NI SC Express System Setup
Systems based on SC Express are composed of four parts: (1) sensors to measure physical phenomena, (2) SC Express modules to condition and digitize these signals, (3) a PXI system to house and control the modules, and (4) software for customizing it all.
For system requirements outside of signal conditioning, more than 1,500 PXI I/O modules can expand your system and meet your testing needs. The PXI Advisor can help you configure a custom system for your application.
SC Express
SC Express technology combines signal conditioning and data acquisition in a single PXI module for superior synchronization and accuracy. Each module is specialized for a particular measurement type.
Other Peripheral Modules
Most test or data acquisition systems require more than just sensor input. NI offers more than 500 PXI modules to address a wide variety of needs and applications.
Multifunction Data Acquisition
These devices offer analog I/O, digital I/O, and counter/timer circuitry. Ranging from low cost to high performance, they provide great value and ease of use.
These high-performance, reconfigurable instruments are powered by the NI LabVIEW FPGA Module. Solutions consist of NI FlexRIO FPGA modules for PXI and adapter modules to add I/O to the field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
These modules use and drive the trigger bus, star trigger, and system reference clock features of PXI to implement advanced multidevice synchronization.
Sensors
NI works with different sensor vendors to offer you a complete solution, from sensor to software.
Microphones
NI resells microphones from G.R.A.S., one of the leaders in sound and vibration. These microphone sets have built-in preamplifiers using IEPE excitation and have been tested for use with SC Express DSA devices. Array, free-field, and pressure response microphones are offered for use in a variety of applications including acoustic holography.
Accelerometers
IEPE accelerometers from NI offer a complete solution for vibration test and monitoring applications. They include TEDS capabilities and have been tested with SC Express DSA devices. These accelerometers feature sensitivities from 5 to 100 mV/g and come in single or triaxis configurations. Impact hammers are also available for modal analysis applications.
RTDs
With 3- and 4-wire connections and superior stability, resistive temperature devices (RTDs) from NI offer better accuracy than thermocouples. They can be combined with other temperature sensors in a single system to meet the specific channel count, cost, and accuracy needs of your application.
Thermocouples
Thermocouples from NI serve a variety of low-cost temperature applications. You can choose from four different thermocouple types to accommodate the various measurement ranges and accuracy specifications of your application. Also available are thermocouple accessories including plugs and extension wire.
PXI System
The chassis and controller serve as the backbone and brains of your PXI system. SC Express modules take advantage of the latest PXI specification and are keyed for PXI Express slots. Controllers come in several form factors to fit your application needs.
PXI Express Chassis
The chassis provides the power, cooling, and communication buses of PCI and PCI Express for your controller and modules. You can choose PXI Express chassis in a variety of configurations such as low noise, high temperature, and various slot counts.
PXI Express Controllers
Controllers can be embedded, remote, or rack mount. Embedded controllers come equipped with standard PC features to eliminate the need for an external computer. Remote controllers give you the ability to control the PXI system from a desktop or laptop PC via a fiber-optic MXI-Express connection. Rack-mount controllers come in a 1U form factor for optimal density in rack systems.
Integrated Chassis and Controller
This low-cost option integrates an MXI-Express controller into the backplane of the chassis so you can directly cable from the back of the chassis to a laptop or PC.
Software
National Instruments provides a comprehensive suite of software options to simplify the development of your PXI system. These include high-performance drivers with flexible and intuitive high-level APIs optimized for the most popular application development environments. Soft front panels and configuration software are also provided to facilitate the setup and interactive control of your modules.
NI LabVIEW
LabVIEW is an intuitive graphical programming environment that helps you quickly develop powerful test software. With options for Windows, Linux, Mac, or real-time OSs, you can develop high-performance test and measurement systems.
NI VeriStand
NI VeriStand is a run-time software environment that includes I/O interfaces, triggering, closed-loop control, monitoring, real-time stimulus generation, data logging, and alarm condition response. This open, configuration-based software tool helps you create real-time testing applications more efficiently.
NI DIAdem
DIAdem is software specifically designed to quickly locate, inspect, analyze, and report on your measurement data. DIAdem helps you meet the demands of today’s testing environments by processing large volumes of scattered data in multiple custom formats so you can make informed decisions.