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What is SensorDAQ? 

 

The SensorDAQ™ interface provides connectivity between Vernier or custom 
sensors and a Windows computer running LabVIEW software. More than 50 Vernier 
sensors are available for use with the SensorDAQ.  

 
You can also combine the use of sensors connected to the SensorDAQ with the 
output of Vernier's Digital Control Unit (DCU) or the SensorDAQ's screw terminal 
for control projects. Examples include alarm systems and temperature-controlled 
environments. 
 

 

 
By following this guidebook, you will learn to: 

 

 

Set up and collect data using Vernier sensors. 

 

Set up and control devices. 

 

Collect data using the provided sample programs. 

 

Create custom engineering programs. 

 
 

SensorDAQ Equipment List  

 

The SensorDAQ package contains the following equipment: 

 

 

SensorDAQ interface 

 

User’s Manual 

 

Vernier Voltage Probe 

 

CD containing SensorDAQ VIs 
and executable for installing 
NI-DAQmx driver  

 

USB cable 

Summary of Contents for SensorDAQ

Page 1: ...Vernier SensorDAQ User s Manual Vernier Software Technology 13979 SW Millikan Way Beaverton Oregon 97005 2886 503 277 2299 Toll Free 888 837 6437 FAX 503 277 2440 www vernier com info vernier com...

Page 2: ...Vernier com and SensorDAQ are our trademarks or trade dress National Instruments NI ni com and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation Refer to the Terms of Use section on ni com le...

Page 3: ...ensorDAQ Components 4 Providing Power to SensorDAQ 4 Software 5 Connecting Sensors and Signal Lines 5 Vernier Analog Sensors 5 Vernier Digital Sensors 6 Screw Terminal 6 Sample Experiments VIs in LabV...

Page 4: ...e SensorDAQ s screw terminal for control projects Examples include alarm systems and temperature controlled environments By following this guidebook you will learn to Set up and collect data using Ver...

Page 5: ...will step you through the installation of the NI DAQ software We recommend that you accept the default directory Copy the VI sample folder SensorDAQ from the CD to the user lib folder located in the m...

Page 6: ...lso if an auto ID sensor is attached the current sensor reading will appear below the toolbar as shown in the figure 7 Click LabVIEW will begin plotting data in the graph Once data have been collected...

Page 7: ...by the DAQmx driver 4 The USB Port is for computer connection 5 Use the Tie Wrap Point to lock down and secure the device SensorDAQ side view 1 Ch 1 Ch 3 BTA British Telecom Analog channels for Verni...

Page 8: ...e familiar with programming DAQmx LabVIEW examples implementing DAQmx functions have been provided And for those users familiar with Measurement and Automation Explorer MAX there is also some function...

Page 9: ...otion Detectors Radiation Monitors Photogates and Rotary Motion Sensors One digital sensor at a time can be connected to SensorDAQ The digital channel DIG which accepts British Telecom style plugs wit...

Page 10: ...channel 0 1 4 P0 0 3 GND Input or Output Digital I O Signals You can individually configure each signal as an input or output 6 5 V GND Output 5 V Power Source Provides 5 V power 7 PFI 0 GND Input PF...

Page 11: ...nfigured for pulse output timing input event counting or as a digital trigger For examples of how to use the screw terminal signals in LabVIEW see Appendix A Sample Experiments VIs in LabVIEW Sample e...

Page 12: ...ntify the sensor and adjust the graph and axes labels accordingly 4 Allow the data collection to complete after 18 seconds or you may stop it early by clicking the STOP button In this example Ch 1 is...

Page 13: ...example we use a Vernier Stainless Steel Temperature Probe As the data rises to a preset threshold a connected LED will light up It will also help you familiarize yourself with SensorDAQ s output lin...

Page 14: ...ons in LabVIEW Most users will eventually need to create their own custom LabVIEW VI One method for creating your own custom VI is to build off of an existing example The following steps show how to t...

Page 15: ...Terminal OFF node located at the bottom left corner of the Setup subVI and right click your mouse A pop up list appears Select Create Constant The default input for this node appears click on it and s...

Page 16: ...ll out that data point The reason that Ch 1 data is in an array format is because in some cases the VI may be set up to read an array of data points each time the SensorDAQ_Read vi is called 3 Next fi...

Page 17: ...e wired into the DIO subVI the DAQmx Task Cluster Setup Parameters and error in 8 Make sure the DIO subVI is configured with Out Lines on Indefinitely 9 The DIO subVI requires an array of four Boolean...

Page 18: ...izontal pointer slide in the Search if you can not find it 5 Label this control as Output Voltage 6 Double click on the maximum value of this control to highlight and change the value to 5 since this...

Page 19: ...ives you an easy way to use SensorDAQ s digital channel for exciting do it yourself projects Math Machines Math Machines www mathmachines net creates customized connector and control experiments for t...

Page 20: ...ng is used the VI waits for the user defined condition to be met prior to data collection AnalogInEx05_ModifyWithPopups vi This example allows you to select the sensor s units and configure the data c...

Page 21: ...l the leading edge of the next bar blocks the beam period measurement This timing continues as all eight bars pass through the Photogate DIGEx06_PhotogateObjectVelocity vi This VI demonstrates how to...

Page 22: ...nOutWithSensor vi In this example the reading of a sensor controls the Analog Out voltage ControlEx08_ControlAnalogOut vi The Analog Out feature allows you to command screw terminal 9 AO 0 to output a...

Page 23: ...be using SensorDAQ s analog in lines 11 and 12 AI0 and AI1 to measure voltage TerminalEx05_CounterTiming vi The Counter feature allows you to command screw terminal 7 PFI 0 to measure timing of a puls...

Page 24: ...or zoom out Data can be stored and deleted to compare against other runs as well as saved to file These options can be found in the menu selection Analysis tools are described in Appendix B Using DAQm...

Page 25: ...utton on the toolbar then click and drag the mouse to select a region on the graph The graph will rescale expanding the selected region to fill the plotting area In addition there are other zoom optio...

Page 26: ...can have LabVIEW collect temperature data only until the temperature raises or falls to to 35 C Pre Trigger Data You may also set the number of points to be collected before the trigger condition is...

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