Instrumentation

Test and Measurement Technologies

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For the past 30 years, National Instruments has been a technology pioneer and leader in virtual instrumentation – a revolutionary concept that has changed the way engineers and scientists in industry, government, and academia approach measurement and automation.

LabVIEW, Data Acquisition, Modular Instruments, PXI, Programmable Automation Controllers.
Here is a page from an old NI Catalog. RS-232 Tutorial of NI. drag-drop image to read.

National Instruments – Test and Measurement

One which is useful for beginners is the LabVIEW Student Edition – LabVIEW easily connects to any device be it hardware or outside applications like Microsoft Excel. You can depend on this seamless development experience as you write your program.

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In: Instrumentation, Power Electronics

This is a Regulated 0-30 V DC Power Supply manufactured by me in small numbers, 0-30V 5A and 5V -5A. It had a Switching Preregulator. This keeps the Vce across Transistor Bank at the Back of Instrument, at the lowest possible level, in order to keep them Cool. When Vce and Ic both are more in a Power transistor it will get heated more, then the efficiency of power supply is low.

Power Supplies Section – delabs

Variable Regulated Power Supply

The Output had both Constant Current Control and Constant Voltage Control. The CC control is also a Short circuit protection. The Output was protected from outside voltages damaging output circuits even when equipment is switched off. The back panel is a finned anodized black aluminum heat sink with many transistors.

Read More →

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In: Instrumentation, Training Consulting

For an T&M Learning, Start with these tutors of NI. Like Analog Amplifier Circuits and Analog RC Filters. RF and Microwave Fundamentals if you want to be good at Communication Technologies. Sensor, DAQ and Instrument Fundamentals for Industrial Automation Learning.

Measurement Fundamentals – National Instruments

National Instruments Wi-Fi DAQ devices combine IEEE 802.11 wireless or Ethernet communication, direct sensor connectivity, and the flexibility of NI LabVIEW software for remote monitoring and control of electrical, physical, mechanical, and acoustical signals.

Measurement Basics at National Instruments

NI Wi-Fi DAQ features and to learn how you can simplify wireless remote measurements without compromising on the security or performance of a cabled data acquisition solution.

delabs Notes

You can learn about every niche/domain in Electronic Technologies. You also need to Specialize in a niche which resonates within you. The skill sets need to be broad, in case you find less opportunities in the specialization you have. This keeps changing all the time.

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In: Handheld Portables, Instrumentation

Any Tablet with an external Hardware can make a nice Instrument. The professional part lies in that external hardware and usability of the software or app. Windows Virtual Instrumentation are well known. Things like USB Scope and Data Loggers have been there for decades.

Now we have Android in which an Open Source product can be developed. The Open Source is both in Hardware and Software.

Android Virtual Instrumentation

See a android virtual instrument – OsciPrime is an Open Source Android high speed data acquisition hardware platform and Android oscilloscope application.

Open Source Android Oscilloscope

Virtual Instruments for Android has a nice future in Industrial, Automotive and Measurement areas. You could start by Interfacing with Bluetooth, USB and then move to IoT and WSN.

 Android OPC UA SCADA and Client

TeslaSCADA is a SCADA for accessing production and process data through smart phones and other Android devices, using the industrial communication standard – OPC Unified Architecture (UA).

These were some questions i got a few years back…

1 – If i had to create a crude “Lux Meter” and “db Meter” using the built-in camera and microphone on a Android Device – How would i Calibrate it ?

2 – Is there a Component(software) for Android to interlace with a Arduino Device as an external interface, This will help us make a DMM/Scope or even a Entire Lab Test bench centered around a Tablet and a Plug-in Mini Instrument Rack.

Both Sound or db Meters and Lux or Light Level Meters are in the Google Play nut need calibration. All These Instrument Needs a USB/Bluetooth Sensors.

Add Bluetooth you can carry your Tablet away from the instrument probing the DUT. (Device under Test)

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In: Instrumentation

Utility of Testing and Troubleshooting Tools : The first thing in Electrical testing is the Continuity Tester, Then we use the Neon Mains Screwdriver, Then we need an Voltmeter or an Ammeter. In electronics we need a OhmMeter and LCR meter too.

Many times we cannot carry big or expensive test instruments to the field, so we have to have a troubleshooting tool kit. Continuity testers, Logic Probes, DMM, Clamp Meters etc..

Simple Test Equipment

It also is sometimes required to build a quick jig or fixture with electronics to troubleshoot, simulate a problem or to test the reliability or aging of components and systems. Here you need to be cost effective, fast and innovative; and build a simple system with available, affordable or procurable resources. Hence a bit of circuit design, firmware and software are essential skills for production engineering.

Digital Multimeter DMM

Small Electronic Testing Tools

You can troubleshoot and repair Electronic Equipment easily with Meters and Continuity Testers.

Small Electronic Testing Tools – delabs

 

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In: Instrumentation, Integrated Circuits

ICL7107 DPM and DVM chip from Intersil

The Intersil ICL7106 and ICL7107 are high performance, low power, 31/2 digit A/D converters. Included are seven segment decoders, display drivers, a reference, and a clock. The ICL7106 is designed to interface with a liquid crystal display (LCD) and includes a multiplexed backplane drive; the ICL7107 will directly drive an instrument size light emitting diode (LED) display.

3-1/2 digital display for +/- 199.9mV

DPM ICL7107 Digital Panel Meter

  • Guaranteed Zero Reading for 0V Input on All Scales
  • True Polarity at Zero for Precise Null Detection
  • 1pA Typical Input Current
  • True Differential Input and Reference, Direct Display Drive
  • LCD ICL7106, LED lCL7107
  • Low Power Dissipation – Typically Less Than 10mW

Ananth –

3-1/2 Digit DPM ICL7107 Digital Panel Meter

This is one of the first mixed CMOS IC, I used it after studying Intersil CMOS Hot Ideas Book. It is also the most widely used Display chip. Many Millions of Instruments are built using this chip both in Instrumentation and Industrial Automation. The ICL7106 was most popular in Hand Held DMM’s and Clamp Meters as it used to drive a LCD Display. ICL7109 was to interface with Digital Comparators and Microprocessors

ICL7109 12-Bit A/D Converter with 3-State Binary Outputs

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In: Analog Design, Instrumentation

Ever wanted to develop a Professional High Speed DAQ or a Storage Oscilloscope or even a High Speed Communications grade Logic Analyzer. Here is a front end Analog Mixed Chip with Eval Board.

You could make a High Speed Test Instrument and probably build a tablet app front end. How would a 200 M Hz Oscilloscope look on you 10 inch tablet. You will float in the clouds. – delabs

The DRS chip is a full custom Integrated Circuit developed at PSI, Switzerland. It contains a switched capacitor array (SCA) with 1024 cells, capable of digitizing eight analog signals with high speed (6 GSPS) and high accuracy (11.5 bit SNR) on a single chip.

DRS4 Evaluation Board - Paul Scherrer Institut
DRS4 Evaluation Board – Paul Scherrer Institut

By using channel cascading, we can configure this board with 2048 bins for each channel at the expense of a lower analog bandwidth of about 500 MHz. The on-board comparators enables the board to do a self-triggering on a programmed level of any of the input channels or logical combination of channels, much like an oscilloscope.

Highlights of Board with One DRS4 chip

  • Four 50-Ohm terminated input channels with SMA connectors
  • Active input buffers which result in an analog bandwidth of 700 MHz (-3dB).
  • One AD9245 ADC to digitize signals from the DRS4 chip
  • One Xilinx Spartan 3 FPGA for readout control
  • A 16-bit DAC to generate all on-board control voltages
  • A serial EEPROM containing serial number and calibration information
  • Internal trigger with user-defined thresholds on any of the four channes.

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CheapStat: An Open-Source, “Do-It-Yourself” Potentiostat for Analytical and Educational Applications.

CheapStat – DIY Potentiostat

CheapStat, an inexpensive (<$80), open-source (software and hardware), hand-held potentiostat that can be constructed by anyone who is proficient at assembling circuits. This device supports a number of potential waveforms necessary to perform cyclic, square wave, linear sweep and anodic stripping voltammetry.

CheapStat - DIY Potentiostat

The device supports cyclic, square wave, linear sweep and stripping voltammetry over the potential range ?990to +990 mV and over frequencies from 1 to 1000 Hz. The device supports a range of environmental, food and drug quality control, and educational applications. The reverse of the circuit board supports a three-line LCD display and a joystick, which is used to select an experiment protocol, change its parameters (frequency, starting voltage, end voltage, scan rate), and initiate the experiment.

DIY Potentiostat – CheapStat – EEMetric

The device’s schematics, parts lists, circuit board layout files, sample experiments, and detailed assembly instructions are available in the supporting information and are released under an open hardware license.