New to PXI and need help regarding configuration

[Kritta]

Hello NI Community

I am new to the PXI system and would like to ask for help.

Lately, we need to measure some properties of our mechanical system and require DAQ.

We found NI PXI-1042 with NI PXI-8186 Control and NI PXI-6070E Multifunction I/O in our laboratory.

Unfortunately, The one who knows how to use it has already gone from our laboratory a long time ago, and nobody knows how to use it.

We are reading through the manual of the instrument, but we are short on time and have no manpower.

We fear we might not finish the project in time, so I would like to ask for help from the NI community.

The sensor that installs in our mechanical system is listed below.

1. 3xStrain gauge sets  connecting through NI-9237 → NI cDAQ-9184 (Output = LAN cable)

2. 3x Rotary encoder [OMRON:E6B2-CWZ6C-2000 P/R]

What I would like to ask from the community is.

1. Is it possible for this PXI setup to simultaneously read the data from all the sensors I mentioned above?

2. If [1] is possible, are the data from all sources synchronized? (For example, each data set represents the same timing in the real world)

3. We will try our best to connect and make the setup work, but I would appreciate it if the community could show me how to connect each sensor to the PXI setup I mentioned above.

I am sorry if what I ask sounds amateur. I am new to the DAQ like this and only working on machinery without any knowledge regarding DAQ.

Please kindly respond to this question.

Best regards

[santo_13]

So, you've two sets of hardware,

1. PXI based connected to a PC over MXI cable
   • PXI-6070E DAQ
2. cDAQ chassis connected to a PC over Ethernet
   • cDAQ-9184 with NI-9237 strain input module

Each of the above systems runs with its own onboard clock and based on your custom application implementation, they will start/stop doing their tasks at different time points. In order to synchronize these two systems, you need a way for one to export and the other to import a synchronization signal so that both can start their tasks at the same time and thereby synchronize.

Unfortunately, based on your hardware, there does not seem to be any sort of signal that can synchronize both. Are you missing to describe any hardware in your system that could potentially help you synchronize these?

[Kritta]

Thank you very much for your reply.

After consulting with the NI in my country, we connect the LAN cable from cDAQ-9184 to PXI-8186 control.

Then connect the Encoder through SCB-68 Terminal >> PXI-6070E.

 Do you think we can synchronize this system? Since the PXI-6070E and PXI-8186 both connect to the PXI-1042 chassis.

I didn't connect PXI-8186 to the PC, I just connected the monitor and MKB.

[santo_13]

Okay, you got an embedded controller, I overlooked the 8186.

So, still, you're connecting cDAQ to 8186 (your computer in a different form factor) through ethernet which is not a form of synchronization. 

[Kritta]

I see, thank you very much for your reply.

I guess we need some kind of trigger signal to synchronize both data.

I will try to look for more information.

Thank you very much.