using CompactDAQ module to issue earthquake signals to a shake table

[bli045]

Dear technicians,

I am currently having a problem of using Labview to issue earthquake signals through NI USB 9263 Module to a shake table. My questions are:

1) Is there a toolkit for 9263 module supported by MATLAB? In other words, can MATLAB work with Module 9263?

2) If MATLAB can not support 9263, can LabVIEW issue earthquake signals? I know it can do sine waves, but not sure if it can output a earthquake signal.

3) In order to make it work, do I have to install Run - Time engine? Is there an easier way to program labview to issue earthquake signals to a shake table?

Many thanks,

Bo 

[AdnanZ]

1. MATLAB will not be able to directly work with the 9263 module but LabVIEW could easily be used. One way of working with m-file scripts in LabVIEW is the MATLAB script node. The node coexists with LabVIEW graphical code as a "script node," a rectangular region that you can add to LabVIEW programs and use to enter or load m-files. When the node executes, LabVIEW calls the MATLAB software to execute the m-file script. LabVIEW MathScript is the newest alternative for working with m-file scripts in LabVIEW. Unlike the MATLAB script node though, MathScript adds native m-file script support to LabVIEW - you do not need additional third-party software to compile and execute your m-file scripts. Have a look at options to learn more.

2. What are the attributes of an earthquake signal? To be an honest, I have heard about earthquake simulators but not signals.

3. If you are using the LabVIEW application on a machine that doesn't have LabVIEW installed, you will need the runtime engine. Otherwise, you can just call the application directly.

[bli045]

Thank you so much Adnan. I will try the way you suggested.

[bli045]

Hi Adnan,

Just back to the second question, I mean if LabVIEW can load a real earthquake time history data and command shake table to produce this signal through 9263 module without calling Matlab?

Thanks,

Bo

[AdnanZ]

Maybe it can. That's why I wanted to know what the attributes of the signal that you were receiving were. If it fits the specs of the 9263, then you can definitely read it, manipluate it (by scaling, FFT etc), and work with it. If it requires some advanced analysis that LabVIEW does not support, then you can also call m-scripts through ways that I have mentioned above.

[EricS.]

Exactly as Adnan said it depends what the attributes are of the earthquake signal you need to simulate.  If it is a combination of sine waves of different frequencies and amplitudes you definitely can output it with the 9263. You could even create a custom large array of voltage levels and then output that one point at a time, you can do that also.

You could use MATLAB to create the signal, save it to a spreadsheet or text file, and then import that to LV using the read from spreadsheet file.vi, rather than needing to use an MATLAB Script Node.