DAQ Products from Measurement Computing

DAQ is short hand for data acquisition. Simply stated, it is a combination of measurement and control functions integrated into a signal DAQ board or card. A DAQ system is not just the “acquisition” of data, but rather, it is both the “acquisition” and “control” of data, both in analog and digital form.

A DAQ system can convert analog signals into a digital output form, which can be manipulated with software. Using software in conjunction with a personal computer, analog data can be displayed, logged, charted, graphed, or stored in memory as needed.

Stored data can later be used and compared with a set of established limits. Control decisions are made if the stored data is at the limit, above or below the limit. With repetitive measurement made by a data acquisition system, continues monitoring and control can be performed.

Based on matching, meeting or exceed the set limits, a digital control signal (in the form of single bit output signal) can be used to turn on or turn of a relay. This in turn can be used to turn on various control elements like, fans, pumps, motors, etc.

Based on the degree of meeting or exceeding the established limits, a precise analog output signal can be generated. This signal can be used to provide a complete closed loop control patch providing continuous control of a process.

A DAQ system does not need to stop with just an analog-to-digital and a digital-to-analog function. More complex systems can and do included timers, abundant digital input and digital output control lines, signal conditioning and multiplexing.

Advanced data acquisition systems such as offered by Measurement Computing Corporation, offer DAQ system boards or cards with multiple analog-to-digital and a digital-to-analog functions. Systems are available for simple measurement and control applications to highly complex measurement and control applications requiring 100’s of analog and digital inputs and outputs.

Measurement Computing Corporation offers the largest selection of low-price PC-based data acquisition and measurement products. Shop our online catalog by selecting a category above. From PCI, USB, Ethernet, PC104, ISA, and PCMCIA bus to RS-232, RS-422, RS-485 and GPIB interfaces; Measurement Computing has everything you need for your PC-based data acquisition and control applications.