What's the coolest thing you've done with LabVIEW?

[jaking]

At NI, we love to hear stories about you, LabVIEW users, and the cool things you are doing with the software. In the past, we've shared stories about developers using LabVIEW to conduct DIY tests on climbing equipment, build a home sprinkler automation system, and create a Twitter-powered popcorn machine.

We want to hear more! Tell us what you've done with LabVIEW and we may feature your story on the Sweet Apps blog.

Jennifer King

NI Content Coordinator

[FrankHS]

I'm in the process of modifying a CNC Mill ( a full sized one) to be controlled by national instruments hardware and programmed with LabView. The existing controls are obselete and difficult to find parts for. I'm using a PCI 7344 card.

I'm not sure if this qualifies as cool, but it is a hobby rather than my regular job of programming LabView.

[Ben]

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@FrankHS wrote:

I'm in the process of modifying a CNC Mill ( a full sized one) to be controlled by national instruments hardware and programmed with LabView. The existing controls are obselete and difficult to find parts for. I'm using a PCI 7344 card.

I'm not sure if this qualifies as cool, but it is a hobby rather than my regular job of programming LabView.

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Well I think its cool.

I have a Smithy that i started to automate but never finished. I do have motors and gear trains to run the bed and cross table screw-drives and a pile of encoder strips/sensors but never ayutomated due to a lack of suitable hardware to do the interface.

i would be interested in hearing more about your experience since it may save me some headaches when I finally talk the wife into letting me purchase the control hardware.

Take care,

Ben

[jcarmody]

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@Ben wrote:

Well I think its cool.

I have a Smithy that i started to automate but never finished [...].

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I, too have a Smithy.  I started to think about automating it but never actually purchased any hardware.  I haven't let it rust, so it's not all bad.

[Ben]

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@jcarmody wrote:

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@Ben wrote:

Well I think its cool.

I have a Smithy that i started to automate but never finished [...].

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I, too have a Smithy.  I started to think about automating it but never actually purchased any hardware.  I haven't let it rust, so it's not all bad.

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I learned from an old machinist that I should use a flat sharpening stone (type used to sharpen knives) to keep the machined surfaces clean and flat. it is starting to develop that nice black finish as expected.

I did buy some of the attachments that Smithy offered but soon found I could get the same things from Enco for a lot less, So I have a cabinet dedicated to all of the add-ons and cutters.

If I remeber, I'll try to get a picture of the capstan, and pulleys we made using the Smithy for use in a N-Scale skip hoist. most of the hardware will fit on a dime but runs remarkably well concidering I don't know what I am doing. The other thing I have used it for to a large extent is milliling the rails used for N-Scale turn-outs (switch to you non railroad type) since that is tedious work and is not far off from trying to machine the side of a peice of 18 guage wire. We built jigs to make it easy.

Yes, it's not a Bridgeport but my shop does not have the ceiling for a Bridgeport (I know because I measured before buying one).

Ben

[manumohannair]

I have a windows mobile application with External GPS(Using LV for Mobile module) which will log my trip in GPS co-ordinates. There may be many "Apps" in market, but i cutomised it to make me proud. ;-)...The good part is i still use it even 6 months after developing it.

Regards,

Manu Mohan

[jaking]

Hi everyone,

There is some great story sharing here! I love hearing how LabVIEW is being used outside of our regular jobs. Again, great stories. Keep 'em coming!

Jennifer King

NI Content Coordinator

[Ben]

Hi Jennifer,

This thread is old but talks about how I used LV to develop control software for my model train layout.

If you look closely at this image you will see the app running on a laptop.

Sorry but there is no NI hardware since we hand built the I/O sub-system before NI was invented (originally the code was written BasicA)

Ben

[Terry_ALE]

Break into a totally new industry where FPGAs are used but not with LabVIEW FPGA.  Read more: http://www.wallstreetfpga.com/fixcancel

[Andy_Mil]

I am in the process of using LV to control 9 telescopes and support hardware (in sync) that are several thousand miles apart. The software then relays the images gahter back to a central computer for further processing.