WINTERTHUR, Switzerland - Kistler Group has introduced the KiBox Lab 5280A, a 16-channel charge amplifier and data acquisition system for precision laboratory measurements using piezoelectric sensors.

The system combines signal conditioning, filtering, data acquisition, and digital connectivity for applications including vibration testing, cutting force measurement, wind tunnel testing, and materials research in aerospace, machining, and academic laboratories.

KiBox Lab supports low-pass, high-pass and notch filtering, trigger functions and virtual channels. Its modular inputs accommodate piezoelectric sensors and general-purpose voltage signals, with support for piezoresistive sensors planned through future input modules. The system also provides ±10-volt analog outputs for applications requiring signal conditioning without integrated data acquisition.

Compared with Kistler's 5080A charge amplifier, KiBox Lab doubles the number of configurable input channels from eight to 16 and, according to the company, reduces drift by about a factor of three. Its charge input range extends from ±1 to ±3 million picocoulombs (pC), with frequency bandwidth up to 300 kilohertz and sampling rates up to 2.5 million samples per second per channel.

The system uses passive cooling and includes an internal 240-gigabyte solid-state drive for storing measurement data in MDF4 format. A browser-based user interface, REST API, and support for the IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol enable software integration and synchronization across multiple devices. The system also connects directly to Kistler's PTS application for cutting force measurement.

For more information, visit https://www.kistler.com.