PTS Flowbench Forum

Hey Guys, I'm in the market to buy a setup for my home workshop, I'm from Australia and would like advice on a good reliable setup, performance trends, flow performance, other recommended brands. I can fabricate/build any enclosures/bench here at home so I am after the electronics required to make to bench work.
Cheers

Hey Stumper, what's wrong with the PTS flowbench kit that Bruce sells right here on the forum. I know these guys are very dedicated to this machine and don't think you would go wrong. Talk to Bruce. Jim

Stumper wrote: I can fabricate/build any enclosures/bench here at home so I am after the electronics required to make to bench work.
Cheers

Welcome to the Forum Stumper.

Jim is right, best thing you can do is pm Bruce, (that runs the Forum here).
He can supply a set of flow bench plans that are the result of many many years of continuing development, and the input from many Forum members, which range from dedicated hobbyists to top professionals in this field.

It is now a really well proven and perfected design being used by people all over the world, including many Forum members, like yourself right here in oZ.
Even if you decide to build it a bit differently yourself, it would make an excellent starting point.

And Bruce can also supply all the electronics and software, orifice measurement and calibration plates, flow probes, at a quality and price that nobody else anywhere can match.

And there will be huge technical backup from all the other Forum members here.
This is the most helpful and most friendly Forum on the internet anywhere...

Thanks for the welcome guys, I am open minded about all brands, to be truthful I had only heard of the flow performance and performance trends gear until yesterday hahaha. I was swaying towards the FP until I read recently that backup support was average at best, the PT had the option of integrating the engine analyzer pro software I am planning to buy also (which I am open to advice and opinions of).
I have not had the chance yet to fully explore the forum yet but your pitch towards the PTS gear has got me interested in looking at that as well.
As far as I know I'm chasing all the fruit, full digital computer based readings, pitot tubes, auto pressure control valve, swirl meter and so on all being displayed on the flat screen run through my windows based laptop. Valve opener and test springs and I like the idea of set cabinet design plans.
I have what I think is a fair budget of $3000 to complete it from start to finish, does my budget seem reasonable?
Thanks for your time and I will PM Bruce.
Cheers

Stumper wrote: As far as I know I'm chasing all the fruit, full digital computer based readings, pitot tubes, auto pressure control valve, swirl meter and so on all being displayed on the flat screen run through my windows based laptop.

Full digital computer Windows based on screen readings, no problem.
Pitot velocity probes to go with that, no problem either. The velocity probe software and electronics all come as standard, but the probes themselves need to be sourced separately.
Fully automatic closed loop test pressure control, we do that here too, by controlling motor speed which also cuts down heat, noise, and power consumption. Works much better than a flow valve.

Exporting the data to other software packages through direct data transfer is always going to be a bit problematic because there are so many possibilities and permutations with data format.
It is something already being looked at and thought about and discussed.
I am sure it will eventually happen, the whole thing has been a continuously evolving project, and any software updates and upgrades are always made available on line, and are always free.
Rick and Bruce are the resident software Gurus here, and can answer any questions you may have, the software side of things is not really my area.

The data acquisition system does have an extra spare analog input, that could be used for a swirl input (or anything else) but there is one big problem with ANY swirl measurement.

There are no recognised engineering units for swirl, no industry standard swirl transducers or test methods, so there is no possible means of calibration or comparing your swirl test measurement figures to someone else's swirl figures.
Generally something spins and generates a dc voltage, and that dc voltage becomes the swirl measurement.
Swirl units are volts or millivolts, that don't really correspond to anything directly in an engineering sort of way.

So swirl measurement is not offered as a standard feature.

There are a few threads here that touch on swirl testing, and nothing to stop you rigging up something fairly simple yourself as others here have already done.
But swirl is a bit of an undefinable grey area, and will probably always remain so.

Thanks for the info guys, I have been talking to Bruce and I have decided to go with the PTS gear, he is doing up a price list for me and start this project next month, a big part of my decision is the forum support seems second to none, so I have some reading to do hahaha. I do hope to add to the forum if I can, I am an electrician which may come in handy for someone.
A swirl meter for me will give me an idea of a percentage increase/decrease on my own bench for my own development purely. I might just buy one just to play around with and see if it's info increases performance on the track.
Cheers guys I appreciate your time to resond to my question.

Stumper wrote: A swirl meter for me will give me an idea of a percentage increase/decrease on my own bench for my own development purely. I might just buy one just to play around with and see if it's info increases performance on the track.

That is pretty much what everyone else here seems to do.
Every combustion chamber and port ends up being a bit different, and only your own testing and interpretation of the results are of any real value.
It's not the sort of information or knowledge that is readily transferable, or even useful to someone else running a totally different cylinder head.

Many interesting areas to explore, string testing, smoke testing, wet flow testing, and a great bunch of people here on the Forum you can kick ideas around with.

Kinda late!
But it can be used to new members with questions.
This is the real PTS DIY, you can make plans Bruce.



http://www.flowbenchtech.com/forum/view ... ?f=8&t=565

Now THAT is a mighty fine looking bench, and a real inspiration.