How do I control the rotation time of 2 different stepper motors with NI USD-6009

[azimm549]

Hello all,

I am new to labveiw and have only been using it for a couple of months.  I am part of a research group that is attempting to create a machine to make nanowires.  So far I have made a program to run two stepper motors by taking my desired time per rotation (15 sec) and dividing that by the number of steppers per rotation (800) and using the wait function in a for loop.  This runs the motor however due to the computer capabilities the motor runs slower than input due to computer capabilities.  When I set up the same system for the second motor it ran even slower yet.  During the creation of nanowires the timing is crucial, I was wondering if there was a function that would work really well for this that I have missed or if there is some sort of external technology I should look into. 

Any opinions will help! Thanks

azimm549 

[mikeporter]

Get a plugin DAQ board. The USB connection doesn't allow for the kind of interaction that you need.

Mike...

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

Or better yet, a PCI based Motion Control Board 🙂

-AK2DM

[SnowMule]

What others have said.

The 600x is a great DAQ for the price.  But, it is NOT a high-performance device. 

Take a step back, look at what you need out of your system.  Motor precision?  Timing accuracy/resolution?

Define specifications and build a system using those specs.

At the minimum, you're going to need a better DAQ than a 6009.

But is a multifunction DAQ really the right tool for the job?  If you're looking for precision motion (or motor) control, a good controller/driver will not only simplify your programming but also improve the system's overall performance.

[azimm549]

Do you think that a NI labveiw real time module would be the best choose? Or is there a better and/or more cost effective program or hardware I should get.  I am really new to this programing, I'm a chemistry major so I ussually don't work with this type of software/hardware.  

Please link me to any systems that you feel would be worth me looking into..

Thanks,

azimm549

[Kira_T]

Hi Azimm549,

Have you considered the NI motion controllers?  

I would also suggest our drivers and software that come with the purchase of any NI Motion controller.  Please find a link to a description of the software here.

Also please consider calling a National Instruments Customer Sales Representative for more information about our products and options for your specific application.  They are very helpful and will be able to give you more information about the specific motion control options that NI has to offer.  Here is a link to the Contact NI web page.

Regards,
Kira T