Bertec FIT User manual

www.bertec.com
Instrumented Treadmill
User Manual
Version 2.1 2021

Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual i
Contact
For customer support or sales, please contact:
Bertec Corporation
2500 Citygate Drive Columbus OH, 43219
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Information: [email protected]
Sales: [email protected]
Support: [email protected]
www.bertec.com

ii Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual
Copyright
Version 2.0
Copyright © 2013 Bertec Corporation. All rights reserved. Information in this document is subject to change without
notice. Companies, names, and data used in examples herein are fictitious unless otherwise noted. No part of this
document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without
express written permission of Bertec Corporation or its licensees.
Printed in the United States of America.

Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual iii
Software License Agreement and Limited Warranty
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of which are referred to herein as the “Software”).
THIS IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU (EITHER AN INDIVIDUAL OR AN ENTITY), THE END USER, AND BERTEC CORPORATION. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS
AGREEMENT, PLEASE CONTACT BERTEC CORPORATION.
1. Limited Warranty
Except with respect to any Bertec Corporation products sold by or manufactured by any entity other than Bertec, its authorized distributors, or suppliers, which are provided “as is”, without warranty of
any kind, Bertec warrants that (a) the Bertec hardware product is free of all defects in workmanship and material for a period of one (1) year from receipt by the end user or date of installation if such
installation is performed by a representative of Bertec; (b) the media that Bertec software is delivered upon are free from defects in workmanship and material and will perform substantially in accordance
with the accompanying written materials for a period of one (1) year; and (c) Bertec support engineers will make commercially reasonable efforts to solve any problem issues as they arise. Some states
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3. Title
The product is copyrighted by Bertec. Bertec retains all rights, title, and ownership of the Product and all subsequent full or partial copies and derivatives of the Product, made by you or Bertec, including
translations, compilations, partial copies, modications, updates and know-how in connection there with, regardless of the form or media in or on which the same may exist. This license is not a sale of
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You agree that the product, and other information, technical data, or know-how (including documentation) related to the Product (including the existence of the product and the results of use or testing),
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or otherwise, arising out of, connected with, or resulting from the performance or breach of any purchase order or contract of sale accepted or executed by Bertec and/or its afliates, or from the design,
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in any event, exceed the price allocable to the product or service which gives rise to the claim, loss or damage. Provided further, that the end user assumes all risk associated with the use or misuse of
the Bertec product, accessory or service in contravention of any directions or warnings provided in Bertec instructional literature or given verbally by an authorized Bertec representative, or that should
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limitation of liability, the above limitation may not apply to you.
7. Product Maintenance
During the Warranty Period, Bertec shall provide to you any new, corrected or enhanced version of the Product as created by Bertec. Such enhancement shall include all modications to the Product
which increase the speed, efciency or ease of use of the Product, or add additional capabilities or functionality to the Product, but shall not include any substantially new or rewritten version of the
Product. These updates will require Internet Access to our website to automatically validate your License Key and provide update support. After expiration of the Warranty Period, you may continue to
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You will need to notify Bertec in writing if you desire to receive optional maintenance. If you fail to take optional maintenance and later elect to receive it, Bertec reserves the right to charge you their
standard maintenance fees for the period of the lapse in maintenance. Bertec may elect to discontinue maintenance at any time upon notice to you, and refund of any then unearned maintenance fees.
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You must not engage in the distribution of pirated software or hardware. Use of the Product may be limited to the rst 14 days after the end user rst uses the software, unless the end user activates the
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environments requiring fail-safe performance in which the failure of software and/or hardware could lead directly to death, personal injury, or severe physical or environmental damage (“high risk activity”).
Bertec Corporation and its suppliers specically disclaim any express or implied warranties of tness for high risk activities.
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all costs associated with transport of the Bertec product shall be the responsibility of the customer. This Limited Warranty is void if failure of the Bertec hardware and/or software products has resulted
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abuse of the Bertec product by the customer, and/or failure by the customer to properly maintain the Bertec product. Any replacement Bertec product will be warranted for the remainder of the original
warranty period.
Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement, please write to:
Bertec Corporation
2500 Citygate Drive
Columbus OH, 43219
Software License

iv Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual

Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual v
01 Introduction
02 Treadmill Design
02 Technical Specications
03 System Components
03 Electronic Control Unit
04 Optional Equipment
05 Safety Information and Labeling
07 Safety Labels
08 Intended Use
09 Installation
09 General Considerations and Recommendations
10 Power Requirements
11 Site Preparation
12 Dimensions
14 Checklist
15 Installation Process
16 Lifting of Treadmill Components
16 Cleaning Instructions
17 Treadmill Start Up
17 Control Panel
18 Settings
20 Data Acquisition and Load Calculations
20 Ampliers and Signal Converters
22 Auto Zero
23 Calculating Load Values
25 Calculation of the Point of Application of Force and Couple
25 Load Computation Example
Table of Contents

vi Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual

Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual 01
Bertec’s instrumented dual belt treadmills have been specically designed for dynamic analysis of human locomotion. Through
the use of strain gauge technology, innovative design, and quality manufacturing, Bertec’s instrumented treadmills are well suited
for locomotion applications in limited laboratory spaces. Each treadmill consists of a number of strain gauged load transducers
and a built-in digital pre-amplier for signal conditioning.
Each half of Bertec’s dual belt treadmill incorporates an independent force plate measuring six load components – the three
orthogonal components of the resultant force and the three components of the resultant moment in the same orthogonal
coordinate system. The point of application of the force and the couple acting can be readily calculated from the measured force
and moment components independently for each half of the treadmill.
Bertec treadmills use a state-of-the-art 16-bit digital technology for signal acquisition and conditioning. This technology makes
the use of calibration matrices obsolete, since each treadmill half comes with the calibration matrix digitally stored on it. External
ampliers available for use with the treadmills provide the user with three signal output alternatives: digital, analog, or dual digital/
analog outputs. The digital signal output can be directly plugged into the standard USB port of a personal computer without
the requirement of an additional PC card for analog-to-digital (A/D) signal conversion. This plug-and-play technology allows a
simpler installation procedure in a minimum amount of time.
The analog signal output can be fed into an A/D board so that data can be collected using conventional techniques. Depending
on the application, signal amplication can be performed for analog output using external ampliers. External ampliers are
either xed or adjustable gain (four and seven adjustable gain models available). These ampliers enable the user to establish
a trade-off between the measurement range and the resolution of the treadmills.
Bertec’s dual belt treadmills can easily be incorporated with the commercially available motion analysis systems to be used in a
fully equipped locomotion laboratory.
Optional accessories for the treadmill are available as add-on features. These accessories include an incline feature, which can
be used to tilt the treadmill up to 15˚ and a safety harness attachment.
Introduction

02 Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual
Bertec’s dual belt treadmill consists of two 20” treads running side by side. Each tread has a 6-component force plate integrated
into its structure to measure loads exerted on the tread belts. Each tread is driven and controlled separately. The tread belt and
force plate structure are constructed such that the forces generated by the tread belt and the tension from the driving timing belt
are internal forces and do not affect the load measurement. Both halves of the treadmill sit on a rigid steel structure or a split
mounting plate depending on the requested model. The handrails are attached to this structure or directly to the mounting plates.
Locomotion analysis can provide signicant information regarding the kinetics and kinematics of human motion. The necessity
for proper foot placement decreases the efciency of locomotion analysis using conventional, stationary force plates. Use of a
dual belt instrumented treadmill eliminates the need for targeting the force plate to record valid ground reaction data and avoids
the cumbersome process of multiple trials. In addition to increased efciency, the controllable belt speed allows testing a wide
range of subjects ranging from the elderly population to sprinting athletes.
Bertec treadmills are calibrated and pre-assembled in the factory. Do not attempt to change adjustments or disassemble the
treadmill - damage can occur to the transducer components or electronics. The limited warranty is void if the treadmill or any of
the accessories are disassembled without the authorization of Bertec.
Technical Specications
Fully Instrumented
Treadmill (FIT)
Mini-FIT for Animal
Application
Quad-FIT for Quadrupedal
Applications
Dimensions (in) 81.1 x 54.6 x 15.3
Max Allowable Load, N (lb)
(per treadmill side)
6,675 (1500) 3,335 (750) 3,335 (750)
Max Load Range, N (lb) Fx, Fy: 2,225 (500)
Fz: 4,450 (1,000)
Fx, Fy: 1,100 (250)
Fz: 2,225 (500)
Fx, Fy: 1,110 (250)
Fz: 2,225 (500)
Speed Range, km/h (mi/h) 0-24 (0-15) 0-24 (0-15) 0-24 (0-15)
Acceleration, m/s² (ft/s²) 0-25 (0-82) 0-25 (0-82) 0-25 (0-82)
Max Sound Level 90 dB
Number of Belts 2 2 4
Size of Belts Two independent force
measuring running belts,
approximately 1.75 m (70
in) long and 0.5 m (20 in)
wide per belt.
Two independent force
measuring running belts,
approximately 1 m (40
in) long and 0.3 m (12 in)
wide per belt. *0.15 m (6
in) wide version available.
Four independent force
measuring running belts,
approximately 1 m (40 in)
long and 0.3 m (12 in) wide
per belt. Left side speed is
controlled separately from
the right side speed.
*0.15 m (6 in) wide version
available.
Walking Surface, m (in) 1.75 x 1 (approx. 70 x 40) 1 x 0.6 (approx. 40 x 24)
1 x 0.3 (approx. 40 x 12) 2 x 0.6 (approx. 80 x 24)
Treadmill Design

Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual 03
System Components
Figure 1 below demonstrates individual components of a typical instrumented treadmill. The split belt treadmill (with optional
incline unit) is connected with 4 cables (6 in case of incline module), each 9 m long, to the Electronic Control Unit. One output
goes to an AM6500-TM unit that is used to control the treadmill via USB port of the computer using a standard USB cable. All of
the FPA cables are standard 10 m long Bertec FPA-10 cables.
All treadmill control is carried out using software on the computer. The Electronic Control Unit does not have any active control
other than an emergency stop button.
* AM6500, AM6501, AM6504, AM6800
** Standard Cable is 1 m long with BNC or Bare Wire output. Should be specied at the time of order.
Electronic Control Unit
The control electronics are housed in a separate cabinet. The cabinet contains an
electronics panel which holds the power electronics, motor drive units, and safety
circuitry. Due to control signal and power restrictions, the maximum distance from the
treadmill motors to the electronics cabinet is roughly 6 m.
Motor power and motor feedback cables exit the bottom of the control cabinet and
can be routed to the treadmill motors either through a conduit or freely on the ground.
These cables should not span any large distances unsupported. The treadmill control
cabinet is connected to a PC running the Bertec Treadmill Control Panel software in the
following manner: A gray cable with a 9-pin d-sub connector exits the control cabinet
and is plugged into an AM6500-TM unit. This AM6500-TM is then connected to the
controlling PC via a USB cable. This PC must be running the Bertec Treadmill Control
Pane software in order to properly control the treadmill belts and/or treadmill incline.
The control cabinet power cord also exits the unit from the bottom.
The electrical network used to supply power to the data acquisition systems and treadmill
electronics rack should be properly grounded. Poor grounding is a common source of signal
noise in electronic systems.
Treadmill Design
Tread 1
Tread 2
Electronic
Control Unit
3-phase power
Computer
AM6500-TM
Signal converter*
Signal converter*
FPA cable
FPA cable USB cable
Output cable**
Output cable**
FIGURE 1: Instrumented treadmill system layout
Treadmill Electronic Control Unit

04 Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual
Cables can be a hazard for tripping. It is recommended that all cables be routed to prevent tripping.
Alternatively, use a oor cable cover or some other non-permanent means to hold the cables to
the oor.
The main features of the treadmill Electronic Control Unit are the power
switch, the status lights, the door handle, and the Remote E-Stop
Pendant. When the power switch is in the on position (vertical), the
cabinet door cannot be opened, even if the door handle is unlocked
and in the open position. Each control cabinet ships with a key for the
door handle. It is recommended that the cabinet remain locked at all
times and the key be stored in a safe manner. The status lights include
Power, Motor, and Fault.
The control cabinet contains power circuitry that operates at dangerous current and voltage
levels. At no time should the electronics be turned on while the cabinet door is open. There are
no user serviceable parts contained in the control cabinet, any work inside the cabinet is to be
done by Bertec Corporation.
The nal feature of the control cabinet is the Remote E-Stop Pendant. The pendant is tethered to the
control cabinet via a 25 m long cable. The user is not able to detach the pendant from outside the
cabinet and the treadmill will not be operable if the cable is detached from inside the cabinet. The
pendant houses an emergency stop button as well as an auxiliary button. The E-Stop button can be
pressed at any time to stop the treadmill belts or incline and prevent further belt or incline movement
until the button is twisted and released from its pushed position. When pushed, the button remains in a
locked position until it is rotated in a clockwise direction and allowed to pop back up.
Optional Equipment
Treadmill Design
Incline:
Do more tests. Analyze uphill and downhill movements up to 15 degrees.
Overhead Structure and Harness:
Ensures subject safety. Prevents falls and off-track movement. Users can be comfortable
and condent during testing.
Remote E-Stop Pendant
On/Off Power Switch handle
is in the off position when the
handle is horizontal
Electronic Control Unit
Status Lights

Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual 05
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
When using the instrumented treadmill, basic precautions should always be followed,
including the following:
To reduce the risk of personal injury, read and understand all the instructions before using
this treadmill.
DANGER - To reduce the risk of electric shock:
1. Always unplug the treadmill from the electrical outlet immediately after using and before
cleaning.
WARNING - To reduce risk of burns, re, electric shock, or injury to persons:
1. The treadmill should never be left unattended when plugged in. Unplug from outlet
when not in use and before putting on or taking off parts.
2. Close supervision is necessary when the treadmill is used by, on, or near children,
invalids, and disabled persons.
3. Use the treadmill only for its intended use as described in this manual. Do not use
attachments not recommended by the manufacturer.
4. Never operate the treadmill if it has a damaged cord or plug, if it is not working properly,
or if it has been damaged. Contact Bertec Corporation for service examination and
repair.
5. Never operate the treadmill with the control cabinet air vents blocked. Keep the air
vents free of lint, hair, etc.
6. Never drop or insert any object into any opening.
7. Do not use outdoors.
8. To disconnect, turn all controls to the off position, then remove the plug from the outlet.
9. Connect this treadmill to a properly grounded outlet only. See Grounding Instructions.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Safety Information and Labeling

06 Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual
GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS
This product must be grounded. If it should malfunction or break down, grounding provides
least resistance for electric current to reduce the risk of electric shock. This product is
equipped with a cord having an equipment-grounding conductor and a grounding plug. The
plug must be plugged into an appropriate outlet that is properly installed and grounded in
accordance with all local codes and ordinances.
DANGER - Improper connection of the equipment-grounding conductor can result in a risk
of electric shock. Check with a qualied electrician or serviceman if you are in doubt as to
whether the product is properly grounded. Do not modify the plug provided with the product
- if it will not t the outlet, have a proper outlet installed by a qualied electrician.
This product is for use on a circuit having a nominal rating more than 200 V and is factory
equipped with a specic electric cord and plug to permit connection to a proper electric
circuit. Make sure that the product is connected to an outlet having the same conguration
as the plug. No adapter should be used with this product. If the product must be reconnected
for use on a different type of electric circuit, the reconnections should be made by qualied
service personnel.
Safety Information and Labeling

Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual 07
Safety Labels
FIGURE 2: Important labels on the Instrumented Treadmill and Electronic Control Unit
This caution label is located on the handrail. Since the treadmill
has moving belts, it is recommended to hold the handrails while
stepping on or off the belts.
This label is placed on the side of the base of the treadmill. All
body limbs should remain clear of this area to avoid injury.
Do not exceed the maximum load capacity recommended by
this label.
This label species the operating voltage, current, and
frequency of each treadmill.
Located on the Remote E-stop Pendant, this label informs the
user that the pendant is used to stop the belt immediately.
Safety Information and Labeling

08 Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual
Safety Information and Labeling
This label on the Electronic Control Unit warns users to not
open the cabinet due to high voltage and electric shock risk.
Each treadmill has four pinch point labels located on the four
corners on top of the treadmill base. These labels indicate
areas where body parts can be pinched or injured.
These labels list the serial numbers for the treadmill and the
Electronic Control Unit.
If labels begin to wear to the point that they are illegible, contact Bertec Corporation for new ones.
Intended Use
Operation of the treadmill outside of the scope of intended use carries with it the risk of injury to the operator and subject and
risk of damage to the treadmill system.
The intended uses are as follows:
1. The treadmill is intended for use in the areas of research and rehab using human subjects wearing typical footwear or no
footwear. The treadmill is not intended to be used with any type of footwear having a metal ground contact component, i.e.
metal sports cleats. The treadmill is not intended for use with wheelchairs.
2. Bertec Corporation is not responsible for verication or validation of customer’s research protocols, application for and
attainment of required IRB’s, or any other conclusions regarding the validity of the research protocol or data generated to
facilitate such research.
3. Normal operating conditions such as those found in a typical clinical or ofce environment at temperature ranges and limited
uctuations found in a typical indoor and climate controlled ofce environment. Customer ensures proper power supply,
grounding, and adherence to local, regional and national building and electrical code standards required to maintain such
environmental standards.
4. Not intended for household use.

Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual 09
Proper preparation of the installation site will ensure that the performance of the Bertec Instrumented Treadmill is maximized.
The following guidelines are provided so that the treadmill can be properly installed and optimally operated. Note that the actual
conditions and setup at each individual installation site might be different than the ones depicted in this guideline.
Some of the arrangements and constructions mentioned in this guideline might take a long time to make. Therefore, sufcient
time should be spared for planning and site preparation. This guideline describes the steps to be taken by the customer before
installation takes place. Installation and maintenance of the treadmill should be done by authorized personnel only.
General Considerations and Recommendations
The treadmill is designed for indoor use only. It should not be subjected to excessive moisture or dust. Its place of installation
should be maintained at a temperature between 55˚F and 90˚F.
To obtain a high quality measurement from Bertec treadmills, they should be installed in a way that is suitable for the type of
measurement to be performed. First of all, the oor and structure underneath should be prepared to be as rigid as possible in
order to minimize any vibrations.
Depending on the laboratory setup, Bertec Instrumented Treadmills can be installed directly on to the oor or into a specially
constructed pit to have the walking surfaces of the treads ush with the rest of the oor. The pit might be constructed either by
digging into the existing oor or by raising the oor around the treadmill. In case of a pit installation, the void pit space around
the treadmill should be lled with suspended ooring for safety reasons. For accurate measurements the suspended ooring
should not touch the treadmill. At least ½” gap is recommended between the treadmill and the surrounding oor. It is strongly
recommended that the false ooring around the treadmill is custom tted after the installation is completed. The individual units
of the false ooring should be easily removable so that periodic maintenance service can be performed. Although Bertec does
not provide pit and false ooring design and installation services, we encourage the customers to consult with us about their
nal designs.
Installation of the treadmill is done in two steps:
>Step 1: Installation of the mounting plate(s). The epoxy for the mounting plates needs to cure overnight to set properly.
>Step 2: Installation of the individual treads, handrails and assembly of the electronics cabinet followed by testing and user
training to run the system.
Bertec Instrumented Treadmills are mounted on special precision-machined aluminum mounting plates. The mounting plates
are attached to the oor (or to the bottom surface of the pit) using a special two-part epoxy. A bare concrete underlying surface
is ideal for mounting plate attachment. A oor covered with tiles, linoleum etc. might cause a decrease in the performance of the
treadmill. The concrete surface should be properly leveled so that it is at within ±3 mm (±⅛”) tolerance. The concrete surface
should be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner and should be free of any dust and particles. It is the customer’s responsibility to bring
the installation site up to the specs.
Dual Belt Instrumented Treadmills are designed such that the right and left treads are mechanically isolated from each other to
prevent transmission of impact forces between treads. However, structurally weak oors might cause unwanted vibrations that
affect treadmill operation. Floor vibration, especially in the upper stories of the buildings, is a common occurrence. Therefore, it
is strongly recommended that the treadmill be installed in the building at the entrance level with no basement underneath, or at
the basement level. Otherwise, it is the customer’s responsibility to make sure that oor vibration is not going to affect operation
of the treadmill.
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10 Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual
Proper power should be available at the installation site so that the treadmill can be tested after installation.
Power Requirements
Bertec Instrumented Treadmills need standard industrial 3-phase power supply to operate.
Three components of the treadmill system must be supplied with power: the treadmill control cabinet and both ampliers. The
cabinet will connect to its power supply using a straight bladed plug specied by Bertec. The cabinet should be within easy reach
of the power source. Each amplier takes power from a standard wall outlet, 120 V in North America for example. The treadmill
is operated using one control input. This is a B-type USB connector located on the AM6500-TM unit.
The voltage and current requirements change depending in which country the customer is located. The customer is responsible
for supplying the correct power with the proper wall receptacle for the treadmill. The power plugs and main power supply
necessary to run the standard speed dual treadmill is given in the following table:
FIGURE 3: Instrumented treadmill power requirements
Location Voltage/Phase (V) Current Phase (A) Frequency Plug on Treadmill
North America 208±10% 40 A 60 Hz 15-50P*
Japan 200±10% 40 A 50/60 Hz 15-50P*
Europe 400±10% 20 A 50 Hz 532P6W**
Australia 400±10% 20 A 50 Hz 56PA532
*NEMA Standard
**IEC-60309 Standard
For power requirements in other locations, please consult Bertec Corporation.
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Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual 11
Site Preparation
In case of a oor installation, at least a 60 cm (2 ft) area on all sides of the treadmill should be clear and unobstructed for a proper
installation.
In case of a pit installation, pit length and width should be at least 120 cm (4 ft) larger [60 cm (2 ft) on each side] than the
dimensions of the treadmill (L x W). In case of suspended ooring these minimum dimensions apply to the units of the raised
oor that needs to be removable (to decide on the exact locations of the support columns for suspended ooring consult Bertec
Corporation for detailed dimensional drawings). For a ush tread surface, 6 mm (¼”) should be added to the height of the
treadmill (parameter H in Figures 7 and 8). As indicated previously, the oor (bottom of the pit) should be at within ±⅛". The
following table summarizes the required dimensions for the treadmill pit:
FIGURE 4: Required pit dimensions for instrumented treadmill
Parameter Dimensions
Minimum pit length, cm (in) L + 120 (L + 48)
Minimum pit width, cm (in) W + 120 (W + 48)
Pit depth, mm (in) H + 6 (H + 0.25) Tolerance: ±3 mm (±⅛")
Note that for systems with the optional incline module, extra space is needed between the treads and adjacent false ooring to
allow the extra rotational motion of the incline unit.
Incorporating a wire conduit into the pit construction is recommended for safety reasons to avoid tripping over the cables. The
recommended diameter is 10 cm (4”) for straight conduits and 13 cm (5”) for conduits with bends and turns. Since the standard
length of the cables running between the treadmill and the electronics control unit is 9 m, the cable conduit lengths should be
sized accordingly allowing for any amount of extra slack cable needed. A guide wire should be available in the conduit to run the
cables. Alternatively, the cables can be run under the false ooring. In case of oor installations, over-the-oor cable covers can
be used as a safety precaution.
The pit should be cleaned thoroughly after construction and should be free of any debris and dust. Cleaning with a vacuum
cleaner is strongly recommended, as dust particles will prevent the mounting plate epoxy to attach to the oor properly.
Installation

12 Bertec Corporation Instrumented Treadmill Manual
Installation
Dimensions
FIGURE 5: Instrumented treadmill (front view)
FIGURE 6: Instrumented treadmill with incline (front view)