Performance Trends, Inc.

Re: Performance Trends Newsletter (updates)

To: Visitors to Performance Trends Website

Subject: Product News/Updates, January 2017  

1. Metric Units in Spring Wiz Plus
2. Jim Butcher's Do It Yourself Shock Dyno
3. Valve Spring Dynamics Movie
4. Last December's Newsletter

 

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1)  Metric Units in Spring Wiz Plus  We've added a preference to use Metric units in our popular Spring Wiz Plus software. It also allows you to choose if you want to use Newtons or KG for the force units.  

The Spring Wiz makes Valve Spring Calculations which affect Spring Rate, Bind Height, Natural Frequency, Open Force, Stress, and much more.  It lets you estimate valve spring performance from several different inputs, and lets you combine springs into 2 and 3 pack springs.  The Plus Version described below allows for more spring details and other features, now including metric units.

    click images to enlarge

Some useful calculations include:

• Estimate the required spring force to keep the valve train under control for various amounts of valve train mass and the acceleration rates of the cam profile.  
• Calculate if the stress in a spring is excessive for its application, street or race.  
• "Find a Spring" feature will automatically find various spring specs which would be good candidates for your particular cam profile and valve train.

If you are an engine builder, or someone involved with valve train or cam design, you should really check it out.

Metric units and other recent updates are a free update to those who already own the Spring Wiz Plus.  To update, install the latest version from the link below right over the top of your existing version.  This is not critical, but when asked, select to do a Refresh installation instead of a Complete (typical) installation.  Once installed, run the program.  Click on Help (at the top of the main screen), and then select About...    The new version number (written in blue) should now be 1.1 A.026.  

 to download the latest Spring Wiz software.

If you do not own the Plus version of Spring Wiz, it is a $100 upgrade.

 to email us about upgrading or call 248-473-9230.

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2)  Jim Butcher's Do It Yourself Shock Dyno  Jim Butcher got creative and used a small, single cylinder engine to create the mechanics of a shock dyno.  Then he got our Shock Dyno Retrofit Kit and added software, a load cell and stroke sensor.  Now he's got an inexpensive DIY dyno which produces very professional results, graphs and printouts.  

  click image to enlarge

 for our Shock Dyno page.  Towards the bottom you will see some pictures of Jim's dyno.  You might start getting some ideas yourself.

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3) Valve Spring Dynamics Movie  The Enterprise Edition of Engine Analyzer Pro lets you enter details about the valve spring(s) you are using.  It will actually import files from the Spring Wiz discussed in Item 1.  It will then run the spring(s) in the Engine Analyzer Pro's valve train dynamics model and see what the springs are doing, if they are going into resonance, allowing the valve train to go out of control, etc.  

The Enterprise Pro's calculations are much more detailed than the simple Spring Wiz.  And it does not say if a particular combination is good or bad.  It just shows you what is happening and then you must decide if you want to use it.

A long time customer of ours sent us a high speed movie of a valve spring pack in operation at high RPM.  Here you can see the coils oscillating and the outer spring actually breaks during the movie.  It really gives you an appreciation that things are not always under control, even in the most well built race engines.

 
for a movie showing actual valve spring dynamics (and spring actually breaks)

You need the Enterprise Edition to be able to simulate valve spring dynamics, which is a $250 add on to the Engine Analyzer Pro v3.9 B.  Many customers likely own the Engine Analyzer Pro v3.9 A.  If so, the 3.9 B update is $95 (with many new features, engines, etc) and the Enterprise is another $250, for $345.  However, we do a package update/upgrade for $300, a $45 discount.

 to email us about updating or upgrading or call 248-473-9230.

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4) Last December's Newsletter Here are the topics covered in our previous newsletter.  If you would like another copy of December 2016's newsletter (or any previous newsletter) for detail on these topics, visit our website at: Performance Trends Newsletters 

1. PRI Show Recap
2. Need to Purchase by End of the Year for Tax Purposes?
3. We've got Great Christmas Gift Ideas
4. Holiday Schedule
5. Last November's Newsletter

Performance Trends reserves the right to discontinue, update, or modify its product line and pricing at any time.