Programmable automation controllers triple output

Engineers and scientists building processing-intensive control applications can now triple their processing performance with a new family of compact controllers.

Engineers and scientists building processing-intensive control applications can now triple their processing performance with a new family of Compact FieldPoint controllers from National Instruments.

The new cFP-2100 controllers include a 200 MHz Pentium-class Vega processor that, when combined with new SDRAM memory, is more than three times faster than previous controllers.

The new Compact FieldPoint devices are programmable automation controllers (PACs), delivering the flexibility of PCs with the ruggedness of PLCs.

The Compact FieldPoint 2100 family of controllers offers additional improvements compared to existing controllers, including more memory - increased from 16/32MB RAM to 64/128MB RAM - and a larger industrial-grade temperature range - increased from -25 deg C to 60 deg C, to -40 deg C to 70 deg C.

The new controllers feature SDRAM memory that can lock memory access to the CPU clock, resulting in faster data transfer.

Unlike EDO RAM memory used in previous controllers, SDRAM memory facilitates simultaneous data transfer to the CPU while another set of data is being prepared for transfer.

By combining these new controllers with the latest NI software tools such as the new NI LabVIEW WriteRead virtual instrument (VI) and new AI/AO combo modules such as the cFP-AIO-600 and the cFP-AIO-610, engineers and scientists can substantially reduce system jitter.

This jitter reduction results from improved communication between the controller and the I/O modules, as well as faster data management.

The cFP-2100 controllers deliver additional features including an internal temperature sensor, serial console redirect and new, faster LabVIEW VIs.

The increased performance and new features in the cFP-2100 family make the controllers ideal for processing-intensive applications such as high-speed control and high channel count distributed I/O.

* About Compact FieldPoint - the Compact FieldPoint platform is ideal for high-vibration applications, withstanding 50G of shock and 5G of RMS vibration, even when mounted on heavy machinery or in vehicles.

Compact FieldPoint operates in temperatures ranging from -40 deg C to 70 deg C, so users can run embedded LabVIEW applications in extreme environments where many industrial PCs fail.

Compact FieldPoint and FieldPoint modules are examples of a new programmable controller option called PAC, an embedded industrial platform that combines the best features of the PC, such as the processor, RAM and powerful software, with the reliability, ruggedness and distributed nature of the PLC.

Readers may learn more about NI PAC offerings by visiting www.ni.com/pac.

* About National Instruments - National Instruments is a technology pioneer and leader in virtual instrumentation - a revolutionary concept that has changed the way engineers and scientists in industry, government and academia approach measurement and automation.

Leveraging the PC and its related technologies, virtual instrumentation increases productivity and lowers costs through easy-to-integrate software, such as the NI LabVIEW graphical development environment, and modular hardware, such as PXI modules for data acquisition, instrument control and machine vision.

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 3,400 employees and direct operations in approximately 40 countries.

In 2004, the company sold products to more than 25,000 companies in 90 countries.

For the past six years, FORTUNE magazine named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America.

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