Top 10 Reasons to Add LabVIEW to Your PLC

1. Overview

Process and discrete manufacturers are under increasing pressure to maximize efficiency, reduce downtime, and increase output. Manufacturers recognize that the key to achieving these improvements is timely and accurate information. However, the development of information is complicated by the mix of existing hardware and software in the plant and the limitations of traditional systems. You can absorb LabVIEW into your existing systems to add measurement and analysis capabilities to your process to collect complex data and transform it into useful information. In addition, with the openness of LabVIEW, you can connect and provide information wherever it is needed, whether it exists in a database, is available from a web-based dashboard, or is provided to existing plant control hardware. You can even use LabVIEW to close feedback loops and perform complex control operations with the information provided.

This white paper lists ten key reasons to add LabVIEW to your PLC.

 

What is LabVIEW?

LabVIEW is a graphical development environment that complements IEC 61131-3-based PLCs by incorporating PC and embedded technologies for real-time analysis, monitoring, advanced control, and proactive maintenance. By adding LabVIEW to your existing PLC-based systems, you can significantly improve throughput, output, and uptime. The newly released LabVIEW 8.5 enhances LabVIEW's industrial measurement capabilities with new features designed for advanced analysis and control, improved distributed system management, and new target platforms that support human-machine interfaces (HMIs). For example, LabVIEW's new function library supports engineers using improved FPGA target tools to implement high-performance, hardware-based machine monitoring and protection systems, as well as a new LabVIEW touch screen module that helps engineers create Windows CE-based HMIs using the same software. LabVIEW introduces technology that simplifies custom controller hardware development and provides new display target platforms. With LabVIEW, engineers and machine builders can use the same software tools to design and deploy industrial systems that include high-performance measurement, FPGA-based advanced analysis and control, communication with existing systems, and human-machine interfaces.

Figure 1: What is LabVIEW?

2. Reason 1: LabVIEW supports high-speed measurements of a wide range of sensors  

Whether you are measuring with thermocouples, strain gauges, IEPE accelerometers, bridge sensors, or quadrature encoders, LabVIEW provides you with a reliable and easy-to-use data collection platform. With LabVIEW, you can quickly acquire and generate signals from plug-in boards, USB devices, and Ethernet-based systems. These I/O capabilities, combined with special data types and measurement analysis functions, are designed to make it as easy as possible to get the measurements you need from your physical sensors. For image acquisition, LabVIEW supports thousands of cameras and provides software libraries for real-time image acquisition and analysis. LabVIEW also supports a variety of hardware (such as NI CompactDAQ and NI CompactRIO) for conditional intelligent measurements.

Many industrial applications require the collection of high-speed measurements for vibration or power quality applications. The collected data is used to monitor the condition of rotating machinery, determine maintenance schedules, identify motor wear, and adjust control algorithms. LabVIEW can directly make high-precision measurements with millions of samples per second, and then transmit these sampled data directly to its control system for immediate processing.

3. Reason 2: LabVIEW supports vibration monitoring and proactive maintenance  

Predictive maintenance and machine condition monitoring are fundamental components of any automated system that aims to achieve maximum uptime. The LabVIEW Sound and Vibration Toolset and the LabVIEW Order Analysis Toolset complement the general LabVIEW measurement analysis and deterministic functions with analysis and presentation for applications involving vibration analysis and rotating machinery. With these toolsets, you can calculate overall vibration levels (RMS, peak, or crest factor), integrate from acceleration to velocity or displacement, perform order analysis such as online order tracking, order extraction, and order spectrum calculation, process digital and analog tachometer signals, perform limit testing on time domain data or power spectra, and plot spectrum, color, waterfall, overlay, Bode, polar, orbit, timebase, axle axis, and Campbell (intensity) plots.


Figure 2. Analysis of accelerometer data for vibration monitoring in LabVIEW

The LabVIEW 8.5 FPGA Module adds new functions for implementing filters, fixed-point math, alarms, and measurements, allowing engineers to build FPGA-based machine protection systems. Now, by combining the robust and compact design of CompactRIO, the reliability of FPGA-based implementations, and the ease of use of LabVIEW FPGA, developers can embed powerful protection monitoring and control systems into their industrial machines.

4. Reason 3: LabVIEW supports data entry

LabVIEW provides routines for data logging and alarm management, as well as real-time and historical trend analysis. Whether you are collecting data from NI data acquisition products, LabVIEW Real-Time targets, Compact FieldPoint or CompactRIO modules, or programmable logic controllers, you can quickly configure the I/O you want and automate data logging with the LabVIEW Data Logging and Supervisory Control (DSC) Module. Historical data is stored in Citadel, a SQL 92- and ODBC 2.5-compatible database, so you can use standard data extraction tools to get information for use in other parts of your enterprise. Because you can use the LabVIEW DSC Module to log data to any machine on your network, you can choose a single machine to host the database for all your applications or choose to distribute data among multiple machines on the network. In addition, intuitive wizards in LabVIEW help you develop a complete data logging application with virtually no programming. With LabVIEW, you can easily log data to a CSV, Excel, or XML file for offline analysis. Offline order analysis can help you perform proactive maintenance, such as changing loads before a system failure actually occurs. LabVIEW can also enter data into a database when necessary.

5. Reason 4: LabVIEW supports statistical process analysis  

LabVIEW uses Pareto charts to perform real-time performance analysis, helping field engineers narrow down the main causes of machine downtime. This analysis is done using the Statistical Process Control functions available in the LabVIEW DSC Module. Given either an unsorted list of drivers or a list of drivers and the frequency of occurrence of each driver, the Pareto Counter sorts the drivers in the list from most frequent to least frequent and calculates the Pareto statistics for each driver. Given a set of Pareto values ​​(output of the Pareto Counter VI), two Pareto charts and associated legends can be created. One is a bar chart of the frequency of occurrence of each driver; the other is a bar chart of the percentage contribution of each driver; the associated legend is a list of driver codes and their sorting. For example, if a machine is blocked for the largest portion of the time, you can check what driver is causing the machine to be blocked for so long. The driver for this failure could be frequent blockages due to inconsistent raw materials or operator error. The higher the percentage of time spent in production, the more efficient your machine is.

Figure 3. Pareto chart in LabVIEW

6. Reason 5: LabVIEW supports data sharing between PLC and other automation equipment  

Whether the device you are communicating with is a process instrument, a programmable logic controller (PLC), an intelligent sensor, or a single-loop controller, LabVIEW provides a variety of reliable, easy-to-use tools to help you meet any of your communication needs. LabVIEW supports OLE for Process Control (OPC) for information exchange between different automation devices. LabVIEW includes compatibility with OPC Data Access 3.0, a recent extension of the OPC specification that improves the performance and reliability of accessing real-time data from process control hardware and software. Using the Modbus library for NI LabVIEW or the built-in Modbus I/O server in the DSC module, you can use any Ethernet or serial port as a Modbus TCP or Modbus serial master or slave. With this Modbus I/O server and communication gateway, you can easily absorb existing devices on any industrial network into your LabVIEW application. The communication gateway supports a variety of networks, including DeviceNet, ControlNet, EthernetIP, PROFIBUS, and PROFINET.

7. Reason 6: LabVIEW supports the development of graphical user interfaces

LabVIEW makes it easy to create human-machine interface (HMI) applications for remote monitoring. LabVIEW provides hundreds of objects for developing professional user interfaces, including graphics, charts, knobs, dials, thermometers, and more. Simply drag and drop objects in the control palette, and then use interactive property pages to customize their behavior and appearance. You can lay out your user interface on a PC, touchpad, tablet PC, or even a web browser. LabVIEW supports multiple clients controlling a web-published application or VI at the same time, giving you a wider range of options for displaying data. With 3D graphics controls in LabVIEW, you can now easily create, import, and control 3D graphics to display real-world objects in real time.

The new LabVIEW Touch Panel Module, combined with the new shared variable function for communicating with handheld devices, makes it possible for engineers to quickly add Windows CE-based HMIs to their measurement and control systems. Using shared variables, you can easily display values ​​from the real-time controller code directly on customized operator interfaces, which are often used in embedded machine control and monitoring systems, further simplifying the development of handheld systems for field monitoring applications.

Figure 4: Developing the user interface using LabVIEW

8. Reason 7: LabVIEW supports alarms, data entry, numerical scaling, and report generation  

You can graphically add alarms, scaling, and data logging to your application in LabVIEW. You can support alarm warnings when temperatures are too high, log data or events that trigger error conditions, or scale values ​​to real units for efficient reporting. You can also programmatically dial a phone number or send an SMS message directly from your PDA when an error condition is detected. For high-channel-count systems, the LabVIEW DSC Module adds programmatic channel configuration tools to help developers dynamically define and log data. With the improved multivariable editor, you can create and bind thousands of shared variables in minutes. With spreadsheet-like features, you can sort or search by variable properties, and you can collapse and expand different data columns to reduce the time required to work with shared variables.

With the LabVIEW Report Generation Toolset for Microsoft Office, you can create and edit LabVIEW-generated reports in Microsoft Word and Excel formats. Whether you need to generate a report summarizing manufacturing test results or compile process statistics to improve your production output, the LabVIEW Report Generation Toolset speeds the completion of customized, professional reports. You can even use the new Microsoft Office Quick Report VIs to create custom reports in less time.

9. Reason 8: LabVIEW supports enterprise and database connections  

Companies such as Dell and Toyota ensure that parts and raw materials arrive at the production line only when they are needed. To achieve this technology, you need to achieve tight integration between the inventory management system and the machines on the production floor that make the final product. For the machines, being able to communicate with databases such as Oracle through Structured Query Language (SQL) becomes an important requirement. Modern systems use Extensible Markup Language (XML) to enable communication between machines and the enterprise. Machines also need to be able to react quickly to any deviation from normal operation - whether this means sending an email or SMS message to key personnel when an error is detected, or remote control through a web browser or PDA when corrective action is required.

Machines and enterprises can be connected using open standards (such as OPC, ActiveX, and .NET) using text-based tools (such as C# or Java) or LabVIEW graphical methods. The class browser in LabVIEW allows you to select an available variable library, such as ActiveX and .NET, and view the classes, properties, and methods in the selected object library. The LabVIEW tool set for database connection and Internet connection helps you connect to common databases such as Oracle, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, Dbase, and others.

10. Reason 9: LabVIEW supports advanced algorithms and customized motion control  

Engineers can use LabVIEW to develop control systems, from simple PID control to advanced dynamic control systems, which helps them choose the right hardware and control methods without having to change their software development methods. LabVIEW's block diagram programming method supports scientists and engineers to naturally design parallel programs. The LabVIEW compiler automatically decomposes these parallel programs into multiple threads for users and passes these threads to the OS for allocation to multiple processing cores. As a result, scientists and engineers can only focus on their solutions without having to worry about the details of multi-threaded programming, but can still gain performance advantages from the latest PC technology.

If engineers have already designed their algorithms in other software, with Simulation Interface Toolset 3.0, they can integrate models developed in MathWorks' Simulink® environment into LabVIEW to implement real-time control prototyping and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) applications. In addition, with the external model interface in LabVIEW, you can use values ​​from third-party plant models in the LabVIEW Simulation Module. You can use LabVIEW to obtain advanced control algorithms and apply them not only to LabVIEW real-time target platforms such as PC, PXI, and CompactRIO, but also directly to custom-designed 32-bit microprocessor-based boards using the LabVIEW Microprocessor SDK.

 

Engineers can also create customized motion controllers using NI soft motion technology in LabVIEW to achieve better performance and flexibility. You can deploy various motion control functions (such as trajectory generation) and customized algorithms on any hardware platform according to your specific application needs and cost-effectiveness requirements.

11. Reason 10: LabVIEW supports fast throughput and reliability with FPGA-based control  

Engineers can use LabVIEW FPGA to create custom measurement and control algorithms. This capability allows engineers to incorporate very time-critical functions such as limit and proximity sensor detection and machine condition monitoring in hardware. Because the control code runs directly in silicon, it is possible for engineers to quickly create applications that include custom communication protocols or high-speed control loops (up to 1 MHz digital control loop and 200 kHz analog control loop).

LabVIEW simplifies prototyping and control algorithm placement in industrial computers, FPGAs, and custom designs, all using the same LabVIEW graphical programming approach. The new LabVIEW FPGA Wizard automatically generates FPGA I/O and timing code to embed control logic directly into FPGA hardware for high performance and reliability. With the LabVIEW FPGA Wizard, engineers have an easy way to use the latest FPGA technology, which means they can focus more on the logic of their control systems. The new LabVIEW FPGA Wizard automatically generates I/O and timing code for the development of custom measurement applications.

Figure 5. LabVIEW FPGA Wizard

Summarize

Over the past 20 years, NI LabVIEW has revolutionized the way engineers measure and use it to improve product quality, get products to market faster, and improve engineering and manufacturing efficiency. You can use the graphical programming capabilities of LabVIEW to implement a powerful real-time performance monitoring system. LabVIEW, with its more than 600 analysis functions, extensive I/O for high-speed monitoring, and connections to enterprise-level systems, is an excellent complement to your PLC system for factory automation.