PC-based control and analysis courses very successful
27 March 2002
News
National Instruments South Africa has just completed another series of seminars countrywide. The 'PC-based control and monitoring' seminar was conducted in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg and Durban and was extremely well received. It attracted record attendance and the feedback was extremely positive. The very successful PC-based sound and vibration solutions seminars were hosted in Cape Town and Midrand.
PC-based control has been around since the advent of PCs but is becoming more popular. The objective of this seminar is to introduce terminology and technology native to PCs and show how these can be used to create complex control systems.
Major topics were the selection of operating systems like Windows, Linux, Unix etc highlighting the benefits and limitations of each. Other important issues included the selection of computing platforms such as an industrialised platform like CompactPCI/PXI versus standard desktop computers. Another major topic is the selection of interfaces and how to interface signals to the computer platform.
The major technologies discussed were PCI, USB, Firewire and Ethernet. More traditional interfaces like DeviceNet and Profibus where also described.
In the field of predictive maintenance and machine condition monitoring, vibration analyses has become extremely popular. The ability to determine if a machine is operating outside its nominal vibration limits can save millions by allowing proper maintenance plans to be set in place. Traditional vibration analysis instruments are very expensive and cannot be left on a plant.
National Instruments DSA cards can be installed in a rugged PC platform like CompactPCI/PXI, with more input channels than traditional instruments. With the ease of interfacing to existing scada systems it is now feasible to have permanent monitoring systems in place.
This seminar introduced the participants to concepts like octave analysis for audio systems and order analysis for monitoring rotating machines. Techniques like using Gabor transforms to do order analysis on time-sampled data were also discussed.
For information on courses offered by National Instruments contact 011 805 8197.
Further reading:
Rooibos heads to space
News
A South African scientific initiative linking agriculture and space research has officially launched today with the Rooibos in Space programme at Parklands College’s Innovation Centre in Cape Town.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Local can be international
Technews Publishing
Editor's Choice News
Welcome to the July 2026 issue of
Dataweek. As you can see from this introduction,
Dataweek’s regular editor, Peter Howells, is on extended leave and I am filling the void in his editor’s column – hopefully without being too boring.
Read more...
Landis+Gyr EMEA introduces new company name: EYKON
News
EYKON is the new company name of Landis+Gyr EMEA, formerly part of the Landis+Gyr Group. The company supports electricity, gas, water and thermal utilities in managing increasingly complex networks, improving operational efficiency and enabling more sustainable use of resources.
Read more...
Yamaha Robotics will show visitors to EFX
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services News
Yamaha Robotics will show visitors to EFX 2026, the Expo for Electronics Manufacturing, in Stuttgart from 6-8 October 2026, how advanced surface-mount automation helps companies grow their business and increase productivity.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: The art of measuring the truth
Technews Publishing
Editor's Choice News
All electronic measurements are a lie. The trick is making the lie as small as possible.
Read more...
TSE has relocated
News
The Technology Station in Electronics (TSE) has entered a new chapter with its relocation from the CSIR campus to TUT-owned building at Ditsela Place in Hatfield.
Read more...
Innovative MyLegrand app
RS South Africa
News
Legrand SA is set to launch the MyLegrand mobile application, a digital platform designed to strengthen engagement across its professional network.
Read more...
Kulani Energy acquires critical assets from Optipower
News
Kulani Energy preserves engineering, procurement, and construction capability and positions a wholly women-owned firm at the forefront of South Africa’s grid expansion.
Read more...
From Cape Town to Johannesburg
News
Würth Elektronik South Africa has taken a significant step forward with its recent relocation from Cape Town to Johannesburg, marking a new phase of growth and ambition for the company.
Read more...
Lesley Havenga: Building partnerships for Africa’s electronics future
Editor's Choice News
As Würth Electronik expands its footprint across South Africa and the broader sub-Saharan region, Havenga’s blend of manufacturing expertise, supply chain knowledge, and people-centred leadership appears well suited to the task.
Read more...
printer friendly version