NI CompactDAQ for Sensor Measurement and Test

NI's CompactDAQ is a comprehensive hardware solution designed to revolutionize your sensor measurement test systems. With CompactDAQ, you gain unprecedented control over your test system's capabilities, allowing you to meet tight timelines and achieve exceptional data accuracy, regardless of the distance or environment. Pair with one or more of NI’s software solutions to have a complete system.

To help you navigate the possibilities of CompactDAQ, this comprehensive guide includes pre-configured hardware bundles, components for custom builds, and considerations for the successful deployment of a CompactDAQ system based on your application requirements.

 

What is NI CompactDAQ?

What sets NI’s CompactDAQ apart is its departure from traditional black box test systems. Instead, it offers a portable and highly customizable solution that connects sensors and electrical signals directly to your PC via Ethernet or USB. This approach allows you to digitize data closer to the sensors, minimizing noise and simplifying cabling in the field. CompactDAQ serves as the ideal "universal test instrument," empowering teams to do more with less.

Ideal for medium-channel-count DAQ applications, CompactDAQ excels in accurately measuring data from multiple sensors, signals, and networks. Whether you're conducting vibration analysis, motor and bearing tests, thermal tests, power quality measurements, or any other test application, CompactDAQ provides the flexibility and scalability required for reliable results.

Key Features

Customized Sensor Test System

Choose from NI’s 70+ measurement modules with built-in sensor- or signal-specific conditioning. This expansive selection allows you to pick modules to build a customized system that precisely meets your measurement needs.

Scale and Synchronize

Expand your CompactDAQ system by adding NI’s Ethernet-compatible chassis, enabling you to take microsecond-synchronized measurements across multiple chassis. This scalability ensures your test system can grow with your evolving requirements.

Meet Your Test Demands

CompactDAQ is built to withstand the demands of field testing. Pack up your CompactDAQ system and take it with you between labs, field tests, or even customer sites for in-situ data validation with your test equipment.

NI CompactDAQ System Anatomy

When building your CompactDAQ system, you will need two main hardware components: Chassis and Modules. NI also offers accessories that are dependent on the hardware to help with environmental needs such as mounting and power supply. You can custom build your test system or get started with a pre-configured CompactDAQ measurement bundle. Once you have your hardware, you need to consider Software to complete your hardware system.

CompactDAQ Chassis

Expand your CompactDAQ system by adding NI’s Ethernet-compatible chassis, enabling you to take microsecond-synchronized measurements across multiple chassis. This scalability ensures your test system can grow with your evolving requirements.

C Series Modules

CompactDAQ is built to withstand the demands of field testing. Pack up your CompactDAQ system and take it with you between labs, field tests, or even customer sites for in-situ data validation with your test equipment.

Software Option(s)

Choose from NI’s 70+ measurement modules with built-in sensor- or signal-specific conditioning. This expansive selection allows you to pick modules to build a customized system that precisely meets your measurement needs.

  • Pre-Configured Measurement Hardware Bundles
  • Build Your Own CompactDAQ Test System
  • Software Option(s)

These pre-configured CompactDAQ hardware systems include NI’s CompactDAQ Chassis, C Series Module(s), and Relevant Accessories. It’s a great place to get started with a customizable data acquisition system. Complete your system by choosing compatible software.

Consideration when picking your starter bundle:  What is the primary sensor measurement data your test system needs?

CompactDAQ Temperature Measurement Bundle

Sensor/Signal Connection Options: Thermocouple

CompactDAQ Voltage Measurement Bundle

Sensor/Signal Connection Options: Voltage, Digital I/O, mixed I/O

CompactDAQ Sound and Vibration Measurement Bundle

Sensor/Signal Connection Options: IEPE microphones and accelerometers

CompactDAQ Chassis

NI’s CompactDAQ Chassis has options for 1 to 14 module slots, allowing you the flexibility to choose the I/O modules needed for your current and future test applications. It features either a USB or an Ethernet bus connectivity and provides timing, synchronization, and triggering. The chassis and C Series Modules make CompactDAQ an ideal “universal test instrument” for teams trying to do more with less.

Module families are based on the signal you will be measuring. There are multiple options to account for budget, signal count, sample rate, etc.

NI C Series Analog Input Modules

Voltage

C Series Voltage Input Modules are equipped with high-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), voltage input ranges from +/- 500 mA to +/- 10 V, and sample rates up to 500 kS/s.

Current

C Series Current Input Modules can measure up to 20 mA or 5 Arms for high-performance control and monitoring applications. Choose from options with built-in anti-aliasing filters or high-channel density to reduce the number of modules needed.

Strain/Bridge (Force, Torque, Load, Pressure)

C Series Strain/Bridge Input Modules measure signals from bridge-based sensors such as strain gages, load cells, pressure sensors, and more. You can use these products to excite, condition, acquire, and digitize measurements.

Temperature

C Series Temperature Input Modules measure signals from temperature sensors such as thermocouples and resistance temperature detectors (RTDs). Use these products to acquire, condition, and digitize signals in varied temperature ranges and environments.

Sound and Vibration

C Series Sound and Vibration Input Modules interface with microphones and accelerometers to acquire acoustic and vibration signals. Use these products for audio tests; machine condition monitoring; and noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) applications.

NI C Series Analog Output and Digital I/O Modules

Voltage and Current Output

The C Series Voltage Output Module has options for up to 16 channels and helps you update analog output models that feature overvoltage protection, short-circuit protection, low crosstalk, fast slew rate, high relative accuracy, and NIST-traceable calibration.

The C Series Current Output Module features up to 8 channels of simultaneous analog output and has built-in open-loop detection.

Digital Input and Output

The C Series Digital I/O Module interacts with a range of industrial switches, transducers, and devices.  You can characterize circuits, toggle control lines, and meet many other digital application needs.

In addition to selecting the hardware components, you'll need to consider the software options that best suit your team.

No-code or out-of-the-box data logging.

NI’s FlexLogger data acquisition software is best for engineers who want to acquire data from NI DAQ hardware with no programming. Use sensor-specific configuration workflows to quickly set up, visualize, and log a mix of synchronized measurements.

Control or automate multiple test systems or more analysis.

NI’s flagship software, LabVIEW, is best for the engineer ready to control multiple test systems, do more analysis, and is interested in automation. Use NI-DAQmx driver API to create complex data acquisition programs and control all your measurements in a single application.

Develop with your preferred programming language

For the engineer who prefers Python, C, or .NET, the free NI-DAQmx driver includes API’s automate and collect data from CompactDAQ Hardware. You will also need this driver to connect to any of NI’s other software as well.

Develop, manage, and report with NI software

Test Workflow Standard is bundles NI’s popular software for testing! It includes FlexLogger, LabVIEW, G Web Development Software, and DIAdem. Everything you need for your team’s full testing journey. If you need LabVIEW and FlexLogger, this is the best bundle for you to get.