Drawing Waveforms or how to draw waveforms

[mstechca]

I just need to know how to draw different waveshapes,envelopes,curves,slopes how do i do this please?

Whats the best way to do this without mathematics?

Depends on the software.
If you use quick basic, you will be using a heck of alot PSET statements. Not only that, but you will be lucky to have awaveform done in one week!

OR use pen and paper and just draw a squiggly line or zigzags.

I don't want to get in the matematics of this im just trying to get different waveshapes,curves,slopes,envelopes there must be a electronic drafting program that simply graphs this out on square paper and can adjust the parameters of the slopes,curves,envelopes

I doubt there will be an answer to this.

... special circuit lets a input signal adjust the slopes,curves,envelopes,shapes of a waveform?

How about making yourself anastable multivibrator with two transistors.
This will produce a square wave. connect a normally-open push button in series with the battery. As long as the button is held down, a square wave signal will occur at both transistor outputs. one output is the inversion of the other.

The push button acts as the "Input signal", but if you need a real signal, or you need to adjust the waveform differently, then you may need more complex circuitry.

If I am to be honest with you, a proper and fast waveform is generated from good math knowledge.

But to start experimenting with waveforms, make an oscillator, and use an oscilloscope to see the outputs.

 

[DigiTan]

both Excel (well OO-Calc) and Matlab (well Octave) can generate waveformes

But don't i need to use alot of math to use excel or matlab to generate waveforms?

Don't you think it would be easyier to just hook up a function generator to a oscilloscope and adjust the slopes,curves,shapes,envelopes of the waveform so i can print them out without getting into alot of math?

Because with Excel i would be using a Database of rows and columns with alot of math value to plot the waveform? and i don't know the math values to create different waveform shapes

It...erm helps to not quote yourself too.

Walt, I'm not really certain of what you're looking for, but the math in Excel isn't nearly as compliated as its made out be because functions like SIN() and COS() are already built in. The only way around knowing the math is to maybe download a sound generator program and plot it's own waveform; or get graphing calculator emulation. Either way it's sort of a cop out because they don't lable the frequency and other parameters like you're asking for.

 

[walters]

thanks guys

When i look at service manuals they always have charts and charts of different waveshapes and waveforms how did they draw these charts of charts of different waveshapes, wave slopes, wave curves there charts and charts of them in service manuals how do i do this?

Do you guys have any service manuals of charts of different waveforms? or charts of wave shapes? charts or slopes?

 

[DigiTan]

Chances are, they take these from a virtual instrumentation system like LabView. If that's the case, they have the component already in the lab and pull those plots directly from the equipment. Otherwise, it's fair game that they use matlab or similar.

 

[Styx]

Do you guys have any service manuals of charts of different waveforms? or charts of wave shapes? charts or slopes?

you see it is statements like this that dont do you any favours.
What do you mean!!!!!!


service manuals of charts of different waveforms - it is meaningless

If I get a sig-gen and set it to a sine-wave it will have a certain dv/dt (or slope if you will). BUT the sig-gen can vary the freq, thus if I increase the freq the slope will increase

do you see why what you are asking for is meaningless!!!!!


what EXACTLY from the beginiing in detail are you trying to do FFS

 

[walters]

I'm trying to make a database or print out a bunch of different waveforms that have different waveshapes,slopes,curves,envelopes

So i got like 1-100 of different waveforms with different slopes,curves and shapes then i want to takes these to my electronic teacher and have him teach me how to measure periods,time constants,duty cycle,10-90 percentages, pulse width, etc. but i need these different waveforms printed out for him so i have something for him to quiz me on without these different waveshapes , waveforms,slopes,envelopes,curves i don't have anything to practice on or teach me to measure different waveforms with this is a learning tool im trying to make.

I want to Makes Charts from 1-100 of different kinds of Slopes,curves,envelopes,shapes how do i make these Charts up ?

Then i can print these Charts of diffent Waveforms and take them to my teacher so i can practive to measure stuff but i need the charts first

 

[walters]

http://guitarfool.com/ARP2600.html

2.07mb file
go to the keyboard service manual arp 2600 go to page 7 and page 8 there is some waveform charts

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go to this hyperline here:
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go to the ARP Odyssey Service Manual
and then go to pages 19-24 these have waveform charts

 

[walters]

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[DigiTan]

Tripple-post. Nice. :lol:

I still don't understand why these can't be drawn out by hand, or--better yet-- simply cut & paste them out of the .gifs you just posted. :? No need to overcomplicate things for yourself. This topic is going in circles.

 

[walters]

Because im blind to makes NEW waveforms i would have to find and dig so many service manuals out and service manual are like 10-20$ i need to draw out all kinds of different waveshapes like they hyperlinks i posted in that type of style to bring to my teacher yes i got some service manuals like the ones i posted but i need more and more charts like in the style i posted thats why i asked is there a program or function generator or something that has thousands of databasing waveforms of shapes,curves,slopes so i can print them out and bring to my teacher so i can practice. I hope the hyperlinks show u what i mean by the waveform slopes,curves,shapes and in that style of service manuals

But me sitting with a pencil and square paper im blind to just make up waveforms for my teacher i would like if a program can generate these for me or a chart full of waveshapes

 

[heathtech]

Walters,

it has been a long time since I posted on this forum, and the first time I check in, here you are at it again...LOL, I'm just TEASING you, so don't get upset.

It is my advice that you get an old chart recorder, sometimes called a potentiograph. You might pick an old one up on E-bay or some other way for a reasonable price. This is similar to the type of instruments used for seismographs or cardiographs. It has input connections for transducers or devices that output voltage level signals, and plots the signal on an x-y coordinate axis with a pen. One axis represents time, and is scrolled by a small gear motor, the other axis represents the amplitude of the signal, and is drawn by the pen which is driven by another motor that is controlled by the input signal through a wheatstone bridge circuit. The increase in potential difference between the input signal and the reference signal causes the motor to drive in one direction in a linear fashion, and the motor will ease back as the potential difference returns closer to zero. For lack of a better description, the large potential drives the motor hard in one direction, and the easing of the motor in concert with a counterspring causes the pen to return to zero. In this way, a waveform can be drawn as the chart paper scrolls, creating the time axis.

OK, I doubt you will understand all of that, but that is how a chart recorder works. Your function generator output can be connected to the inputs on the chart recorder, and presto, a waveform will be drawn. This is all basically an analog voltmeter that draws a picture for you. If yoyu take the time to understand what is going on, you'll learn a lot about electronic test instruments in the process.

I will have to ECHO what has been said before. All understanding of waveforms REQUIRES at least a high school level understanding of trigonometry, and a little geometry and algebra doesn't hurt.

YOU CANNOT SUCCEED IN THIS VOCATION WITHOUT IT!!!! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LEARN THIS STUFF, McDonalds IS ALWAYS TAKING APPLICATIONS.

There, I have given you some invaluable advice, and I did my best to not insult you, because I really believe you are interested in learning. If you have any questions concerning my advice, feel free to ask.

 

[walters]

Thanks for the information

But the chart recorder will only chart out sine,square,triangle from my function generator because my function generator only has sine,square,triangle so how would i get more complex waveforms,different slopes,curves,shapes please?

I need a fucntion generator that has a Slope parameter,curves paramaters,shapes parameters so i can Changes the Curves,slopes,shapes of a sine wave,square wave,triangle wave to make more Complex waveforms so i can hook up a chart recorder to plot them complex waveforms out

 

[Styx]

:roll:
as I have said before to change the slope change the frequency :roll:

 

[walters]

So changing the Function generators frequency would change the Slope?
What else can Change the "Slopes time" or what else can change the slope of a waveform?

Because there is Linear slopes and Exp slopes

What about the curve of the waveform? what changes the curve of a waveform?

 

[heathtech]

OK, very simple, simple indeed.

Get any electronic device that produces signals, like a stereo or something, and fashion two leads much like on a voltmeter. Attach those leads to the chart recorder input, and place the leads on test points in the circuit. I suggest adding a high value resistor in the megohm range in series with one of the leads, to prevent any loading that the chart recorder might create, though I think chart recorders are high impedance devices, it wouldn't hurt to add the resistor. You will see a world of waveforms, as long as they are low frequency. A chart recorder can't keep up with high frequency waveforms at all, because of its mechanical limitations, but if you can find low frequency signals in the low low audible range, a chart recorder set with the time axis at high speed might be able to draw them out for you. Also, if you REALLY want to learn some things, there are a pluthera of circuits all over the internet that use capacitors and timers etc. to draw fancy waveforms. You could build some of these circuiits on a breadboard and measure them. You would have to use high value capacitors with series resistors to get a slow enough charge/discharge rate, but you can create your own signals very cheaply and measure them with a chart recorder. But all of this REQUIRES you to take the time to study and learn for yourself, self initiative.

 

[Styx]

So changing the Function generators frequency would change the Slope?
What else can Change the "Slopes time" or what else can change the slope of a waveform?

Because there is Linear slopes and Exp slopes

What about the curve of the waveform? what changes the curve of a waveform?

What else? the voltage it has to get to

if I have a triangle wave that is 0.25Hz and has a peak voltage of 1V

at 1sec the voltage is at 1V, at 2sec the voltage is at 0V, at 3sec the voltage is at -1V at 4sec the voltage is at 0V.

So the slope is 1V/sec

Now IF I increase the frequency to 0.5Hz
at 0.5sec teh voltage is at 1V, at 1sec the voltage is at 0V, at 1.5sec the voltage is at -1V and at 2sec the voltage is at 0V

Now the slope is 2V/sec


Lets say I keep the freq at 0.25Hz BUT this time change the peak voltage to 2V from 1V

at 1sec the voltage is at 2V, at 2sec the voltage is at 0V, at 3sec the voltage is at -2V at 4sec the voltage is at 0V.

Now the slope is 2V/sec


So as you can see changing the frequency or changing the peak voltage changes the dv/dt or slope

 

[walters]

Thanks guys alot for the information and help

so by changing the peak voltage and frequency i get different slopes from the function generator

What about the curves can i get different curves output from the function generator or a circuit that changes the input signal to output different curves what would do this?

 

[walters]

capacitors and timers etc. to draw fancy waveforms

So timers circuits can take a input signal and output different slopes,curves,shapes of different waveforms?

 

[walters]

Look at these please because my function generator can not output these
waveform shapes,contours,slopes,envelopes

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[Styx]

Look at these please because my function generator can not output these
waveform shapes,contours,slopes,envelopes

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To make such waveforms you need an arbartary function generator NOT just a function Generator

All a function generator can do is sinusiodal,square and triangle with varied frequency, amplitude and DC-offset. More fancy ones can do freq sweep


An arbitary function generator is more like a Piece-wise-linear programable voltage source