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Strain Measurements Architecture
A virtual instrument consists of an industry-standard computer (PC) or workstation equipped with powerful application software, cost-effective hardware such as plug-in boards, and driver software, which work together to perform the functions of traditional measurement devices and instruments. With National Instruments strain measurement solutions, you can take advantage of the analysis power and connectivity of your PC to develop a custom strain measurement system that meets your exact application needs, while still giving you the flexibility to change the system as your application evolves.
Software
Software is the most important component of any strain measurement system. Whether your application requires simple data logging and monitoring or advanced analysis and control capabilities, choosing the right software package is essential.
Measurement Hardware
Measurement hardware determines your system’s physical capabilities – channel count, signal and sensor types, sampling rate, accuracy, portability, ruggedness, and more. The most important hardware components for a strain measurement system are signal connectivity, signal conditioning, and the digitizer. Depending on your application requirements, some of these components may be combined into a single unit.
Strain Gages
There are a variety of sensors used to measure strain, but the most popular three are quarter, half, and full-bridge strain gages. Choosing the right type of strain gage for your application depends upon the type of strain you are measuring.
Additional Strain Measurements Resources
- Simplify strain gage set-up and improve measurement accuracy by 10X with Sensors Plug&Play technology.
- Sensors Plug&Play
- Check out National Instruments data loggers for other measurements types, from temperature to current.
- NI Data Loggers
