NI Ethernet RIO—Flexible Ethernet-Based I/O for CompactRIO

NI Ethernet RIO is a rugged 4- or 8-slot flexible expansion chassis that makes it possible to add field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-enabled I/O to any Ethernet network. With flexible Ethernet connectivity, add industrial, signal-conditioned I/O for direct sensor connectivity to any NI CompactRIO, PXI controller, industrial controller, or Windows PC on the network.

1. Simplified Software Experience
2. Flexible for Your Application
3. Easy Access to a Wide Variety of I/O
4. System Configuration
5. Summary
6. Learn More

Figure 1. Ethernet RIO Expansion Chassis

Simplified Software Experience

Ethernet RIO expansion chassis are the only NI reconfigurable I/O (RIO) targets that do not require any additional software other than the NI LabVIEW development system and necessary driver. NI Ethernet RIO offers a simplified software experience directly out of the box. The LabVIEW Real-Time Module is not required to access the NI C Series I/O from a Windows-based system. To access the C Series I/O using CompactRIO Scan Mode, the LabVIEW FPGA Module is not required.

Flexible for Your Application

Ethernet RIO is ideal for distributed control and remote monitoring applications when flexibility and ease of use are important factors. Because of its flexibility, Ethernet RIO gives you the ability to seamlessly distribute industrial, signal-conditioned I/O to numerous locations remote of your central host controller. 

Easy Access to a Wide Variety of I/O

Use CompactRIO Scan Mode to automatically detect your I/O modules and add them to your LabVIEW project. Then drag and drop your I/O variables into your LabVIEW host VI block diagram and instantly read and write scaled, calibrated I/O data without any FPGA programming or compiling.

Figure 2. Using CompactRIO Scan Mode

For low-level access to I/O timing, triggering, and onboard processing, use the LabVIEW FPGA Module to program the onboard Xilinx FPGA without having any prior experience in FPGA digital design. The FPGA provides reliable high-speed I/O, highly customizable timing, and advanced processing algorithms for your high-speed control applications.

Table 1. NI Ethernet RIO Chassis Varieties

NI Ethernet RIO uses hot-swappable C Series modules to interface with I/O. Each I/O module contains built-in signal conditioning and screw terminal, BNC, or D-SUB connectors. Currently, there are more than 100 NI and third-party C Series modules for different measurements including thermocouple, voltage, resistance temperature detector (RTD), current, resistance, strain, digital (TTL and other), accelerometers, and microphones. Channel counts on the individual modules range from three to 32 channels to accommodate a wide range of system requirements.

Figure 3. Ethernet RIO chassis are compatible with more than 100 NI and third-party C Series modules to meet your specific I/O needs.

System Configuration

In a typical RIO system, the FPGA and I/O are connected to the processor through a hardware bus such as PXI or PCI Express. NI Ethernet RIO separates the processor and FPGA and connects them through a standard CAT-5 Ethernet connection, making it the most flexible expansion I/O option.

Figure 4. Ethernet RIO connects the processor and FPGA through a standard Ethernet connection.

NI Ethernet RIO can perform control or monitoring tasks up to 100 meters away from the host using a point-to-point Ethernet connection. Alternatively, connect NI Ethernet RIO directly to an enterprise network and access the I/O from anywhere on that network from any Windows or LabVIEW Real-Time host. Optional hosts include CompactRIO; embedded PXI controllers; and industrial, rack-mount, or desktop PCs.

Figure 5. Connect NI Ethernet RIO to any enterprise network and access it from numerous hardware targets.

Note: When considering a direct point-to-point connection, use NI Ethernet RIO with a Windows-based host. To directly connect NI Ethernet RIO to a LabVIEW Real-Time target, refer to [Connecting an Ethernet RIO Expansion Chassis to the Secondary Ethernet Port on a Real-Time Controller] for more information.

Summary

NI Ethernet RIO provides the ability to add mixed, signal conditioned I/O to anywhere on your Ethernet network and access it from any CompactRIO, PXI controller, industrial controller, or Windows PC on the network. The flexibility of Ethernet RIO makes it ideal for distributed control and remote monitoring applications.

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