes.

Since version 5, the tools IQANsimulate and IQANanalyze are free.

The PC tools that require licenses are:

• IQANdesign
• IQANscript
• IQANrun

We are also rolling out a new IQANdesign upgrade subscription, to help drive the development of new and improved functionality for IQAN software. For more details, see the new IQAN software updates and licensing FAQ. 

The IQAN store also introduces a feature for retrieval of licenses bought via the store, and a way of updating existing licenses via the store.

It would be great to have the capability to edit a settings file.

To edit the parameter's Default and Current settings, while offline and remotely from the controller.

This would permit a large number of parameters to be changed easily, as well to cross check them as all parameters are visible in your spread sheet type of format.

This would give me (the Designer) the ability to send a modified settings file to a service technician in the field to send to the controller. This simplifies the service technicians tasks and reduces entry/adjustment errors at site where he/she may have limited communications with the factory/designer.

Highlighted features

It is now possible to configure MD4 display pages for control with external buttons/encoders:

Activate/Navigate with Encoder or key Up/Down.

Interact with controls with key Enter, Slider and State selector will lock focus. Abort interaction (Slider and State selector) with key Escape/Menu.

Remove focus frame with key Escape.

Key interface is selected when using touch buttons, with external buttons/encoder, the spinner is used.

Property control of JFOUT and TSC1 source address

All master modules must be connected to diagnostic bus

Important problem solved

Triggered due to a touch chip communication problem, problem was introduced in 4.03. It is recommended to upgrade IQAN-MD4 applications to avoid this issue.

http://divapps.parker.com/divapps/iqan/Downloads/IQANdesign%204/ReleaseNotes4.04.25.htm

http://divapps.parker.com/divapps/iqan/Downloads/IQANrun%204/ReleaseNotes4.04.8.htm

http://divapps.parker.com/divapps/iqan/Downloads/IQANsimulate%204/ReleaseNotes4.04.14.htm

I have been working with IQAN Design 4 for a few months now and would just like to say that having the ability to change the channel scope to public was a much needed addition. Some programs can get fairly large and any attempt at organizing the logic ended up in multiple FGIs and ended up being even harder to follow. That being said, I was quite used to the Function group output shortcut, shift+ctrl+o. It would be nice if there were shortcuts for the other scope options as well, or pressing the shift+ctrl+o shortcut to toggle through the scope options would also be handy. As long as I'm asking, It would be great to change the scope of multiple channels at a time.

When the COUT regulator on an IQAN-MC2 or IQAN-XA2 is unable to deliver the commanded current, the COUT gets the status saturated.

Saturation happens when it becomes impossible to deliver the commanded current, this is when the supply voltage is too low, the coil resistance is too high, or the max current has been tuned too high.

The available supply voltage depends on the +BAT supply to the module, the internal voltage drop in the COUT, and also on the maximum pulse width, that varies with the dither frequency.

An example of when a saturation warning may be triggered is during cranking in a 24 V system, where it is usually possible to keep the IQAN system powered up. There, if a COUT is tuned close to the maximum current that can be driven through the coil during normal operation, if an output is kept on during cranking it would have the saturation warning.

The saturation status can be seen when measuring on the channel, for example in IQANdesign:

The COUT status can be seen when adjusting in IQANrun:

But the saturation warning also gets logged in the system log:

We have been getting some comments about the saturation warning, that it in some application just fills up the system log without providing much useful information for design or service.

Does anyone think that saturation warning in the log is useful?

Or that it should be removed?

It would be nice to have the possibility to add comments to fsm channels so I can add a comment by transitions.

We're excited to announce the release of IQANsync for iPhone. It is available for download on Apple's App Store now.

User Manual IQANsync HY33-8416-UM-UK.pdf

Press release.pdf

IQANsync for Android will be released later this year.

IQAN-G11 will be available in April.

Prior information about IQAN-G11 connection. IQAN-G11 connector info.PNG

A pre-release version of IQANconnect is available for selected users. Contact us if you want to be part of the pre-release test program.