LabVIEW

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

What I need to use Labview to turn a motor on and off?

What hardware do I need to use Labview to control turning a motor on and off?? Thanks.

ssmith@bnl.gov
0 Kudos
Message 1 of 8
(2,676 Views)
Not to be blunt, but how do you expect this question to be answered when you provide no information like the motor, or how it's controlled? Is it a digital line that controls the motor, or does it have a controller that accepts a command over a serial port or something? Provide more details and perhaps someone can provide an answer.
0 Kudos
Message 2 of 8
(2,669 Views)
Very general answer:  You can use a cheap USB DIO.  Connect Digital output to a relay driver IC (ULN2003) and the relay driver to a relay (5 or 12v coil).  Wire the motor through the relay contacts.  Another cheaper answer is to use the parallel port interface and wire one of its output lines to the relay driver circuit.  You have to have some method of converting the computer's output (DIO or parallel port) to a voltage and current strong enough to handle a relay.
- tbob

Inventor of the WORM Global
0 Kudos
Message 3 of 8
(2,663 Views)
Hah, I can see mercurio pressing a 3x5 card with the question on it against his forehead and divining the answer like the "Great Carnac".....Smiley Very Happy

Message Edited by Bill@NGC on 07-31-2007 10:21 PM

0 Kudos
Message 4 of 8
(2,648 Views)
Yes, but the Great Carnac was funny. I can't say the same for myself. Smiley Very Happy

It helps to be able to laugh at yourself. Smiley Wink
0 Kudos
Message 5 of 8
(2,618 Views)
tbob--
    Thanks very much much. You gave me what I was looking for. If I added something like the USB DIO you spoke of does Labview recognize it as a device it can interact with or is there more to do, programmatically, to use it. I apologize in advance for being/ asking newbie questions like this. Thanks.

SS
0 Kudos
Message 6 of 8
(2,587 Views)
Whatever USB device you buy, make sure that it comes with Labview drivers.  These are vi's that address the device and make them function from Labview.  NI sells USB devices with LV drivers, so does Measurement Computing.  The vendor usually can get you started with examples.
- tbob

Inventor of the WORM Global
0 Kudos
Message 7 of 8
(2,567 Views)
Hi SS,

Thanks for posting on the NI forums.  As tbob suggested, you could use a USB DIO (like the 6008) to control whatever motor driver you get, and control it in LabVIEW.  Or, if you want more accurate control, you could look into our motion controllers, which have integrated PID controllers, and come with VIs and a MAX plugin to control the motor.  You can view these cards at http://www.ni.com/motion/.

Thanks,
Maclean G.
National Instruments
Applications Engineer
0 Kudos
Message 8 of 8
(2,550 Views)