Is there a way to measure strain with the NI 9217?

[Unbe.M]

I have a NI 9217 but I need to take strain measurements. Is there a way to measure strain with the NI 9217?

Purchasing another module is a huge investment. So I am trying to find what my options are. 

Thanks for the help!

[Deus_ex_Machina]

Hi there,

The NI 9217 isn't designed to be typically used for strain gauge measurements as it does not feature common requirements, e.g bridge configuration, excitation voltage source, remote sensing, signal conditioning etc. Although it is possible for it to be used it would generally require a bit of work and would not necessarily give you the best result. In other words, there is no reason why you can create your own bridge configuration and apply an external excitation voltage source however we would advise you to use a device designed for that particular purpose.

The article below explains more about typical strain gauge configurations used to best measure strain. It also advises a few different devices for this particular type of measurement.

Measuring Strain with Strain Gages

Measuring Strain with Strain Gages - NI

[santo_13]

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@Unbe.M wrote:

I have a NI 9217 but I need to take strain measurements. Is there a way to measure strain with the NI 9217?

Purchasing another module is a huge investment. So I am trying to find what my options are. 

Thanks for the help!

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You could use pliers to hit a nail, but it is not going to be as effective and easy as a hammer or even a nail gun. Given enough effort, you could put together a solution that can read strain but in the end, you would feel that it would have been less hassle and money to get the right tool instead of spending a lot of engineering hours working around it.