Technology

Virtual instrumentation is the use of customizable software and modular measurement hardware to create user-defined Automation Systems.

With virtual instrumentation, software based on user requirements defines general-purpose measurement and control hardware functionality. Virtual instrumentation combines mainstream commercial technologies, such as the PC, with flexible software and a wide variety of measurement and control hardware.

Virtual instrumentation delivers instrumentation with the rapid adaptability required for today’s concept, product, and process design, development, and delivery. Only with virtual instrumentation can engineers and scientists create the user-defined instruments required to keep up with the world’s demands.

At the heart of any virtual instrument is flexible software, and National Instruments invented one of the world’s best virtual instrumentation software platforms – LabVIEW.

LabVIEW is a graphical program development application developed by National Instruments in 1986. LabVIEW is the de facto standard for test and measurement software. Its intuitive graphical programming style, similar to flow charts, provides the functionality of a full-featured programming language with an easy to-use interface.

LabVIEW is well suited for applications that require:

Graphics.Because a LabVIEW programmer natively builds a user interface, you can easily incorporate graphics and an HMI for control systems. Measurements (high-speed data acquisition, vision, and motion).National Instruments has a strong history in high-speed I/O, including vision acquisition, so you can incorporate measurements such as vibration or machine vision into your standard control systems. Processing Capabilities.In some applications, you need specialized control algorithms, advanced signal processing, or data logging. Using LabVIEW, you can incorporate custom control code built using NI or third-party tools, implement signal processing such as JTFA, or log data locally or remotely. Platforms.With LabVIEW, you can create code that runs a variety of platforms including a PC, embedded controller, FPGA chip, or handheld PDA. Communication.LabVIEW makes it easy for you to pass data up to the enterprise with tools like databases connectivity, OPC, and operator interfaces via a web browser.