Types of Instrument Control Systems
Modular Instrumentation
A software-defined modular instrument makes the raw data from the hardware available to users to define their own measurements and user interface. By using general-purpose, modular hardware, the full flexibility and performance of the measurement software can be exploited.
Stand-Alone Instrumentation
Traditional measurement applications employ stand-alone (benchtop) instruments to gather specific measurement data that is targeted to a particular application. A stand-alone instrument can be controlled manually, through direct user input, or automated, using a PC.
Modular Instrument System
You now have the option of creating more flexible and scalable measurement systems by taking advantage of virtual instrumentation. By combining general-purpose, modular hardware with flexible, high-performance software, you can design and develop custom system solutions for your measurement needs. These systems can then adapt and grow to meet your application’s changing requirements.
Common Use Cases for Modular Instrument Systems
- Develop an integrated measurement system
- Automate the test and measurement process
- Define custom measurements; perform measurements for emerging standards
- Modify systems as requirements change
Learn more about modular instrumentation
Get an overview of NI’s hardware solutions for modular instrumentation
Stand-Alone Instrument Systems
Although primarily designed for manual use, stand-alone instruments can also be incorporated into an automated measurement system. Using instrument control software, you can control the instrument with a PC through a communication bus such as GPIB, USB, serial, or LAN/Ethernet. The user then interacts with the instrument through the software interface, instead of manually through the instrument controls. By connecting more than one instrument to a PC, you can gather multiple measurements and create a full test and measurement system.
Common Use Cases for Stand-Alone Instrument Control
- Automate one or more instruments; control your instruments remotely
- Log data directly to your computer or database
- Analyze large data sets after acquisition
- Correlate measurements from multiple instruments
- Generate reports
- Customize visualization of data
Learn more about automating stand-alone instruments
Advantages of choosing NI for automating stand-alone instrumentation
Hybrid Systems
Some applications call for a combination of traditional and modular instrumentation. These systems often consist of stand-alone instruments designed to take a specific measurement, coupled with more flexible modular instruments. This combination of customization and adaptability make these systems ideal for expanding and improving preexisting systems to handle a wider array of measurements, as well as providing more automation and control than a traditional measurement system. Because all of the instruments are controlled in software, the traditional and modular instruments fit together seamlessly to create a dynamic system that you can adapt and maintain to meet growing and changing measurement needs.
Common Use Cases for Hybrid Systems
- Combine the highly specialized nature of traditional instruments with the flexibility provided by virtual instrumentation
- Provide flexibility and scalability to an existing system
- Automate an existing system
Learn more about hardware integration with NI LabVIEW software
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