Boeing flies with LabVIEW

Boeing has selected an NI LabVIEW and PXI-based solution for acquisition of vehicle launch environments on the ground-based midcourse defence system vehicle flight test program.

For this system, Boeing required an advanced data acquisition solution that could acquire and analyse simultaneous high-speed inputs and display them in real time on a remote computer located in the launch control bunker. National Instruments Alliance Partner Radical Systems, Inc used LabVIEW graphical development software and PXI embedded hardware to create a parallel data acquisition system to maintain the data throughput and required precision. They remotely accessed the embedded PXI controller throughout the test via an ethernet interface to control and observe the data prior to, during and after test completion.

"With the flexibility of LabVIEW and modular design of PXI, we optimised code reuse and created the initial prototype in fewer than 45 days," said James L Slemp, director of engineering at Radical Systems. "The final version of this system showed a cost savings greater than 30% compared to the predecessor and performed its function more intuitively and with greater versatility."

The system collects data in a continuous-acquisition mode for a total of 168 channels. It features 24 high-speed input channels for strain gauges and/or bridge-type transducers with simultaneous sample-and-hold capabilities, 16 high-speed input channels for accelerometer and/or acoustic transducers with simultaneous sample-and-hold capabilities and 48 isolated digital inputs and outputs for discrete I/O control and synchronisation. Boeing used this system to remotely acquire, analyzs and view complex data sets including acoustic, strain, pressure, vibration, temperature and heat flux inputs of its ground-based missile defense system.

PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI) is an open specification governed by the PXI Systems Alliance (www.pxisa.org) that defines a rugged, CompactPCI-based platform optimised for test, measurement and control. PXI products are compatible with the CompactPCI industrial computer standard that is supported by more than 60 member companies and more than 1000 products. PXI offers additional features such as environmental specifications, standardised software and built-in timing and synchronisation.