Adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes

Abstract

To provide a system and a method.SOLUTION: One or more handling components configured to support mechanical testing, wherein the handling components are configured to be used in connection with handling of material during mechanical testing and are pneumatically or hydraulically driven, at least one controller configured to control the at least one handling component, and circuitry configurable to provide adaptive automatic switching between a plurality of operating modes including at least a pneumatic mode and a hydraulic mode. The circuitry is configured to determine a hardware configuration of the system when providing adaptive automatic switching, to select an operating mode based on the hardware configuration, wherein the selected operating mode is one of a pneumatic mode and a hydraulic mode, and to switch to the determined operating mode as needed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [Priority Claim] This patent application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 684,725, filed August 19, 2024. The above-identified applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0002] Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to mechanical testing solutions. More particularly, certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes. [Background technology]

[0003] The limitations and disadvantages of conventional solutions, if any, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon comparison of such approaches with certain aspects of the present method and system described in the remainder of this disclosure with reference to the drawings. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to testing solutions, and in particular to systems and methods used in connection therewith. More particularly, various embodiments according to the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes, substantially as illustrated or described with reference to at least one of the drawings, and more fully as set forth in the claims.

[0005] These and other advantages, aspects and novel features of the present disclosure, together with details of illustrated embodiments thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description and drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary test system.

[0007] [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system that can support the use of pneumatic and hydraulic grips or handsets.

[0008] [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary hydraulic grip control device.

[0009] [Figure 4A] 1 illustrates different configurations of an example system that supports pneumatic and hydraulic modes and adaptive automatic switching between them. [Figure 4B] 1 illustrates different configurations of an example system that supports pneumatic and hydraulic modes and adaptive automatic switching between them. [Figure 4C] 1 illustrates different configurations of an example system that supports pneumatic and hydraulic modes and adaptive automatic switching between them. [Figure 4D] 1 illustrates different configurations of an example system that supports pneumatic and hydraulic modes and adaptive automatic switching between them.

[0010] [Figure 5] FIG. 1 illustrates an example hardware switch for providing adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes in a system that supports these modes.

[0011] [Figure 6] 1 is a flow chart of an example switch logic that may be used to provide adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes of operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Various embodiments according to the present disclosure relate, inter alia, to providing improved and optimized testing solutions by implementing and operating a system or setup that provides adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes.

[0013] As used herein, the terms “circuit” and “circuitry” refer to physical electronic components (e.g., hardware) and any software and / or firmware (“code”) that can comprise, be executed by, and / or be otherwise associated with hardware. As used herein, for example, a particular processor and memory (e.g., a volatile or non-volatile memory device, a general-purpose computer-readable medium, etc.) can comprise a first “circuit” when executing a first one or more lines of code, and can comprise a second “circuit” when executing a second one or more lines of code. Furthermore, a circuit can include analog and / or digital circuitry. Such circuitry can, for example, operate on analog and / or digital signals. It should be understood that a circuit can be within a single device or chip, on a single motherboard, in a single chassis, in multiple enclosures in a single geographic location, in multiple enclosures distributed across multiple geographic locations, etc. Similarly, the term "module" can refer, for example, to a physical electronic component (e.g., hardware) and any software and / or firmware ("code") that can comprise, be executed by, and / or be otherwise associated with the hardware.

[0014] As used herein, whenever a circuitry or module contains the necessary hardware and code (if either is necessary) to perform a function, a circuitry or module is "operable" to perform that function, regardless of whether performance of that function is disabled or enabled (e.g., by a user-configurable setting, factory trim, etc.).

[0015] As used herein, "and / or" means any one or more of the items in the list connected by "and / or." As an example, "x and / or y" means any element of the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. In other words, "x and / or y" means "one or both of x and y." As another example, "x, y and / or z" means any element of the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. In other words, "x, y and / or z" means "one or more of x, y and z." As used herein, the term "exemplary" means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As used herein, the term "for example" begins a list of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations.

[0016] An example test system is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 shows an example test system 100 that can be configured to perform tests such as mechanical property tests.

[0017] Test system 100 can be, for example, a general-purpose test system capable of static mechanical testing. Test system 100 can perform, for example, compressive strength tests, tensile strength tests, shear strength tests, flexural strength tests, flexural strength tests, tear strength tests, peel strength tests (e.g., adhesive bond strength), and / or any other compressive, tensile, torsional, heat, and / or impact tests. Additionally or alternatively, test system 100 can perform dynamic tests.

[0018] 1, testing system 100 includes a testing fixture 102 and a computing device 104 communicatively coupled to testing fixture 102. Testing fixture 102 applies a load to a material 106 (e.g., a film sample) under test and measures a mechanical property of the test, such as the displacement of material 106 and / or the force applied to material 106.

[0019] Computing device 104 may include suitable circuitry configured to provide various computation-related functions in test system 100. For example, computing device 104 may be used to configure test equipment 102, control test equipment 102, and / or receive measurement results from test equipment 102 for processing, display, reporting, and / or any other desired purposes.

[0020] In some embodiments, a test system (e.g., test system 100) can include additional components and / or devices that can be used to facilitate and / or support operation of test system 100 and / or to perform tests run within the test system. Such components and / or devices can include, for example, grips, handsets, etc. In some cases, at least some of the components and / or devices can be hydraulically or pneumatically actuated, etc. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , test system 100 includes one or more grips 108 that are used to hold material 106.

[0021] In accordance with the present disclosure, a suitable system (e.g., test system 100) can be configured to support adaptive automatic switching between different types of actuation modes, such as between hydraulic or pneumatic operation. In this regard, a system in which some components may be actuated hydraulically or pneumatically can be configured to adaptively and automatically, i.e., without requiring user input, at least real-time input, determine which operating mode (e.g., hydraulic or pneumatic) will be used for a particular component (e.g., grip, handset, etc.), and switch to the determined mode as needed.

[0022] In particular, in various embodiments, the operational mode may be determined based on factors such as, for example, the hardware configuration within the system. In this regard, the hardware configuration may include and / or encompass evaluation of various parameters and / or conditions associated with particular devices and / or components within the system that may be relevant to determining the appropriate operational mode. Adaptive automatic switching between operational modes may also include evaluation of other factors that may be relevant, such as software configuration (e.g., to determine whether the software configuration is compatible with the hardware configuration). These features and others are described in more detail below with respect to Figures 2-6.

[0023] However, although various references are made herein to hydraulic and / or pneumatic grips or handsets, the present disclosure is not limited to such components and / or devices. Rather, it should be readily understood that the solutions described herein are applicable to all suitable hydraulically and / or pneumatically actuated components or devices that may be configured for use in a system such as test system 100.

[0024] An example system that can support the use of pneumatic and hydraulic grips or handsets is shown in Figure 2. Shown in Figure 2 is an example system 200. In this regard, system 200 may be a simplified block representation of a test system, such as test system 100 of Figure 1, that can be configured to provide and / or support adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes.

[0025] 2, system 200 includes main frame 210, hydraulic grip control device 220, hydraulic handset (or grip) 230, and pneumatic switch (e.g., foot switch) 240. In this regard, main frame 210 may correspond to the main frame of the system, which includes the main structure and / or components of the system. For example, with reference to test system 100 of FIG. 1, the main frame may correspond to the combination of test fixture 102 and computing device 104.

[0026] Hydraulic grip controller 220 may include appropriate hardware and circuitry for providing hydraulic grip control related functionality. An exemplary embodiment of a hydraulic grip controller is shown in Figure 3. Hydraulic handset (or grip) 230 may include a hydraulically actuated grip or handset that may be used within system 200 (e.g., during test operations performed within system 200).

[0027] Pneumatic switch (e.g., foot switch) 240 may include a switch used in conjunction with a pneumatically actuated component or device (e.g., a grip or handset) within system 200 (e.g., during a test operation performed within system 200). Additionally, although not shown in FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, system 200 may include a pneumatic grip (or handset) controller that may be utilized to provide pneumatic grip (or handset) control-related functions. Such a pneumatic grip (or handset) controller may be a separate, dedicated component that may connect to or otherwise engage with main frame 210. In some cases, the pneumatic grip (or handset) controller may instead be directly integrated into and / or merged with main frame 210. In some cases, the pneumatic grip (or handset) controller may instead be directly integrated into and / or merged with hydraulic grip controller 220, i.e., a single controller configured to provide both pneumatic and hydraulic control-related functions may be used. For example, hydraulic grip control device 220 may be optionally configurable to provide pneumatic control related functionality, such as by reconfiguring various components thereof.

[0028] According to the present disclosure, system 200 can be configured to provide and / or support adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes. In this regard, in various embodiments according to the present disclosure, a system such as system 200, in which components can be hydraulically or pneumatically driven, can be configured to adaptively and automatically, i.e., without requiring user input, at least real-time input, determine which operating mode (e.g., hydraulic or pneumatic) will be used for a particular component (e.g., grip, handset, etc.), and can switch to the determined mode as needed.

[0029] The determination may be made based on, for example, the hardware configuration within the system. In this regard, as used herein, hardware configuration may include the devices and / or components currently present, the connectivity of at least some of these devices and / or components, whether one or more of these devices and / or components are powered on or active, etc. For example, in system 200, adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes may be based on an evaluation of one or more of the presence, power status, and connectivity of one or more of hydraulic grip control device 220, hydraulic handset (or grip) 230, and pneumatic switch (e.g., foot switch) 240.

[0030] The conditions and corresponding operating modes for various different exemplary hardware configurations are summarized below in Table 1. These configurations are illustrated in and described in more detail with respect to Figures 4A-4D. [Table 1]

[0031] In some cases, adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes may also include evaluation of the software configuration of the system, such as to determine whether the software configuration matches and is compatible with the hardware configuration.

[0032] An exemplary hydraulic grip control device is shown in Figure 3. Illustrated in Figure 3 is a hydraulic grip control device 300. In this regard, hydraulic grip control device 300 corresponds to one exemplary implementation of hydraulic grip control device 220 of Figure 2.

[0033] 3, the hydraulic grip control device 300 includes a housing constructed from interlocking sheets (e.g., metal) to create an enclosure that houses the components of the hydraulic grip control device 300. Such components may include, for example, a power supply, pressure transducers, thermal switches, manifolds, tubing, connectors, gauges, etc. The hydraulic grip control device 300 further includes a circuit board 310 that includes appropriate circuitry configured to provide the processing (and / or other computational) functionality necessary to operate the hydraulic grip control device 300.

[0034] In various embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, circuit board 310 can be configured to provide and support adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes as described herein. For example, circuit board 310 (or more specifically circuitry thereof) can be configured to implement and utilize switching logic used to determine the appropriate operating mode and / or facilitate switching between the determined modes by generating control signals and / or selecting corresponding components (e.g., grip controls) to enable operation in the determined mode.

[0035] 4A-4D illustrate different configurations of an example system that supports pneumatic and hydraulic modes and adaptive automatic switching between them. Figures 4A-4D illustrate different configurations of the example system 200 shown in FIG. 2.

[0036] 4A illustrates a first configuration ("Configuration A") in which the hydraulic grip controller 220 is connected to the main frame 210 and turned on / powered (i.e., "on"), and the hydraulic handset (or grip) 230 is connected to the main frame 210. In this configuration, the system is configured (switched) for hydraulic operation because the hydraulic grip controller 220 is "on" and the hydraulic handset (or grip) 230 is directly connected to the main frame 210.

[0037] 4B shows a second configuration ("Configuration B") in which the hydraulic grip control device 220 is connected to the main frame 210 and turned on / powered (i.e., "on"), the hydraulic handset (or grip) 230 is connected to the hydraulic grip control device 220, and the pneumatic footswitch 240 is connected to the main frame 210. In this configuration, even though the hydraulic grip control device 220 is "on," the system is configured (switched) for pneumatic operation because the hydraulic handset (or grip) 230 is connected directly to the hydraulic grip control device 220 and the pneumatic footswitch 240 is connected directly to the main frame 210.

[0038] 4C shows a third configuration ("Configuration C") in which the hydraulic grip control 220 is connected to the main frame 210 but is turned off / de-energized (i.e., "off"), the hydraulic handset (or grip) 230 is not connected to the main frame 210 (connected to neither the hydraulic grip control 220 nor the main frame 210), but the pneumatic footswitch 240 is connected to the main frame 210. In this configuration, with the hydraulic grip control 220 "off" and the main frame 210 connected (to the pneumatic footswitch 240), the system is configured (switched) for pneumatic operation regardless of the location of the hydraulic handset (or grip) 230.

[0039] 4D shows a fourth configuration ("Configuration D") in which the hydraulic grip control device 220 is connected to the main frame 210 and turned on / powered (i.e., "on"), the hydraulic handset (or grip) 230 is connected to the hydraulic grip control device 220, and the main frame 210 is not connected to anything. In this configuration, because the hydraulic grip control device 220 is "on" and the hydraulic handset (or grip) 230 is directly connected to the hydraulic grip control device 220, the system is configured (switched) for hydraulic operation even though the main frame 210 is not connected to anything.

[0040] An example hardware switch control for providing adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes in a system that supports these modes is shown in Figure 5. Hardware switch control 500 is shown in Figure 5.

[0041] Hardware switching control 500 may comprise suitable hardware (including suitable circuitry) configured to provide switching control that facilitates switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes of operation in a suitable system, such as system 200. In this regard, hardware switching control 500 may be implemented in one or more components of the system. For example, hardware switching control 500 (or at least a portion thereof) may be implemented in a component of a hydraulic grip control (e.g., hydraulic grip control 300, within circuit board 310, etc.).

[0042] 5, hardware switching control 500 includes switch direction logic (module) 510 and switch (module) 520. Switch 520 may include appropriate circuitry for selecting between two outputs corresponding to two modes of operation, namely, pneumatic and hydraulic. In this regard, switch 520 may select between connection to pneumatic grip controller 530 and connection to hydraulic grip controller 540 to facilitate operation in pneumatic and hydraulic modes, respectively. Switch 520 may be actuated by a grip control signal received from a grip or handset (e.g., hydraulic handset 230 in system 200).

[0043] Additionally, the switching performed by switch 520 may be controlled by switch direction logic 510. In this regard, switch direction logic (module) 510 may comprise appropriate circuitry for generating control signals that control the operation (e.g., switching) of switch 520. Switch direction logic (module) 510 may be programmed to control the switching based on a predefined switching scheme, which may be configured based on various hardware configurations that may be supported in the system.

[0044] Figure 6 illustrates a flowchart of example switch logic that may be used to provide adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes of operation. Figure 6 illustrates a flowchart 600 that includes several example steps (represented as blocks 602-624) that may be performed in a suitable system (e.g., system 200) to provide adaptive automatic switching between pneumatic and hydraulic modes of operation. In particular, the process illustrated in flowchart 600 may be performed in switch direction logic 510 of hardware switching control 500 of Figure 5.

[0045] After a start step, during which the system may be set up and / or configured, a check is performed to determine whether a hydraulic grip control is connected to the frame in step 602. If it is determined that a hydraulic grip control is not connected to the frame, the process proceeds to step 604.

[0046] A check is made to determine whether the hydraulic grip control is powered on at step 604. If it is determined that the hydraulic grip control is not powered on, the process proceeds to step 606 where the hydraulic grip control is marked as inoperable.

[0047] Returning to step 604, if it is determined that the hydraulic grip control is powered on, the process proceeds to step 608, where a signal is routed to the hydraulic grip control, which corresponds to the system being in "Configuration D" as shown in and described with respect to FIG. 4D.

[0048] Returning to step 602, if it is determined that the hydraulic grip control is connected to the frame, the process proceeds to step 610, where the frame is powered on. The process then proceeds to step 612.

[0049] At step 612, a check is made to determine whether the hydraulic grip control is powered on. If it is determined that the hydraulic grip control is not powered on, the process proceeds to step 614, where a signal is routed to the pneumatic grip control. This result corresponds to the system being in "Configuration C" as shown in and described with respect to FIG. 4C. The process then proceeds to step 620.

[0050] Returning to step 612, if it is determined that the hydraulic grip control device is powered on, the process proceeds to step 614, where a check is performed to determine whether a handset is connected. If it is determined that a handset is connected to the hydraulic grip control device, the process proceeds to step 618, where a signal is routed to the hydraulic grip control device. This result corresponds to the system being in "Configuration B" as shown in and described with respect to FIG. 4B. The process then proceeds to step 620.

[0051] Returning to step 614, if it is determined that the handset is not connected to the hydraulic grip control device, the process proceeds to step 616, where a signal is routed to the hydraulic grip control device. This result corresponds to the system being in "Configuration A" as shown in and described with respect to Figure 4A. The process then proceeds to step 620.

[0052] A check is performed to determine whether the software is configured to be compatible with the hardware in step 620. If it is determined that the software is not configured to be compatible with the hardware, the process proceeds to step 622, where an error is set and the system is disabled.

[0053] Returning to step 620, if it is determined that the software is configured to be compatible with the hardware, the process proceeds to step 624, where a check is performed to determine whether the hardware configuration has changed. In this regard, rechecking the hardware configuration may occur in a variety of ways, such as continuously, periodically (e.g., based on a preset and / or configurable recheck duration or frequency), and / or in response to one or more specific triggers (which may be preset and / or configurable). For example, a recheck may occur in response to detection of a particular signal within the system.

[0054] If it is determined that the hardware configuration has not changed, the process loops back to step 624 to recheck for changes in the hardware configuration; otherwise, if it is determined that the hardware configuration has changed, the process proceeds to step 622.

[0055] One exemplary system, according to the present disclosure, includes one or more handling components configured to support mechanical testing, each handling component configured for use in connection with handling material during mechanical testing, each handling component being pneumatically or hydraulically actuated; at least one controller configured to control at least one handling component; and circuitry configurable to provide adaptive automatic switching between a plurality of operating modes including at least a pneumatic mode and a hydraulic mode, the circuitry being configured, when providing adaptive automatic switching, to: determine a hardware configuration of the system; select an operating mode based on the hardware configuration, wherein the selected operating mode is one of the pneumatic mode and the hydraulic mode; and switch to the determined operating mode, if necessary.

[0056] In one exemplary embodiment, when determining the hardware configuration, the circuitry is configured to: determine a type of each of the one or more handling components; determine connection-related information for the at least one control device and each of the one or more handling components; and determine a power status for the at least one control device and each of the one or more handling components.

[0057] In one exemplary embodiment, the circuitry is further configured to determine that the software configuration of the system and / or at least one component of the system is compatible and / or compatible with the determined hardware configuration.

[0058] In one exemplary embodiment, the circuitry is further configured to trigger one or more actions in response to determining that the software configuration is incompatible and / or incompatible with the determined hardware configuration.

[0059] In one exemplary embodiment, the one or more actions include at least one of setting an error and disabling the system.

[0060] In one exemplary embodiment, the circuitry is further configured to redetermine the hardware configuration of the system.

[0061] In one exemplary embodiment, the circuitry is configured to redetermine the hardware configuration of the system continuously, periodically, or in response to one or more triggers.

[0062] In one exemplary embodiment, the one or more handling components include at least one of a handset or a grip.

[0063] In one exemplary embodiment, the at least one control device includes a hydraulic grip control device.

[0064] In one exemplary embodiment, at least one controller component includes at least a portion of the circuitry.

[0065] In one exemplary embodiment, the system further comprises a main frame, wherein the one or more handling components are configured to operate in conjunction with the main frame.

[0066] 12. The system of claim 11, wherein in one exemplary embodiment, the main frame contains at least a portion of the circuitry.

[0067] One exemplary method, according to the present disclosure, includes providing adaptive automatic switching between a plurality of operating modes in a system supporting mechanical testing operations, the system including one or more handling components used in connection with handling materials during mechanical testing and at least one controller configured to control at least one handling component, each handling component being pneumatically or hydraulically driven, the plurality of operating modes including at least a pneumatic mode and a hydraulic mode, wherein providing adaptive automatic switching includes determining a hardware configuration of the system, selecting an operating mode based on the hardware configuration, the selected operating mode being one of the pneumatic mode and the hydraulic mode, and switching to the determined operating mode, if necessary.

[0068] In one example embodiment, determining the hardware configuration includes determining a type of each of the one or more handling components, determining connection-related information for at least one control device and each of the one or more handling components, and determining a power status for at least one control device and each of the one or more handling components.

[0069] In one example embodiment, the method further includes determining that a software configuration of the system and / or at least one component of the system is compatible and / or compatible with the determined hardware configuration.

[0070] In one example embodiment, the method further includes triggering one or more actions in response to determining that the software configuration is incompatible and / or incompatible with the determined hardware configuration.

[0071] In one exemplary embodiment, the one or more actions include at least one of setting an error and disabling the system.

[0072] In one exemplary embodiment, the method further includes redetermining the hardware configuration of the system.

[0073] In one example embodiment, the method further includes redetermining the hardware configuration of the system continuously, periodically, or in response to one or more triggers.

[0074] Other embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium and / or storage medium having machine code and / or a computer program stored thereon, the machine code and / or the computer program having at least one code section executable by a machine and / or computer, thereby causing the machine and / or computer to perform the processes described herein.

[0075] Accordingly, various embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present disclosure can be implemented in a centralized fashion in at least one computing system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computing systems. Any type of computing system or other device adapted to perform the methods described herein is suitable. A typical combination of hardware and software can be a general-purpose computing system with programs or other code that, when loaded and executed, controls the computing system to perform the methods described herein. Another typical implementation can include application-specific integrated circuits or chips.

[0076] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may also be embedded in a computer program product that includes all features that enable the implementation of the methods described herein and that is capable of executing these methods when loaded into a computer system. A computer program in this context means any expression of a set of instructions in any language, code, or notation that is intended to cause a computer-capable system to perform a specific function, either directly or after one or both of the following: a) conversion into another language, code, or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form.

[0077] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes can be made and equivalents substituted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, blocks and / or components of the disclosed examples can be combined, divided, rearranged, and / or otherwise modified. In addition, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed; rather, the present disclosure is intended to include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A system comprising: one or more handling components configured to support mechanical testing, each handling component configured for use in connection with handling material during said mechanical testing; Each handling component is pneumatically or hydraulically driven; one or more handling components; at least one controller configured to control at least one handling component; a circuitry configurable to provide adaptive automatic switching between a plurality of operating modes including at least a pneumatic mode and a hydraulic mode, the circuitry, when providing the adaptive automatic switching, determining a hardware configuration for the system; selecting an operating mode based on the hardware configuration, the selected operating mode being one of the pneumatic mode and the hydraulic mode; Switching to the determined operation mode as needed; a circuit portion configured to perform the A system comprising:

2. When determining the hardware configuration, the circuit unit: determining a type of each of the one or more handling components; determining connection-related information for each of the at least one control device and the one or more handling components; determining a power status for the at least one control device and each of the one or more handling components; The system of claim 1 configured to:

3. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine that a software configuration of the system and / or at least one component of the system is compatible and / or compatible with the determined hardware configuration.

4. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the circuitry is further configured to trigger one or more actions in response to determining that the software configuration is incompatible and / or incompatible with the determined hardware configuration.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more actions include at least one of setting an error and disabling the system.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to redetermine the hardware configuration of the system.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the circuitry is configured to redetermine the hardware configuration of the system continuously, periodically, or in response to one or more triggers.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more handling components include at least one of a handset or a grip.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one control device comprises a hydraulic grip control device.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller component includes at least a portion of the circuitry.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a main frame, the one or more handling components configured to operate in conjunction with the main frame.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the main frame contains at least a portion of the circuitry.

13. 1. A method comprising:

1. A system for supporting mechanical testing operations, the system comprising: one or more handling components used in connection with handling materials during said mechanical testing; and at least one controller configured to control at least one handling component, wherein each handling component is pneumatically or hydraulically actuated; The method includes providing adaptive automatic switching between a plurality of operating modes; the plurality of operating modes includes at least a pneumatic mode and a hydraulic mode; Providing the adaptive automatic switching includes: determining a hardware configuration for the system; selecting an operating mode based on the hardware configuration, the selected operating mode being one of the pneumatic mode and the hydraulic mode; Switching to the determined operation mode as needed; A method comprising:

14. determining the hardware configuration determining a type of each of the one or more handling components; determining connection-related information for each of the at least one control device and the one or more handling components; determining a power status for the at least one control device and each of the one or more handling components; 14. The method of claim 13, comprising:

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining that a software configuration of the system and / or at least one component of the system is compatible and / or compatible with the determined hardware configuration.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising triggering one or more actions in response to determining that the software configuration is incompatible and / or incompatible with the determined hardware configuration.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more actions include at least one of setting an error and disabling the system.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising redetermining the hardware configuration of the system.

19. 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising redetermining the hardware configuration of the system continuously, periodically, or in response to one or more triggers.

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