SDC 202: Computational Tools

for Engineers

LabVIEW Overview

Daeil Kwon, Ph.D.

School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering

Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)

Ulsan National Institute of 1 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
LabVIEW Overview
• What is LabVIEW:
• LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering
Workbench), created by National Instruments (www.ni.com) is
a graphical programming language that uses icons instead of
lines of text to create applications.

• LabVIEW programs/codes are called Virtual Instruments, or VIs for

short.
• LabVIEW is used for data acquisition, signal processing
(Analysis), and hardware control – a typical instrument
configuration based on LabVIEW.

Ulsan National Institute of 2 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Schematic Diagram of an Instrument System
Based on LabVIEW

Temperature, Air conditioning,

pressure, humidity humidity control, …
sensors, …
LabVIEW
Hardware Signal Hardware
Processing

Data
Hardware
acquisition via
control
GPIB, USB,
…

Ulsan National Institute of 3 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Applications
• Testing and Measurement
• Hardware control
• Signal processing
• Image processing

• For example: NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory LabVIEW to

analyze and display Mars Pathfinder rover engineering data,
including
• Position and temperature of the rover
• Power remained in the rover’s battery
• Monitor the rover overall status

Ulsan National Institute of 4 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Why Automate Measurements
• Reduce the risk of errors
• Remove humans from system doing repetitive tasks
• Perform complex tasks that can not easily be done by hand
• Automate systems
• Avoid having to write new computer programs
• Often used in industry

Ulsan National Institute of 5 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Measurement System Design
• Some Things to Consider
• What variables should be measured
• How often does data need to be recorded
• What transducers are available
• What type of signals will be generated
• Where will the system be located
• System reliability
• Budget and system cost
• Amount of data to be collected

Ulsan National Institute of 6 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Error
• Difference between true value and recorded value
• 2 main sources
• Transducer/Instrument errors
• Errors caused by the person taking the measurements

• Described in 2 ways
• % accuracy = 100 * (error/true value)
• % precision = 100 * (measurement –
mean of n steady state measurements)/
(mean of n steady state measurements)

Ulsan National Institute of 7 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Types of Transducer/Instrument Errors
• Hysteresis: If you make a set of sequential measurements upscale
and downscale and there is a difference in the values.
• Linearity: Some transducers/instruments have a linear relationship
between the property measured and their output value. Linearity
occurs when the measured value doesn’t exactly fit the linear
relationship.
• Repeatability: A repeatability error occurs when you measure the
same value repeatedly over time and the value varies.
• Bias: Some Transducers/instruments give consistently high or low
values, causing bias error.

Ulsan National Institute of 8 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Types of Transducer/Instrument Errors
• Resolution: Errors result from the analog to digital conversion
process in data acquisition.
• Zero offset: If the transducer/instrument should read zero, but gives
a nonzero value.
• Dynamic: Dynamic variables vary with time. An error occurs when
the dynamic response of the transducer/ instrument does not
instantaneously capture the variable value at the time the
measurement should occur.
• Overall: The overall error of a transducer/instrument is the square
root of the sum of all the instrument errors.

Ulsan National Institute of 9 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Types of Errors Caused by the Person Taking the
Measurements
• Reading: Reading the value incorrectly
• Dynamic reading: inability to read and record the data quickly
enough to capture the dynamic variations in the values
• Interpolation: Incorrect interpolation between the markings on a
meter
• Misusing an Instrument: Not following the correct procedures
• Misapplication of an instrument: Using the wrong
transducer/instrument for the measurement
• Inadequate calibration: Using an instrument without knowing its
errors
• Recording: Typing or writing the measurement value incorrectly

Ulsan National Institute of 10 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Data Acquisition Process
• Steps to data acquisition
• Converter physical properties to electrical signals with
transducers
• Convert electrical signals into digital data for computer
processing
• Process digital data
• Display and/or record test data

Ulsan National Institute of 11 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Common Transducers for Measuring Physical
Properties
Phenomena Transducer
Temperature Thermocouples
Resistance temperature detectors (RTDs)
Thermistors
Integrated circuit sensors
Light Vacuum tube photosensors
Photoconductive cells
Sound Microphones
Force and pressure Strain gauges
Piezoelectric transducers
Load cells
Position (displacement) Potentiometers
Linear voltage differential transformers
Optical encoders
Fluid flow Head meters
Rotational flow-meters
Ultrasonic flow-meters
pH pH electrodes

Ulsan National Institute of 12 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Common Data Types

©2007 National Instruments Corporation

Ulsan National Institute of 13 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Programming in LabVIEW
• LabVIEW is a graphical programming language
• Uses Icons and colored wires to program
• Includes features to:
• Assist in developing programs
• Help debug programs
• Make graphical user interfaces
• Communicate with external hardware
• Distribute programs

Ulsan National Institute of 14 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Software Download

Ulsan National Institute of 15 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
LabVIEW Getting Started

Ulsan National Institute of 16 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Virtual Instruments (VI)

Ulsan National Institute of 17 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Virtual Instruments (VI)
• Front panel window
• Front panel: controls and indicators (that is, input and
output/display, respectively).
• Block diagram window
• Terminals (Icons) corresponding to front panel controls and
indicators, as well as constants, function, SubVIs, structure, and
wires that connect data from one object to another. Your codes
are here!
• Using “Ctrl+E” to change between the Front Panel and the Diagram
Block window.

Ulsan National Institute of 18 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Control, Function, Tool Palettes
• Control palette: provides controls and indicators
• Function palette: provides source codes
• Tool palette: changes mouse functions

Ulsan National Institute of 19 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Block Diagram
• The components of a block diagram belong to one of the three
classes:
• Nodes: Program execution elements.
• Terminals: Ports through which data passes between the block
diagram and the front panel, and between nodes. Terminal is
any point to which you can attached a wire to pass data.
• Wires: Data paths between terminals.

Ulsan National Institute of 20 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Nodes and Terminals
• There are three nodes types: functions, subVI nodes, and structure.
• Functions are the build-in nodes such as adding number, file I/O.
• SubVI nodes VIs that you design and later call from another VI.
• Structures control the program flow, such as For Loops and
while Loops.
• There are different terminals:
• Control and indicator terminals
• Node terminals
• Constant terminals Terminal
• Specialized terminals on various
structures
Constant

Ulsan National Institute of 21 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
Controls
• It consists of many sub-palettes that can be used to create front
panels.
• Control: Controls simulate input devices (such as knobs, push
button and dials) and provide a pipeline to move data to the
Black Diagram.
• Indicator: Controls simulate out devices to display the output
result (in chart, graph…).

Control Indicator

Ulsan National Institute of 22 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology
LabVIEW Help Options
• The two common help options are the Context and LabVIEW Help.
Both are located in the Help pull-down menu.
• Context Help Window
• Choose Show Context Help from Help menu.
• When you placing the cursor on an object (icon, terminal)
on the front panel or block diagram, the Context Help
Window will show the associated help information.
• LabVIEW Help
• Choose Search the LabVIEW Help from the Help menu.
• Or clicking Detailed Help in the Context Help Window.

Ulsan National Institute of 23 Copyright © 2017 System Reliability Lab

Science and Technology