Obtain Reliable Measurements in Harsh Outdoor Environments

National Instruments (NI) has announced a powerful distributed and synchronized FieldDAQ device.

As complex electromechanical systems such as vehicles, aircraft, and industrial equipment become increasingly sophisticated, validation testing must also become more rigorous in keeping with this innovation. In the automotive industry, manufacturers face stringent requirements in line with enhanced government standards as well as rising customer expectations for new capabilities such as advanced driver assistance systems. To ensure the safety, reliability, and quality of these systems, it is critical to collect accurate data during the testing process.

To meet these requirements, test engineers are transitioning from centralized measurement systems that can be affected by noise toward distributed measurement nodes where digitization and signal conditioning occur as close to the sensor as possible. However, this more distributed measurement topology introduces new challenges. DAQ devices must not only withstand demanding test environments but also collect synchronized data across the entire system while scaling and integrating seamlessly.

NI's new FieldDAQ device is the most rugged NI DAQ instrument ever built. It enables accurate and reliable measurements in the harshest test cells and outdoor environments including rain, snow, and mud. The FieldDAQ device has a maximum protection rating of IP67 (dust and water resistant), can operate in environments from -40°C to 85°C, and can withstand impacts of 100g and vibrations of 10g.

This rugged DAQ device is built on NI's hallmark flexible and configurable hardware and software platform. Through the open and scalable FieldDAQ solution, test engineers can break free from the limitations of traditional devices whose functionality is defined by closed proprietary software, keeping pace with product design cycles and reducing overall test costs.

Mark Yeager, engineer and senior programmer at Integrated Test and Measurement (ITM), states, "As production cycles accelerate, no two tests are the same anymore. Since design engineers adjust the size, performance, and efficiency of each component, our test setups must also evolve to meet these changing test requirements. To reduce costs, we must maximize the reuse of hardware and software while continuing to adapt to evolving requirements."

Additionally, FieldDAQ incorporates TSN (Time Sensitive Networking), the next-generation version of the IEEE 802.1 Ethernet standard, enabling highly precise synchronization across a distributed network of DAQ nodes without additional cabling or complex programming. FieldDAQ expands NI's TSN product portfolio by combining industrial controllers CompactDAQ and CompactRIO. Furthermore, by incorporating TSN, FieldDAQ can be used alongside TSN solutions from major industrial I/O and control product suppliers such as Bosch Rexroth, B&R Automation, and Schneider Electric.