Mitutoyo MUX2, Digimatic Micrometer heads and Labview7

[m4nd4li4]

Dear all,

As a newbie Labview user, one of my first task is get readings from 2
Mitutoyo Digimatic micrometer heads (Series 164) which are connected
to a Mitutoyo MUX2 multiplexer (Series 264). The MUX2 is connected to
a PC via RS-232C port.

I'm using Labview 7 Express (Student Edition) and I would like to just
read the data from the micrometers. How do I go about doing this??
Please remember I am a newbie!!!!

Regards,

Bharesh Mandalia

[Conseils]

You need to split this down into various sections.

1) Electrical connections
2) Communications Protocol
3) Software

1.1 Obtain cables for the Mic's to the MUX
1.2 Obtain cables from the MUX to the PC
1.3 Plug them all in
1.4 Test the system

2.1 Obtain data for the comms protocol
2.2 Understand the comms protocol

3.1 Implement some serial code to 'talk' to the unit
3.2 Display the data in the desired format

Well that's a very basic start.
So I guess you have more questions.. but you need to provide some more
information before progressing.

i.e What you know and what you don't.

[unclebump]

Does Mitutoyo have a sample communication program that you can run on
your computer to test cabling, etc?? It may not give you the specific
data that you want, but knowing that you can talk to it will eliminate
many questions. The instrument assistant express vi's might be a good
place to start, but I am not sure they exist in the student edition. I
have used the Visa functions to read data and control a YOKOGAWA DL708
oscilloscope. I downloaded the driver and added a few commands for my
application. You will need a detailed manual that lists commands that
you can execute and the expected results.

[unclebump]

Here is a link to a third party Mitutoyo serial port program on the
NI site.
http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/niepd_web_display.display_epd4?p_guid=D52A66C728FC4950E034080020E74861&p_node=DZ52363&p_source=external

[unclebump]

Here is another website with a labview program to download for the
digimatic

http://gaugelink.com/index.htm

[Conseils]

Again this is for gaugelink and is not a suitable answer to the
question posed. Gaugelink is a third party product (Not by Mitutoyo),
the MUX2 is I believe a Mitutoyo product.

I strongly suspect that gaugelink does not use the same command
protocol as the MUX devices. I have had a quick look at the sample VI
and have not had chance to compare that with any other data yet.
Should I discover they are the same command set I will add to this
comment.

[Conseils]

The main problem with gauge link is that you need to purchase the
gauge link device.

When you use or have the MUX series of devices the digimatic interface
products connect through MUX to the serial port through the MUX.

P.S. MUX stands for Multiplexor.
There are a number of types of these devices, including off the top of
my head the MUX10, MUX2 and MUX50

In summary Gaugelink would not be suitable as the interface device
exists in the form of the MUX.

[Conseils]

To the very best of my knowledge (fairly extensive in this particular
area, though not necessarily 100%).

No they do not, they have a line of SPC software which they sell to
handle data from the Digimatic instruments.

[m4nd4li4]

Dear All,

Many, many thanks for the replies. You all answered my initial
question and others that I hadn't thought of. So to summerise, I
cannot use Labview to communicate with the Mitutoyo MUX2 unit without
using the GaugeLink, which I have to purchase. I don't want to do
this. Mitutoyo do sell the SPC software to handle data from the
Digitmatic instruments. Again, I'd rather use Labview. I'm not sure
what my options are. I suppose there would an equivalent NI
card/module which I could connect the micrometers?? Any alternative
soultions would be gratefully received.

Many thanks for all your help.

Regards,

Bharesh

Conseils <x...@no.email> wrote in message news:<506500000005000000F2...@exchange.ni.com>...

[m4nd4li4]

Dear All,

Many, many thanks for the replies. You all answered my initial
question and others that I hadn't thought of. So to summerise, I
cannot use Labview to communicate with the Mitutoyo MUX2 unit without
using the GaugeLink, which I have to purchase. I don't want to do
this. Mitutoyo do sell the SPC software to handle data from the
Digitmatic instruments. Again, I'd rather use Labview. I'm not sure
what my options are. I suppose there would an equivalent NI
card/module which I could connect the micrometers?? Any alternative
soultions would be gratefully received.

Many thanks for all your help.

Regards,

Bharesh

Conseils <x...@no.email> wrote in message news:<506500000005000000F2...@exchange.ni.com>...

[Conseils]

In answer to your question

You have the kit for the job.. You don't need GaugeLink, this comment
was mis-leading.

Now you need to follow the steps outlined.

If you want to progress I will lead you through the steps to where
ever you want to go.

[Conseils]

I think you posted this twice

[m4nd4li4]

Hello,

Sorry about emailing twice. Quick fingers!!!

I would like to progress further and it is beginning to bug me why
there aren't any drivers for the MUX2. So, Conseils, where and how do
I start with this project? I have the Student edition (version 7) but
I can get hold of a full version of Labview (version 6.1). Are there
any reasons why I should not use the Student edition?

So, please help me figure this out. I really appreciate your kind
help.

Regards,

Bharesh

Conseils <x...@no.email> wrote in message news:<50650000000500000005...@exchange.ni.com>...

[Conseils]

Ok first go through the first list I posted here and work out what you
are missing. Post a list of what you are missing. i.e do you have the
manuals for the MUX2?

There is no reason that I am aware of that the student edition won't
do. At the moment I have not fully transferred to 7.X so 6.1 would be
good also.

Anyway the reson that there is no driver is mainly becuase people in
production processes (where these things are used in volume) need
validated statistical tools. No one has written a complete fully
approved automotive statistics tool in Labview (I believe), hence no
driver. As the approval process is expensive, long and tortous you
start to understand why.

To get you going if you have all the cables you should start with the
Trerminal Emulator. (I assume Windows here). Set 9600bd 7 data bits,
1Stb, No Parity - no handshake. Press the instrument 'Data' button and
the instrument should send a measurement to the Terminal program. You
may need to 'tinker' (my first choice was refused by the msg bd) with
the data rates and handshake to get the data onto the terminal program
as the handshake could be affected by the wiring on the cable between
the MUX and the host and the data rate could possibly have been
changed on the MUX. You quickly find out that the number of
combintations is awesome - Hence the requirement for the manual.

So go through the list I wrote and tell me what you have or not as the
case may be.

[m4nd4li4]

Hi there,

I got the micrometer readings to displayed on the Hyperterminal
window. I am using Windows2000 (sp4). The manual for the MUX2 is ONLY
a piece of paper with MUX2 protocol, RS232 output spec and command
codes. The settings I used were.....

9600db
8 data bits (in the manual)
1Stb
No Parity
No handshake

Pressed DATA button on each micrometer and readings were displayed.
I'm glad this bit works. I suppose the next bit is continous readings
from the micrometers.

Regards,

Bharesh

Conseils <x...@no.email> wrote in message news:<50650000000500000056...@exchange.ni.com>...

[Conseils]

That's excellent work.

Well this tests most of the cable connections, you PC and the COM port
and the associated hardware and leaves only the trasmitted command.

This simple test that you have performed is one of the most basic but
important. Because it gives you a baseline to work from. From now on
you 'know what to expect'.

Look in the instructions and find the string that is used to request a
reading it is probably somthing like S1 for channel 1 or similar (I
can't find my sheet at the moment, I have moved since I last used it).

Type this string in to the terminal program.
If it mentions CR then that means Carrige Return and you do that by
pressing the ENTER key.

If you could post the instruction sheet it will save me looking for my
copy, which I may never find.

After this it will be a simple matter to get the data into Labview.

You should now look into the examples with Labview and search for the
parameter 'SERIAL'. This will lead you to an example 'Serial
communication.VI' which is an example of how to send a command to a
serial prot and aquire the results. It also has a timeout which means
you don't end up waiting for ever if the remote device fails to
respond (because it's disconnected or the battery is flat in the
Digimatic device).

The default data rates match those of the MUX so there is almost no
work to do!!

If your feeling brave type the command into the available control and
set the VI running. It should return your data.

[m4nd4li4]

Hi Conseils,

Thanks again for your valuable help. The instruction sheet has a list
of command codes that can be sent to the MUX in ASCII format. If you
let me know email address I can post it to you. I'm looking forward to
some Labview "programming" now!!

Regards,

Bharesh

xrddiff...@yahoo.co.uk

Conseils <x...@no.email> wrote in message news:<50650000000500000060...@exchange.ni.com>...