Press-Releases November 2010

Instant measurements without programming: ME-PowerLab³

Virtual DAQ Lab for Windows

Meilhaus Electronic introduces the software ME-PowerLab³, a new, complete, virtual DAQ lab for the ME series measurement and control boards designed by Meilhaus Electronic. ME-PowerLab³ offers a variety of versatile functions: It supports input/output on the boards’ analog, digital and counter channels. Interrupt control is also supported, depending on the hardware specifications. Measurement values can be displayed in various ways, for example as a voltmeter with a pointer indicator, as a list of values/chart or as a waveform curve ("multi-channel line writer"). In addition there are many extras like spectrum/FFT, XY display of two channels, RMS or simple digital filtering (low pass, high pass, band pass, band rejection). Data can be exported as a graphic, CSV or XML and can be printed out. The analog output channels allow the output of standard waveforms (sinus, square, triangle, sawtooth, multisinus, pulse...) or of arbitrary waveforms/data sets. Moreover, the software supports the modulations AM, FM and PM. All these functions allow instant use of the boards as virtual measurement instruments such as a multi-channel data logger/line writer, a simple oscilloscope, a spectrum analyzer, signal generator or logic analyzer. ME-PowerLab³ automatically detects the ME board in your PC and enables the corresponding functions. With the integrated scripting editor with C# syntax, all functions can be automated for program-like sequences. Setup of the boards is easy and intuitive. All setup data can be saved and recalled. ME-PowerLab³ is based on the intelligent driver system ME-iDS and the MCD ToolMonitor (www.mcd-elektronik.de). Thus the software works with ME board versions on all bus platforms: PCI-Express, PCI, 3 U CompactPCI/PXI as well as their adaptation to ethernet/LAN or USB with ME-Synapse. ME-PowerLab³ is a part of the ME boards’ support software and is free. "The wide range of possibilities included in ME-PowerLab³ exceeds the functions of a pure demo, test or example program by far," says Peter Omlor, chief hardware designer at Meilhaus Electronic. "We expect that many applications can already be solved with ME-PowerLab³ thanks to it’s powerful script editor. This is a great advantage for the user, as the software is free. Still, we also recommend the use of ME-PowerLab³ for the first steps with our DAQ boards, before starting to write your own programs: Just mount the boards, install the software and go!"

ME-PowerLab³ and ME-iDS

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