DAQ systems, loggers and recorders show off

By Rick Pedraza, Managing Editor, Digital Media

THE MARKET for data acquisition (DAQ) boards, modules, and software is poised to expand to nearly $1 billion by 2009, according to analysis from Frost & Sullivan. The report examines current DAQ products used by OEMs and end users, and their likely requirements through 2009. It predicts sales to reach $823.3 million, with the data acquisition modules market alone expected to grow at an annual rate of 13.4% during this period.

On the Ethernet front, the market also has seen considerable growth in distributed DAQ applications. Market analysis provided by Venture Development Corp. shows revenues from distributed DAQ applications constituted approximately 20% of the total DAQ market’s revenues in 2005, and they continue to find increased acceptance.

While demand for data acquisition systems, data loggers, and recorders continues to grow at an accelerated pace, our rundown of new systems and devices for industrial machinery applications shows technological advances are keeping up with how DAQ is being used by controls engineers.

For example, systems and devices used to measure acoustics, vibration, shock and other signals are being introduced with thousands of I/O channels. Also, many new devices presented in this roundup now can be mixed and matched in combination, mostly for applications that demand a variety of industrial measurements with full isolation.

Advances in data recorders include adoption of wider bandwidths for data-collection applications. Several of the new data loggers presented have gone ultra-compact and include internal sensors as a second temperature channel. Portable DAQs shown here provide high-resolution recording to a hard drive, eliminating the need for tape recording.

USB-based, Ethernet-based, and data-logging DAQ devices with out-of-the-box functionality are the latest in PC-based data acquisition. Many new devices support Modbus and TCP protocols, enabling communication with third-party software drivers and HMI/SCADA packages. Network-enabled data logging and alarming systems provide remote monitoring and recording of instrument data.

In addition, distributed I/O is being used more often to collect data from remote sensors and other instrumentation, and provide process control and distributed I/O capabilities. Other advances include DAQ devices that provide connectivity and remote monitoring, converting numerous protocols simultaneously.

Backpack Expander With Isolation
DI-78B expansion backpack accepts up to 16 8B-style modules for bench top or portable data acquisition connections. Measurement types include thermocouple, voltage, strain, frequency, process current (4-20 mA), RTD, and potentiometer. Modules can be mixed and matched for a variety of industrial measurements with the convenience and safety of full isolation. Dataq Instruments; 330/668-1444; www.dataq.com

Hard-Disk Data-Recording
Teac DS-Series hard-disk instrumentation data recorder provides digital acquisition, storage, and data file retrieval for wide-bandwidth data-collection applications. Features include internal RAID storage as the recording media, high-capacity, easily accessible data storage, and sampling rates from 20 kHz to 1 MHz per channel for a usable frequency bandwidth of 8 kHz to 400 kHz. Data is recorded in digital file format and can be transferred from the internal hard drive to a networked PC via a Gigabit Ethernet connection. R.C. Electronics; 805/685-7770; www.rcelectronics.com

Data Logger With Thermocouple Input
Micro T/C temperature logger stores up to 16,383 temperature readings from a variety of thermocouples. The ultra-compact (0.6x1.4x2.15 in) unit automatically performs cold-junction compensation and linearization, and provides logged temperature data from its internal sensor as a second temperature channel. The lithium battery-powered unit records the time and date stamped temperature readings in °C, °F, °K, or °R at user-definable recording intervals from 2 sec to 12 hours. Telatemp; 800/321-5160; www.telatemp.com

PC-Based DAQ Catalog
DAQ catalog introduces the latest USB-based, Ethernet-based, and data logging DAQ devices. It presents more than 50 different PCI boards, and summarizes DAQ products for popular PC buses, including ISA, PC/104, PCMCIA, serial I/O, GPIB, plus signal conditioning. It presents a range of software, including TracerDAQ for out-of-the-box functionality; SoftWire and DasyLab for creating applications without writing code; and Universal Library for high-level functions and drivers for Windows-based languages. Measurement Computing Corp.; 508/946-5100; www.mccdaq.com

Process Control and Distributed I/O Network
Net Concentrator system collects data from remote sensors and other instrumentation, and provides process control and distributed I/O capabilities. It stores up to 64,000 points of time-stamped data, and can be configured to store data from one or all of its input channels. Sampling rate is user-selectable between once per second to once every 24 hours. Features include 20-bit measurement resolution, high signal-conditioning capabilities, and data rates up to 100 megabits per second. Moore Industries; 818/894-7111; www.miinet.com

DAQ System Supports Modbus
isoLynx SLX200 data acqui­sition system enables com­munication with third-party
software drivers and HMI/SCADA packages. The fully isolated DAQ can interface with more than 650 analog I/O modules for factory automation, process control, test and measurement, machine control, and data acquisition applications. Communication protocol is Modbus RTU for RS-232/485 or Modbus TCP for Ethernet. Standard communication is RS-232/485. Dataforth; 800/444-7644; www.dataforth.com

LAN-Enabled DAQ System
2680A DAQ system chassis has six slots, allowing users to custom build a complete data-logging system. Five of these slots accommodate any combination of 20-channel, universal-input modules compatible to the new unit, eliminating the need for external signal conditioning. The sixth can be used for an additional analog input module, or for an available digital I/O relay module that adds an additional element of control to the system. It also features Ethernet TCP/IP protocols and network interfaces for 10/100 BaseT. Each analog module has a universal input module that allows users to connect and measure electrical or physical parameters without external signal conditioning. Fluke; 888/492-7556, www.fluke.com

Portable Machinery Diagnostics
Adre portable DAQ system uses high-resolution recording to a hard drive, eliminating the need for tape recording. It targets machinery test stands as well as field-installed machinery applications where up to 128 channels of data must be collected simultaneously for extended periods of time. Its highly scalable architecture allows users to populate the instrument with only the number of channels required for the application. Up to 32 channels of asynchronously sampled or 24 channels of synchronously/asynchronously sampled data can be acquired with one 408 DSPi. GE Bently Nevada; 775/215-2226; www.gepower.com

Data Historian
IndustrialSQL server historian integrates factory automation and IT information sources to provide a complete data record of operations. It runs on Microsoft Windows XP Professional and SQL Server Personal Edition in 100 and 500-tag counts that can be used standalone or readily added onto basic HMI historical data recordings. Advanced analysis and reporting tools can leverage all server software. Server software includes a storage algorithm to further reduce data storage requirements by up to 70%. Wonderware; 949/727-3200; www.wonderware.com

DAQ Board Does Real-Time Processing
DAP 5200a DAQ board has an onboard 400 MHz AMD K6-III+ processor for real-time processing. Functions include smoothing, filtering, FFT, PID control, and responding to alarm conditions. The unit has 32M of DRAM onboard memory and provides 14-bit A/D resolution for its 16 onboard analog inputs, and 12-bit D/A resolution for its two onboard analog outputs. Onboard analog input channels sample 800k samples/sec, and the 16 onboard digital input channels sample at an overall rate of 1.666M words/sec. Microstar Laboratories; 888/mstarlabs; www.mstarlabs.com

An Echo in Here
ProLinx 7000 application delivers communication protocols and embedded Echo data historian, logging of up to 500 tags of real-time data at sub-second speed. It’s fully customizable and programmable, includes C programming, and supports multiple automation programming languages. An OPC-HDA server can be added to allow open access to the historical data. Connectivity options enable controller platforms in computing gas flow calculations, and interfacing to motor controls, drives and other devices in machinery, packaging, and production applications. ProSoft Technology; 661/716-5100; www.prosoft-technology.com

USB DAQ Measures 256 Channels
CompactDAQ USB-based modu­lar data acquisition system has an eight-slot chassis that accepts I/O modules capable of measuring up to 256 channels of electrical, physical, mechanical and acoustic signals in one system. Connectivity and signal conditioning measurements include voltage, temperature, strain, sound and vibration, as well as digital I/O and switching. All modules are hot-swappable and auto-detectable for simplified setup, and provide up to 2,300 Vrms of isolation. National Instruments; 800/258-7022; www.ni.com/daq

Paperless Recorder Improves Display
DXAdvanced paperless recorders feature increased data acquisition and recording speeds of 25 msec per interval. DX100 screen size is 5.5 in; DX2000 screen size is 10.4 in. Capacity of the built-in storage device is 200 MB. Measurement data can be saved onto a USB storage device, and a keyboard can be connected to add comments to measurement data displayed on the monitor. Yokogawa; 770/254-0400; www.yokogawa.com

Connectivity and Remote Monitoring
Data Station Plus converts many protocols simultaneously for seam­less communication between disparate devices. The system collects data in CSV files that can be viewed by Excel and Access. Alarms and notifications to warn of pending problems or required maintenance can be sent via text-message or e-mail. A removable CompactFlash memory card stores logged data, allowing for virtually limitless memory expansion and data collection capability. The system offers data collection with built-in protocol converter and virtual HMI access. Red Lion Controls; 717/767-6511; www.redlion.net

Real-Time Data Client
RTS 2500 development platform system provides real-time wide-band data acquisition, signal processing, and recording. The unit comes preconfigured as a data recording system with a GUI, and is a fully programmable development platform that targets transceiver applications. Both the recording and playback functions use industry-standard, 2-GB, fiber-channel interface to a RAID or disk-storage system. The unit can send raw or processed data to a disk array at speeds up to 160 Mbps for recording, and the unit can send the data off-board through its front-panel data port, RACE++, or Gigabit Ethernet ports. Pentek; 201/818-5900; www.pentek.com

Small Footprint, High Resolution
QCard has a C-programmable computer, a 16 MHz 68HC11F1 Motorola microprocessor, up to 1 MB of memory, communications, analog and digital I/O, and an expansion I/O bus on a 2x2.5-in. board. An optional real-time clock and battery back the 128K RAM. Onboard I/O includes eight digital I/O lines with counter/timer capabilities, eight analog inputs, a synchronous SPI serial interface, and dual RS232/485 ports. Mosaic Industries; 510/790-8222; www.mosaic-industries.com

Network-Enabled Data Logging System
IntelliLogger network-enabled logging and alarming system provides remote monitoring and recording of instrument data. The system records critical operating parameters, generates information for graphic and standard web pages, displays real-time data, and sends e-mail alarms with embedded data or FTP data to an enterprise-wide database. Features include Ethernet, modem, RF, and cell-phone communications options; HyperWare-II icon-based software for programming, communications, data plotting, trending, and web page creation; and low-power battery, photovoltaic, and/or line-powered operation. Logic Beach; 619/698-3300; www.logicbeach.com

Strip-Chart Recorder
RD-87 series of six economical strip-chart recorders monitor thermocouple readings, temperature, temperature/humidity, voltage, current or 4-20 mA inputs. All have an LCD and record on a 4-in. chart using one pen, except for the two-pen temperature/humidity model. The full-function alarm can sound when measurements exceed set limits. To prevent nuisance alarms, activation can be delayed by a specified time. Omega Engineering; 203/359-7812; www.omega.com

Channel Changer
Eco-Graph T multi-channel display has a USB port for service and data transfer to a PC, an Ethernet port for integration into plant-wide systems, an RS485/RS232 port for integration into existing networks, and an embedded web server for remote connectivity. Front-end color LCD can be read in digital and bar-graph mode, and data can be transferred with CSV format. Endress+Hauser; 888/endress; www.us.endress.com

Follow the Trend
Minitrend QX and Multitrend SX paperless recorders have touchscreens, increased input capability, input isolation, and scan rates to 20 ms. They also have advanced mathematical calculations, events, totalization, custom screens, health-watch/maintenance, OPC interface, and a standard NEMA 3/IP55 front-face protection rating. Honeywell; 800/223-8947; www.honeywell.com/imc/paperless

Top of the Chart Record(er)
Cord-XL dual-channel electronic chart recorder monitors and records DC or AC voltages on two electrically isolated input channels. It can monitor and graph input voltages in real time with recording speed ranges from 10 readings per second to one reading per hour. Memory capacity allows up to 1.08 million readings to be stored, sufficient for 12.5 days of chart recording. Rohrback Cosasco Systems; 800/635-6898; www.rohrbackcosasco.com
  
Graphic Data Recordings
6000 series graphical data recorder provides secure data recording, while its touchscreen displays provide brightness, clarity, functionality, and intuitive operator interfaces with no button-pressing sequences. The smaller 6100A uses a digital, 0.25 VGA, color touchscreen display, while the 6180A uses a larger XGA display. Invensys Eurotherm; 703/443-0000; www.eurotherm.com

Multifunctional I/O
USB-4711 plug-and-play data-acquisition module has a 100 KS/s 12-bit A/D converter with an onboard 1K sample FIFO buffer. The unit provides up to 16 single-ended A/D input channels, two 12-bit D/A output channels, eight digital inputs, eight digital outputs, and one event counter. It also includes a USB 2.0 interface and onboard screw terminals for wiring. Advantech; 877/294-8989; www.advantech.com