The latest news, tutorials and articles on data acquisition and control using personal computers. http://www.windmill.co.uk/ http://www.windmillsoft.com/wmicon.gif http://www.windmill.co.uk/ 64 64 The rising number of projects, the establishment of new process plants, the financial recovery of numerous end-user industries, as well as reinvestment in plant renovation, modernisation, capacity expansion and technology development have led to a market resurgence in flows sensors and transmitters, according to report from Frost and Sullivan. http://tinyurl.com/7mpswz8 http://tinyurl.com/7mpswz8 4-8 Feb, San Diego USA, Exhibition showcases the latest in laboratory technologies and automation http://www.slas2012.org/ http://www.slas2012.org/ January's issue of Monitor, the newsletter on PC-based data acquisition and control, now available at http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor162.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor162.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor162.html Modern semiconductor technology enables system integration on single chips with low cost and low energy consumption. But still, applications that rely on battery powered wireless sensor networks have to overcome the idle listening problem of radio receivers and avoid wasting energy during standby condition. The most common approach of scheduling communication protocols for lifetime extension leads to numerous drawbacks and difficulties, so the author discusses the alternative solution of a dedicated ultra-low power receiver, called "Wake-up Receiver" that simultaneously provides fast network reactivity. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/3838123220/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/3838123220/rss1-21 New technical reference guide for the control systems professional provides a detailed, insightful view into the fields of measurement: final control elements; signals, transmission and networking; automation and control systems; codes and standards; hazardous areas and safety instrumented systems. http://tinyurl.com/82v3ygn http://tinyurl.com/82v3ygn How to log data from devices communicating over TCP/IP: Ethernet, Internet, etc. http://www.windmill.co.uk/tcpip-data-logger.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/tcpip-data-logger.html IMS Research's latest report "The EMEA and Americas Markets for Building Automation Controllers, Software and Sensors - 2011 Edition" has found the air waves in buildings are increasingly being filled with signals from building automation systems http://imsresearch.com/press-release/Wireless_Makes_Waves_in_the_Building_Automation_Market http://imsresearch.com/press-release/Wireless_Makes_Waves_in_the_Building_Automation_Market Packed with environmental sensors, an unobtrusive wristband will help you keep comfortable indoors - and could do much else besides. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328476.100-wristband-plugs-you-into-smart-buildings.html http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328476.100-wristband-plugs-you-into-smart-buildings.html According the ARC Advisory Group, 2010 was an important year for the overall automation market as it saw a return to growth for many automation products and suppliers. The timing of the recovery, however, was not felt evenly across the various suppliers and product segments. Orders increased almost unilaterally for all of the major automation suppliers over the course of 2010 but the ability to turn these increased orders into recognized revenues varied significantly across the major suppliers. http://www.arcweb.com/press-center/2011-12-13/global-automation-markets-on-track-to-return-to-pre-recession-levels-in-2011.aspx http://www.arcweb.com/press-center/2011-12-13/global-automation-markets-on-track-to-return-to-pre-recession-levels-in-2011.aspx New book focuses on new remote instrumentation aspects related to high-speed networking, wireless grid for acquisition devices and sensor networks, real-time control, measurement instrumentation and methodology. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1461405076/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1461405076/rss1-21 According the ARC Advisory Group, the Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 13% over the next five years. http://www.arcweb.com/press-center/2011-12-16/enterprise-manufacturing-intelligence-market-will-expand-at-more-than-13-annually.aspx http://www.arcweb.com/press-center/2011-12-16/enterprise-manufacturing-intelligence-market-will-expand-at-more-than-13-annually.aspx The latest issue of Monitor, the data acquisition and control newsletter, is now freely available at http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor161.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor161.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor161.html New software developed at NPL to promote and support the use of the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) is now available. http://www.npl.co.uk/news/software-for-measurement-uncertainty-evaluation http://www.npl.co.uk/news/software-for-measurement-uncertainty-evaluation The IEEE 802.15.4 IC market will grow to over 1.1 billion USD in 2016 - up from just 90 million in 2010. According to ABI Research, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is still a key adoption market and there is significant impetus behind the continuation of this market. http://www.abiresearch.com/press/3825-Revenues+for+IEEE+802.15.4+IC+Market+Will+Exceed+$1.1+Billion+in+2016 http://www.abiresearch.com/press/3825-Revenues+for+IEEE+802.15.4+IC+Market+Will+Exceed+$1.1+Billion+in+2016 The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has announced the approval of ISA-100.11a-2011, "Wireless Systems for Industrial Automation: Process Control and Related Applications," as an American National Standard. http://www.measurementmedia.com/2011/12/standards/isa100-wireless-standard-approved-as-american-national-standard/ http://www.measurementmedia.com/2011/12/standards/isa100-wireless-standard-approved-as-american-national-standard/ Software installed in undersea gliders allows the robotic vehicles to survey large swaths of ocean more effectively. http://www.theengineer.co.uk/sectors/rail-and-marine/news/software-improves-autonomy-of-robotic-ocean-surveillance/1011141.article http://www.theengineer.co.uk/sectors/rail-and-marine/news/software-improves-autonomy-of-robotic-ocean-surveillance/1011141.article Utility meter monitor logs gas, electric and water use with alarms and digital switching. Save data as text, xml, EnergyLens files and to a MySQL database on the Internet or Ethernet network. Choose custom engineering units through software, scaling readings as required, eg to kilowatt-hours or cubic meters. http://www.microlink.co.uk/meter.html http://www.microlink.co.uk/meter.html Latest issue of Monitor - the newsletter on PC-based data acquisition and control - now live at http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor160.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor160.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor160.html Windmill Software now offer a more compact system for thermocouple measurement and control via a PC's USB port. http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/thermocouple-measurement.html http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/thermocouple-measurement.html Everything you need to know about using RS485 and RS422 for data acquisition and control. Find out the benefits of RS485 and RS422, differences between them, wiring options and how to avoid serial errors. http://www.windmill.co.uk/rs485.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/rs485.html Wireless sensor networks promise an unprecedented fine-grained interface between the virtual and physical worlds. The new edition of this book provides a detailed and organized survey of the field. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1107402506/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1107402506/rss1-21 Data logging with alarm control. For analogue and digital I/O; total, frequency, period and time lapse counting. Log voltage, current, temperature, pressure, etc; count products, machine on/off times... http://www.microlink.co.uk/840-data-logger.html http://www.microlink.co.uk/840-data-logger.html Windmill software continually records the mass of a high pressure frying sytem during research into industrial cooking. http://www.windmill.co.uk/frying.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/frying.html A new interagency report recommends systematic consideration of new metering technologies that can yield up-to-date, finely grained snapshots of energy and water usage in commercial and residential buildings to guide efficiency improvements and capture the advantages of a modernised electric power grid. http://www.nist.gov/el/submeter-110811.cfm http://www.nist.gov/el/submeter-110811.cfm RS485 and RS422 connections now included in discussion of using USB-Serial converters in instrumentation. http://www.windmill.co.uk/usb-serial.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/usb-serial.html Measuring temperature and humidity of greenhouses on an experimental Site. http://www.windmill.co.uk/wheat.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/wheat.html New book claims to provide most up-to-date information, analysis, background and everything you need to know about SCADA. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1743049943/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1743049943/rss1-21 Five points to consider when using a PC to measure strain. http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor157.html#Strain http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor157.html#Strain Windmill Software slash the price of their strain measurement package to 475 pounds, 770 USD or 540 Euro. Includes software, conditioning hardware and technical support for life. http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/strain-measurement.html http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/strain-measurement.html An in-depth, state-of-the-art review of control software packages used in plant optimisation, control, maintenance and safety. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Instrument-Engineers-Handbook-Software-Networks/dp/1439817766/rss1-21 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Instrument-Engineers-Handbook-Software-Networks/dp/1439817766/rss1-21 Windmill data acquisition software now communicates with RFID readers sending hex or ASCII data, as well as with many other devices including GPS receivers, temperature sensors and data loggers. Tag IDs saved in text or Excel files. All data is time- and date-stamped on collection. http://www.windmill.co.uk/rfid.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/rfid.html What settings to enter to communicate with your laboratory instrument, transducer or measuring device? Windmill have the answer in a series of serial communications settings for devices from GPS receivers to electronic scales to load testers. With free serial trouble-shooting software. http://www.windmill.co.uk/serial_driver.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/serial_driver.html UK households could significantly cut their energy bills by using a real-time energy monitor, a new study suggests. http://www.napier.ac.uk/media/Pages/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsID=226 http://www.napier.ac.uk/media/Pages/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsID=226 Detailed and highly readable report by Kim Zetter on wired.com. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/07/how-digital-detectives-deciphered-stuxnet/ http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/07/how-digital-detectives-deciphered-stuxnet/ Measure temperature, strain, pressure, current or voltage with 16 analogue inputs plus 16 digital i/o and 8 counters. Free technical support for life. http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/daq-usb.html http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/daq-usb.html New software to log data from devices connected to the PC's COM port over RS232, RS485 and Modbus is now available for free download to Monitor Newsletter subscribers, from the Windmill Software web site. Includes ComDebug terminal emulator to trouble-shoot serial port connections. http://www.windmill.co.uk/windmill7.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/windmill7.html Just released: Measurement, Data Analysis, and Sensor Fundamentals for Engineering and Science. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1439875294/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1439875294/rss1-21 PID control, alarm monitoring, data logging according to conditions: just a few of the things possible with Windmill Software's new Test Sequence software. For devices communicating over RS-232, RS-422 RS-485, Modbus, USB and Ethernet and interfacing thermocouples, pressure transducers, strain gauges, RTDs, pH probes, etc. http://www.windmill.co.uk/testseq.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/testseq.html New book explores the current state of the art in control of industrial processes in the field of extraction and processing of metals and materials. New sensor technologies, more advanced real-time models and faster computers are enabling better control systems for these processes. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1118036182/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1118036182/rss1-21 Read and control up to ten devices over RS232, RS422, RS485 and Modbus. Software comprises ready-to-run applications to chart and log data, control analogue and digital outputs, monitor the com port and send data directly to Excel. And all for 50 pounds or 80 dollars. http://www.connectingindustry.com/story.asp?storycode=199315 http://www.connectingindustry.com/story.asp?storycode=199315 Patrick Dunn reviews the sensors commonly used in engineering and science, emphasizing the underlying physics involved. He provides a practical analysis of sensors and measurement, designed to help readers make informed decisions when selecting an appropriate sensor for a given application. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/143986103X/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/143986103X/rss1-21 Windmill are pleased to offer their lowest ever price on measurement hardware. The compact 750 unit plugs into the PC's USB port and provides 16 analogue inputs, 16 digital inputs/outputs and 8 counters. It comes with the fully featured Windmill software to log and chart data, count, control outputs and send data to Excel or other Windows software: no programming is needed. The package includes free technical support for life. http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/analogue-input.html http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/analogue-input.html 22 February 2011: Windmill are pleased to announce that their USB drivers for data acquisition and control devices are now fully compatible with 64-bit Windows 7. Monitor thermocouples, strain gauge bridges, voltage, current, pH, resistance, pressure; control digital outputs like switches and relays; output analogue voltage or current signals; count events. http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/data-acquisition.html http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/data-acquisition.html?rss 11 February 2011: New Windmill measurement and control software runs under Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP. It lets you handle up to 10 instruments connected to the PC's COM port over RS232, RS485, RS485 and modbus. Import data directly to Excel and other Windows applications, and save in text files. Includes ready-to-run data logger, chart, output control and com port monitor applications. http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/software.html http://www.windmillsoft.com/daqshop/software.html Researchers have created a robotic fish that can move from swimming forward and backward to swimming vertically almost instantaneously by using a sophisticated, ribbon-like fin. The robot is fitted with a electrosensory system which the research team hope will let the robot autonomously use its sensor signals to detect an object and then use its mechanical system to position itself near the object. http://news.scubatravel.co.uk/2011/01/robotic-fish-could-monitor-corals.html http://news.scubatravel.co.uk/2011/01/robotic-fish-could-monitor-corals.html New web site explains how to: count people; monitor queues; track the path people took around a building; calculate sales conversion and monitor current occupancy. http://videoturnstile.com/ http://videoturnstile.com/ New book for scientists and engineers of any discipline who wish to use data acquisition in their work and need to make an informed selection from the many systems of hardware and software available; for circuit engineers designing electronic instruments which need to incorporate data acquisition; and for students of electrical and electronic engineering courses. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1441947299/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1441947299/rss1-21 Beginning with a brief introduction to the basic concepts of process, process parameters, sensors and transducers and classification of transducers, this new book describes the performance characteristics of instrumentation and measurement systems and discusses various types of sensor signals, the concepts of signal representations and their operations in both static and dynamic conditions. It describes smart sensors, cogent sensors, soft sensors, self-validating sensors, VLSI sensors, temperature-compensating sensors, microcontrollers and ANN-based sensors, and indirect measurement sensors. http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1420089536/rss1-21 http://www.Amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1420089536/rss1-21 In Excel you can paste a live picture of some of your data in another workbook. When the original data changes, the picture updates. The picture floats above the normal cells and columns, so you don't have to clear a space for it. This is very useful for reports and data summaries or dashboards. http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor144.html#Excel http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor144.html#Excel How to use the Open Office Calc spreadsheet to regularly collect data from instruments and transducers like balances, GPS receivers, pH transmitters, titrators, pressure transducers, voltmeters, digital thermometers: anything that can communicate over RS232. http://windmill.co.uk/openoffice.html http://windmill.co.uk/openoffice.html A new step-by-step guide to dealing with noisy data acquisition systems, with particular reference to pH measurements. http://www.microlink.co.uk/debug.html http://www.microlink.co.uk/debug.html When you communicate with an instrument over RS232, you often have to send it a string of characters. It is not always obvious how to enter some of these but this table should help. http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor120.html#ASCII http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor120.html#ASCII How to set Excel to send you an e-mail whenever one of its live data values goes into an alarm state. Plus how to get the live data into Excel from your sensors and instruments. http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor117.html#Excel http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor117.html#Excel You can connect digital dial gauges (or digital indicators as they are also known) to a PC and automatically record all measurements. Read the new step-by-step guide on using the free Windmill data acquisition software to collect data from a Sylvac dial gauge. http://www.windmill.co.uk/sylvac.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/sylvac.html How to log data from a Garmin GPS, and other instruments, on your PC. http://www.windmill.co.uk/garmin.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/garmin.html Find out how to count the number of negative readings in a set of data, or the the number of readings which are between 20 and 30 oC. How can you use the COUNTIF function in your macros or count over scattered cells? http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor115.html#Excel http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor115.html#Excel Robert Kwiatkowski wanted to see his fuel consumption in real-time. Unfortunately his truck did not give him this information, so he designed his own fuel consumption monitoring system using the free Windmill data acquisition software. He connected his laptop to the On Board Diagnostics system of his Ford Expedition, used Windmill to collect data from the truck and Excel to calculate and display his current fuel consumption. http://www.windmill.co.uk/fuel.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/fuel.html Here are eight tips on successfully using a USB-Serial convertor for data acquisition on a Windows computer. http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/win/win108.html http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/win/win108.html Guide to using Windows software to continually collect readings from an NMEA instrument. Many instruments use NMEA messages to communicate with a computer, including GPS receivers, echo sounders and anemometers. You plug your device into the PC's COM port then run the free Windmill data acquisition software. Data can be transferred to Excel in real time. http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor109.html#NMEA http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor109.html#NMEA Tips on using Excel for data acquisition: data logging with Excel, creating virtual instruments, showing live data in Excel forms, recovering data from corrupted worksheets... http://www.windmill.co.uk/excel.html http://www.windmill.co.uk/excel.html COMIML lets Windows software read and control serial devices connected to the PC's COM port. These include such diverse equipment as electronic balances used in a laboratory, GPS receivers used in the field and data loggers used in process plant. The COMIML device driver can communicate over RS232, RS422, RS485 or Modbus. New checklist quickly gets you started logging and charting data from your serial instruments. http://www.windmill.co.uk/comiml_ts.html Receive the data acquisition and control news via your mobile phone. http://www.mobispine.com/MyMobispine/MyServices/SignUp.do?serviceId=11075 Most analogue sensors produce a voltage, including thermocouples, strain gauge bridges and gas concentation probes. This is converted to a form the computer can understand by an analogue-to-digital (A-D) coverter. The input range (or gain range) of an A-D coverter refers to the maximum and minimum voltage that it can accept. You should always choose the smallest range that encompasses your signal, as this optimises the resolution. Although the resolution increases when you narrow the range, there is no point in trying to resolve signals below the noise level of the system: all you will get is unstable readings... http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor95.html#range If you have an instrument or device which you can plug into the PC's COM port, and it communicates using ASCII messages, chances are you can use the free Windmill software to collect its data. This is because Windmill's free LabIML driver was designed to be as flexible as possible and accommodate almost any instrument with an RS232 port. However, this flexibility has meant that the initial set up can be a case of trial and error. These notes should reduce the error and help you decide the best way to interpret, or parse, the messages from your instrument. http://www.windmill.co.uk/parse.html New article gives tips on measuring pH with a PC. pH electrodes have a very high output impedance and you cannot just connect them to a normal voltage input on your data acquisition unit. You will need instead to choose a DAQ unit that will amplify the signal to the appropriate level. http://www.microlink.co.uk/pH.html The BASIC Stamp is already noted for the ease it has brought to resolving control technology problems. Its use of the BASIC language with inbuilt control instructions can dramatically shorten industrial development time. The free Windmill software can read ASCII data and be configured to pass information directly to an application like Excel. http://www.windmill.co.uk/stamp.html Free software lets you automatically collect data from a Mettler Toledo balance. For PCs running Windows software like Excel. http://www.windmill.co.uk/mettler.html You can use the free OpenOffice suite of software to collect data from almost any measurement device with an RS232 port. http://www.windmill.co.uk/openoffice.html New tips on connecting measurement instruments and devices to the computer's COM port. Discover where to find free troubleshooting software, how to check the COM port is working correctly, what to do about cabling errors and which handshaking settings to use. http://www.windmill.co.uk/wiring.html#Serial Building managers can now connect automatic people counting systems to the PC over a WiFi wireless network. Previously, the people counters from Biodata were connected to the PC over RS232, RS485 or Ethernet cables, or via a modem. The new WiFi option speeds up installation and reduces cabling costs. http://www.buildingtalk.com/news/bod/bod100.html You can use instruments with RS232 ports over WiFi networks. To do this you need a serial device server. This will make your balance, GPS receiver, multimeter, fluorometer, force gauge, torque meter, etc. appear as if it were connected to the COM port. You can therefore use any data acquisition software which reads RS232 instruments to log data from your instrument, such as the Windmill COMIML software. http://www.windmill.co.uk/monitor82.html#RS232 E-Print ArXiv is a fully automated electronic archive and distribution server for research papers. It covers areas such as physics and related disciplines, mathematics, non-linear sciences and computer science. The e-prints on E-Print ArXiv are freely accessible for everyone. The E-Print ArXiv data in Scirus are retrieved through the Open Archives Initiative. http://www.scirus.com/srsapp/aboutus/#sources Every People Counting system bought from Biodata now includes free analysis and reporting software. Called VisitorTrends Lite, this is easy-to-use with a range of interactive charting and information options. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb205619.php You can now use either php or Javascript to display this news on your own web pages. http://www.windmill.co.uk/newsfeed.html See new tips on charting with Excel. For instance, find out how to scroll a chart and how to label individual data points on x-y charts. http://www.windmill.co.uk/xlchart.html