Trying to control stepper motor with NI BNC 2120 using LabView

[sigillo]

Hello,

I have this motor:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9238?_ga=2.148307383.14305744.1516811764-315704797.1515788577

I am using this driver:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12779?_ga=2.148307383.14305744.1516811764-315704797.1515788577

I think I have two options to run this stepper motor. Use LabView as the microcontroller or use arduino as the microcontroller. The problem is I don't know how to use either. The drawback to using the arduino is that I need to synchronize the system clock with a laser vibrometer. However, if I use LabView, then I will have the laser vibrometer and my stepper motor system on the same system clock. Any ideas on how to do this? I'm pretty lost.

[jordans]

Hi sigillo,

First of all, what NI Hardware are you using? The BNC 2120 is a connector block and is then connected to the actual hardware. This actual hardware (likely in your computer) will help determine what options you have using LabVIEW. For reference, most NI DAQ devices are not well suited to motor control because they are not able to perform trajectory generation and vary the "speed" of a digital pulse train over time. However, there may be some options available. 

Regarding your synchronization questions: Even if you connected through the same hardware as you are controlling the instrument with, you are not necessarily going to be synchronized. Your level of synchronization and determinism will depend on what hardware you are using. How tightly does your application require the movement of the motor and the instrument to be synchronized? what types of movement do you need the motor to make?

The driver module that you have seems to have a very detailed hook-up guide for use with a micro controller such as the Arduino. I have linked it here for your reference. 

Easy Driver Hook-up Guide
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/easy-driver-hook-up-guide?_ga=2.175090084.720253645.1516975237-...

You may be able to use a output from your NI hardware to sync the movements of the arduino with the instrument.