04-11-2024 09:08 AM
Hello all, first post here and newish user of LabView. I am creating a VI to measure legacy equipment that has test points unaccessible with a connector or bed of nails. Does anyone know of a handheld voltmeter probe that can be used to probe a test point, then have a pushbutton on the probe to enter the value measured as text? I have not been able to find such a gadget. The idea came from handheld bar code scanners that have a button to make the scan, and will then enter the scanned value as text into a spreadsheet. Thanks for all responses.
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04-11-2024 09:33 AM
I haven't seen anything like that.
But there are multimeters available with communication ports that can be used to get measurements from the instrument. Then you can attach a probe clip to a test point and press a button on the screen to retrieve that measurement.
04-11-2024 10:34 AM
I unfortunately don't know of a turn-key solution, but like RTSLVU said lots of voltmeters have communication options with cables. I have a Fluke one with Bluetooth as well, though I've never tried to interface it with anything except the official phone app.
You could set up a foot switch to take the reading, or just hit the spacebar to capture a measurement. Or a combo of a voltmeter with communications and a wireless slideshow clicker.
If you're handy with a 3D printer, I think I'd try making a housing that holds a slideshow clicker thing and a voltmeter probe, or perhaps a small Arduino clone that reads a handful of buttons in a custom housing that holds the meter probe and sends that to the computer to say "take a reading".
04-11-2024 11:13 AM
In these situations, I typically just trust the technician to take the measurement manually and input it into my software.
04-16-2024 10:19 AM
Thanks for the replies everyone, after talking to our manufacturing engineer he said that it would be better to use a footswitch, as manipulating a switch on the probe itself might cause slipping off a pin and causing a short. There are quite a few suggestions on how to implement a footswitch, so I'll go in that direction. Thanks!