Real-Time Embedded Controllers for PXI
NI PXI-8176 RT, NI PXI-8175 RT, NI PXI-8145 RT
• Real-time, deterministic performance • GPIB interface
• Headless, reliable operation
• 1.26 GHz Intel Pentium III
processor, maximum
• Serial interface
• CAN interface
• MXI-3 chassis expansion
• 40 kHz single PID loop
rates, maximum
• Ethernet connectivity
• Watchdog timer
• Integrated serial ports
• Built-in nonvolatile memory
Required Software
• LabVIEW Professional or
Full Development System
• LabVIEW Real-Time Module
Real-Time PXI Modules
• Data acquisition
• Reconfigurable I/O
• SCXI signal conditioning
(except 112x and 119x switches)
• Digitizers
• Dynamic signal acquisition
• Switches
• Image acquisition
• Motion control
Overview
performs a soft reboot of the host computer. Because the RT Series
The National Instruments RT Series PXI embedded controllers PXI embedded controllers run in a separate chassis with a dedicated
deliver a flexible, rugged platform for your deterministic, real-time power supply, the operator can shut down the host computer entirely
embedded measurement and control applications. You develop your without disrupting the embedded program.
applications with NI LabVIEW and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module
under Windows or Mac OS X, then download and embed the Dual-Boot Option
program to run on your RT Series PXI embedded controller under a You can use Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to
real-time operating system. Thus, you can use all the powerful configure some models of the Windows-based PXI embedded
development tools of LabVIEW to develop real-time, reliable controllers to dual-boot as real-time embedded controllers. With
solutions. With RT Series PXI embedded controllers, your real-time MAX on a Windows host machine, you can create floppy disks that
measurement and control systems capitalize on all the benefits of PXI you can use to install or remove the real-time operating system from
systems, including rugged industrial construction and modularity. your PXI controller without affecting the native Windows operating
Build real-time PXI systems with any number and combination of system. (The Mac OS X hosts will have these utilities shipped with
PXI and Compact PCI measurement hardware modules.
the LabVIEW Real-Time Module.) The result is an RT Series
All RT Series embedded controllers deliver real-time deterministic controller that boots off a floppy disk into a real-time operating
performance and headless, reliable operation. NI offers embedded system or off the hard drive into a Windows operating system. To
controllers ideal for high-performance control applications with PID enable a Windows-based PXI embedded controller to dual-boot with
control loop rates up to 40 kHz and embedded controllers ideal for
PXI-8176 RT
PXI-8175 RT
PXI-8145 RT
lower-cost real-time applications (see Table 1). Each controller
communicates with a Windows or Mac OS X computer running the
LabVIEW Real-Time Module over standard Ethernet, and includes a
Watchdog timer for monitoring the status of a system.
Processor
1.26 GHz Intel Pentium III 866 MHz Intel Pentium III 266 MHz low-power
Intel Pentium MMX
Maximum rate for
single PID loop
Ethernet connectivity
Serial ports
39 kHz
30 kHz
6 kHz
100BaseTX/10BaseT
2
100BaseTX/10BaseT
2
100BaseTX/10BaseT
1
GPIB ports
1
–
–
Reliable Stand-Alone Operation
Nonvolatile memory
20 GB Ultra
DMA IDE hard drive2
512 MB SDRAM,
maximum1
20 GB Ultra DMA
IDE hard drive2
512 MB SDRAM ,
maximum1
32 MB CompactFlash
With an RT Series embedded controller, the LabVIEW Professional
Development System, and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module, you can
permanently embed code on the system so it starts automatically
when the system boots. To ensure reliable operation for real-time
control, embedded LabVIEW Real-Time applications continue to
run even if the host computer is interrupted or the operator
DRAM
128 MB SDRAM,
maximum1
Internal
Watchdog
Shock and Vibration
Software configurable
Software configurable
Basic
Basic
Extended
1With upgrades, 64 MB standard on PXI-8145 RT; 128 MB standard on PXI-8176 RT and PXI-8175 RT
2Because of rapidly changing hard drive technology, contact NI for the latest hard drive options
Table 1. PXI Real-Time Embedded Controller Selection Guide
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