LabVIEW Core 1

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What You Need To Get Started

• LabVIEW Core 1 Course Manual

• LabVIEW Core 1 Exercise Manual
• LabVIEW Core 1 Course CD
• Multifunction DAQ device
• GPIB interface
• DAQ Signal Accessory, wires, and cable
• NI Instrument Simulator and power supply
• Serial and GPIB cables
Computer running
LabVIEW 2009 or later
and Windows 2000 or later

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File Locations

The course installer places the course files in the following

location:

Exercises LabVIEW
Root Directory <or>
Solutions Core 1

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Instructional Methods

Demonstrations

Concept
Quizzes
Exercise

Development
Lecture Topic Exercise

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Getting The Most Out Of This Course

• Ask questions!
• Experiment with hands-on exercises to understand the
methods used
• Explore solutions
• Implementations explore a possible solution—you may find
a better one

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Courses
New User Experienced User
LabVIEW Core 1 LabVIEW Core 3 Managing Software
Engineering in LabVIEW
LabVIEW Core 2
Skills learned: LabVIEW OOP System
• Modular application Design
Skills learned:
• LabVIEW environment development Advanced Architectures
navigation • Structured design and in LabVIEW
• Dataflow programming development practices
Skills learned:
• Use of common design • Inter-application • Manage a LabVIEW project from
techniques communication and design to deployment

• Event driven programming connectivity techniques • Object-oriented programming for

LabVIEW
• Programmatic UI control • Develop scalable applications and
reusable code
Certifications • Advanced design patterns for LabVIEW

Certified LV Associate Certified LabVIEW Certified LabVIEW

Developer Exam Developer Exam Architect Exam
Skills tested: Skills tested: Skills tested:
• LabVIEW environment • LabVIEW application • LabVIEW application
knowledge development expertise development mastery

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Course Learning Map
Lesson 1 Lesson 4 Lesson 7
Developing Modular
Setting Up Hardware Implementing a VI
Applications

Lesson 2 Lesson 5 Lesson 8

Common Design Techniques
Navigating LabVIEW Relating Data
and Patterns

Lesson 3 Lesson 6 Lesson 9

Troubleshooting & Debugging
Managing Resources Using Variables
VIs

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Course Goals

This course prepares you for the following:

• Solve problems using LabVIEW
• Use data acquisition and instrument control in LabVIEW
applications
• Use modular programming practices
• Develop, debug, and test LabVIEW VIs
• Effectively use a state machine architecture
• Parallelism and variables

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 Lesson 1
Setting Up Hardware

TOPICS
A. DAQ Hardware E. Serial Port
B. Using DAQ Software Communication
C. Instrument Control F. Using Instrument Control
D. GPIB Software

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Setting Up Hardware

• LabVIEW is a graphical programming environment used by

millions of engineers and scientists to develop sophisticated
measurement, test, and control systems
• LabVIEW can integrate with wide variety of hardware
devices
• In this course, you will interact with DAQ, GPIB, and serial
hardware

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A. DAQ Hardware

1. Signal
2. Terminal Block
3. Cable
4. DAQ Device
5. Computer

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DAQ Hardware – Terminal Block & Cable

DAQ Signal Accessory—terminal block used in this course

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DAQ Hardware – DAQ Device

• Most DAQ devices have four standard elements: analog

input, analog output, digital I/O, and counters
• You can transfer the signal you measure with the DAQ
device to the computer through a variety of different bus
structures

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DAQ Hardware – Analog Input

The process of measuring an analog signal and transferring

the measurement to a computer for analysis, display, or
storage
• An analog signal is a signal that varies continuously
• Analog input most commonly measures voltage or current

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DAQ Hardware – Analog Output

The process of generating analog signals from your computer

• Performing digital-to-analog (D/A)
conversions generates analog output
• The available analog output types
are voltage and current
• To perform a voltage or current
output, a compatible device must be
installed that can generate that
type of signal

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DAQ Hardware – Digital I/O

• Digital signals:
− Electrical signals that transfer digital data (on/off, high/low, 1/0)
using a wire
− Used to control or measure digital or finite state devices, such
as switches and LEDs
− Used to transfer data
• program devices
• communicate between devices
− Use digital signals as clocks or triggers to
control or synchronize other measurements

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DAQ Hardware – Counters

• A counter is a digital timing device typically used for event

counting, frequency measurement, period measurement,
position measurement, and pulse generation
• A counter has a fixed number it can count to as determined
by the resolution of the counter
• For example, a 24-bit counter
can count to:
2(Counter Resolution) – 1 = 224 – 1 = 16,777,215

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B. Using DAQ Software – Configuration

• Configure and test your DAQ device using the Measurement

& Automation Explorer (MAX)

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Simulating a DAQ Device

• Using NI-DAQmx simulated devices, you can try NI products

in your application without the hardware
• With NI-DAQmx simulated devices, you also can export a
physical device configuration onto a system that does not
have the physical device installed

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Exercise 1-1
Concept: Measurement and Automation Explorer

Use MAX to examine, configure, and test a DAQ device.

GOAL
Exercise 1-1
Concept: Measurement and Automation Explorer

• What is a possible real-world application using DAQ?

DISCUSSION
C. Instrument Control

• Use software on a PC to control an instrument over an

instrument control bus
• Mix and match instruments from various categories
• Understand the properties of the instrument, such as the
communication protocols to use

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C. Instrument Control

Benefits of Instrument Control

• Automate processes
• Save time
• One platform for multiple tasks
• Ease of use
• Many types of instruments available

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D. GPIB
GPIB (general purpose
interface bus) is a
standard interface for
communication between
instruments and controllers
from various vendors

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GPIB

• The bus supports one system controller, usually a computer,

and up to 14 additional instruments
• Controller:
− Defines the communication links
− Responds to devices that request service
− Sends GPIB commands
− Passes/receives control of the bus

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E. Serial Port Communication

Serial communication
• Transmits data between a computer and a peripheral
device, such as a programmable instrument or another
computer
• Uses a transmitter to send data one bit at a time over a
single communication line to a receiver
• Best method when data transfer rates are low, or you must
transfer data over long distances
• Most computers have one or more serial ports, so you do
not need any extra hardware other than a cable

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F. Using Instrument Control Software

• Interface Drivers: Instrument interfaces such as GPIB

include a set of drivers for the interface
• Configuration: Use MAX to configure the interface

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Exercise 1-2
Concept: GPIB Configuration with MAX

Learn to configure the NI Instrument Simulator and use MAX

to examine the GPIB interface settings, detect instruments,
and communicate with an instrument.
GOAL
Exercise 1-2
Concept: GPIB Configuration with MAX

• What is a possible real-world application using instrument

control?

DISCUSSION
Summary—Quiz

1. You can use the Measurement & Automation Explorer

(MAX) to examine, configure, and test your DAQ device
and GPIB instruments.
a) True
b) False

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Summary—Quiz Answer

1. You can use the Measurement & Automation Explorer

(MAX) to examine, configure, and test your DAQ device
and GPIB instruments.
a) True
b) False

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Summary—Quiz

2. Which of the following are benefits of instrument control?

a) Automate processes
b) Save time
c) One platform for multiple tasks
d) Limited to only one type of instrument

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Summary—Quiz Answers

2. Which of the following are benefits of instrument control?

a) Automate processes
b) Save time
c) One platform for multiple tasks
d) Limited to only one type of instrument

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