Interface with LabView

[Alex00]

I am a very new to LabView--

We are developing a board to interface with LabView devices- (ideally, the board would have a GPIB connector).  We would like to use LabView to simulate various conditions on the Interface board by controlling switching (board MOSFETs) and then use a GPIB controlled multimeter to read voltages coming out of the Interface Board). 

Since the Interface Board we are working on does not have an "address", is it possible to use LabView to communicate with it (send output signals to the board and read signals from it)?  What is often done to have LabView controlled devices communicate with external circuitry ?
Thanks,
Alex  

[NIquist]

If your device has no standard communication protocols to transfer that information you'll have to read it directly.  Look into a DAQ based system.  Multifunction DAQ cards can output many digital signals to control your switches and analog voltages to use as stimulus signals, plus they read digital and analog signals back for you to analyze in software.  This type of application is what LabVIEW is designed for so the hardware DAQ cards use a DAQmx driver to work together making it quite easy to build up complex test systems.

[Alex00]

I was looking at a couple of DAQCards-- such as DAQ1200.  Which would be some of the lower-end DAQ cards?  So we would need to get a GPIB-DAQ cable to connect the PC to the LabView instruments (or would USB-GPIB cable be enough?). 

To connect to our Interface board, it seems that we would need a DAQ-DAQ cable-- does NI have such cables/connectors?

Thanks,

Alex

[PhillipBrooks]

If you want a GPIB interface that you can 'build into' your own product, I've used the ICS Electronics 4823B digital controller with success.

I wrote a LabVIEW driver to use the standard GPIB commands supported by the 4823B board to control relays as part of a decade resistor box.

If you want or need to customize the SCPI commands, I think you would need to consult with ICS Electronics.

[Alex00]

What would be an advantage of an interface controller (such as 4823) over a DAQ card (such as PCI-6013)?  If we only need about 6-8 inputs (Digital I/O) and maybe about 6 Analog outputs, wouldnt the 6013 be sufficient to interface with our PCBA?

[PhillipBrooks]

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@Alex00 wrote:

What would be an advantage of an interface controller (such as 4823) over a DAQ card (such as PCI-6013)?  If we only need about 6-8 inputs (Digital I/O) and maybe about 6 Analog outputs, wouldnt the 6013 be sufficient to interface with our PCBA?

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In your original post, you indicated that a GPIB interface would be ideal. ICS Electronics makes various models of controllers that provide a GPIB SCPI command interface to digital and or analog I/O. This controller can be placed inside the instrument rather than inside a PC and would use GPIB to connect (as you requested).

I have personal experience with the 4823, which can be used to control/monitor TTL devices on a byte-wise basis. Since you have digital and analog requirements, you could look at the ICS 4807 DAQ board. It may not have enough analog outputs though...

The only reason I originally responded was your GPIB requirement.