Virtual Instrumentation and Data

Acquisition Using LabVIEW

 Out line of the Presentation

 About Bench top/Traditional Instruments

 Introduction to Virtual Instrumentation

 LabVIEW Concepts.

 Data Acquisition with Hardware

 Traditional Instrument

• An instrument is a device designed to collect data from an

environment, or from a unit under test, and to display
information to a user based on the collected data.

• Traditional Instruments are:

--- Vendor defined.
--- Function specific
--- Closed architecture
--- Hardware centric
--- Unflexible
 What is Virtual Instrumentation ?
 It is an interdisciplinary field that merges sensing, hardware, and
software.

 Virtual instrumentation is defined as the combination of

measurement and control hardware and application software
with industry-standard computer to create user-defined
instrumentation systems.

 Virtual Instrumentation sets a new standard in measurement by replacing

bench top instruments

 Creates flexible and sophisticated instruments for control and monitoring

applications.

 A Paradigm shift from Hardware centric to Software centric

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Virtual Instrument– What does it mean?

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 Virtual Instruments constructed with software are
--Inexpensive.
--More Accurate.
--Maintenance free.
--Can sense different physical quantities.
 Virtual Instrumentation
--Works fast
--Handles repetitive tasks
--Process data
--Stores results
--Generates reports
--Increases test safety
--Controllable by the user
 VI Approach

Hard Ware Soft Ware

PC
SCC/DAQ

Popular software’s in VI are

(a) LabVIEW (b) LabWindows/CVI

(c ) HP-VEE (d) Test stand

(e) Measurement studio.

Traditional Vs Virtual Instruments
 LabVIEW

Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering

Workbench
 What to EXPECT?

 Learn what are virtual instruments and how LabVIEW can used
to create VIs

 Understand user interface offerd by LabVIEWand methods of

programming.

 Create applications using Data Acquisition(DAQ) boards.

 What Not To Expect?

 Programming Theory

 Using of every built- in LabVIEW object,function or library VI.

 How to develop an instrument driver

 What is Virtual Instrument(VI)?

 A small piece of code in VI software/ A small program

 VI has

-- Front panel
-- Block Daigram
--Icon
-- Connector pane
LabVIEW Basics
 Controls and Functions Palettes
• Controls– Inputs from • Functions palette
the User
(Block Diagram Window)
• Indicators—Outputs to
the User
• Contorls palette
(Front Panel Window)
 Basic blocks of Block diagram
• Terminals---These are entry
and exit ports that exchange • Wires—Wires are the data
information between the front
paths between source and
panel and block diagram.
destination terminal.
Data type & representation

.Nodes ---A node is just a fancy

word for a program execution
element.
Numeric Data Representations
Data Types
 Express VI’s VI’s and Functions
Express VI--- interactive • Functions--- fundamental
VI’s with configurable operating elements of
dialog page. LabVIEW,

Standard VI--- modular

VI’s customized by
wiring
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 Creation of VI

Step1: Open blank/new VI.

Step2: Create Front panel.

Step3: Create Block diagram.

Step4: Run the VI.

 Data flow programming
 LabVIEW follows a data flow model for running VIs.
 In control fow, the sequential order of program elements
determines the execution order of a program.
LabVIEW Functional Elements
Loops and Structures
Loops with Shift registers
--- cont
 Case & Sequence Structures & Formula
nodes
Case structure Sequence structure
 Formula Node
 The Formula Node is a resizable box that is used to enter
algebraic formulas directly into the block diagram.

 The Formula Node is a convenient text-based node used to

perform mathematical operations on the block diagram.

 Formula Nodes are useful for equations that have many

variables.
 Arrays and Clusters
• Array--- group of similar data elements.
--- cont
Cluster
Creating Cluster
Wave form charts
Wiring data into charts
 File I/O

• File I/O --- passing data to and from files.

--- Files can binary, text or spread sheet.
--- Write/ Read LabVIEW measurement files.

Writing to LVM file Read from LVM file

 Debugging Techniques
• Finding errors -- Click on broken Run button
Window showing error appears

• Execution Highlighting

--- the user can view an animation of VI block diagram execution.

--- As data is passed from one node to another, bubbles moving along the
wires indicate the movement of data.
--- highlighting greatly reduces the performance of a VI.

. Probes --- The probe is used to check intermediate values in a VI that

executes
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 Sub VI

• What is Sub VI?

• Making an icon & connector pane for subVI

• Using VI as Sub VI

--- cond
Sub VI

-- contd
 -- cont

Normal VI’s block diagram Sub VI’s block diagram

 Creation of SubVI

 Step1 Edit icon

 Step2 Create the connector pane

 Step3 Assign terminals

 Step4 Save the VI

 Step5 Call the VI

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 Data Acquisition
DAQ Device

Computer
Sensors
Cable

Terminal Block
 Data Acquisition Terminology
• Resolution - Determines How Many Different Voltage
Changes Can Be Measured

– Larger Resolution  More Precise Representation of Signal

• Range - Minimum and Maximum Voltages

– Smaller range  More Precise Representation of Signal

• Gain - Amplifies or Attenuates Signal for Best Fit in Range

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 Hardware
BNC-2120

NI-ELVIS
 Basic Programming Architecture

 Simple VI Architecture.

 General VI Architecture

 State Machine Architecture

Simple VI Architecture
General VI Architecture
State machine Architecture
Remote Front Panels