1、PDF外文：http:/ Selecting the Right Data Acquisition System Engineers often must monitor a handful of signals over extended periods of time, and then graph and analyze the resulting data. The need to monitor, record and analyze data arises in a wide range of applications, including the design-ver
2、ification stage of product development, environmental chamber monitoring, component inspection, bench top testing and process trouble-shooting. This application note describes the various methods and devices you can use to acquire it, record and analyze data, from the simple pen-and-paper method to
3、using today's sophisticated data acquisition systems. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each method and provides a list of questions that will guide you in selecting the approach that best suits your needs. 1. Introduction In geotechnical engineering, we sometime encounter some di
4、fficulties such as monitoring instruments distributed in a large area, dangerous environment of working site that cause some difficulty for easy access. In this case, operators may adopt remote control, by which a large amount of measured data will be transmitted to a observation room where the data
5、 are to be collected, stored and processed. The automatic data acquisition control system is able to complete the tasks as regular automatic data monitoring, acquisition and store, featuring high automation, large data store capacity and reliable performance. The system is composed of ac
6、quisition control system and display system, with the following features: 1. No. of Channels: 32 (it can be increased or decreased according to user's real needs.) 2. Scanning duration: decided by user, fastest 32 points/second 3. Store capacity: 20G ( it may be increased or decreased) 4.
7、Display: (a) Table of parameter (b) History tendency (c) Column graphics. 5. Function: real time monitoring control, warning 6. Overall dimension: 50cm50cm72cm Data acquisition systems, as the name implies, are products and/or processes used to collect information to document or analyze some p
8、henomenon. In the simplest form, a technician logging the temperature of an oven on a piece of paper is performing data acquisition. As technology has progressed, this type of process has been simplified and made more accurate, versatile, and reliable through electronic equipment. Equipment ranges f
9、rom simple recorders to sophisticated computer systems. Data acquisition products serve as a focal point in a system, tying together a wide variety of products, such as sensors that indicate temperature, flow, level, or pressure. Some common data acquisition terms are shown below: Data acquisition t
10、echnology has taken giant leaps forward over the last 30 to 40 years. For example, 40 years ago, in a typical college lab, apparatus for tracking the temperature rise in a crucible of sodiumtungsten- bronze consisted of a thermocouple, a bridge, a lookup table, a pad of paper and a pencil. Tod
11、ay's college students are much more likely to use an automated process and analyze the data on a PC today, numerous options are available for gathering data. The optimal choice depends on several factors, including the complexity of the task, the speed and accuracy you require, and the documenta
12、tion you want. Data acquisition systems range from the simple to the complex, with a range of performance and functionality. 2. Pencil and paper The old pencil and paper approach is still viable for some situations, and it is inexpensive, readily available, quick and easy to get started. All you nee
13、d to do is hook up a digital multimeter (DMM) and begin recording data by hand. Unfortunately, this method is error-prone, tends to be slow and requires extensive manual analysis. In addition, it works only for a single channel of data； while you can use multiple DMMs, the system will quickly become
14、s bulky and awkward. Accuracy is dependent on the transcriber's level of fastidiousness and you may need to scale input manually. For example, if the DMM is not set up to handle temperature sensors, manual scaling will be required. Taking these limitations into account, this is often an acceptab
15、le Method when you need to perform a quick experiment. 3. Strip chart recorder Modern versions of the venerable strip chart recorder allow you to capture data from several inputs. They provide a permanent paper record of the data, and because this data is in graphical format, they allow you to easil
16、y spot trends. Once set up, most recorders have sufficient internal intelligence to run unattended without the aid of either an operator or a computer. Drawbacks include a lack of flexibility and relatively low accuracy, which is often constrained to a few percentage points. You can typically
17、perceive only small changes in the pen plots. While recorders perform well when monitoring a few channels over a long period of time, their value can be limited. For example, they are unable to turn another device on or off. Other concerns include pen and paper maintenance, paper supply and data sto
18、rage, all of which translate into paper overuse and waste. Still, recorders are fairly easy to set up and operate, and offer a permanent record of the data for quick and simple analysis. 4. Scanning digital multimeter Some bench top DMMs offer an optional scanning capability. A slot in the rear of t
19、he instrument accepts a scanner card that can multiplex between multiple inputs, with 8 to 10 channels of mux being fairly common. DMM accuracy and the functionality inherent in the instrument's front panel are retained. Flexibility is limited in that it is not possible to expand beyond the numb
20、er of channels available in the expansion slot. An external PC usually handles data acquisition and analysis. 5. PC plug-in cards PC plug-in cards are single-board measurement systems that take advantage of the ISA or PCI-bus expansion slots in a PC. They often have reading rates as high as 100,000
21、readings per second. Counts of 8 to 16 channels are common, and acquired data is stored directly into the computer, where it can then be analyzed. Because the card is essentially part of the computer, it is easy to set up tests. PC cards also are relatively inexpensive, in part, because they rely on
22、 the host PC to provide power, the mechanical enclosure and the user interface. 6. Data acquisition options In the downside, PC plug-in cards often have only 12 bits of resolution, so you can't perceive small variations with the input signal. Furthermore, the electrical environment inside
23、a PC tends to be noisy, with high-speed clocks and bus noise radiated throughout. Often, this electrical interference limits the accuracy of the PC plug-in card to that of a handheld DMM .These cards also measure a fairly limited range of dc voltage. To measure other input signals, such as ac voltage, temperature or resistance, you may need some sort of external signal conditioning. Additional concerns include problematic calibration and overall system cost, especially if you need to purchase additional signal conditioning accessories or a PC to accommodate
