Data communication and control is USB based and managed via National Instrument's Measurement & Automation Explorer (NI-MAX). When you open NI-MAX and expand the Device and Interface section it should appear as seen in Figure 1. On the following pages is an edited version of the NI-MAX report. Text in italics are additional comments for context. To have a pain free experience use these parameters and follow the advice.
Note: All settings listed below are what IMS expects. If the communications setup is correct and you are still receiving errors during IMS startup, check the IMS code for any revisions.
As of Exp 397P, the pump control for PWave water and the MS loop check are controlled using NI DAQmx Tasks.
Figure 1
MAX Configuration Report
Devices and Interfaces
NI cDAQ-9174 "DAQ"
1:NI 9482 "cDAQ1Mod1"
4:NI 9215 (BNC) "cDAQ1Mod4"
ASRL2::INSTR "PWAVE-LASER"
NI USB-232 Interface "RS-232 SN:00DCEFA9"
1: ASRL5::INSTR "MS3"
NI USB-232 Interface "RS-232 SN:00DCEFC3"
1: ASRL4::INSTR "AR700"
NI USB-485 Interface "RS-485 SN:00DCF13F"
1: ASRL3::INSTR "X-AXIS"
NI USB-5133 "PWAVE-OSCOPE"
NI-DAQmx Task
MSCheck
The MSCheck sensor detects if anything is inside the MS loop before zeroing at the start of core. The sensor is set up via NI MAX Tasks
Property Value
Channels MSCheck/Voltage_0
SampTimingType On Demand
Channel Property Value
Voltage_0
AI.MeasureType Voltage
AI.Voltage.Units Volts
AI.TermCfg Differential
AI.Max 1
AI.Min -1
ChanType Analog Input
PhysicalChanName CDAQ1Mod4/aio
PWAVE CNTRL
Pwave control is setup to control the water pump for the pwave system. This must be configured in NI Max Tasks
Property Value
Channels PWAVE CNTL/DigitalOut
SampTimingType On Demand
Channel Property Value
Voltage_0
DO.InvertLines 0
ChanType Digital Output
PhysicalChanName CDAQ1Mod1/port0
ASLR2::INSTR "PWAVE-LASER"
The laser measures the distance between the transducers. The laser connects via a serial cable to the PC.
It is extremely important that the baud rate be set correctly. If the computer cannot talk to the laser, the software will not gather any P-Wave measurements. Below are the instructions for setting the laser baud rate.*
Name PWAVE-LASER
Port Binding COM2
Port Description Communications Port
VISA Resource Name ASRL2::INSTR
Port Settings
Baud rate 115200
Data bits 8
Parity None
Stop bits 1
Flow control None
Property Value
Resource Name ASRL2::INSTR
Device Type Serial Port
VISA Alias on My System PWAVE-LASER
Device Enabled True
*Note: Setting the baud rate on the AR700
The AR700 can communicate via RS232 or RS422. This hardware mode can only be set by the function button on the laser itself. See page 23 of the AR700 manual for details. If the laser is not communicating properly, follow the steps below.
- To reset the sensor to RS232 default: Turn the power off or unplug the laser, press and hold the function button on the AR700, and turn the power on or plug the laser back in.
- The function display LEDs should cycle through a pattern that illuminates each one at a time. When the button is released, the sensor will reset to the default configuration (9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit), and should enable serial RS232 communication with the host system. (AR700 manual, p. 17)
- The serial command "I" sent via the NI Max VISA test panel will also reset the laser to its defaults, but you must be able to communicate with the laser. If the computer and laser are already set to mismatched serial communications type or baud rates, this method will not work. (AR700 manual, p. 43)
- Open NI Max and select the PWAVE Laser from the Devices and Interfaces drop down menu. (Figure 2). Verify that the baud rate is set to 9600 in the settings tab.
- Select Save to preserve your changes
Figure 2
3. Open the VISA Test Panel in NI Max and verify that the baud rate is 9600. (Figure 3)
4. Select the Input/Output window and set the desired baud rate to 115200, entering the command B9 (no line or carriage returns necessary). (Figure 4)
a. After entering B9, click the WRITE button.
b. The current baud rate set on the laser can be checked by pressing the function button 7 times on the laser and reading the dot code.
Figure 3
CAUTION! Once the laser has been set to a new baud rate, you must immediately reconfigure the computer's baud rate in NI MAX, otherwise the two machines will never be able to communicate
Figure 4
5. Return to the main settings screen for the laser's port in NI Max and set the baud rate to 115200 (Figure 5).
a. Select SAVE at the top of the window to preserve the changes.
Figure 5
6. To verify the system settings, open IMS and navigate to the AR700 Laser Utility in the instruments menu (Figure 6).
a. You should see measurement data coming back from the laser. If errors are flashing across the screen with no data appearing on the graph, the baud rate is likely not set correctly.
Figure 6
7. If you are satisfied that the system is communicating properly, set the default baud rate on the AR700 to 115200. In the event that the laser loses power or is unplugged, it will default back to the correct settings.
a. In the VISA Test Panel Input/Outputs window, send the command W1234. This tells the laser to save the current settings as defaults.
NI cDAQ-9174 "DAQ"
Name DAQ
Vendor National Instruments
Model NI cDAQ-9174
Serial Number 01C4CA78
Property Value
Product Type cDAQ-9174
DevSerialNum 0x1C4CA78
NI cDAQ-9482 "cDAQMod1"
Name CDAQ1Mod1
Vendor National Instruments
Model NI9482
Serial Number 01C36E9D
Slot Number 1
Property Value
Product Type NI9482
DevSerialNum 0x1C36E9D
CompactDAQ.ChassisDevName DAQ
CompactDAQ.SlotNum 1
NI cDAQ-9215 (BNC) "cDAQMod4"
Name CDAQ1Mod4
Vendor National Instruments
Model NI9215 (BNC)
Serial Number 01C43DA6
Slot Number 4
Property Value
Product Type NI 9215 (BNC)
DevSerialNum 0x1C43DA6
CompactDAQ.ChassisDevName DAQ
CompactDAQ.SlotNum 4
NI USB 232 Interface "RS-232 SN:00DCEFA9"
Name RS-232 SN:00DCEFA9
Vendor National Instruments
Model NI USB-232 Interface
Serial Number 00DCEFA9
Serial Number 0xdcefa9
SlotNumber 255
Standard RS-232
Isolation 0
1: ASRL6::INSTR "MS3"
Settings
Name MS3
Slot Number 1
Port Binding COM5
Port Description Unknown
VISA Resource Name ASRL5::INSTR
Baud rate 9600
Data bits 8
Parity None
Stop bits 1
Flow control None
Property Value
Resource Name ASRL5::INSTR
Device Type Serial Port
VISA Alias on My System MS3
Device Enabled True
NI USB-232 Interface "RS-232 SN:00DCEFC3"
Name S-232 SN:00DCEFC3
Vendor National Instruments
Model NI USB-232 Interface
Serial Number 00DCEFC3
Serial Number 0xdcefc3
SlotNumber 255
Standard RS-232
Isolation 0
1: ASRL5::INSTR "AR700"
Name AR700
Slot Number 1
Port Binding COM4
Port Description Unknown
VISA Resource Name ASRL5::INSTR
Baud rate 230400
Data bits 8
Parity None
Stop bits 1
Flow control None
Property Value
Resource Name ASRL4::INSTR
Device Type Serial Port
VISA Alias on My System AR700
Device Enabled True
NI USB-485 Interface "RS-485 SN:00DCF13F"
Name RS-485 SN:00DCF13F
Vendor National Instruments
Model NI USB-485 Interface
Serial Number 00DCF13F
Serial Number 0xdcf13f
SlotNumber 255
Standard RS-485
Isolation 0
1: ASRL4::INSTR "X-AXIS"
Name X-AXIS
Slot Number 1
Port Binding COM3
Port Description Unknown
VISA Resource Name ASRL3::INSTR
Baud rate 9600
Data bits 8
Parity None
Stop bits 1
Flow control None
Property Value
Resource Name ASRL3::INSTR
Device Type Serial Port
VISA Alias on My System X-AXIS
Device Enabled True
NI USB-5133 "PWAVE-OSCOPE"
Name PWAVE-OSCOPE
Vendor National Instruments
Model NI USB-5133
Serial Number 01B97DA2
Firmware Version 1.2.0b0
Current Device Temperature 30.9°C
External Calibration
Calibration Date 8/2016 7:57:41 PM
Recommended Next Calibration 9/8/2018 7:57:41 PM
Device Temperature 31.1°C
Self-Calibration
Calibration Date 9/8/2016 7:56:16 PM
Device Temperature 31.4°C
Property Value
ProductType NI USB-5133
DevSerialNum 0x1B97DA2
ProductNum 0x72CD
BusType USB
Firmware.Version 1.2.0b0Link to Word Version: Aft whole round track NI Max setup.docx (NOT updated)
To Setup the NI DAQmx Task:
Select Data Neighborhood in NI Max.
Select Create New
Select NI DAQmx Task in the 'create new' window that opens
Select Next
Select Acquire Signals: Analog Input: Voltage
Select "ai0" in the Supported Physical Channels menu and click Next.
Name the Task MSCheck and then select finish.
Verify the Timing Settings under the configuration tab for the task is set to "1 sample (On Demand)
Under Voltage Input Setup, set the maximum to 1 and the minimum to -1 and the scaled units to Volts.
To Setup the NI DAQmx Task:
Select Data Neighborhood in NI Max.
Select Create New
Select NI DAQmx Task in the 'create new' window that opens
Select Next
Select Generate Signals: Digital Output: Port Output
Select "port0" in the Supported Physical Channels menu and click Next.
Name the Task PWAVE CNTL and then select finish.
Verify the Timing Settings under the configuration tab for the task is set to "1 sample (On Demand)
Prior to Exp 397P port description was: NI USB-232/1 SN:DCEFA9, Communications Port
Prior to 397P Port description was: NI USB-232/1 SN:DCEFC3, Communications Port
Prior to Exp 397P, port description was:NI USB-485/1 SN:DCF13F, Communications Port