Output Modes

The NI-9470 has two output modes: Duty Cycle mode and Average Current mode. You can configure the output mode of each channel individually.

Duty Cycle mode sets the channel to an open-loop mode without an internal control mechanism. The duty cycle output setpoint controls the PWM engine output regardless of the load. Use Duty Cycle mode if you need to characterize and test the current response of a load or to implement a custom current control in LabVIEW FPGA.

Average Current mode sets the channel to a closed-loop mode using an internal PID control loop. A PID controller controls the PWM engine duty cycle output and regulates the average current readback of a load based on the average current output setpoint. Use Average Current mode if you need to directly set the average current of a load in software without implementing any custom current control in LabVIEW FPGA.