Mitutoyo USB Interface

[Rico_Vann]

I have a depth gauge Mitutoyo Digimatic indicator with a USB interface that translates the readout to a excel spreadsheet. The USB interface is also made by Mitutoyo, Model No. IT-012U.

With this interface, one open a excel spreadsheet, and by triggering the data switch, the readout of the mitutoyo gets imported as one cell value into excel.

I want to be able to automatically trigger (with Labview) this device by the computer. I also want to adjust the time between data points (no more than the device is capable of). I want Labview to generate the spreadsheet once I have completed one run of experiments (around 200 readouts in one experiment).

Ricardo

[Eric A.]

Hi Ricardo,
It sounds like you have an interesting project in the works.  In order to trigger your depth gage with LabVIEW I will need to know how your currently trigger your device.  You refer to a "data switch" and I was wondering if it was a physical switch or a software switch.  LabVIEW is capable of generating excel spreadsheets but you have to be able to get the information from your transducer into LabVIEW.  Does the driver for the transducer have set of instructions for doing this?  Perhaps you could provide a webpage that discusses how this device works.  For now, check out the "Write spreadsheet file.VI".  You can use this to create a spreadsheet file that can be opened in LabVIEW.  You can also create a TDMS file and download a plugin to open it using Excel.  I hope some of this information helps but provide more information and we will see what can be done.

[Rico_Vann]

Eric,

A company called MicroRidge make a serial or USB interface for the mitutoyo Gage. The product name is GageWay SM:

http://www.microridge.com/ftp/gw_sm/gageway_sm_users_guide.pdf

Page 4 of the manual has a set or commands to control the interface.

All I want is to be able to tell the interface when to start taking data, when to stop and the time interval between datapoints. I want the VI to output the values in a spreadsheet with a time stamped for each datapoint.

Regards,

Ricardo

[RavensFan]

From the manual, it looks like the driver sets up a virtual serial port, so the VISA read and write functions should work.  Look at the examples for Serial Read and Write.  It looks like you just need to send the character R to the device and read its response.  Work on getting labview to communicate with it first.  Once you have that, then worry about writing to a spreadsheet and setting up the timing information.

[Rico_Vann]

Eric,

So, I open the Basic Serial Write and Read vi off the Example Finder. I run it and nothing shows up on the read box. also, do I just put an R in the write command box to get a reading?

Ricardo

[Eric A.]

Hi Ricardo,
That should be something that your manual of the people who make the device should be able to answer.  If you are not getting information back from one commend  then I would suggest trying different command to troubleshoot the issue.  You might try R plus line feed and carriage return. 

[RavensFan]

Have you tried communicating using their software yet?  If you can and it works, try running NI-Spy and see if can capture the data that is going back and forth.

[Mitutoyo]

The Input Tool for USB is Uni directional.
It cannot pass a request from the PC.

It will only transmit the gage data by:
Press the button on the Input tool interface box;
Press the button on the tool (if equiped);
Press a button on the cable connector (if equiped)
Pressing the footswitch.

The MIG and MUX boxes, and the Input tool for RS232, are bi-directional. Requests can be made from the PC side.

[thef]

I am also using Mitutoyo anyone could anyone advice how to setup in Labview 8.2 to get some data from the device.

Thank you and best regards

[MarcC]

HI,

I'm also interested in using Mitutoyo products, and I was wondering what acquisition frequency we can reach by using the RS232 interface? Has anyone an aswer??

For the acquisition of the signal by using USB, try the write (the VISA tools)  with "R+carriage return" and the a read with only 1 byte. Then you can know if you get something from the sensor.

Good luck

Marc