National Instruments (www.ni.com) is a technology pioneer and leader in virtual instrumentation -- a revolutionary concept that has changed the way engineers and scientists approach measurement and automation. Leveraging the PC and its related technologies, virtual instrumentation increases productivity and lowers costs for customers worldwide through easy-to-integrate software, such as the NI LabVIEW graphical development environment, and modular hardware, such as PXI modules for data acquisition, instrument control, and machine vision.
National Instruments machine vision hardware and software solve a variety of applications ranging from inspecting automotive parts to verifying pharmaceutical packaging. For industrial applications, the NI Compact Vision Systems deliver more power than three smart cameras. For PCI and PXI vision applications, frame grabbers are available for analog, digital, Camera Link, and FireWire cameras.
Additionally, two types of software are available to create machine vision applications. Non-programmers can use NI Vision Assistant to quickly and easily configure their machine vision solution. The NI Vision Development Module provides more than 200 image processing and scientific imaging functions that are available for use in programming languages such as LabVIEW, CVI, C++, and Visual Basic. Both software options include tools for pattern matching, OCR, color matching, gauging, and edge detection.
For more information on the NI vision offering, please visit www.ni.com/vision.
For datasheets and additional information on specific NI products mentioned in this month''s On the Cutting Edge feature please click on the links below:
LabVIEW
Since 1986, NI LabVIEW has redesigned measurement and automation with its unique graphical development methodology. Noted by the editorial community as premiere software in the electronics, industrial control and electronics design industries and recipient of 10 awards in 2004, LabVIEW delivers an intuitive and powerful way to acquire, analyze and present measurements at every stage of development, from prototyping to design to manufacturing test. LabVIEW is available on Windows, Macintosh, Sun Solaris, and Linux operating systems.
NI Compact Vision System
The new National Instruments CVS-145x Compact Vision Systems extend the power of LabVIEW Real-Time to a new rugged machine vision package that withstands the harsh environments common in robotics, automated test, and industrial inspection systems. NI CVS-145x systems offer unprecedented I/O capabilities and network connectivity for distributed machine vision applications. They use FireWire (IEEE 1394) technology, compatible with more than 40 cameras with a wide range of functionality, performance, and price. In addition, you can connect up to three cameras to one CVS-145x to significantly lower the price of your deployed system. You can also integrate a CVS-145x with the industrial measurement and control capabilities of NI Compact FieldPoint. To program a CVS-145x, you have the choice of configuring your machine vision application quickly with Vision Builder for Automated Inspection, or programming your application with LabVIEW and the Vision Development Module.
NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection
NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection is configurable machine vision software that you can use to prototype, benchmark, and deploy applications. NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection does not require programming, yet is scalable to powerful programming environments such as LabVIEW. A built-in deployment interface is included so you can quickly deploy your inspection, guidance, and identification applications. The software also includes abilities to set up complex pass/fail decisions, control digital I/O devices, and communicate with serial devices such as PLCs.
NI DAQ
National Instruments, a leader in PC-based data acquisition, offers the most complete family of data acquisition devices for desktop, portable, and networked applications on several buses, including PCI, PXI, PCMCIA, USB, and FireWire.