Related Manuals for Vernier SensorDAQ
Summary of Contents for Vernier SensorDAQ
- Page 1 Vernier SensorDAQ ™ User’s Manual Vernier Software & Technology 13979 SW Millikan Way Beaverton, Oregon 97005-2886 (503) 277-2299 Toll Free (888) 837- 6437 FAX (503) 277-2440 www.vernier.com info@vernier.com...
- Page 2 Instruments trademarks. For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to ni.com/patents. All other marks not owned by Vernier Software & Technology that appear herein are the property of their respective owners who may or may not be affiliated with, connected to, or sponsored by us.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Vernier Digital Sensors ..................6 Screw Terminal ...................... 6 Sample Experiments (VIs) in LabVIEW ..............8 Data Collection with Vernier Analog Sensors ............8 Feedback and Control (Digital Out Lines)............10 Working with Block Diagrams ................11 Resources ......................... 16 Troubleshooting ...................... -
Page 4: What Is Sensordaq
Windows computer running LabVIEW software. More than 50 Vernier sensors are available for use with the SensorDAQ. You can also combine the use of sensors connected to the SensorDAQ with the output of Vernier's Digital Control Unit (DCU) or the SensorDAQ's screw terminal for control projects. -
Page 5: Quick Start
Quick Start Install Software Install National Instruments application software LabVIEW 7.1 or newer. The SensorDAQ CD contains necessary drivers and sample programs that you can use to get started collecting data and programming with SensorDAQ. • Place the CD in the CD-ROM drive of your computer. -
Page 6: Launch Labview And Collect Data
Keep reading for instructions on the various ways to collect data, set up customized sensors, and customize VIs. If you are using LabVIEW Base Package, you cannot open this VI. Open SensorDAQ Data Collection.exe instead. See the information for running this application in the Software section... -
Page 7: Sensordaq Components
SensorDAQ back view The USB Cable Strain Relief is used to ensure a secure USB connection. Use the Mounting Slot and Panel Mount to mount SensorDAQ to an object. The LED blinks when SensorDAQ has power and is recognized by the DAQmx driver. -
Page 8: Software
The SensorDAQ CD contains LabVIEW example programs that you can use to get started programming with SensorDAQ, as well as driver subVIs for building custom programs. The examples are in a folder called SensorDAQ that is located in your user.lib directory. The driver VIs can be accessed from your User Libraries function palette. -
Page 9: Vernier Digital Sensors
Most sensors provided by Vernier are auto-ID sensors. When you plug an auto-ID sensor into SensorDAQ, the software will be able to identify it and set up the file accordingly. Auto-ID information includes default settings for data collection rate, length of collection, and calibration coefficients. - Page 10 AI(1) terminal. The differential input mode allows the SensorDAQ to measure a voltage difference on these terminals up to +20V or –20V in the ±20V range; however, the maximum voltage on any one terminal cannot exceed ±10 V with respect to GND.
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Page 11: Sample Experiments (Vis) In Labview
The SensorDAQ has one AO channel that can generate an output from 0–5V. The AO has an output current drive value of 5 mA. To connect loads to the SensorDAQ, connect the positive lead of the load to the A0 terminal, and connect the ground lead of the load to a GND terminal. - Page 12 Data Collection with one vernier analog sensor Connect the Vernier Voltage Probe to Ch.1 of SensorDAQ. Attach the leads to a 9V battery. Click the run arrow to begin data collection. LabVIEW will identify the sensor and adjust the graph and axes labels accordingly.
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Page 13: Feedback And Control (Digital Out Lines)
This is the essential principle behind robotics. In this example, we use a Vernier Stainless Steel Temperature Probe. As the data rises to a preset threshold, a connected LED will light up. It will also help you familiarize yourself with SensorDAQ's output lines. -
Page 14: Working With Block Diagrams
The example VIs included on your CD are meant to show you the basic functionality of SensorDAQ, and how to program these functions in LabVIEW. Most users will eventually need to create their own custom LabVIEW VI. One method for creating your own custom VI is to build off of an existing example. - Page 15 “ON-Digital Out”. The PO.0 screw terminal is now configured to perform digital output. In the overview of the program, turn on an LED if the SensorDAQ’s analog output voltage goes above a certain threshold value. We will now create the threshold...
- Page 16 If it is, turn on an LED by turning on the digital output line of the screw terminal; if it is not, turn off the LED. This same type of code is performed in ControlEx01_ControlDigOutWithSensor.vi. Copy and paste this code into the VI. SensorDAQ User's Manual...
- Page 17 Select the SensorDAQ_DIO.vi, the Select function, and the two Boolean arrays (or get the DIO subVI from the sensorDAQ palette). An easy way to do this is to hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click the mouse on the code that you wish to select.
- Page 18 Label this control as “Output Voltage.” Double-click on the maximum value of this control to highlight and change the value to 5 (since this control will be controlling the SensorDAQ’s analog output voltage, which is in the range of 0-5 volts).
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Page 19: Resources
Troubleshooting • If the SensorDAQ LED does not blink, the driver may not be properly installed. Try re-installing the driver. Reboot the computer after installing the driver. • If the SensorDAQ LED is blinking, but the LabVIEW examples do not detect SensorDAQ, unplug SensorDAQ's USB cable, reboot the computer, then reinsert the USB cable to SensorDAQ. -
Page 20: Appendix A - Sample Vis
When this VI is run (by clicking the white arrow) LabVIEW will detect all auto-ID capable sensors and calls up appropriate units and data-collection parameters. AnalogInEx02_AdjustRate.vi Simple data-collection VI using a Vernier sensor. The user can adjust the sample rate and total number of samples to be read. AnalogInEx03_FastRate.vi Particular sensor and experiments benefit from faster sampling rates (microphone and oscilloscope for example). - Page 21 The DCU (Digital Control Unit) provides current (up to 600 mA) for controlling electrical devices. It connects to the DIG channel of SensorDAQ. Inside the DCU are LEDs that indicate the status of the six output lines. In this example, you can control the duration of current sent to the output lines.
- Page 22 ControlEx06_BuzzerWarning.vi SensorDAQ can be used as a simple alarm system. In this example, it monitors an analog sensor connected to Ch 1 and sets off a buzzer, connected to terminal 1 (P0.0), when the reading reaches a pre-determined limit.
- Page 23 TerminalEx03_AnalogOut.vi Control terminal 9 to output a voltage between 0-5 volts. TerminalEx04_AnalogIn.vi In this example, you will be using SensorDAQ's analog in lines 11 and 12 (AI0 and AI1) to measure voltage. TerminalEx05_CounterTiming.vi The Counter feature allows you to command screw terminal 7 (PFI 0) to measure timing of a pulse signal (semi-period, period, and 2 edge separation).
- Page 24 These options can be found in the menu selection. Analysis tools are described in Appendix B. Using DAQmx For users with a programming and LabVIEW background, DAQmx example VIs are available as templates for configuring measurement tasks, channels, and scales. SensorDAQ User's Manual...
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Page 25: Appendix B - Data Collection Analysis Tools
Most sensors provided by Vernier are auto-ID sensors, that is, when you plug that sensor into SensorDAQ, LabVIEW will be able to identify it and set up the file accordingly. This includes a default data collection setting. Generally, most sensors that plug directly into SensorDAQ without an adapter are auto-ID. - Page 26 (which may be different than ones stored on the sensor) can be selected, modified, and even saved for future use. In addition, screw terminal channels AI0 and AI1 can be configured with this menu selection. Zero: Sets the current reading of a sensor to zero. SensorDAQ User's Manual...
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