Crystal Instruments / Closed-Loop Vibration Control
Shake it. Control it.
Qualify it.
Vibration Test Controllers — fourth-generation closed-loop vibration controllers for electrodynamic and hydraulic shakers. Sine, random, shock, MIMO, and time waveform replication on a single platform.
Spider Controller Platform
Three configurations.
One platform.
Choose your operating mode — PC-tethered lab control, autonomous Black Box production, or multi-axis MIMO.
PC-Tethered
Controller
The fourth-generation workhorse. Connects to a Windows PC running VCS software. Full control, real-time display, and unlimited logging. The standard choice for lab environments and qualification test cells.
Black Box
Standalone
Same control capability as the Spider-81, packaged for autonomous operation. Load profiles via network or USB, press start, walk away. Ideal for production test cells where a dedicated PC would be impractical.
MIMO
Multi-Axis
Multi-input / multi-output control for simultaneous multi-axis vibration testing. Drive up to 8 shakers independently while correlating responses across all axes — the standard for real-world qualification.
VCS Vibration Control Software
All Spider controllers run VCS — a modular software suite covering sine, random, shock, SoR, RoR, kurtosis, FDS, TWR, earthquake simulation, and MIMO. Modules licensed independently, upgradeable without hardware changes.
Test Applications
What gets
shaken.
Environmental Qualification
Sinusoidal sweep, random, and shock testing per MIL-STD-810, DO-160, and IEC 60068. Structural integrity, resonance dwell, and endurance tests that prove hardware will survive its operational environment before it's fielded.
Controller fit
Spider-81 or
Spider-81B
HALT / HASS
Highly Accelerated Life Testing and Highly Accelerated Stress Screening. Kurtosis control enables non-Gaussian random profiles that replicate real service environments far more accurately than classical Gaussian random — finding weaknesses in hours, not months.
Controller fit
Spider-81B
Black Box
Automotive Components
ECUs, wiring harnesses, seats, mirrors, suspension components, and powertrain electronics. Road load data captured on a proving ground and replicated on the shaker via time waveform replication — exact fatigue equivalence to field conditions.
Controller fit
Spider-80M
MIMO
Earthquake Simulation
Seismic qualification for switchgear, server racks, medical devices, transformers, and critical building systems. IEEE 693 and IEC 60068-3-3 compliant time history replication using the VCS earthquake module with required response spectrum (RRS) matching.
Controller fit
Spider-81 or
Spider-80M
Transportation Simulation
Road, rail, and air transport vibration profiles replicated on shaker tables to validate packaging integrity and product survivability. ISTA and ASTM D4169 procedures for shipping qualification. PSD profiles derived from measured transport data.
Controller fit
Spider-81 or
Spider-81B
Production Screening
Automated vibration screening integrated into the production line. Spider-81B Black Box runs pre-loaded profiles autonomously with configurable pass/fail limits. No operator interaction after setup — results logged and exported for SPC analysis.
Controller fit
Spider-81B
Black Box
Technical Specifications
Quick Comparison
| Parameter | S81 Spider-81 Get Quote → | S81B Spider-81B Get Quote → | S80M Spider-80M MIMO Get Quote → |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control Modes | Sine, Random, Shock, SoR, RoR, Kurtosis, TWR, FDR | Same as Spider-81 | MIMO Random, Sine, Shock, TWR |
| Drive Outputs | 1 drive output | 1 drive output | Up to 8 drive outputs |
| Monitoring Channels | Up to 512 | Up to 512 | Up to 512 |
| Control Loop Time | < 15 ms random, < 10 ms sine | < 15 ms random, < 10 ms sine | < 15 ms random |
| Dynamic Range | 90 dB | 90 dB | 90 dB |
| Operation Mode | PC-tethered or network | Standalone (no PC required) | PC-tethered |
| Shaker Types | Electrodynamic, hydraulic | Electrodynamic, hydraulic | Multi-shaker systems |
| Software | VCS (full modules) | VCS (full modules) | VCS MIMO module |
* Specifications subject to configuration. Contact us for model-specific datasheets and application engineering.
Closed-Loop Control
From single-axis qualification to multi-axis MIMO.
Configure the right test system for your shaker, standard, and production volume. Our engineers will specify the controller, software, and channel count you need.