What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 6pm Tuesday 8am - 6pm Wednesday 8am - 6pm Thursday 8am - 6pm Friday 8am - 6pm

Crystal Instruments

Name: Crystal Instruments
Address: 2090 Duane Avenue, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, US
Telephone: +14089868880

Home
United States
Santa Clara, CA
Crystal Instruments

Crystal Instruments is a leading manufacturer of vibration testing equipment, condition monitoring solutions, and data acquisition systems.

Est. 1996 - Crystal Instruments designs, produces, sells, and services hardware and software for machine vibration monitoring, dynamic measurement and environmental testing.

11/02/2026

Take your environmental testing capabilities further with Crystal Instruments' VCS-106 Combined Vibration and Temperature Testing Seminar this December!

Join us in Kannapolis, North Carolina, for a technical training seminar focused on integrating vibration and temperature testing into a single, coordinated workflow.

Learn how to configure, control, and analyze combined environmental tests, with practical demonstrations covering:

🔹 Thermal chamber and vibration controller integration
🔹 Temperature and vibration profiles managed through a single test schedule
🔹 Combined test ex*****on, real-time monitoring, and data collection
🔹 Data visualization, troubleshooting, and post-processing
🔹 Automated report generation and data export

Whether you're configuring a new combined testing setup or looking to improve your current workflow, this seminar offers practical guidance for managing complex environmental tests more efficiently.

Ready to strengthen your combined testing capabilities? Register today to secure your spot in the link below or in our bio!

🔗 https://www.crystalinstruments.com/crystal-instruments-seminars/combined-vibration-temperature-testing-seminar

10/30/2026

📊 Understanding Signal Ringing in Pyroshock Data Acquisition

When capturing high-frequency shock events, not every oscillation in a recorded waveform necessarily comes from the physical event itself.

One potential source of unwanted ringing is the Gibbs phenomenon, which occurs when sharp signal transitions cannot be fully represented by the finite frequency content available in digital signal processing. The resulting overshoot and oscillations can introduce artifacts into the time-domain waveform.

This is particularly relevant to pyroshock testing, where rapid transients and high-frequency excitation place significant demands on data acquisition systems.

Crystal Instruments' Spider systems address this challenge through a Ripple Elimination Filter, designed to reduce ringing artifacts while preserving the frequency range of interest.

The filter features:

🔹 A cutoff frequency of 0.2 × fs, where fs is the sampling rate.
🔹 A flat passband up to 0.1 × fs, supporting the frequency range typically used for pyroshock analysis.
🔹 Up to 80 dB of attenuation at 0.45 × fs, helping suppress unwanted high-frequency components.

The accompanying graphics demonstrate the Gibbs phenomenon using a square-wave input and compare raw data with data processed through CI's Ripple Elimination Filter.

Beyond ripple elimination, Spider systems incorporate oversampling, anti-aliasing filters, and real-time DSP capabilities to support reliable pyroshock data acquisition.

🔗 Explore the full application note, “Pyroshock Data Acquisition Using a Crystal Instruments Spider System” here or in our bio:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5230e9f8e4b06ab69d1d8068/t/686c1a08a1455d5c77ccd0ba/1751915017155/Pyroshock+Data+Acquisition+Using+CI+Spider+2025.pdf

10/29/2026

That's a wrap on Automotive Testing Expo North America 2026!

As the show comes to a close, we'd like to thank everyone who stopped by Booth T1820 to connect with Crystal Instruments and Sentek Dynamics.

It's been a great opportunity to exchange ideas, learn about the testing challenges engineers are facing, and discuss solutions for a wide range of automotive applications.

From vibration testing and environmental simulation to dynamic signal analysis and data acquisition, we enjoyed hearing about your projects and exploring how our technologies can support your testing needs.

What's next?

🔹 If you spoke with our team: Thank you for taking the time to meet with us! You can expect to hear from one of our sales managers soon to continue the conversation.
🔹 If we missed you: We'd still love to connect! Whether you're looking to develop a new vibration testing setup, expand your data acquisition capabilities, or explore shaker systems for component and durability testing, reach out to [email protected]. Our team would be happy to discuss your application and help you explore the available solutions.

Thank you again for a great show. We look forward to continuing the conversations and building new connections beyond the exhibition floor!

10/28/2026

🔨 Impact Hammer Testing: Understanding Structural Dynamics Through Experimental Modal Analysis

How can engineers determine how a structure responds to vibration?

Impact hammer testing is a widely used method in experimental modal analysis for identifying natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes.

An instrumented impact hammer applies a short-duration force to a structure. Its built-in force transducer measures the excitation, while accelerometers capture the vibration response.

Engineers use these measurements to calculate Frequency Response Functions (FRFs), providing insight into structural dynamics.

🔹 Broadband Excitation: A single impact can excite multiple structural resonances across a wide frequency range.
🔹 Efficient Setup: Impact testing generally requires less equipment than continuous shaker excitation.
🔹 Flexible Measurement: Engineers can move the hammer between impact points to characterize structural behavior.
🔹 Structural Characterization: FRFs help identify natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes for design validation and troubleshooting.

What affects measurement accuracy?

Hammer tip selection influences excitation bandwidth, while inconsistent impacts, double hits, and unsuitable sensor placement can compromise results.

Crystal Instruments' EDM Modal Analysis solutions support impact hammer testing through multi-channel data acquisition, FRF measurement, and modal parameter identification, helping engineers evaluate structural dynamics with confidence.

🔗 Want to learn more? Click the link here or in our bio: https://www.crystalinstruments.com/hammer-impact-test

10/27/2026

Day 1 of Automotive Testing Expo North America 2026 is underway! 🚗

The Crystal Instruments and Sentek Dynamics teams are here at Booth T1820 in Novi, Michigan, ready to connect with engineers and industry professionals working on the next generation of automotive testing.

Tim Copeland and Priscilla Cheung from Crystal Instruments, along with Reza and Matt from Sentek Dynamics, are here and looking forward to meeting you!

Stop by our booth to explore solutions and discuss applications involving:

🔹 Vibration testing and control
🔹 Electrodynamic shaker systems
🔹 Dynamic signal analysis and data acquisition
🔹 Modal testing and structural dynamics
🔹 Automotive component durability and validation

Whether you're evaluating component durability, investigating vibration behavior, or exploring new testing capabilities, we'd love to hear about your projects and testing challenges.

We'll be here through Thursday. Stop by Booth T1820 to meet the team and learn how Crystal Instruments and Sentek Dynamics can support your testing needs.

10/26/2026

📡 Product Spotlight: Spider-30RW | Ultra-Compact Wireless Data Acquisition

Collecting vibration data doesn't always require a continuously connected computer or a traditional laboratory setup.

Crystal Instruments' Spider-30RW is an ultra-compact, wireless data acquisition system designed for applications where portability, flexibility, and automated measurements are essential.

With onboard signal processing, internal data storage, and Wi-Fi connectivity, the Spider-30RW enables engineers to collect and analyze dynamic measurement data in a compact, standalone system.

Key features include:

🔹 Wireless Connectivity: Wi-Fi communication provides flexibility when configuring and accessing measurement systems.
🔹 Scheduled Data Collection: Automatic, recurring measurements support periodic condition monitoring without requiring continuous operator involvement.
🔹 Onboard Signal Processing: Built-in processing capabilities enable data analysis directly within the instrument.
🔹 High-Resolution Measurements: Six input channels, 24-bit resolution, and sampling rates up to 102.4 kHz support a range of dynamic measurement applications.
🔹 Compact, Portable Design: Its small form factor makes it suitable for field measurements and installations where space is limited.

From vibration measurements to periodic machinery condition monitoring, the Spider-30RW offers a flexible approach to collecting and analyzing dynamic data.

🔗 Explore the Spider-30RW and its capabilities here or in our bio: https://www.crystalinstruments.com/spider30r-spider30rw-ultra-compact-data-acquisition

10/23/2026

Crystal Instruments is heading to Automotive Testing Expo North America 2026 at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi, Michigan, USA!

Join us to explore advanced vibration testing, measurement, and data acquisition solutions for automotive testing and development.

Stop by booth T1820 to connect with our team and discover how Crystal Instruments can support your testing needs.

We look forward to seeing you there! 🚗

Can't make it to this show? We'll be attending several more events throughout the year! Check out our upcoming events here or through the link in our bio: https://www.crystalinstruments.com/conferences-exhibitions

10/22/2026

🔍 Ever completed a vibration test, analyzed the results, and wondered if you're interpreting the data correctly?

Identifying natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes is essential to understanding how structures behave under dynamic conditions. But successful modal analysis goes beyond collecting data. It requires knowing how to obtain reliable measurements, recognize common testing errors, and interpret the results with confidence.

Join Dr. Pete Avitabile, Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, for our upcoming Modal Analysis Seminar in March 2027!

Designed for engineers looking to strengthen their understanding of experimental modal analysis, this seminar combines technical lectures, live demonstrations, and hands-on testing to bridge the gap between theory and real-world applications.

🔹 Understand how to accurately identify natural frequencies, damping, and mode shapes
🔹 Explore impact testing techniques and MIMO shaker measurements
🔹 Recognize common testing pitfalls and misconceptions
🔹 Gain practical experience collecting and analyzing modal test data
🔹 Strengthen your ability to interpret results and troubleshoot vibration-related challenges

Whether you're new to modal analysis or looking to refine your existing techniques, this seminar offers an opportunity to learn from an experienced educator and apply those insights to your own engineering challenges.

🔗 Learn more and register now to reserve your spot (link also available in our bio): https://www.crystalinstruments.com/crystal-instruments-seminars/march-2027-modal-seminar

10/21/2026

🚀 How do you measure the impact of a rocket launch two miles away?

At Cape Canaveral, cracks began appearing in the windows of a 60,000-square-foot launch support building. The damage appeared to coincide with nearby rocket launches and booster landings, raising an important question: What was happening to the structure during these events?

To investigate, engineers needed to capture two very different conditions: the sustained acoustic rumble of a rocket launch and the brief, intense sonic booms generated by returning boosters.

Crystal Instruments' measurement systems played a key role in the investigation.

🔹 CoCo-80X: Three 8-channel handheld recorders captured the initial acoustic and vibration measurements across 24 channels. However, manually aligning recordings from separate devices proved time-consuming.
🔹 Spider-80Xi: GPS-synchronized data acquisition enabled engineers to capture measurements across multiple locations on a shared timeline, simplifying data comparison and analysis.
🔹 Microphones and accelerometers: Captured acoustic pressure and structural vibration, helping engineers understand how the building responded to launch and landing events.

The results revealed measured levels substantially higher than published predictions, along with significant variations in structural response across the facility.

What began as a 24-channel investigation expanded into a larger monitoring program, progressing from 32 synchronized channels to a 224-channel system.

This application demonstrates how synchronized, high-channel-count data acquisition helps engineers evaluate structural responses to extreme acoustic and vibration environments.

🔗 Read the full case study here or in our bio:
https://www.crystalinstruments.com/dynamic-measurement-articles/gps-synchronized-rocket-acoustic-measurement

10/20/2026

⚠️ What happens when a vibration test stops unexpectedly?

During vibration testing, an unexpected test abort doesn't always mean vibration levels became too high. Sometimes, the measured response drops below the required limit, even as the controller increases its drive.

In a sine sweep test conducted using Crystal Instruments' EDM Vibration Control System (VCS), the test unexpectedly stopped at 168.5 Hz.

What caused it?

A structural anti-resonance caused a significant drop in vibration response at the control sensor. As the controller increased the drive voltage to maintain the programmed profile, the response remained too low, eventually crossing the lower abort limit and stopping the test.

This example highlights why understanding structural dynamics and selecting the right control strategy are essential for successful vibration testing.

🔹 Abort limits: Stop testing when measured responses fall outside defined thresholds.
🔹 Sensor placement: Helps avoid control locations where structural anti-resonances can significantly reduce the measured response.
🔹 Single-channel control: Uses one measurement channel to regulate vibration levels, making control sensitive to the response at that location.
🔹 Weighted average control: Combines measurements from multiple control sensors to reduce the influence of sharp anti-resonances at individual locations and smooth the required drive response.

A test abort is more than an interruption. It can reveal valuable information about structural behavior, sensor placement, and control conditions.

Explore how different control strategies can help engineers address these challenges during high-frequency sine vibration testing.

🔗 Read the full technical article in our bio.

Address

2090 Duane Avenue
Santa Clara, CA
95054

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 6pm
Tuesday	8am - 6pm
Wednesday	8am - 6pm
Thursday	8am - 6pm
Friday	8am - 6pm

Telephone

+14089868880

Website

http://www.crystalinstruments.com/, https://linktr.ee/crystalinstruments

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Crystal Instruments posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.