Wind tunnel tests rarely measure just one thing—you need pressure, temperature, velocity, and flow direction all at once. But if these parameters aren’t synced, your data becomes a jumbled mess. Here’s how to lock them in time.

Start with a hardware trigger:
Connect all devices (probes, scanners, thermocouples) to a single trigger source (e.g., a function generator or the wind tunnel’s control system). When the tunnel starts, it sends a 5V pulse that tells every device to begin recording at the same millisecond.

Use a common clock:
For long tests (>30 minutes), drift creeps in (one device gains 1 second, another loses it). Sync all to an NTP server or GPS clock—most modern data loggers and software support this.

Check latency:
Measure the time between the trigger and when each device starts recording. It should be <10ms for all. If a probe lags by 50ms, adjust its software offset to compensate.

Simplify with integrated systems:
Brands like Honeywell and National Instruments sell “wind tunnel bundles” where probes, scanners, and software are pre-synced. They cost more upfront but save hours of setup.

Pro tip: Run a 5-minute “sync test” before real experiments. Compare timestamps: A pressure spike and temperature rise from the same flow event should line up within 1ms.

Need help troubleshooting sync issues? Share your device list, and we’ll spot the weak link.