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Offset Nulling
(Bridge Balancing)
When you install a bridge-based sensor, the bridge probably will not output exactly 0 V when
not under load. Slight variations in resistance among the bridge legs generate some nonzero
initial offset voltage. Use the DAQmx Perform Bridge Offset Nulling Calibration VI/function
or the DAQ Assistant to perform an offset nulling calibration, which will apply software
compensation for the bridge.
NI-DAQmx will measure the bridge while not under load, and then use this measurement as
the initial bridge voltage when scaling readings from the bridge. This method is simple, fast,
and requires no manual adjustments. The disadvantage of the software compensation method
(in contrast to hardware compensation) is that software compensation does not physically
remove the offset of the bridge. If the offset is large enough, it limits the amplifier gain you
can apply to the output voltage, thus limiting the dynamic range of the measurement. The
NI PXIe-4330/4331 does not have any internal hardware nulling circuitry, however, its input
range is sufficiently wide so that the inputs will not saturate even with a relatively large initial
bridge offset.