Data Acquisition (DAQ) and Control from Microstar Laboratories

Isolated Data Acquisition

data acquisition filtering data acquisition software channel architecture enclosures services

Ground loop elimination – Signal isolation – Noise protection

MSXB082

New! Channel-to-Channel
Isolated Analog Inputs

4 high-speed simultaneous differential analog inputs per module

MSXB080

Channel-to-Channel
Isolated Analog Inputs

8 simultaneous differential analog inputs per module

MSXB076

Channel-to-Channel
Isolated Analog Outputs

8 single-ended analog outputs per module

MSXB075

Channel-to-Channel
Isolated Analog Outputs

4 single-ended analog outputs per module

MSXB081

Channel-to-Channel
Isolated 4-20 mA Inputs

8 current inputs per module

MSXB074

Channel-to-Channel
Isolated 4-20 mA Outputs

8 current outputs per module

MSXB086

Isolated 4-20 mA Inputs
16 current inputs per module
 
 

MSXB085

Isolated Analog Inputs and Outputs
16 differential analog inputs, 2 analog outputs per module

MSXB084

Isolated Analog Inputs
16 differential analog inputs per module

MSXB078

Isolated Digital Inputs and Outputs
16 digital inputs and 16 digital outputs per module

As the accuracy of your measurements goes up, the need to protect your signals against noise goes up, too. And in harsh environments, you need to protect your equipment against accidental damage caused by ground currents.

In every case, you need to protect your signal on its entire path from the sensor to the point of data conversion. A new product family of signal interface (SI) modules provides this protection for you.

Signal Interface Modules

SI modules are offered in the Eurocard B format: 100 mm by 220 mm. Each SI module occupies from one to four slots in a full-width or half-width industrial enclosure or in a DAPserver. For small or proof-of-concept systems, stand-alone or single-module enclosures are available.

Scalable Modular Systems

DAPservers – and DAPserver-supported enclosures – that contain SI modules are network-ready data acquisition systems that make their data acquisition services available to any PC on the network. They are scalable modular system (SMS) products. You can have any number of them on a network, scaling up your system as your application grows.

SI Modules and DAP Boards

An SI module connects through a backplane and a cable to a Data Acquisition Processor (DAP) board directly controlled by a PC or by a DAPserver. The SI module shares a ground with the DAP board, but the signal interface cells on each SI module are isolated from the the interface to the DAP board. Isolation eliminates ground loops between the measurement system and the signals you want to measure.

Microstar Laboratories offers two types of isolation.

  • Channel-to-channel isolation: the best protection for your signals
  • channel-to-PC isolation: a lower cost per channel

FPGA Technology and Custom Modules

Every SI module is intelligent: it can communicate with – and be configured by – a DAP board that you control from a PC.

All of the isolated signal interface modules are FPGA-based for flexibility. Configuration parameters are stored in onboard flash memory.

FPGA technology enables rapid customization. OEMs, VARs and others with volume requirements are welcome to call to discuss custom modules to suit their end-user systems.

Isolation

analog input and output isolation diagram

Only digital signals cross the isolation barrier on each SI module. Analog to digital converters and digital to analog converters are on the system side of the isolation barrier. See diagram above. Each SI module is isolated from every other module. Inputs are measured relative to system ground. Outputs are referred to system ground. System signals are protected from PC noise and from ground loops through the PC. System signals are protected from ground loops between channels in products with channel-to-channel isolation.

Signal Connection

All signals are connected to SI modules outside – and isolated from – the PC. The modules occupy slots in industrial enclosures. Front panels provide standard DB-xx signal connectors, onboard Wago connectors can grip bared signal wires, or headers can be used. Custom front panels also are available.

Analog Output

The MSXB 076 analog output module and MSXB 075 analog output module take their signal input from the digital backplane factory-installed in an industrial enclosure. A DAP board supplies signals to the backplane. Data conversion takes place on the system side of the onboard isolation barrier, and each analog output has its own ground, isolated channel by channel. The MSXB 076 has eight channels of isolated analog output per module. The MSXB 075 has four channels of isolated analog output per module.

Digital Input and Digital Output

The MSXB 078 digital input and output module provides sixteen input channels and sixteen output channels. Both the input and the output sections are isolated from the PC.

Analog Input

The MSXB 082 analog input module provides four high-speed simultaneous differential analog input channels, each isolated from each other and the PC.

The MSXB 080 analog input module provides eight simultaneous differential analog input channels, each isolated from each other and the PC.

The MSXB 084 analog input module provides sixteen differential analog input channels isolated from the PC.

Current Input

The MSXB 081 current input signal interface module acts as an 8-channel receiver for 4-20 mA current loops. Each input has its own ground, isolated channel by channel.

The MSXB 086 current input signal interface module acts as a 16-channel receiver for 4-20 mA current loops.

Current Output

The MSXB 074 current output signal interface module acts as an 8-channel transmitter for 4-20 mA current loops. Each analog output has its own ground, isolated channel by channel.

Analog Input and Analog Output

The MSXB 085 analog input and output module provides sixteen input channels and two output channels. Both the input and the output sections are isolated from the PC.


Channel-to-PC Isolation

MSXB 085: Isolated Analog Input and Output Signal Interface Modules

MSXB 084: Isolated Analog Input Signal Interface Modules

MSXB 078: Isolated Digital Signal Interface Modules

MSXB 086: Isolated 4-20 mA Input Signal Interface Modules

See also: specialized DAP board iDSC 1816

Channel-to-Channel Isolation

MSXB 082: Channel-to-Channel Isolated High-Speed Analog Input Signal Interface Modules

MSXB 080: Channel-to-Channel Isolated Analog Input Signal Interface Modules

MSXB 076: Channel-to-Channel Isolated 16-Bit Analog Output Signal Interface Modules, Eight Channels per Module

MSXB 075: Channel-to-Channel Isolated 16-Bit Analog Output Signal Interface Modules, Four Channels per Module

MSXB 081: Channel-to-Channel Isolated 4-20 mA Input Signal Interface Modules

MSXB 074: Channel-to-Channel Isolated 4-20 mA Output Signal Interface Modules

MSXB 039: Digital Opto-Isolator Boards

MSXB 027: Analog Isolation Boards

Contact us – our engineers will help you specify the parts for your unique application.

Do you need a specific function added to your DAP system? Browse the function list. Or use the overview table.

Do you know the part number of the signal interface module you need? Browse the part number list.

Do you know the DAP board you use – or will use – and only want to see the signal interface modules that work with it?

iDSC 1816

DAP 840

DAP 5400a or DAP 5380a

All other a-Series DAP boards