What is LabVIEW?
LabVIEW is a graphical programming language, and it has powerful features for simulation, control and DAQ applications. LabVIEW (YouTube) - This video introduces the LabVIEW Programming Environment.
LabVIEW Fundamentals (Website)
LabVIEW is developed by NI/Emerson. Here you can Download LabVIEW. You can also download the LabVIEW Community edition for non-commercial use for free.
Below we see a typical LabVIEW program:
Since LabVIEW is a full-blood programming language (in a graphical way), you can use LabVIEW for almost everything, e.g., Datalogging and Monitoring, DAQ, Control Systems, OPC, Database Systems, SCADA Systems, Hardware in the Loop Simulations and Testing, Modbus, etc.
LabVIEW Programming Guidelines
Typically engineers often create simple LabVIEW VIs that eventually grow out of control, because they don't have the proper structure and best practices. The solution to this problem is organizing your code and data in a way that enables modularity, readability, and reuse.
Some examples are:
- Intuitive GUI (Front Panels): Add Units, Use Controls and Indicators from the same Palette, Resizing the Window size, Don’t use “strong” Colors, etc.
- Structured Code (Block Diagram): Make and use SubVIs, Avoid Spaghetti Code, Resizing the Window size, Use Labels, Always use Project Explorer, use State Machine, etc.
For more details, see the video below.
LabVIEW Programming Guidelines:
University of South-Eastern Norway
License Information (Note! only valid for campus Porsgrunn and campus Vestfold):
University of South-Eastern Norway, campus Porsgrunn and Vestfold has a campus license for LabVIEW and other software from National Instruments. If you are a student or staff at USN Porsgrunn, you can download and install LabVIEW and many other software from National Instruments. List of included software.
Note! The Serial Number for LabVIEW is provided by your teacher in the course you are using LabVIEW.
Note! Campus Porsgrunn has Multisim included in their license, while campus Vestfold don't include Multisim.
How to Activate existing LabVIEW Student Edition software:
- Open NI License Manager
- Select "Activate Software"
- Enter the Serial Number (provided by your teacher) under "LabVIEW xxxx Student Edition"
- Click "Activate"
- Click "Refresh"
Download LabVIEW Software
Note! Before you start the installation, here are some tips and tricks:
- Make sure your Windows 10 has the latest updates, i.e., run Windows Update before you start the LabVIEW installation.
- Make sure to turn off your Antivirus software like McAfee or similar before you install LabVIEW.
- LabVIEW 32-bit is recommended!
LabVIEW
Open the links below in order to download LabVIEW:
Windows 32 or 64 bit? Should I use the 32-bit or 64-bit version of LabVIEW? Most users should use the 32-bit version of LabVIEW (even on 64-bit operating systems). The 64-bit version of LabVIEW allows applications to access more RAM however, most applications won't require the additional RAM and still many LabVIEW Toolkits and Modules are not supported in the 64-bit version of LabVIEW.
Mac OS/Linux? You need a computer with Windows in order to follow this LabVIEW training. LabVIEW is supported on Windows and Mac OS/Linux, however many LabVIEW Add-ons are Windows only.
The NI-DAQmx Driver is supported only on Windows (which we need and use at USN)! A simpler driver called "NI-DAQmx Base" (you can download from Internet, but the software has not been updated lately) offers a subset of NI-DAQmx functionality on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, but the "DAQ Assistant" we will use in the training is not included. If you want to use "NI-DAQmx Base" instead, you need to program the DAQ functionality on a lower level (which is not part of this training). In general, only the Windows edition is recommended to use at USN, Porsgrunn.
Data Acquisition on MacOS
National Instruments does not recommend using the Mac OS version of LabVIEW to communicate to NI hardware. Read more...
To properly access the hardware drivers, NI recommends using Boot Camp to natively run Microsoft Windows on a machine running Mac OS and using the Windows version of LabVIEW.
You can also use Virtualization Software like VMWare Fusion, Parallels Desktop or VirtualBox.
Installation Instructions:
Select "Application Bitness" = 32-bit and you may also want to set "Driver Software Included" = No
You can use the default “Web Installation” or you can download "Individual Offline Installers" if you want.
Note! OPC communication (OPC DA) using Datasocket is supported only in LabVIEW 32-bit version.
Additional Modules
National Instruments has lots of additional modules and drivers you can use together with LabVIEW. Below you find the main modules and drivers we use at the university.
DAQ
NI-DAQmx - Driver for Hardware from National Instruments, like TC-01 Thermocouple, USB-6001 or USB-6008, etc.
Here you find more information about NI-DAQmx.
LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module
LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module is an add-on to LabVIEW where you can do simulations and create control systems within the LabVIEW environment. You find more information here.
Download Software:
LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module
LabVIEW MathScript Module
LabVIEW MathScript Module is an add-on to LabVIEW where you can create program with MATLAB syntax. You could say it is a miniature version of MATLAB and you can also integrate MATLAB code into your LabVIEW applications using the MATLAB Node. You find more information here.
Download Software:
Other useful Modules and Toolkits
OPC UA
The LabVIEW OPC UA toolkit contains the OPC UA API that was formerly part of the LabVIEW Datalogging and Supervisory Control (DSC) Module and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module. From the 2017 release, the LabVIEW OPC UA Toolkit becomes a standalone product. The LabVIEW DSC Module and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module no longer contain the OPC UA API. Read more.
SCADA Systems
LabVIEW Datalogging and Supervisory Control Module (LabVIEW DSC) - handy when developing SCADA applications. Read more.
But you dont need LabVIEW DSC to create SCADA Systems. Want to create a SCADA system from scratch with LabVIEW? - See Datalogging and Monitoring, DAQ, Control Systems, OPC, Database Systems, SCADA Systems, Hardware in the Loop Simulations and Testing, Modbus, etc. In these LabVIEW Videos you can get an overview of using LabVIEW in different applications that are part of a traditional SCADA system.
Real-Time and Embedded Systems
The LabVIEW Real-Time Module may be handy when developing SCADA applications in LabVIEW. With LabVIEW Real-Time Module you can create stand-alone embedded systems with hardware like cRIO, etc. Read more.
Database Systems
LabVIEW Database Connectivity Toolkit is included with LabVIEW professional, but it is cumbersome to use. Try my LabVIEW SQL Toolkit instead.
More Downloads
You can also download LabVIEW, Add-on Modules, Drivers, etc. here:
Here you can also download previous versions, etc.
If you have an Academic Site License, you find all available software here:
Applications and Practical Examples
LabVIEW Application Examples
Here I will present some LabVIEW applications where I have used the "State-machine" principle to make the LabVIEW Block Diagrams. Using the "State-machine" principle makes it easier to create more complex LabVIEW Applications, it makes it easier to extend and maintain your application in the future.
Datalogging and Monitoring Examples
Do you want to see what you can create with LabVIEW? See the video below where I have created an application for Data Logging and Monitoring using LabVIEW:
Since LabVIEW is a full-blood programming language (in a graphical way), you can use LabVIEW for almost everything, personally I use LabVIEW for Datalogging and Monitoring, DAQ, Control Systems, OPC, Database Systems, SCADA Systems, Hardware in the Loop Simulations and Testing, Modbus, etc. In these LabVIEW Videos you can get an overview of using LabVIEW in different applications.
Want to learn more LabVIEW Programming? - Goto LabVIEW Basics.
See also other tutorials, examples and applications below under LabVIEW Resources: