Beginner needs help

[Altobo]

Greetings,

First of all I should apologise for my bad English. It's not my first language, so I apologise for any mistakes.

I have been given the task of creating a program in Labview. It's the first time I have to use it seriously, so I'm kind of lost.

I need to activate 6 several small engines in a specific order. Each engine may only be active for a specific amout of time, and when one is turned of, another should start immediately.

So it should go: 123456123456123456 with a specific amout of time between each step. It should loop until the user wants it to quit.

Right now I was experimenting with the 'Tick Count' function, but with little success...

Furthermore I have no idea what functions to use to use this program to activite the engines.

A module from national instruments will be provided to send the required signals to the engines.

I'm using Labview version 8.5.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Altobo.

(If this topic is posted in the wrong section, feel free to reallocate it.)

[Mellroth]

QUOTE (Altobo @ Oct 21 2008, 03:04 PM)

...I need to activate 6 several small engines in a specific order. Each engine may only be active for a specific amout of time, and when one is turned of, another should start immediately.

So it should go: 123456123456123456 with a specific amout of time between each step. It should loop until the user wants it to quit.

Right now I was experimenting with the 'Tick Count' function, but with little success...

Furthermore I have no idea what functions to use to use this program to activite the engines...

Welcome to LAVA Altobo.

You'll have to provide a lot more details to get the information you need, like

1. What kind of engines (SW process, physical engine, ...)?

2. What kind of interface do you have for your engine control? (serial, TCP/IP, UDP, ...)

...

You are also going to get a lot more answers, if you show some effort and upload what you have done so far.

/J

[TobyD]

QUOTE (Altobo @ Oct 21 2008, 06:04 AM)

I have been given the task of creating a program in Labview. It's the first time I have to use it seriously, so I'm kind of lost.

I need to activate 6 several small engines in a specific order. Each engine may only be active for a specific amout of time, and when one is turned of, another should start immediately.

If I understand you correctly, you are more interested in the timing and sequence of starting and stopping these "engines" than in the actual communication with the engines. Is that correct?

This sounds like a perfect case to use a simple state machine architecture. Take some time to search here and on ni.com for state machines and see if it makes sense to you. Let us know if you have questions on the implementation.

Out of curiosity, what is this project for? What will the engines be doing?

-Toby

[Altobo]

Hey,

It has been a while since I posted my question. I'm here to inform you that the project was a huge success.

We wouldn't have succeeded without the knowledge of a state machine, so a big thank you to everyone who helped.

I'm sorry I didn't upload any progress. We were able to figure out a way to make it work.

The result can be viewed

.

The computer is linked to a machine labeled NI PXI-1044 (from National Instruments (I don't know the English word)).

This machine sends pulses to relay switches who close the circuit of several copper coils with a generator. When current flows through a coil, it becomes attracted to the bit iron plate on top. That plate has indentations so the coil alligns itself with an upper part of the iron plate. When several coils are positioned in such a way that they are out of phase (defased?), acivating the coils in a specific way moves the mover either horizontal or vertical direction.

We were given the computer and the NI PXI-1044, the rest we had to make ourselves (with a limited budget).

This is the best I can explain our assignment.

Altobo

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

QUOTE (Altobo @ Dec 9 2008, 02:55 PM)

...

The result can be viewed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VxXGJkZbkk' rel='nofollow' target="_blank">here.

...

This is the best I can explain our assignment.

Altobo

Could you expalin that shower of sparks at the end?

Ben

[Altobo]

That was just a joke

[crelf]

A LabVIEW success story! Thanks for coming back and letting us know how it went.

[TobyD]

QUOTE (Altobo @ Dec 9 2008, 11:55 AM)

We were able to figure out a way to make it work.

Glad to hear it all worked out! I especially appreciate your use of Fluke products - it keeps me employed :thumbup:

[hazim]

hey,

I have been given the task of creating a program in Labview. Its my first time using it and its for my final year project..

I need to activate small engines. Each engine may only be active to move the hand of the robot or maybe the leg of a humanoid robot..

Furthermore I have no idea what functions to use to use this program to activite the engines.

I'm using Labview version 8.5. Is it possible to make for me a real sample so that i can test it out.. im really2 lost..

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

hazim

(If this topic is posted in the wrong section, feel free to move it.)

[Neville D]

Read this