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The challenge

The development of a robust, Windows-based operation tool to control multiple robots used in generator  testing and diagnostics. The motion of each robot had to be controlled, and each robot generated several analog, digital, and video outputs that needed to be monitored, logged, and presented by the system. 

The solution

The development of a scaleable, reliable application using LabWindows/CVI to control robotic movement via  third-party driver interaction, to acquire data using National Instruments (NI) data and image acquisition products, and to  process and present data using built-in LabWindows/CVI functionality as well as supplemental NI vision and NI audio-video  interleave (AVI) software. 

The Problem Expressed 

Siemens-Westinghouse Power Corporation, a division of Siemens Energy and Automation, Inc., performs diagnostic testing  and in-depth reporting on high-output generators for their customers. Due to the high-voltage environment in which they  work, Siemens-Westinghouse engineers had developed a number of robotic “carriages” used to crawl along the inside of  generators performing various structural and electrical tests and collecting the resulting data (figure 1). Each carriage’s  motion was controlled manually via an external joystick and all data collection, analysis, and presentation was performed  using several different DOS programs installed on a PC taken to the job site. 

As time progressed, however, the needed functionality of each robotic carriage began to increase, as did the number and  necessary quality of the information gathered and the reports produced. In addition, operation of the carriages was  cumbersome due to the existence of several control and processing programs in the DOS format as well as the necessity for  manual motion control. As a result, Siemens-Westinghouse contracted Data Science Automation (DSA) to assist them in  developing a single C-based application that was capable of operating several types of carriages, automating the multi-axial  motion of the each carriage, collecting, processing, and retaining the various types of data output by the carriages (analog,  digital, and video), and compiling numerous customized reports in a professional-looking format. In addition, Siemens Westinghouse desired a Windows-based format incorporating standardized, intuitive operator interfaces to minimize the time  required to train new operators.  

The Solution Offered 

National Instruments’ LabWindows/CVI (a component of Measurement Studio 6.0) was an easy choice for an optimum  software development tool due to its C-based development environment and its excellent support and integration with NI’s  reliable and efficient data and image acquisition components. With LabWindows/CVI and NI hardware, DSA was able to  quickly and efficiently implement a distributed executable furnishing a solution to all of Siemens-Westinghouse’s  requirements. 

Using the multitude of built-in LabWindows/CVI user interface, formatting, and input/output libraries, DSA was able to  design and construct an comprehensive application structure that allowed for the selection of a variety of carriage types, and  then offered the user an assortment of configuration, operation, and data manipulation and presentation menu options  corresponding to the user’s carriage selection. The application structure also provided the capability of creating new  configurations, saving or loading existing ones, and attaching saved configurations to specific job or personnel sessions,  allowing for maximum flexibility, reliability, and repeatability in carriage setup and configuration (figure 2). 

Figure 1: Multiple carriage selection and configuration 

Multi-axial motion control for the automation of the carriages was achieved using two Galil DMC-1000 motion controller  boards (providing control of up to eight axes) and the corresponding Galil C-based driver, to which the LabWindows/CVI  environment provided easy connectivity. Once the appropriate library (.lib) file and header (.h) files were referenced in the project, Galil driver functions were made available and two-way communication between the application and the motion  

controllers took place flawlessly. 

To perform the acquisition of test and status data returned by the carriages, the NI PCI-6035E multifunction data acquisition  board was used to acquire analog I/O, while the NI DAQCard-DIO-24 digital acquisition board was used for digital I/O.  Using the capable NI-DAQ 6.9 driver (referenced easily from LabWindows/CVI), both analog and digital data were acquired  and logged with greater precision, accuracy, and efficiency than that afforded earlier with the DOS-based system. To control  data acquisition, the application provided both simple diagnostic tools to communicate directly to data acquisition cards (as 

well as the motion controller) as well as more complex carriage test execution tools enabling comprehensive, fully automated  execution of carriage tests (figure 3).

 
Figure 2: Diagnostic and test execution tools 

In addition to handling analog and digital output, the application software was also required to acquire video output returned  by the carriages, allowing the saving of snapshots (.jpg files) and movies (.avi files) during carriage operation. To satisfy these requirements, a National Instruments PCI-1411 color image acquisition board was used with the NI-IMAQ 2.5 image  acquisition driver to acquire the images, while the IMAQ Vision for Measurement Studio 6.0 toolset was used to control  image manipulation, presentation, and the saving of snapshots (figure 4). The IMAQ Vision toolset did not provide a tool for  the saving of movies; however, a quick search on the NI Developer Zone yielded a free NI_ReadWriteAVI.dll that provided  this functionality. Furthermore, examples were located on the website that made implementing the functions in the .dll swift  and simple.

Figure 3: Image acquisition 

Finally, a multitude of professional-appearing, comprehensive reports was created for recalling, analyzing, and printing  previously acquired data. These reporting options employed a host of built-in data presentation tools available in  LabWindows/CVI, including multiple-plot graphs, charts, and tables (figure 5).

Figure 4: Report generation

The Reward Attained 

Upon completion of the project, Siemens-Westinghouse had replaced their previous outdated, multi-program carriage control  architecture with a single, standardized, distributed application providing much more functionality and control, better results  through superior hardware and software and expanded reporting options, and reduced cost in training and operation due to  automation. Through National Instruments products and Data Science Automation’s engineering expertise, Siemens Westinghouse was able to harness the power of the PC to gain a market advantage, producing a better product at less cost.