Examining the 10 Most Common PXI Test, Measurement, and Control Applications - Part I

PXI is a rugged PC-based platform that offers high-performance measurement and control capabilities in a low-cost deployment package. With the modular form factor, you can mix and match PXI modules from NI and other PXI vendors to incorporate the exact measurement and control I/O you need in each system. Integrated timing and triggering features in the PXI backplane provide precise intermodule synchronization. Lastly, National Instruments industry-leading PXI software connectivity with NI LabVIEW graphical programming, NI LabWindows™/CVI (ANSI C) software, and Microsoft Visual Studio give you complete control of your PXI system to build fully customized graphical user interfaces, measurement and control analysis, and documentation and reporting.

These key features make PXI an attractive platform for a variety of test, measurement, and control applications. This document examines the 10 most common application areas to help you better understand how PXI can meet your current and future needs.

1 - Manufacturing Test

Increase throughput and scalability while reducing costs with NI PXI manufacturing test systems.

National Instruments works with more than 25,000 companies each year to help define, develop, and refine test strategies and products for a complete manufacturing test platform. The NI PXI platform for automated test and measurement focuses on delivering cost-effective solutions to overcome key manufacturing test challenges. Through rapid NI LabVIEW development software and a platform strategy that bridges design, validation, and test, NI is able to significantly shorten most new product release cycles. NI also has created a modular approach to test system development to facilitate code reuse and new technology insertion, which helps you accommodate the increasing number of products your testing and their growing functionality. Also, through the flexibility and technical achievements of PXI hardware and NI TestStand and LabVIEW software, NI is able to easily accommodate new test coverage for converging technologies, including radio frequency (RF), audio, video, digital, and analog, as well as provide the highest-throughput solutions in the industry. 

Case Studies

• Flextronics Saves Millions with NI Test Platform
• Target Tester - Standardizing Functional Test at Benchmark Electronics
• NI TestStand and LabVIEW Automate PCB Functional Test for Lifeline Systems Telephone and Communicator
• Toshiba Power Supply PCB Tester
• Testing Electronic Control Units with NI PXI and NI TestStand
• Lucent Reduces Process Test Time by Half Using NI TestStand and LabVIEW for a HASS Test Station

Additional Resources

• Technical White Paper - Lowering the Cost of Manufacturing Test
• Technical White Paper - Bringing ATE Technologies to the Desktop
• Technical White Paper - NI TestStand 3.0: Developing Automated Test Systems Faster and Smarter 
• Online Advisor - Build versus Buy Test Executive Cost-Analysis Tool
• Online Tutorial - Modular Instrumentation for Automated Test
• Online Tutorial - What Is PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation)?
• Build a PXI System

 

2 - Electronics Validation and Characterization

Use PXI to automate commonly repeated measurements in your validation labs to compare device functionality, including parametric values and electrical characteristics, with design specifications.

The electronics validation and characterization process emphasizes verifying complete device functionality, including parametric analysis and electrical characteristics, in the design process. Working with more than 25,000 different companies for more than 25 years to help define, develop, and refine test strategies and products, National Instruments has created a complete test platform for electronics validation and characterization.

The NI LabVIEW and PXI test and measurement platform delivers industry-leading measurement flexibility and easy test repeatability required in electronics validation and characterization systems across military and aerospace, telecom, automotive, semiconductor, and consumer electronics applications. Using PXI combined with LabVIEW graphical programming software and NI TestStand test management software, you can automate your entire characterization process through development, sequencing, and looping of measurements for complete component or device characterization.

Case Studies

• NI TestStand Provides the Framework to Texas Instruments $4B Division
• LM-STAR NI Software-Based Test System Saves Millions
• Toshiba Power Supply PCB Tester
• Testing Electronic Control Units with NI TestStand and PXI
• Lucent Reduces Process Test Time by Half Using NI TestStand and LabVIEW for a HASS Test Station

Additional Resources

• Technical White Paper - Bringing ATE Technologies to the Desktop
• Technical White Paper - Developing Automated Tests Faster and Smarter
• Online Demo - Tour NI TestStand in 6 Minutes
• Online Advisor - Build versus Buy Test Executive Cost-Analysis Tool
• Online Tutorial - Modular Instrumentation for Automated Test
• Online Tutorial - What Is PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation)?
• Build a PXI System

3 - Data Logging

Perform common data-logging measurements, including temperature, pressure, current, velocity, strain, displacement, and other physical phenomena, with PXI.

The National Instruments PXI platform provides world-class measurement and sourcing devices for all of your data-logging and low-frequency sourcing needs. Use the interactive DAQ Assistant in NI LabVIEW or the online NI Measurement Hardware Advisor to determine the best hardware for your application based on channel count, sensor type, acquisition speed, and measurement accuracy. Take advantage of built-in LabVIEW software tools for your logging; analysis; and display, reporting, and data-sharing needs.

Whether you need a simple data-logging solution or you wish to create a custom solution with 2,000 or more channels, NI PXI provides the hardware scalability you need. You can also integrate more than 200 portable, rack mount, or distributed data-logging hardware modules controlled via a variety of buses, including PCI, PCI Express, USB, Ethernet, and serial, with your NI PXI data-logging system. Increasing the number of channels in your data-logging application using NI LabVIEW helps you avoid the cost of purchasing additional stand-alone data loggers. You also can quickly add nontraditional measurements including digital I/O, video, and CAN bus communications.

Case Studies

• Monitoring Compressor Performance Using NI Data Acquisition
• Improving a Rugged Oil and Gas Well Data Acquisition System with Virtual Instrumentation
• Using LabVIEW and PXI for an Online Mechanical Parameters Monitoring System for a Diesel Generator Unit Set
• PXI-Based Test System Performs Production Testing of Cam-Position Sensors
• High-Speed Data Acquisition Vibration Test System for Re-Entry Vehicles Using LabVIEW and PXI

Additional Resources

• What Is a Data Logger?
• A Review of PC-Based Data Logging and Recording Techniques
• Developing Data Logger Applications with LabVIEW
• Biomedical Monitor and Data Logger Start-Up Kit
• Build a PXI System

 

4 - Structural/Mechanical Test

Design structural and mechanical test systems - including noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) test; structural vibration monitoring; and noise mapping - with PXI.

The NI PXI and LabVIEW graphical development platform is ideal for structural and mechanical tests, including noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) test; structural vibration monitoring; and noise mapping. Mechanical analyses - such as modal analysis and operational deflection shapes (ODS) - for physical structures including bridges, oil drilling platforms, car chassis, air frames, and seismic studies requires high-channel counts and complex computation and visualization to understand the behavior of vibrating structures. LabVIEW can manage the high data throughput from PXI, advanced modeling, deterministic performance, and computationally intensive display required for structural analysis.

PXI and LabVIEW are commonly used for many types of structural analysis including static, fatigue, dynamic, or shock tests. Many of these tests combine measurements of strain, vibration, pressure, and force into a single mechanical analysis. NI PXI dynamic signal acquisition (DSA) and SCXI modules offer cost-effective mixed-signal data acquisition (accelerometers, strain gages, pressure transducers) for both small- and full-scale structures. Deploy PXI test systems for wind tunnels, shaker tables, hammer/impact tests, pass-by noise, acoustic holography, sonic/high-intensity noise tests, and frame responses.

Noise mapping and monitoring is another key mechanical test analysis available with PXI and LabVIEW. With noise-mapping systems, automotive manufacturers, for example, are increasingly able to detect the point source of excess noise and correct the causes. Using LabVIEW, you can conduct acoustic holography by creating 3D holograms from "photographs of sound" taken with an array of microphones connected to NI PXI DSA hardware. Through the phase relationship between the microphones in the array, you can localize the source of louder noises.

Case Studies

• Using PXI to Develop an Acoustic Camera
• Using NI PXI-Controlled SCXI Strain Gage and Accelerometer Modules in Complex Aerospace Testing
• Lockheed Martin Reduces Costs and Time Testing F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with LabVIEW Real-Time
• Boeing Measures Reduced Aircraft Noise Emissions with NI PXI and LabVIEW
• High-Speed Data Acquisition Vibration Test System for Re-Entry Vehicles Using LabVIEW and PXI

Additional Resources

• Interactive Demo - LabVIEW Sound and Vibration Toolkit
• 10 Questions to Ask When Selecting Your Sound and Vibration Measurement System
• Webcast - Building High-Channel-Count Sound and Vibration Systems
• Build a PXI System

 

5 - Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Test

Achieve highly realistic simulation of your plant models using PXI and LabVIEW to perform control and analysis.

The LabVIEW graphical development environment and the PXI modular hardware platform are ideal for creating hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems to achieve highly realistic plant simulations for controller testing. NI LabVIEW empowers you to define and create your own HIL systems with an innovative, modular, and cost-effective hardware and software platform.

Implement real-time plant simulation with graphical programming through LabVIEW control design tools and the LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit, which you can use to import the models you develop in The MathWorks, Inc. Simulink® software environment into LabVIEW. Then use the LabVIEW Real-Time Module to run these models on PXI real-time targets.

With NI PXI hardware, you can acquire analog and digital input signals from common sensors; generate analog stimulus signals; and send digital signals to drive relays, switches, and LEDs. In addition, you can interface with standard communication buses such as CAN and MIL-STD-1553. Also use the LabVIEW FPGA Module and NI R Series PXI hardware to simulate sensors that require the high performance of an FPGA.

Case Studies

• Lockheed Martin Uses NI LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit and PXI for Flight Simulation Model Development
• MicroNova Uses LabVIEW FPGA for Exact and Comprehensive Engine Simulation
• Siemens Develops a Dynamic Turbine Simulator for Steam Turbine Controller Examination
• Woodward Governor Creates Flexible Engine Simulators with LabVIEW FPGA

Additional Resources

• Webcast - Developing Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Test Systems with LabVIEW
• Demo - Using LabVIEW to Create Powerful User Interfaces for Models Developed in the Simulink Environment
• Demo - Deploying Models Developed in the Simulink Environment to Real-Time Hardware with LabVIEW
• White Paper - Using LabVIEW for Rapid Control Prototyping and Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation
• Application Note - Using LabVIEW FPGA for Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation Applications
• Application Note - HIL Testing of Vehicle Components with LabVIEW Real-Time and CarSim/TruckSim
• Build a PXI System

 

Learn More

Check out applications 6-10 in the next article: Examining the 10 Most Common PXI Test, Measurement, and Control Applications - Part II.

 

Simulink^® is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.

The mark LabWindows is used under a license from Microsoft Corporation. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

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