microstrain interfacing questions

[Eli Hafitz]

Has anyone worked with microstrain wireless devices? I am having a hard time trying to figure out where to start with this system. I want to turn the gauges on, have them data log, then retrieve the data and then process it in labview. Does anyone have any experience with this and could show their VI as a sample, or know where I can find information on doing this. I have searched all over the internet and come up with nothing.

[Efrain_G]

Hi Eli,

What kind of device are you using? Do you have a data acquisition device that you want to control from LabVIEW or are you looking to obtain a wireless DAQ device to use on your project?

This will determine wether we should point you to a DAQmx example, or instrument driver example, etc.

[Eli Hafitz]

The devices are from the microstrain company. They do have software for using their gauges but I need to process the data which is why I want to do it in labview.

[gagi1]

Eli,

You should check if there is a driver for your Microstrain unit on IDNet:

http://search.ni.com/nisearch/app/main/p/bot/no/ap/tech/lang/en/pg/1/sn/catnav:id,n2:LM.microstrain,...

[Eli Hafitz]

I do have the drivers which gives me access to VIs in the block diagram. I also have the SDK from microstrain but I am not sure if I have to do any other set up configuration. I cant imagine its plug and play. Doesnt labview need to know if it is operating a USB device?

[Efrain_G]

Hi Eli,

Your drivers are probably just opening an NI VISA session under the hood. Usually, your instrument drivers will contain something called the Tree.VI. The block diagram of this VI has a template that shows you how to use your instrument driver VIs. The general steps for your code setup should be: Initialize Sesion, Configure Session, Read/Write Data, Close Session. In order to tell LabVIEW that you are operating a USB device, you just need to wire the respective port to the VI in charge of initializing the session.

[quadratic_eqyation]

hello sir,

I am working on WSN for my project work, i didnt got any material on how to interface and programming microstrain WLS accelerometer in labview. I am using this for vibration monitoring of an aircraft wing shape plate. i want to program in such a way that all sensor should be in sleep mode except one which will monitor continuosly, if the frequency from that sensor crosses the threshold then other sensor should wake up and start sending data to check wether all sensor giving same reading and further control will be taken depend on reading. This is about my problem.

But, i am searching for materials to know about interfacing and programming , but i am notable to get the things, so i need help at this moment,

If i come to know briefly how we will interface and programming then i can look for required hardware which may not be thr with us presently,ans also i wantto know wat are the drivers required . i am using labview 2010.

Thank u in advance

[quadratic_eqyation]

hello sir,

I am working on WSN for my project work, i didnt got any material on how to interface and programming microstrain WLS accelerometer in labview. I am using this for vibration monitoring of an aircraft wing shape plate. i want to program in such a way that all sensor should be in sleep mode except one which will monitor continuosly, if the frequency from that sensor crosses the threshold then other sensor should wake up and start sending data to check wether all sensor giving same reading and further control will be taken depend on reading. This is about my problem.

But, i am searching for materials to know about interfacing and programming , but i am notable to get the things, so i need help at this moment,

If i come to know briefly how we will interface and programming then i can look for required hardware which may not be thr with us presently,ans also i wantto know wat are the drivers required . i am using labview 2010.

Thank u in advance

[Christopher_T.]

Hi quadratic eqyation,

For third party instruments, it will depends on the communication protocol it uses. Once you have the communcation down (it seems like Microstrain devices can use USB and RS232 for the wireless base station) you can use an instrument driver at the link stated earlier and communicate with the device through LabVIEW. Looking through the drivers you will also need NI-VISA to be installed as well.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

[quadratic_eqyation]

Thank you sir,I have installed NI VISA which comes with LabView 2010 and i will try once i get the hardware, then i will come back to you

[JP@49]

My application is to read torque from an output shaft that I install strain gauge. I get LabView to work with the microstrain SG-link and I can see torque and micro strain measurement in my screen. However, I cannot save it. Does somebody get luck with microstrain/ documentation/ saving data?

Thank,