How do I create labview program for Mass flow controller

[patel89]

Hie,

     I have to create a VI for Digital mass flow controller type MF1 from MKS, It has an mini USB setup interface and USB 2.0 Process interface there is  a command list which can be sent and we get a feedback of the same ,

it should 

•Calibrated to N2

•Apply gas correction factors

•Selectable gases: Ar, N2

•Assignable class: carrier gas, purge gas, reactant gas

I am not new to labview but I have no clue hw do I start with the programming which should also include gass correction factor could you please show me some example VI which I could refer too.

here is the attach instruction manual of the MFC

[rgwagner888]

Hi Patel89,

You will have to communicate with the device as a USB RAW device. Check out the tutorial listed here: http://www.ni.com/white-paper/4478/en/ 

Please note that you will be creating the VISA driver using the NI-VISA Driver Wizard.

Kind regards,

Rick Wagner

[Dennis_Knutson]

Actually, the manual says the device can appear as a normal serial interface so using the VISA wizard and USB RAW would be a huge mistake.

[Snippy_Mudpuppy]

True enough ...

[rgwagner888]

Yep ...

[AnMu]

Hi patel89,

as a start up for using VISA for serial communication, I would suggest you to have a look on this introduction/tutorial:

http://www.ni.com/support/visa/vintro.pdf

Moreover, in http://www.ni.com/support/visa/ you will find other resources such as LV examples and reading materials.

Best regards

[rgwagner888]

I found this VI library. It is not for your device and it was from LabVIEW 5. However, I updated to LabVIEW 2013 and posted it. It should at least give you and example of this type of communication. The website I got it from attributes it to Thomas Roth. Hope it helps ...

Kind regards,

Rick Wagner

[patel89]

so I should use  USB INSTR Class (USBTMC)  which uses read and write instruction to communicate with my device

[Dennis_Knutson]

No, it's not USBTMC. Look at how the device is enumerated. The manual says it should be a serial device.

[rgwagner888]

Many instrument manufacturers are using chip sets that "convert" USB to a RS-232 serial port. One of the chip makers is FTDI. They provide a driver that shows up in the operating system (and MAX) as a serial port. However, if your device is not showing up as a serial port it may be because of a problem assigning the port number. Please look at the attached application note from Digalog Systems.