NI Unveils Latest Product Advancements in Software-connected Systems
National Instruments (NI) releases new software and hardware solutions to help optimize product development in smart factories to encourage wireless innovations.
Formerly known as the National Instruments Corporation, NI is an American multinational company specializing in providing automated test and measurement systems. The company employs hardware and software to provide companies and their engineers, across the world, with the ability to program and store data, extract and analyze data, manage data, monitor equipment, workflow processes, and transmit data quickly for real-time observation.
An engineer using NI’s digital solutions. Screenshot used courtesy of NI
These capabilities are being enhanced with NI’s latest product advancements concerning design, R&D (research and development), testing, and validation during product development.
A Software-connected Approach
In a news release from last month, the CEO of NI, Eric Starkloff, said, “A digital thread of data across each phase of the product life cycle delivers powerful insights to enhance product performance,” said NI CEO Eric Starkloff. “At NI, our software-connected approach unlocks the power of test, from early research to the production floor and beyond. We continue to aggressively invest in the technology to make this compelling vision a reality.”
NI is bringing its customers a software-connected approach to generate a more complete enterprise data and insight chain. Manufacturing facilities and plants are slowly transitioning into the world of smart manufacturing. With NI’s new solutions, manufacturers can start or progress with their digital transformation journey.
NI’s Latest Offerings
NI’s LabVIEW systems engineering software can be used with NI’s DAQ hardware to create custom measurement solutions for visualizing and analyzing real-world signals. Customers can reuse existing code from third-party software, integrate over 1,000 built-in algorithms, and make data-driven decisions while analyzing data as acquired.
NI aims to help its customers make decisions faster through attaining instant insights. LabVIEW uses graphical programming instead of traditional programming. This enables engineers to use graphical data flow to move data from one function to another and fix errors as they arise.
SystemLink aims to break down silos, from concept to manufacturing. Image used courtesy of NI
The company’s SystemLink software interface has been created to help engineers connect test systems and test data to enterprise outcomes. Customers using SystemLink can manage and make test scheduling more efficient and system health, maintenance, and resource utilization. These different capabilities can ultimately help to speed up each phase of the product life cycle.
NI’s I/O modules, PXI. Image used courtesy of NI
PXI Systems, NI’s modular hardware solution, provides customers with high-performance modular instruments and other I/O (input/output) modules for flexible connection to existing systems and workflows. PXI can be used for device validation, automated manufacturing production tests, and high-channel-count test applications. Analog Devices, Inc. used PXI and LabVIEW to create an application-specific microelectromechanical system (MEMS) test platform.
NI and Seagate
NI has collaborated with a data storage infrastructure solutions provider to provide original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers with in-vehicle data storage as a service (STaaS). This will allow OEMs to move away from self-managing autonomous vehicle data. The collaboration involves developing an advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) record offering powered by Seagate's Lyve Mobile edge storage and data transfer service.
The world of fifth and sixth generation (5G and 6G) communications may bring an unparalleled level of connection and communication between people and machine systems. NI’s new Ettus USRP X410 Software Defined Radio Platform has been brought forward to enable engineers to research and prototype wireless innovations.
NI is endeavoring to change how manufacturing is done by connecting tools, systems, and data for engineers. A more connected manufacturing system can allow engineers to capture insights to help optimize processes so that they align with enterprise outcomes.
