NI TestStand

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Question for the Teststand Experts

Solved!
Go to solution

Hello!

I need some advice on what the best method to do the following in Teststand. I have a PLC driven station and that will be communicating to the tester over the Ethernet IP toolkit. My question is: what do you suggest the best method to manage this since I will have multiple test sequence files to run based on the serial/model number given to me from the PLC.

 

  • Should I modify the user interface and include a separate thread for the PLC communication.
  • Create a upper level sequence and a LabView VI to handle the PLC com, then based on the serial number load the sequence and load it dynamically. If I do this how do I pass the pass/fail from the test sequence back to the upper level?

 

Bill Lewis
0 Kudos
Message 1 of 8
(4,092 Views)

This example dynamically selects which sequence to run.  One could be for flavor A and the other Flavor B.  You can add as many as you want.

 

Let me know if you have questions.

 

I highly discourage you from having the UI do the PLC communication.  Because the UI should be independant from the test.

 

Regards,

jigg
CTA, CLA
testeract.com
~Will work for kudos and/or BBQ~
0 Kudos
Message 2 of 8
(4,083 Views)

Ok so that is working but I'm stuck now on how to make teststand sit and wait for my PLC to tell the sequence to run. I would like to have some type of user interface for the techs to be able to exit the program or restart. the seq will need to be looping monotiring the PLC and then do a single pass on the uut, then return back to the loop to wait on the next part that has been introduced to the station. So in your example the main sequence file i would expect would have a LabView vi that will be monitoring the PLC. when the plc sends the command the vi will send out what test seq file to execute (testA or testB), then will need to give a pass fail banner and return to the main sequence file to wait again for the next part.

 

how do i keep the sequences running and teststand to remain active is my new question?

 

I would liike to have something like the simple user interface running that i can have a user interace for the operators, show the test running, but still have the PLC monitoring in the background. The PLC command would fire the single test and the test would run and come back to a waiting state for the PLC again.

 

Bill Lewis
 
Bill Lewis
0 Kudos
Message 3 of 8
(4,052 Views)
Solution
Accepted by topic author Bill_Lewis

If I were in your shoes I would have a VI in the PreUUT that loops and checks the PLC for the trigger.  Then it would continue on.

 

I've thrown together a simple example that demonstrates sort of what I'm talking about.  You may have to adjust some things around but hopefully it portrays the idea.

 

Hope this helps,

jigg
CTA, CLA
testeract.com
~Will work for kudos and/or BBQ~
0 Kudos
Message 4 of 8
(4,047 Views)

one last question! lol that helped alot and confirms what I was trying...

 

Once the sequence runs and finishes, how would I make the sequence return to the PreUUT loop automatically so that it will be waiting for another part and would not require any user interaction?

Bill Lewis
0 Kudos
Message 5 of 8
(4,043 Views)
Solution
Accepted by topic author Bill_Lewis

Run with Test UUTs and not Single Pass entry point and you should be good.

jigg
CTA, CLA
testeract.com
~Will work for kudos and/or BBQ~
0 Kudos
Message 6 of 8
(4,040 Views)

Jiggawax thanks for the help!!! it works great.

 

How can I modify the postuut popup so that the ok button does not need to be pressed. i would like for it to show but no interaction with the operator

Bill Lewis
0 Kudos
Message 7 of 8
(3,999 Views)

i think i have it. i deactivated tehe Call DoPostUTT and placed a vi there that will show the banner for a few seconds and disappear. it seams to work.

Bill Lewis
0 Kudos
Message 8 of 8
(3,996 Views)