DATA ACQUISITION FEATURE
The need to obtain and read scientific data has always played a pivotal role in research and development. The way in which this data is obtained has, however, changed considerably over time. With the last 30 to 40 years seeing giant leaps forward in data acquisition
technology, Bernd Knoll, international product manager at HBM, looks at some of the key changes and benefits, and explains how to specify the right data acquisition solution
A REVOLUTION IN
communication and data acquisition T
he 20th Century was dominated by a chain of events which heralded
significant changes in history and saw great advances in the field of communication, with one being the birth of the digital revolution. Moving on from the age-old method
of pen and paper, which was both time consuming and error-prone, this period saw the introduction of the first paper- based chart recorder. This marked the start of something that would pave the way in which data could be obtained for years to come. Finally, data could be acquired and stored automatically. It wasn’t long before IBM responded
to progression by releasing the PC, which provided the platform required not only to acquire and store data but to also analyse it and report it. Though pitiful by today’s standards, the original PC had a variety of features that made it an ideal data acquisition platform. Inexpensive and easy to programme, it featured built-in, standardised I/O slots that would hold a DAQ board, which became almost an overnight standard for computing. By the mid 1980’s there was a rapid
emergence of companies making data acquisition and control interfaces for the PC, which were predominantly split into three categories: plug-in DAQ1 board vendors, external box data acquisition vendors, and software vendors.
THE EMERGENCE OF A SYSTEM Most of today’s plug-in board business is based on the PCI bus (or variants such as cPCI and PXI) and is starting to follow the lead of the consumer PC vendors into PCI Express. The external box vendors now have Ethernet and USB standards to work with as well as some less used, but very viable interfaces, such as Firewire, CAN and, perhaps the oldest standard in computing, RS-232. Software has progressed, too, from the original version DOS-based, interpreted Basic programs to extremely
powerful applications such as MATLAB and LabVIEW, which are both easy to use and able to take advantage of today’s powerful computers. Today, most data acquisition companies provide board level, external box and software, depending on the application. To obtain the best measurement results from testing applications, there are a number of factors to take into consideration when selecting a DAQ system. This primarily depends on the application, but also important factors such as the complexity of the task, the speed and accuracy required and the documentation required. In addition, as each application is
unique, other factors will include: Does the system match the application? What is the measurement resolution, accuracy and noise performance? How fast can it scan? What transducers and measurement functions are supported? Is it upgradeable or expandable to meet future needs and can data be transferred easily to new applications?
FAST RESULTS AT HIGH SPEED As part of its continued research into measuring temperatures at high speed, Toyota Motorsport, for example, specified the QuantumX measurement data acquisition system and amplifiers as part of its new combustion engine test bench for multi- point temperature measurements. “An engine test bench is a complex
structure because, in principle, it simulates a complete vehicle including the electronics, cooling circuit and exhaust,” explains Bruno Kanzenbach, senior engineer at Toyota Motorsport. “It’s quite practical if more than 100 measuring points can be connected to the measuring amplifier simply by connector, as with the QuantumX amplifier. This means that not only is
Toyota Motorsport is using the QuantumX measurement data acquisition system and amplifiers
there no need for additional cabling, which can be very extensive, but also that the system can be easily converted for tests on different engines, which makes it flexible and cost effective”.
Ranging from simple to more complex systems, HBM offers a complete range which provides varying degrees of performance and functionality
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SYSTEM Providing accurate and quick results for both stationary and mobile test applications, flexibility is also a key factor when selecting the correct DAQ system for your requirements, as the number of measurement channels and choice of interfaces depends greatly on the respective task in action. With this in mind, the first step for users contemplating the purchase of a data acquisition device or system is to determine the tasks at hand and the desired output, and then select the type and scope of equipment that best meets that criteria. Ranging from simple to more complex systems, HBM offers a
complete range which provides varying degrees of performance and functionality. Whatever your application, mobile or stationary, on a test cell or under extreme environmental conditions, the right measurement data acquisition system for your needs is available.
HBM T: 020 8515 6000
www.hbm.com/en
INSTRUMENTATION | SEPTEMBER 2016 23
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