http://home.hit.no/~hansha/?

page=labview

Introduction to DAQ
with LabVIEW
TC-01
Thermocouple

with Self-paced Step-by-Step Exercises Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

 Contents
• LabVIEW
• What is DAQ?
• Using TC-01 Thermocouple Device in LabVIEW
• Plotting
• Datalogging
• Measurement Filter
 LabVIEW Installation
Note! You get the Serial Number from your Teacher,
but the software can be used for 30 days before you
Download the software here: need to enter a valid Serial Number.

http://home.hit.no/~hansha/?page=labview
These are the main modules we use in the different
courses at Telemark University College:
• LabVIEW (LabVIEW Professional Development System 32-Bit: English)
• NI-DAQmx (Hardware Driver for NI USB-6008, NI TC-01, etc.)
• LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module
• LabVIEW MathScript RT Module
Note! These packages are separate downloads!
All LabVIEW Software can be downloaded here: www.ni.com/download
 Additional LabVIEW Resources
Here you will find lots of Videos, Tutorials and Exercises

• LabVIEW Training for Students (National Instruments):

http://ni.com/students/learnlabview
• LabVIEW Course:
http://home.hit.no/~hansha/?training=labview
Learning by Doing!
It is recommended that you watch some of the videos before you read furter
 Hardware Air Heater
USB-6008
Wi-Fi DAQ
Water Tank
Pt-100
TC-01

Arduino
ZigBee
Vision System

cRIO
NOx Sensor
LabVIEW
This is the core LabVIEW installation that installs
the LabVIEW Programming Environment.

LabVIEW MathScript RT Module

This module is a text-based tool that is very similar to MATLAB. The syntax
is similar to MATLAB, you can create and run so-called m files, etc. The
module is available from the Tools menu inside LabVIEW.
LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module
This module is used for creating Control and Simulation applications
with LabVIEW. Here you will find PID controllers, etc. The module is
available as a palette on your block diagram.
NI-DAQmx
DAQmx is the Hardware Driver needed in order to use hardware devices like NI
USB-6008, NI TC-01, etc. inside LabVIEW. The module is available as a palette on
your block diagram.
http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/376039a.pdf
 DAQ
Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.
 DAQ Hardware Examples
NI TC-01 Thermocouple Temperature Measurements
We will use this
device

NI USB-6008 I/O Module

Analog/Digital Inputs/Outputs

Note! The DAQmx Driver is needed in order to use them inside LabVIEW!!
 DAQ – Data Acquisition Your App created
with LabVIEW
Sensors, etc.

A DAQ System consists of 4 parts:

NI TC-01 Thermocouple Device NI DAQmx Driver
1. Physical input/output signals, sensors
or
2. DAQ device/hardware
NI USB 6008 DAQ Device
3. Driver software
4. Your software application (Application software)
Using TC-01 in LabVIEW

Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

 TC-01
How-To use TC-01 with LabVIEW

Connect device to
PC using USB

USB

Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

 NI TC-01
Temperature (Thermocouple) Device

Used to log Temperature Data using the LabVIEW software

DAQmx Driver needed!

The NI USB-TC01 provides connections for one thermocouple. Thermocouple types J, K, R,

S, T, N, E, and B are supported. At TUC we will use the J type.
 Getting Started with TC-01
The following window should pop up automatically when you plug in your NI USB-TC01
device in your USB port (if not, select “TC01Launcher.exe”):

Students: Plug in the device into your USB port and see if this window appears
NI TC-01 Built-in Temperature Logger
Built-in Temperature Logger (No Driver or programming needed)

Students: Test the Built-in Temperature Logger, Log Data to File, etc.
MAX – Measurement & Automation Explorer

Students: Make sure that your device can be located in MAX. Run a “Self-Test” and
use the “Test Panels” to make sure the device works properly.
 Data Acquisition Palette in LabVIEW
Functions Palette: “Measurement I/O” -> “NI DAQmx”
For more “advanced” DAQ we use these functions

For basic DAQ we use

the DAQ Assistant

Students: Make sure that you have this palette installed. If not, install the latest
DAQmx driver!
 LabVIEW DAQ Assistant

When you place the DAQ

Assistant on the Block
Diagram, a Wizard
automatically pops up
where you configure what
you want to do, i.e., if you
want to Read or Write
Data, Analog or Digital
signals, which channel you
want to use, etc.
 LabVIEW DAQ
Select Input/Output Type

Assistant
Set Properties

Select Channel
 Read Data from TC-01 Device

You create the Numeric

Indicator on the Front Panel

Students: Create this Example and Run the Program

 Plotting

Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

 Plotting
Temperature
Data

Students: Create this Example

and run the program
 Plot Configuration

In most cases it is recommended

that you turn off ”Autoscaling”

Click on the axis to set Min

and Max values

Students: Try this.

 Clear Plot Contents

Right-Click

Students: Try this.

 X-Axis Scaling
How-To Show ”Real-Time” on X-Axis
Note! This is in
Seconds

Right-click and select Properties

Make the x Scale show Real Time
Note! For TC-01:
Max 4 samples per
second (see Data
Sheet) Note! This is in milliseconds Students: Try this.
Using Property Nodes

Here we will learn to set Properties

from LabVIEW Code instead of
setting them in the Property
Window, etc. This is very useful!
Here we have used “Property Nodes” in order to set
proper scaling on X-Axis and clear the Chart

Students: Try this.

 Multiple
Plotting and
using SubVIs

SubVI
Students: Create this
Example and run it
 Select Inputs and Outputs
SubVI
Input Output
Icon that makes it easier
to understand what the
(Control) (Indicator) SubVI is doing

A SubVI is the same as a

function or a method used
in other languages
Datalogging

Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

Save Data to File (Datalogging)
Right-click-Properties

Recommended Settings
Recommended Settings
Datalogging Example
Datalogging Example – Block Diagram

Students: (1) Log Temperature Data, both Celsius and Fahrenheit (use SubVI) to a
“Measurement File”. (2) Then Plot the Data in the File in Excel.
(3) You should also create a new VI in LabVIEW where you plot the data from the File
in a Graph and in an Array.
Read from Measurement File - Example
Block Diagram

Right-click-Properties

Recommended Settings
Recommended Settings
 Using a Lowpass Filter to reduce Noise
Functions palette: Express -> Signal Analysis -> Simulate Signal

Functions palette: Express -> Signal Analysis -> Filter

Students: Create this Example.

Then Include the Filter in your Logging Application
Properties
Measurement Filter
from Scratch

(You may skip this part)

Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

 Lowpass Filter/Measurement Filter
The measured signals contains noise, so we should remove the noise using a Filter
The differential equation for a Measurement filter may be given as:

Since we shall implement the Measurement Filter in a computer, we need to make a dicrete version
of the filter. We use the Euler Backward discretization method:

Where Ts is the Sampling Time

Then we get:

Or:
This discrete Measurement Filter can be easily
where implemented in a computer using e.g.,
LabVIEW, C#, etc.
 LabVIEW Formula Node
Formula Node: Create and use C code
within LabVIEW

Example:

Students: Use the LabVIEW Formula Node.

in order to implement the Measurement Filter.
Lowpass Filter/Measurement Filter - Example
Students: Implement this Example using a
LabVIEW Formula Node.
When finished, try to log data from your
sensor with and without the Measurement
Filter. Compare the results.
 Testing the Filter
In this example we add noise to a Sine
function. We then use the Measurement
Filter to see if we can remove the noise
afterwards.
Students: Try this Example.
Next: Use the Filter on your Datalogging System

As you can see this gives a

good results.
The filter removes the noise
from the signal.
 Additional LabVIEW Resources
Here you will find lots of Videos, Tutorials and Exercises

• LabVIEW Training for Students (National Instruments):

http://ni.com/students/learnlabview
• LabVIEW Course:
http://home.hit.no/~hansha/?training=labview
Learning by Doing!
It is recommended that you watch some of the videos before you read furter
Do you need more Practice? - Select a Challenge

Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

 Temperature Logging
1. Create Logging App:
• Log the temperature in your house e.g., during the night using the TC-01
Thermocouple device.
• Plot the temperature in a Chart
• Log the temperature to a File
2. Create Analysis App:
• Read the temperature data from the file into LabVIEW
• Find Max temperature and Min temperature using built-in functions in LabVIEW
• Find also the Average/Mean temperature and the Standard deviation using built-in
functions in LabVIEW
3. Do Analysis in Excel:
• Import the data into Excel and create a Plot
• Find Max, Min, Mean/AVG, SD using Excel
• Compare the results
Hans-Petter Halvorsen, M.Sc.

University College of Southeast Norway

www.usn.no

E-mail: hans.p.halvorsen@hit.no
Blog: http://home.hit.no/~hansha/