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Data Acquisition Using NI-DAQmx and LabVIEW Course Overview

In the Data Acquisition Using NI-DAQmx and LabVIEW Course, you will explore the fundamentals of data acquisition using sensors, NI data acquisition hardware, and LabVIEW. The first part of this class teaches the basics of hardware selection, including resolution and sample rate, and the foundation of sensor connectivity, including grounding and wiring configurations. The second part of this class focuses on using the NI-DAQmx driver to measure, generate, and synchronize data acquisition tasks. You will learn about programming finite and continuous acquisitions, as well as best practices in hardware/software timing, triggering, and logging. In this class, you will get hands-on experience configuring and programming NI data acquisition hardware using NI-DAQmx and LabVIEW.

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Course Details:

Duration

  • Instructor-led Classroom: Two (2) Days

  • Instructor-led Virtual: Three (3) Days four and a half-hour sessions, plus homework - average one (1) hour daily

Audience

  • Developers using LabVIEW with NI data acquisition hardware to create data acquisition applications

  • Users familiar with the DAQ Assistant or basic NI-DAQmx code that want to expand their programming capabilities

  • Users new to PC-based data acquisition and signal conditioning

Prerequisites

  • LabVIEW Core 1 Course or equivalent LabVIEW experience

NI Products Used

  • LabVIEW

  • NI-DAQmx

  • CompactDAQ Chassis

  • C Series analog input, analog output, and digital I/O modules

Training Materials

  • Virtual instructor-led training includes digital course material that is delivered through the NI Learning Center.

  • NI virtual instructor-led training is delivered through Zoom, and Amazon AppStream/LogMein access is provided to participants to perform the exercises on virtual machines equipped with the latest software.

After attending this course, you will be able to:

  • Develop integrated, high-performance data acquisition systems that produce accurate measurements

  • Acquire data from sensors, such as thermocouples and strain gages, using NI data acquisition hardware

  • Apply advanced understanding of LabVIEW and the NI-DAQmx API to create applications

  • Eliminate measurement errors due to aliasing and incorrect signal grounding

  • Initiate measurements using hardware and software triggering

  • Acquire and generate single-point and buffered analog waveforms

  • Acquire and generate digital signals

  • Use signal conditioning to improve the quality of acquired signals

  • Synchronize multiple data acquisition operations and devices

Data Acquisition Using NI-DAQmx and LabVIEW Course Outline

LessonOverviewTopics

Measuring Voltage or Current
(Analog Input)

In this lesson, you learn how to select and connect to hardware, configure the DAQmx task appropriately, and validate an analog measurement.

  • Select the right data acquisition hardware based on resolution, range, and sensitivity
  • Determine the correct sample rate to avoid aliasing and get the data you need
  • Recognize the proper grounding configuration for connecting an analog input signal 
  • Understand the options for configuring the DAQmx Create Channel VI to achieve an analog input measurement

Generating an Analog Signal
(Analog Output)

In this lesson, you learn how to select and connect to hardware, configure the DAQmx task appropriately, and validate an analog signal.

  • Select the right data acquisition hardware based on resolution, range, and sensitivity
  • Understand the options for configuring the DAQmx Create Channel VI to achieve an analog output generation
  • Recognize the characteristics of generating a current

Generating or Reading a Digital Signal

In this lesson, you learn how to select and connect to hardware, configure the DAQmx task appropriately, and validate a digital signal.

  • Select the right data acquisition hardware based on type of digital signal you need to read or generate
  • Understand the difference between connecting sinking or sourcing devices
  • Understand the options for configuring the DAQmx Create Channel VI to read or write a digital signal
  • Describe the characteristics of counter signals

Choose a Signal to Explore

In this lesson, you choose a specific signal and learn how to configure the DAQmx task, including any special signal conditioning needs.

  • Strain, force, or pressure (bridge-based measurements)
  • Sound, vibration, and acceleration (IEPE measurements)
  • Temperature
  • Edges, frequency, duty cycle, and pulse width
  • Position or rotation (counter input)

Programming with the NI-DAQmx API

In this lesson, you program applications using the DAQmx API that automate data communication between a DAQ device and computer.

  • Overview of DAQmx code structure
  • Reading a finite amount of data
  • Generating a finite amount of data
  • Communicating data continuously

Programming Multiple Channels

In this lesson, you learn about different ways you can create multichannel tasks and when you can use them.

  • Communicating with multiple channels
  • Creating multidevice task 
  • Using multiple lines of DAQmx code in a single VI

Triggering on a Specific Condition

In this lesson, you begin data acquisition on a specific condition and understand how to use hardware sources as triggers.

  • Overview of triggering
  • Types of Hardware Triggers
  • Sources of Hardware Triggers

Advanced Timing and Synchronization Methods

In this lesson you use an appropriate method for synchronizing multiple data acquisition hardware tasks.

  • Synchronization overview
  • Synchronizing a single device with a shared trigger
  • Identifying limitations of shared trigger synchronization
  • Synchronizing multiple devices
  • Synchronizing specific hardware series

Logging Measurement Data to Disk

In this lesson, you log data to a Technical Data Management Streaming (TDMS) file and store the data for analysis and post-processing.

  • TDMS overview 
  • Logging data with the DAQmx API 
  • Organizing TDMS data 
  • Viewing TDMS data

System Considerations

In this lesson, you explore other aspects of building a data acquisition system.

  • System considerations for hardware
  • Determining the accuracy of a system
  • Bus and computer considerations
  • Where to begin programming your application

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