labview drivers for Prisma QMS

[nottilie]

HI

The OPC server is already included in the Prisma+ hardware so you don't need an extra OPC server.

But you need a tool to access the OPC server either via datasocket (not very good for many opc items), or you can use LABVIEW DSC module (there it is not possible to build a stand alone application (developement system only) without extra licence fee.

We use the .NET toolkit from softing within labview. (moved from the Softing ActiveX toolkit).

Then you access the Prisma + build in OPC server via these .NET functions.

Not very easy but it works very nice.

Hope this is fine

Best regards

Gernot 

[Mirash]

Thanks Gernot !!!

We have the DSC run time licence already for this application. So as you suggested , NI OPC client will be a better option.

Thanks for your timely response.

Regards,

Mirash 

[Mirash]

Hello Gernot,

Now I have the PrismaPlus Units to try out my code.

I am facing some issues now.

We have created two OPC client instance for the the two available Mass Spectrometer.

Now, In my program, I use psp data socket connections to access the tags. My problem is that, I am able to read the filament status, Current Filament etc. But the Datapump which gives the measurement data does not return any value.

I hope you can help me to solve this issue.

looking forward to hear from you.

Mirash

[nottilie]

Are you sure your measurmement is started else you will not have any datapump events. I know this is a minor answer but sometimes these are the little problems.

I would also recommend to use a simple OPC client as NI OPC explorer or the Softing OPC toolkit (evaluation version) which has a nice OPC client included where you can write and read you items to see if it works in principle.

If this works there is a strange behaviour in your LV developement system eventually related to your coding.

Best regards

gernot

[Mirash]

Hi ..

Thanks for your quick reply.

I had the Same suspicion initially.

Then I used NI OPC client to watch the variables.

When I configure a measurement, I can see the Buffer status toggling. But the data pump is not reading anything.

Strange thing is, if I replace my psp URL with OPC URL, everything works fine.

Do you have any Idea how I can talk to two mass Spectrometer at a time without NI DSC.

Regards,

Mirash

[nottilie]

Dear Mirash

I have never seen such a problem, but we don't use DSC to control the OPC items of the quadrupole.

We are using a third party toobox from Softing. (Softing toobox .NET) and use the labviews .NET environment to call the .NET commands came with the toolbox. It is so to say a OPC developement platform for .NET.

Therefore it is a little bit hard for me to know the details about DSC (PSP vairables) as we don't use it.

Best regards

Gernot

[stu22]

Hi nottilie, i'am just about to approach this issue, communicating with a Prisma plus QME 220 via ethernet OPC. Our QME 220 uses the latest version of Quadera software. I have managed to commnunicate with the OPC server using a OPC client. But i have found that on the OPC server it does not supply the concentrations tags(e.g.20% CO etc) if you are using multiple templates  for different sample lines in e.g. one sample line may measure CO, CO2. And another may just measure Ar, H2O.

I just need some advice on whether i should go down the Labview route or stick to the Quadera .net software. What concerns me is it possible to drag out concentration values using Labview. And use most of the functionaltiy that the Quadera scripting software does.

Stuart

[stu22]

Hi, did you manage to use Labview successfully with your mass spec.

Stuart

[Ellow]

Hi Stuart,

Sorry I'm a complete novice. I would very much like to use labview to control my QMS200, but have no idea how to get started. Could you give me some tips or point me in the right direction how to get started here?

Thanks, Wolfgang

[nottilie]

Hello Wolfgang

There are many approcaches to use labview with the QMG220. 

As the communication is based on OPC the difficulty is that you have to set up an OPC client in labview.

Many toolktits are available for building OPC clients. 

The easiest would be the labview DSC module but tis is propably the most expensive solution.

Other manufacturer are Softing, Advosol et.

The main problem is that most of this toolkits are taylored to be used with visual studio.

Our solution was to use the Softing toolbox.net, so we make the .NET calls from within labview.

Up to now it worked fine but now we encountered some problems when doing fast measurements. We are loosing sometimes data (about 1 of 20000) datasets.

We are still in evolution to solve this.

But note that it is not an easy task to write a complete LV based software to control the QMG220, as it is not so easy like an NI device driver.

There are about 100OPC items where about 40% are neccessary to handle.

Hope this helps you to give a startingpoint of you project.

Gernot