What's New in NI CompactDAQ

The NI CompactDAQ platform has expanded to offer more than 30 measurement modules and new, free data-logging software. This overview highlights all that is new with NI CompactDAQ and C Series modules since the first launch.

Go back to the NI CompactDAQ home page at ni.com/compactdaq.

NI CompactDAQ Platform Now Features More Than 30 Modules

The NI CompactDAQ platform now includes 19 new measurement modules, bringing the total number of available modules to 30. The new modules (see Table 1) add measurements such as current I/O, resistance temperature detector, ±60 V analog, 24-bit precision high-speed analog, and resistance. The NI 9219 universal NI CompactDAQ module measures strain, temperature, current, voltage, and resistance, all with channel-to-channel isolation. All modules are hot-swappable and autodetect once you insert them into the National Instruments cDAQ-9172 USB plug-and-play chassis. With these modules, test engineers, system integrators, and students can build custom data acquisition and logging programs with commercial off-the-shelf benefits. For a full list of modules and more information on the NI CompactDAQ platform, please see the Product Overview and Module FAQ or visit ni.com/compactdaq and select Industrial I/O Modules. To configure and price an NI CompactDAQ system online, use the NI CompactDAQ Advisor.

Table 1. New NI CompactDAQ Modules

 

For more information on the modules, see ni.com/compactdaq and select Industrial I/O Modules.

New NI LabVIEW Data-Logging Software for Ready-to-Run Systems

Along with the 19 new modules, National Instruments has released new data-logging LabVIEW software that is shipped with every NI hardware device compatible with NI-DAQmx. This new software, National Instruments LabVIEW SignalExpress LE, helps engineers acquire, view, and log data to ASCII text files or export to Microsoft Excel for post processing. Current NI data acquisition hardware owners can download this FREE software with NI-DAQmx 8.5 or later driver and measurement services software.

Figure 1. LabVIEW SignalExpress UI (Example)

 

For more advanced data logging, analysis, and report generation, try NI LabVIEW SignalExpress. This software package includes:

• More than 200 analysis functions ranging from statistical calculations to waveform processing
• Customizable reports including graph snapshots
• Data views in a variety of formats such as graphs, charts, gauges, meters, and thermometers
• Alarms that can trigger logging, e-mails, transistor-to-transistor logic, or analog outputs

Move from the nonprogramming environment of LabVIEW SignalExpress into one of the LabVIEW development environments to create advanced data acquisition systems by converting to code within LabVIEW SignalExpress. LabVIEW SignalExpress is included in every LabVIEW development system, or you can purchase it as a stand-alone package.

Feature	LabVIEW SignalExpress LE	LabVIEW SignalExpress
Perform simple continuous logging	●	●
Acquire from more than one device	●	●
Multiple UI indicators	●	●
Autolaunch for USB devices	●	●
NI-DAQmx support	●	●
Getting started guide	●	●
LabVIEW code generation	●	●
Historical data navigation	●	●
Export to Excel or other spreadsheet	●	●
Load saved data		●
Multiple log files		●
Analysis functions (more than 200)		●
Alarms/triggers		●
Dynamic report generation		●

Table 2. LabVIEW SignalExpress Feature Comparison

For more information on LabVIEW SignalExpress, see www.ni.com/signalexpress.

New Industrial Features Bring USB Plug and Play to Rugged Applications

The new modules bring even more industrial features to the already rugged and portable platform.

New industrial features include:

• 4 to 20 mA measurement and control
• Strain relief available for laptop side of USB cable (part number 777550-01)
• Multiple modules now available with channel-to-channel isolation
• Industrial enclosures (see Figure 3)

Other industrial features include:

• Rugged chassis made of A380 aluminum
• 30 g shock rating and -20 to 55 °C temperature rating
• Up to 2300 V_rms module-to-chassis isolation available on several modules
• DIN-rail, rack-mount, and panel-mount options 
• Strain relief for USB cable on chassis
• Module backshells available for safe high-voltage connections (see Figure 2)

Figure 2. High-Voltage Backshell                 Figure 3. Industrial Enclosure

Configure your system from at ni.com/compactdaq.

See video demonstrations of NI CompactDAQ at ni.com/dataacquisition/compactdaq/videos.htm.

New Module FAQs

1. Some of the “new” modules have the same model number as modules that have been shipping for the National Instruments CompactRIO platform for some time now. Are these the same?

Yes. Some of these modules that have sold for the NI CompactRIO platform are now compatible with the NI CompactDAQ platform. If you already have one of these modules for CompactRIO, you can use it in an NI cDAQ-9172 chassis even though it may have a “cRIO-9xxx” model number on it. Just make sure you download the latest version of NI-DAQmx driver software, Version 8.5, which is compatible with these new modules.

2. With this new release of modules, will all C Series modules work in both the NI CompactDAQ and CompactRIO platforms?

No. There are still some modules that work with CompactRIO but not NI CompactDAQ. Please see the NI CompactDAQ Advisor or home page (ni.com/compactdaq) to check for compatibility.

3. Some of the C Series modules seem to work on their own in a single-sleeve device (USB-9162). Can any of these new NI CompactDAQ modules work in the single-sleeve device?

No. None of the new modules in this release work in the single-sleeve devices.

Q. Where can I get more information about NI CompactDAQ?

The main Web site for the platform, ni.com/compactdaq, features technical white papers such as the following:

NI CompactDAQ Under the Hood -- Three Technologies that Drive USB Performance

NI Signal Streaming Makes USB More Powerful

 

Reader Comments | Submit a comment »

Should read 9401 not 9403
Thanks - fixed the typo.
- National Instruments. - May 31, 2007

Synch With CAN
There are several ways to synchronize CAN data with analog input using NI hardware platforms. For CompactDAQ see this document: http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/4207 Note that the PCMCIA CAN device could be any CAN device with triggering including the new USB CAN 947X devices.
- Brett Burger, National Instruments. brett.burger@ni.com - May 21, 2007

Should read 9401 not 9403
Should read 9401 not 9403 for the Digital module
- Apr 13, 2007

CAN Bus Module
Is NI looking to release a module for the cDAQ for J1939 CAN bus communication? Synchronizing CAN data with analog input would be the ultimate!
- Steven Stonecash, Kalmar Industries. steven.stonecash@kalmarind.com - Apr 11, 2007

Lacking
Where can one find specs?
- Mar 9, 2007