National Instruments Expands NI CompactDAQ Platform With Single-Slot Chassis

NEWS RELEASE NIWeek Aug. 3, 2011 National Instruments today announced new 1-slot NI CompactDAQ chassis that support wireless, USB and Ethernet buses, giving engineers and scientists the portability of a data logger with the performance and flexibility of modular measurements. The NI cDAQ-9191, cDAQ-9181 and cDAQ-9171 chassis support all NI C Series modules for the NI CompactDAQ platform and can be used in conjunction with the existing 4- and 8-slot chassis. With modules designed for almost any sensor, the NI CompactDAQ platform eliminates the fixed functionality of traditional sensor measurement systems and gives engineers and scientists the ability to increase productivity while decreasing overall cost.

New metal enclosures make the chassis more resistant to environmental damage as compared to the previous plastic sleeves. The chassis operate in a temperature range of 0 to 55 degrees Celsius and can withstand up to 30 g shock and 3 g vibration, making NI CompactDAQ 1-slot chassis ideal for demanding test applications on the benchtop, in the field or on the production line.

The addition of the new wireless, USB and Ethernet 1-slot chassis demonstrates our commitment to expanding the NI CompactDAQ modular data acquisition platform, said Kevin Schultz, National Instruments vice president of research and development. These chassis can be used with more than 50 C Series modules which make it possible for engineers and scientists to build flexible, scalable measurement systems for portable and distributed applications.

More than 50 measurement-specific modules featuring multiple electrical and sensor connectivity options can be combined with any chassis to create customized systems specific to the needs of numerous applications. NI Signal Streaming technology delivers high-bandwidth capabilities that make it possible to achieve sustained high-speed and bidirectional data streams over USB, Ethernet and wireless buses. Zero configuration networking technology simplifies initial setup, eliminating the need for IT involvement in network setup and integration.

NI-DAQmx driver software, included with each NI CompactDAQ chassis, goes beyond a basic device driver to deliver increased productivity and performance. With NI-DAQmx, engineers and scientists can log data for simple experiments or develop a complete test system in NI LabVIEW, NI LabWindows"/CVI, ANSI C/C++ or Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. A consistent API means that an application developed for an NI CompactDAQ wireless chassis will work with an NI CompactDAQ USB or Ethernet chassis without any modifications to the software. In addition, all new NI CompactDAQ chassis now support the new controller area network (CAN) C Series module for optimal communication across various networks.

For more information about the new NI CompactDAQ wireless, USB and Ethernet DAQ devices, readers can visit www.ni.com/compactdaq/whatsnew.