Real-Time Embedded Controllers for PXI
Real-Time Embedded Controllers for PXI
NI PXI-8176 RT, NI PXI-8175 RT, NI PXI-8145 RT
• Real-time, deterministic performance
• Headless, reliable operation
• 1.26 GHz Intel Pentium III
processor, maximum
• 40 kHz single PID loop
rates, maximum
• Ethernet connectivity
• Watchdog timer
• Integrated serial ports
• Built-in nonvolatile memory
• GPIB interface
• Serial interface
• CAN interface
• MXI-3 chassis expansion
Required Software
• LabVIEW Professional or
Full Development System
• LabVIEW Real-Time Module
Real-Time PXI Modules
• Data acquisition
• Reconfigurable I/O
• SCXI signal conditioning
(except 112x and 119x switches)
• Digitizers
• Dynamic signal acquisition
• Switches
• Image acquisition
• Motion control
Overview
The National Instruments RT Series PXI embedded controllers
deliver a flexible, rugged platform for your deterministic, real-time
embedded measurement and control applications. You develop your
applications with NI LabVIEW and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module
under Windows or Mac OS X, then download and embed the
program to run on your RT Series PXI embedded controller under a
real-time operating system. Thus, you can use all the powerful
development tools of LabVIEW to develop real-time, reliable
solutions. With RT Series PXI embedded controllers, your real-time
measurement and control systems capitalize on all the benefits of PXI
systems, including rugged industrial construction and modularity.
Build real-time PXI systems with any number and combination of
PXI and Compact PCI measurement hardware modules.
All RT Series embedded controllers deliver real-time deterministic
performance and headless, reliable operation. NI offers embedded
controllers ideal for high-performance control applications with PID
control loop rates up to 40 kHz and embedded controllers ideal for
lower-cost real-time applications (see Table 1). Each controller
communicates with a Windows or Mac OS X computer running the
LabVIEW Real-Time Module over standard Ethernet, and includes a
Watchdog timer for monitoring the status of a system.
performs a soft reboot of the host computer. Because the RT Series
PXI embedded controllers run in a separate chassis with a dedicated
power supply, the operator can shut down the host computer entirely
without disrupting the embedded program.
Dual-Boot Option
You can use Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to
configure some models of the Windows-based PXI embedded
controllers to dual-boot as real-time embedded controllers. With
MAX on a Windows host machine, you can create floppy disks that
you can use to install or remove the real-time operating system from
your PXI controller without affecting the native Windows operating
system. (The Mac OS X hosts will have these utilities shipped with
the LabVIEW Real-Time Module.) The result is an RT Series
controller that boots off a floppy disk into a real-time operating
system or off the hard drive into a Windows operating system. To
enable a Windows-based PXI embedded controller to dual-boot with
Real-Time
Processor
Maximum rate for
single PID loop
Ethernet connectivity
Serial ports
GPIB ports
Nonvolatile memory
DRAM
Watchdog
Shock and Vibration
1
With
2
Because
PXI-8176 RT
1.26 GHz Intel Pentium III
39 kHz
100BaseTX/10BaseT
2
1
20 GB Ultra
DMA IDE hard drive
2
512 MB SDRAM,
maximum
1
Software configurable
Basic
PXI-8175 RT
866 MHz Intel Pentium III
30 kHz
100BaseTX/10BaseT
2
–
20 GB Ultra DMA
IDE hard drive
2
512 MB SDRAM ,
maximum
1
Software configurable
Basic
PXI-8145 RT
266 MHz low-power
Intel Pentium MMX
6 kHz
100BaseTX/10BaseT
1
–
32 MB CompactFlash
128 MB SDRAM,
maximum
1
Internal
Extended
Reliable Stand-Alone Operation
With an RT Series embedded controller, the LabVIEW Professional
Development System, and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module, you can
permanently embed code on the system so it starts automatically
when the system boots. To ensure reliable operation for real-time
control, embedded LabVIEW Real-Time applications continue to
run even if the host computer is interrupted or the operator
upgrades, 64 MB standard on PXI-8145 RT; 128 MB standard on PXI-8176 RT and PXI-8175 RT
of rapidly changing hard drive technology, contact NI for the latest hard drive options
Table 1. PXI Real-Time Embedded Controller Selection Guide
National Instruments • Tel: (800) 433-3488 • Fax: (512) 683-9300 • info@ni.com • ni.com
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