Any suggestions on good material for learning Labview for my project?

[belae1ka]

For my senior design project I am in charge of designing the control system for a shock dynamometer.

Components of the control system;

-load cell

-temp sensor

-data acquisition device (DAQ)

-3 phase motor

-variable frequency drive (VFD) 

**I am using ModBus to communicate to the VFD using a USB-RS485 adapter**

First, we are to run the motor until the Temp sensor reaches a desired temperature (sensor is attached to shock being tested). Next, the user inputs a frequency reference for the motor to run at. Once the motor is running at a constant frequency, a graph is to be plotted. This will be a plot of Force (from load cell) vs Speed (frequency of motor). Once enough data points are plotted, the motor will turn off.

At the moment I am having difficulty communicating to the VFD through ModBus. I finally understand how ModBus works but the problem is trying to implement that through Labview.

 I understand you can't really take "shortcuts" when learning Labview but I am ideally looking for material or tutorials that involve designing a control system that use serial communication through NI-VISA. Bonus points if ModBus and/or RS485 is incorporated in the tutorial.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

-Kevin

[ks30]

Hi Kevin,

In regards to getting started with LabVIEW, we do have several online resources like the one below that would be a good starting point:

Introduction to LabVIEW
https://learn.ni.com/learn/article/labview-tutorial

If you have access to online self-paced training with your ni.com account then that would also be helpful. Finally, if you can sign-up for an in-person course such as LabVIEW Core 1 and LabVIEW Core 2, that would be the best for you:

NI Customer Education
https://www.ni.com/en/shop/services/education-services.html

Next, in regards to your question about Modbus, we essentially have four options for interfacing with Modbus from LabVIEW. Two are officially supported, and two aren’t supported.

The two unsupported options are:

MODBUS Library for LabVIEW
http://www.ni.com/example/29756/en/ 

LabVIEW Modbus API
https://forums.ni.com/t5/Reference-Design-Content/LabVIEW-Modbus-API/ta-p/3524019

The two supported options are:

Modbus I/O Servers (part of the DSC Module and LabVIEW Real-time)
https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview-datalogging-and-supervisory-control-module/page/lvmve/d...

Modbus VIs
https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/lvdsc-api-ref/page/menus/categories/data-communication/modbus/m...

If you have LabVIEW DSC or LabVIEW Real-time, then I would recommend that you use one of the two supported options. If you don’t, then you would be limited to the two unsupported options. When getting started with your project I would recommend utilizing examples for the API of your choice as a starting point, and then incrementally modifying them to meet your needs.

Finally, the following White Paper provides a good overview to using Modbus in LabVIEW:

Introduction to Modbus
https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview/introduction-to-modbus-using-labview.html

Regards,

Kyle S.
Applications Engineer

[Hooovahh]

All good information in there.  In addition to that here are the basic training links usually sent around to new users of LabVIEW.  I think you might want to look at the myRIO Project Essentials guide for electrical connection and basic DAQ concepts.  It is very focused on how to hook up sensors to a myRIO but the electrical principals are the same with other hardware.

NI Learning Center

NI Getting Started

-Hardware Basics

-MyRIO Project Essentials Guide (lots of good simple circuits with links to youtube demonstrations)

-LabVEW Basics

-DAQ Application Tutorials

-cRIO Developer's Guide 

Learn NI Training Resource Videos

6 Hour LabVIEW Introduction
Self Paced training for students
Self Paced training beginner to advanced, SSP Required

[JÞB]

Learn 10 Functions in NI-DAQmx and Handle 80 Percent of Your Data Acquisition Applications

Upcoming webinar for that is on  03/14/2017 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.CDT  Note: Daylight Savings in the US starts 3/12

Your VFD manufacturer may have a similar tutorial to this one by Ceres Controls

Note: read the comments there are some nice links there too!

And "Bonus Points" are Kudos here.  Just hit the gold star in the replies

[RavensFan]

Jeff,

Double check your link to the VFD tutorial.

Spoiler

I don't want you to hide a destroy queue in there. 

[JÞB]

Link Edited and fixed

Spoiler

Thanks for paying attention today

[RavensFan]

Thanks for posting a link to something that sounded interesting and I wanted to click on it.

But now that I've started reading it, it looks like whoever wrote it has English as their 3rd or 4th language.