SC-2043-SG with DAQCard 1200 or AI-16XE-50

[Bife]

Hello,

Could anyone please help me, I'm a bit out of my normal field here...

I am currently completely rebuilding the control system on my home-made servo-hydraulic test rig, using older NI equipment we have left over from previous projects.

I have the displacement control (linear potentiometer) & force (load cell) measurement parts done using a DAQCard 6024E, via an ELAN P111 PCMCIA to PCI adapter on a desktop PC, which all seems to be working as it should do with the transducers attached in a 'dry run' off of the servo-hydraulic machine. (I had used the PCMCIA adapter in the previous system and it all worked)

(I should mention that I am using SIMULINK to do the control part)

Now I want to include strain gauge measurement capability using our SC-2043-SG Strain Gauge Board (50-pin).

I can't do this with the existing DAQCard (not enough free channels / can't connect to transducers & SC-2043-SG at <the same time), but I do have two other DAQCards , one of which I plan to use with a second PCMCIA to PCI adapter just for the strain gauge measurements:

1. DAQCard 1200 (50-pin, 12-bit AI)

2. DAQCard AI-16XE-50 (68-pin, 16-bit AI)

So, I have some questions to help me decide which one to use (or maybe to know with which one it is actually possible)

1. If I want to use the 1200:

I have used this before with the SC-2043-SG so I have all the cabling and know it works.

However, I am a bit confused about the versions of NI-DAQ &/or NI-DAQmx that will work with both the 1200 AND the 6024E on the same computer,

From what I can see, the only way it will work with 6024E AND the 1200 is with NI-DAQ 6.9.3, since the 1200 isn't supported by NI-DAQ 7.4.4

Is this correct?

If so:

- Will the 6024E work with NI-DAQ 6.9.3?

- I already have NI-DAQmx & NI-DAQ 7.4.4 installed on the PC - Can I just un-install these two & then install 6.9.3, or do I have to reformat the computer and reinstall everything to be sure? (I read a thread about problems when downgrading the driver software to previous versions)

2. If I use the AI-16XE-50

- I think this works with NI-DAQ 7.4.4, so I could leave the current driver installation. is this correct?

- Will the SC-2043-SG work with this card?

- If so, which cabling will be required to connect the two?

If anyone could please answer my questions, raise any points that I have missed, or correct me where I am talking complete rubbish, then I would be most grateful!

[Bife]

Sorry, I forgot to say that I am using Windows XP Professional

[tony291]

Bonjour Monsieur

Tout d'abord je vous remercie pour le poste sur le forum.

Pour en revenir à votre question, voici quelques liens qui pourrait vous etre utile dans votre decision :

L'utilisation d'une version de DAQmx ou DAQ traditionnel va dépendre de l'OS sur lequel vous travaillez (XP dans votre cas) mais également de la version de LabVIEW. Quel est votre version de LabVIEW ?

NI DAQ fait référence à NI DAQ traditionnel qui était le drivers utilisé avec les cartes de la serie E comme la 6024E. Toutes les nouvelles cartes utilisent DAQmx. Cependant, pour certaines références, vous pouvez utiliser DAQmx pour controler votre DAQCard.

Si vous utiliser la DAQCard 6024E et la 1200, seul DAQ Traditionnel sera compatible avec cette dernière, la dernière version étant DAQ trad 7.4.4. Vous trouverez le matériel compatible avec cette dernière sur le lien suivant : http://download.ni.com/support/softlib/multifunction_daq/traditionalnidaq/7.4.4/readme_fra.html#devS...

Par ailleurs, voici les version minimum supporté par DAQmx et DAQ trad : http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/6913#daqcards

En espérant que ces liens puissent vous etre utile.

Cordialement

[Bife]

Bonjour Tony,

Merci

Unfortunately, as a 'Rosbife' (or 'Bife' for the Portuguese) I'm not able to answer further in French, so please forgive me for continuing in English!

However, I am pretty sure I can follow your reply & I think that from the very useful links you included I was correct to be thinking that:

1. If I want to use the DAQCard 1200 on the same computer as the 6024E then I have to install a version of NI-DAQ legacy/trad before 7x, (e.g. NI-DAQ 6.9.3) since the 1200 is not supported by versions after that.

It seems that the 6024E will also be supported by the NI-DAQ 6.9.3

In that case do I just need to deinstall the current NI-DAQmx & NI-DAQ 7.4.4 that I already have on the computer and then install NI-DAQ 6.9.3, or do I have to reformat the computer?

2. If I want to use the DAQCard AI-16XE-50 on the same computer as the 6024E Then I must use any version of NI-DAQ legacy/trad (e.g. NI-DAQ 7.4.4), since the AI-16XE-50 is not supported by NI-DAQmx.

Again, It seems that the 6024E will also be supported by the NI-DAQ 7.4.4

In this case, does anyone know what cable I need to connect the DAQCard AI-16XE-50 with the SC-2043-SG, and will this DAQCard work with this strain board?

Using the AI-16XE-50is my prefered option as it is 16-bit compared to the DAQCard 1200 which is only 12-bit

With respect to Labview, I am not using Labview at all - I am using MATLAB SIMULINK (all 3 DAQCards are supported by this)

[tony291]

Dear Sir

I will continu in English for the answer.

1) If you use the DAQCard 6024E with the DAQCard 1200, you should deinstall all the driver you have on the computer and also MAX (Measurment and Automation) to be sure there will be no corruption. You don't need to format the computer. After that, install the DAQ legacy 6.9.3.

2) In the following document you will find in chapter B the adviced cable and connector for the AI-16XE-50 :

Manual for the AI-16XE-50 : http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/321138b.pdf

I will better check if it is possible to use it with the SC-2043-SG, but for me its not the case.

Manual for the SC-2043-SG : http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/371201a.pdf

I'll answer you as soon as I find it.

Thanks.

Anthony FEY

National Instruments

[Bife]

Thanks very much Anthony,

From the AI-16XE-50 manual: http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/321138b.pdf  (page B-1) it looks like I need an SH6850 (I already have a PSHR68-68M).

From the SC-2043-SG manual : http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/371201a.pdf (Table 2.1, page 2.1) it also looks like I need this cable, and that the strain gauge board works with "68-pin MIO E Series
boards"

The AI-16XE-50 is a 68 pin 'DAQCard™ E Series Multifunction I/O Cards for PCMCIA' (from the Manual), so does this mean it will work?

I seem to remember seeing the SC-2043-SG on the dropdown accessories menu for the AI-16XE-50 somewhere (perhaps measurement & automation explorer?) I will have to check this again when I get back into the office.

If the SC-2043-SG does appear as an accessory to the AI-16XE-50 then I guess this means they will work together?

Thanks again for your help

[Bife]

I just found this 'DAQ Hardware Overview Guide' (August 1999) http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/321646e.pdf 

On page 12-2 it says:

"SC-2043-SG Accessory
The SC-2043-SG is a low-cost input accessory for bridge completion
and calibration of strain gauge bridge circuits and input signal routing to
the Lab and 1200 Series devices, and the MIO and AI E Series devices."

So, since the AI-16XE-50 is an AI E series device, I guess this means that it works with the SC-2043-SG?

I also found this http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/6917

Does this mean that even with the AI-16XE-50 if I want to use the SG-2043-SG then I will have to use NI-DAQ 6.9.3?