PWM generator w/out hardware

[FightOnSCTrojan]

Chutla (Also know as serious, sober design engineer):

I am sorry that you took a joke in the wrong way (that�s why I put the 😃 sign). I knew that you did not send me the program with any malicious intent (otherwise you probably would not have even bothered answering my question)!
The program with errors is the Parallel-VISA , not your PWM program (which by the way looks very nice)! I did not think VISA can beat direct register either. The reason that I am wanting to do PMW with parallel ports is because I am controlling a short duty cycle solenoid. And my current setup (15 ms) works ok (solenoid stays on and does not heat up because of PMW), but at a faster rate will make the solenoid shake less (currently i
t's shaking a little).
Exciting work that you are doing up there in Alaska! Very cool picture on your website, and I hope I can visit the site sometime! I am working at USC�s Alfred Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering and I�m developing a Labview driven multi user level ntegrated Working Station to package the bionic Neuron (3*13mm Implantable Micro Stimulators) that we develop in the lab for paralyzed patients. The process is kind of complicated, and it requires 2 lasers, a power meter, a helium leak tester along with communication to an interlock box. Also, I am designing the station to link with Office 2000 to save welding parameters and produce a traveler document at the end of the production cycle. Our website is http://ami.usc.edu in case you are interested.
Well, long e-mail. But I am certainly very happy to have met a Bruin as nice as you are (maybe we can have a beer next year at the USC UCLA football game, if you can come down to SoCal)!

USCTrojan

[FightOnSCTrojan]

I guess there are lots of solutions, DAQ one and another one will be to build a hardware oscillator. I was hoping to solve my problem through Labview though. I am even thinking of writing a dll in Labwindows.
(I guess I am a software guy)

[chutla]

Hmm.. I NEVER take a joke the wrong way! In fact, my name CHUTLA is an Athabaskan Indian word that means "joker". It was bestowed upon me soon upon my arrival in Alaska in 1976! My tongue is planted as firmly in my cheek as to be found anywhere! 🙂

Alas...my visits to the UCLA campus are very infrequent...but that might be changing in the near future, as we are setting up an extensive "telescience" program so a lot of our remote DAQ can be controlled from down there.

Indeed, we are doing some very unique experiments up here...some rather bizarre. "I could tell you, but then I'd have to shoot you," as the saying goes.

Your research seems equally as intriguing. However, I avoided the medical field
entirely, as I'm generally averse to things that bleed or ooze lymph.

I imagine you're doing a lot of work with ValueMotion, with all the precise positioning your work entails. Very cool.

Glad to meet up with you.

By the way, I have a real name, too! 😃

Eric Nichols
Development Engineer
Hipas Observatory/UCLA
(907)488-0313
enichols@hipas.alaska.edu

[chutla]

Good morning!
Just a few more thoughts. For the frequency range you're working in, I have to agree with guidoc. You'll be hard pressed to improve on using a DAQ card for your signal generation. I use one for a function generator, and it's about as good as any "outboard" function generator I've used. DAQ cards aren't as cheap as parallel printer ports, of course, but you get to take advantage of ALL your Labview functions that way.
One other consideration....at least for US....I'm not sure about your environment. We've had LOTS of excellent grad student programmers pass through here over the years. Their code was first rate.....20 years ago. However, maintaing it all has been a nightmare at times. Some of the programmers are ret
ired and/or dead...some just aren't interested any more. The great thing about Labview is the standardization of the software. I've trained some very NON-technical people to maintain my ionosonde and ELF detection vi's. Unless you plan on being married to your lab, I'd encourage you to do as much software in a form anyone can understand. If at all possible, use the standard Labview nodes.

Anyway...that's my two cents' worth!

Have a great weekend!

Chutla