Quick Start Guide: Q8-USB Data Acquisition Device

STEP 1 Check Components and Details

Make sure your Q8-USB Data Acquisition (DAQ) Device includes the following components:

1. Quanser Q8-USB Data Acquisition Device

1 2 2. Power supply (rated between 14-16V and
at least 1A)
3. Power cable
4. USB 2.0 cable
5. RCA to RCA cable (analog loopback cable)
6. Quanser Workstations Resources DVD*
(includes controllers; digital versions of User
Manual and Quick Start Guide; and other files)

3 4 5 Mix and match components and peripherals to suit your education or research needs

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On this DVD:

Control Prototyping Soft-

Quanser’s range of control peripherals includes amplifiers and data acquisition boards. They can be purchased • Quick start Guides
separately to control educational or research-grade plants. Mix and match these peripherals with Quanser plants • Pre-designed Controllers
and control design software to accelerate control system design and implementation. All of the peripherals are • User Manuals
compatible with NI LabVIEW™. • Instructor and Student Workbooks
or Laboratory Guides
To find the right peripherals for your teaching or research needs, please email [email protected].
©2012 Quanser Inc. All rights reserved. LabVIEW™ is a trademark of National Instruments.

Quanser educational solutions

ware, see Step 2
are powered by:

[email protected] +1-905-940-3575 QUANSER.COM © 2 GRADUATE.

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STEP 2 Additional Components Required

To complete the Quanser Q8-USB set up, you will need the following:
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PROTOTYPING SOFTWARE v2.3

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For MATLAB®/Simulink®
R2011a,b and R2012a,b
For installation procedure please

Note: must be purchased separately.

refer to the Installation Guide on this DVD.
For assistance, contact [email protected]

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STEP 3 Install and Test QUARC

A. Make sure you have all required software, as listed in the QUARC Compatibility Table document located in the QUARC DVD folder.
B. See the QUARC Installation Manual for details on how to install the software.
C. Make sure you test the system using the Sine and Scope demo. You can access this by typing qc_show_demos in the Matlab prompt.
 STEP 4 Install Data Acquisition Device
The installation procedure for the Q8-USB is shown below. See the User Manual ( enclosed with shipment) for more information.

A Confirm that the software components B Make sure your computer is powered ON
listed in Step 3 have been installed. and you are logged on.

C
Using the USB 2.0 cable, connect
Encoders Analog Outputs

SIGNAL GND
Q8-USB
8 CHANNEL USB DATA ACQUISITON BOARD
WWW.QUANSER.COM
MADE IN CANADA

Analog Inputs

SIGNAL GND
the USB connector on the Q8-USB
data acquisition (DAQ) device to a
3 7
3 7 3 7

2 6 2 6 2 6

1 5 1 5 1 5

0 4
0 4 0 4

USB 2.0 port on the computer.

Q8-USB

C Using the power supply and power cable, connect the power connector on the Q8-USB data
acquisition (DAQ) device to a wall outlet.
Important: Make sure you use the 14-16V power supply that was supplied with the Q8-USB
(Should be rated bwtween 14-16V and at least 1A).

D
Windows1 should automatically
detect the presence of the Q8-USB
and attempt to install the driver.

E Upon completion, Windows® will

notify you if the device is ready
for use.

F
Encoders Analog Outputs
Q8-USB
8 CHANNEL USB DATA ACQUISITON BOARD
WWW.QUANSER.COM
MADE IN CANADA

Analog Inputs
Using the RCA to RCA cable, connect
3 7
SIGNAL GND SIGNAL GND

Analog Output Channel #0 (AO #0)

on the Q8-USB device to the Analog
3 7 3 7

2 6 2 6 2 6

1 5 1 5 1 5 Input Channel #0 (AI #0).

0 4 0 4
0 4

1
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.
 STEP 5 Running the DAQ Test
Go through the procedure below to test your Q8-USB and make sure it is working properly.

A Make sure your PC is powered ON and that you connected the RCA to RCA cable.

B 1. Open the QUARC built-in examples by typing

qc_show_demos in the MATLAB Command Window.
2. The QUARC Targets EXAMPLES window should appear.
3. Click on the QUARC Analog Loopback Demo under
the Using Hardware category to open the example page.
4. On the top-right corner of the QUARC Analog Loopback
Demo example page, click on Open this model.

C Double-click on
the QUARC HIL
D In the Board type option
list under the Main tab,
Initialize block. select the data acquisition
device that is installed on
the computer (e.g., q8_usb).

E Click on the OK button to close the HIL Initialize dialog.

F Click on the Build Model

button on the Simulink
G Once the model code has
been compiled, click on the
H Click on the Run button
to start the QUARC real-
model toolbar. Connect To Target button. time model.

I J
When manually moving the Analog Click on the Simulink
Output Signal Knob of the VI, both Stop button to stop
Analog Input and Analog Output the running model
scopes should display the same trace.
If not, go to the Troubleshooting section.
 TROUBLESHOOTING Review the following recommenations before contacting Quanser’s technical support engineers

Obtaining this error: A. Verify that you selected the Quanser Q8-USB board in HIL Initialize in the Q8-USB Test.
An operating system B. Make sure the correct USB 2.0 cable from the Quanser Q8-USB board to an
specific kernel-level operational and enable USB 2.0 port connector on the computer is connected.
driver for the specified
C. Make sure the USB board has been powered.
card could not be
found. The card or D. Verify that the Q8-USB-A and Q8-USB-B devices show up in Device Manager under
driver may not be the Universal Serial Bus controllers item. If not, make sure the software listed in
installed. Step 3 is installed.

When performing
the Q8-USB Test, A. Make sure you made the RCA to RCA loopback cable connection on the terminal
the Analog Input board, as described in connection Step 4F.
Scope do not read B. Verify that you selected the Quanser Q8-USB device in HIL Initialize in the Q8-USB Test.
anything.

For further assistance from a Quanser engineer, contact us at

STILL NEED HELP?
[email protected] or call +1-905-940-3575.

Full range of data acquisition devices from Quanser.

Q2-USB NI M and X Series QPID QPIDe

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visit www.quanser.com
©2013 Quanser Inc. All rights reserved. MATLAB® and Simulink® are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. V.1