Short description for the EVAluation PC software

Introduction
The EVAluation PC software provides efficient analysis and evaluation of data taken from vehicle
crash testing. You are given numerous options to create the documentation for the data channels and
calculate all the relevant values for crash test analysis.
The philosophy of the application of the program is to have separate configurations for the analysis of
the data (similar to a macro function). Based on these configurations the user will get a fast analysis
and can generate standardised documentation for the data of a crash test.
The user will have the option to generate additional graphs and evaluations as well as the option to
add comments to the actual test data. A typical application could be seen for the evaluation of test
series. Here you will create the base configuration for the first test, save it and apply this configuration
to all following tests of the same or similar kind.
The program is intended to support you in the creation of different types of graphs and the relevant
and possible calculations that could be made for a specific channel. Therefore many automatic
functions will assist the user by selecting the right filter for a channel, generate resultant channels,
preselect reasonable calculations for a channel,....
To provide all these automatism the program needs the data in a standardised format with a unique
name for the specific measurement channels. The format used here is the free standard format ac-
cording to the ISO 13499 ("ISO-ASCII"). This format operates with a sixteen character code to de-
scribe the measured channels. ISO 13499 is also a part of the ISO MME ("Multi Media Exchange"
format). This format could also be processed by EVAluation PC. For other customer specific or typical
data formats we could provide data converter software.
The functionality of the program comprises the calculation of all the legal and typical Protection Crite-
ria of the actual dummies.
Documentation will cover the test information, the multiple graphs for all the measured data channels,
tables of channel specific information (filter class, min-max-values,...), the calculated values and Pro-
tection Criteria for the channels and a brief protocol for each dummy in the test. The brief protocol
gives you also the ability to evaluate the Protection criteria against reference values.
Beside these functions for result evaluation the program is able to generate other data formats to ex-
port the channel information to other post processing software and for the numerical simulation (for
validation purposes).
In the following you will find a short step-by-step introduction of the base functions and procedures of
the program.

Start of the program

If you use the program in demonstration mode you can cancel the dialog that is opened at program
start up ("Unregistered Test Version... Register now?" -> No). In the demonstration mode you are of-
fered the example test data that comes with the program. All functions of the program will be enabled
for this example test data and gives you the possibility to check out the program.

Load test data

In demonstration mode the example data set is already loaded and a standard configuration is
enabled. This configuration has been generated totally by the automatic functions of the program. If
you would like to analyse your own test data (in ISO 13499 or ISO MME format) you could get a
temporarily registration for the program. Please contact us through the support address given in the
online help (to be found at "Register Evaluation PC").

Create a new configuration, load a configuration

If the program is not in demonstration mode you will be able to save the (modified) configuration under
a different name or create a new configuration. In the demonstration mode your changes will also be
saved, but in the standard configuration ("def\sample.def").
A new configuration could be created by choosing "File\Create new configuration" from the menu. You
must enter the name for the new configuration in the file dialog. Afterwards the dialog for the definition
of the configuration will be displayed. Here you can start to define all the graphs and Protection
Criteria you would like to have for a channel by using the button "Configure <channel name>". This will
bring up the Configuration dialog for the graphs (see in chapter: "Add a graph, configure a graph"). If
you have a large number of channels or would like to have a standard configuration (based on the
automatic functions of the program) as the base for your evaluation you can choose the button: "Stan-
dard-Settings for all ISO-Codes not in Config". If you have finished the configuration for all channels
you will be able to define a user password. This will protect your modified or specific configuration
against inadvertent changes by other users.
Any configuration that has been defined and saved before could be applied to the current test data by
loading this configuration ("File\Open Test (ISO Test Descriptor)"). All the graphs and calculations
enclosed in the configuration loaded will then be created based on the actual test data.

Display and select a graph

Select in the menu "View\Select Graph" or use the short cut key "G"
to get the graph selection dialog. Here you find a list of all
channels/graphs available in the current configuration. The buttons
above the list will sort the information accordingly and give you fast
access to the graph you would like to display. Below the list there is
a "memory box" with all the graphs you have used recently in this
session. Selection from the channel/graph list will be made with the
left mouse bottom. Please keep in mind that you could also scroll
through the graphs currently created with the "page up/page down"
or "cursor left/right" buttons.

Add a graph, configure a graph

The configuration of the graph could be initiated through the menu ("Edit\Configure Graph") or with the
short cut key "C". The configuration dialog will belong to the current data channel and offer different
graph types. You can switch between the different graph types with the tab sheets. Some kind of
graphs are only offered for channels they could be generated for (e.g. VC-graph for chest deflection,
Nij-graph for Neck moments,...). To
activate/display a graph use the
check box ("Create graph") in the
upper left corner of the dialog.
For every graph you can define the
axis scaling, the physical units to be
used, the Protection Criteria and
physical values to be calculated (de-
pendent of the channel or graph!).
Moreover you can specify the pa-
rameters for all the calculations or the
specific graph type. The "configure"
button in the "Calculation/Data" area
of the dialog will open up the dialog to
define the specific calculations (see:
"Configure Calculations").

Configure Calculations
In the menu you can find the dialog to configure the
calculations for the current graph under "Edit\Configure
Calculations". Also you can use the shot cut key "B". The
options offered in the dialog will depend on the current type
of graph or the channel (e.g. HIC calculation for resultant
head acceleration, V*C calculation for rib or chest
deflection,....). By default the filtering for the channel is
chosen based on CFC defined in the SAE J211. If you
would like to overwrite these settings you can disable the
automatic function and choose from the common types of
filter for vehicle safety testing. Another option to configure
within this dialog is the time interval to be used for all the
calculations.
Analyse data
To analyse the test data in the graphs the software pro-
vides a pop-up zoom function and also a "single data
view". Specify the zoom area by left click and dragging the
mouse. In the upcoming zoom dialog you can choose the
type of zoom, display the entire signal and also reset the
current view to the defined axis scaling. In the context
menu of the graph you can also activate the "Single data
view". Place the cursor and switch from one data point to
the next in the dialog. The "data table" (in the menu:
"View\Data Table", short cut key "W") gives you a
compressed summary of all the channel information and
calculations made for the test with the actual configura-
tion.

The error log

During the processing of data or the generation of a graph the program can display the error log
window. In the log file the program makes available information about missing data or channels, on
invalid channel names and any problems in creating the chosen calculations or graphs. In the example
data the error log will be displayed for the Nij kite graph. The example data is only available for a time
interval of –0.1 to 0.299s but the NHTSA definition for the evaluation of the Nij specifies a time interval
covering at least 0.0-0.3s. You can disable the error log window, but you will still be informed on the
occurrence of an error by the red/green indicator in the lower left corner of the main window.

Print graphs
To generate the printouts of the graphs one has to choose from the menu "Test Evaluation\Print
graphs" or use the short cut key "P". In the Print dialog you can select the diagrams you want to
include in the printout (extended selection with the left mouse button in combination with "CTRL" or
"SHIFT" button on the keyboard). Start the actual printing with the "Print" button. After the print
processing has been finished a content list of the printout is generated and could also be sent to the
printer or saved to an ASCII file.

Generate a brief protocol

The brief protocol is a synonym for a brief overview sheet of the Protection Criteria of each dummy.
The protocol function could be activated in the menu at "Test Evaluation\Create Protocol" or with the
"P" button in the speed button bar on the left side of the main window. The first page of the protocol
dialog offers you options to
limit the information
displayed in the protocol, to
name the columns for the
reference values and for the
time interval used for the
calculations. You could also
select the language for the
protocol. On the following
pages of the dialog you can
specify the Protection
Criteria to be evaluated. The
criteria are grouped for front
and side impact
configurations to support the
user in the selection of the
applicable criteria.
Furthermore you can modify
the names used for the criteria and the reference values (grid cells in white can be modified!). Beside
the protocol a table of min-max-values for the channels could be generated. The channels to be
processed for this table could be specified by masks on the fourth page of the dialog ("Min-Max
Evaluation"). You could also include resultant channels in this table by using the "R" at position 15 of
the channel mask.
The buttons for the generation of the front or side impact protocol will start the corresponding calcula-
tions. After that a preview window is displayed. Here you can control the page break by the page mar-
gins and the line distance of the tables. The pass or fail of a criterion against the given reference
values will be displayed also with a coloured background. The colour could be defined on the last
page of the protocol dialog ("Configuration").

Generate the test documentation

Choose from the menu "Evaluation\Evaluate Test" to get the start dialog for the test evaluation. In this
dialog you can check the test data source and the configuration that is used. In the lower part of the
dialog you can choose the components of the documentation that should be generated. In all the
following dialogs you can preview the information that has been generated and decide if you want to
send this information to the printer or save this information to disk. By leaving one dialog you will get to
the next step of the test evaluation.

More detailed information on the program and additional features offered by this software can be
found in the online help or the printed program documentation. Also, you will find there information on
the Protection Criteria, rules for sign conventions of the signals and the ISO MME format for measure-
ment channels.
If you have any questions or need further information you can contact us by telephone or email. You
can find the contact address in the online help under "Register Evaluation PC".