Strain- and Bridge-Based Measurements

NI USB-9237
• Full-, half-, and quarter-bridge Compatible Software
(120/350 Ω) completion1 • LabVIEW
• Bus powered • LabWindows™/CVI
• Built-in excitation up to 10 V • Measurement Studio
• Up to 50 kS/s/ch sample rate • Visual Basic 6.0
• Simultaneous acquisition with • C# and Visual Basic .NET
four ADCs • ANSI C/C++
• Quick sensor connect with
RJ50 connectors Measurement Services
• TEDS (IEEE 1454.1) compatible Software (included)
• External excitation input through analog • NI-DAQmx driver software
bridge (optional) • Measurement & Automation Explorer
1Quarter bridge requires accessory. configuration utility
• LabVIEW SignalExpress LE
Operating Systems data-logging software
• Windows Vista/XP/2000

Overview Connectivity
The National Instruments USB-9237 combines performance and The USB-9237 uses four standard RJ50 connectors for rapid sensor
portability by making the NI 9237 C Series module compatible with the connection. You can add an RJ50 connector to any sensor using a
bus-powered USB carrier for C Series modules. This module is ideal for crimping tool, making sensor removal and insertion as easy as
laptop applications because the USB port on the laptop powers all connecting a PC to a network. For screw-terminal connectivity, the
acquisition and sensor excitation. NI 9949 accessory kit converts from RJ50 to 10 screw terminals. RJ50
cable kits are available in quantities of four 2 m cables and one 10 m
High-Speed Measurements cable. For custom sensor wiring, cable kits are available with an RJ50
The NI USB-9237 module can take measurements at up to 50 kS/s on connector on one end and 10 signal wires on the other.
four channels simultaneously and continuously stream the data back
over a Hi-Speed USB interface to serve applications from static load Software
or fatigue testing to high-speed fracture tests. The USB-9237 is shipped with the standard NI-DAQmx bundle that
includes Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) for configuration
Sensor Compatibility and testing; LabVIEW SignalExpress LE for out-of-the-box measurements,
With full-, half-, and quarter-bridge completion, the USB-9237 can logging, and data display; and an API/driver for languages such as
measure a variety of load, force, and torque cells as well as some LabVIEW, ANSI C, C#, Visual Basic .NET, Visual Basic 6.0, Measurement
pressure transducers and most strain gages.1 Studio, and LabWindows/CVI.

Safety Isolation
• 30 V of overvoltage protection
• 60 V of CAT I channel-to-earth ground isolation
• 1000 V of transient withstand isolation

1Quarter bridge requires accessory.

Strain- and Bridge-Based Measurements

Specifications Excitation Voltages

Although the sensor industry does not recognize a single standard
>> For complete specifications, see the NI USB-9237 User Guide and
excitation voltage level, excitation voltage levels of between 2.5 and
Specifications manual at ni.com/manuals. 10 V are common. You can program the USB-9237 to supply 2.5, 3.3,
5, or 10 V of excitation voltage, and the module can provide up to
Input Characteristics 150 mW of excitation power. Unless you supply external excitation
Number of channels............................ 4 voltage, National Instruments recommends that you set the excitation
Bridge completion voltage to a value that keeps the total power below 150 mW. The
Full and half ....................................Internal USB-9237 automatically reduces internal excitation voltages as needed
Quarter............................................
External to stay below 150 mW.
ADC resolution................................ 24 bits
Type of ADC .................................... Delta-sigma The power consumed by a single bridge is
(with analog prefiltering)
Sampling mode............................... Simultaneous 2
V ex
Data rates (ƒs) ................................. (50 kS/s)/n, n= 1, 1, …31 ---------
-
Master timebase (internal) R
Frequency........................................ 12.8 MHz where R is the total resistance of the bridge.
Accuracy ......................................... ±100 ppm max
Nominal full-scale range ................ ±25 mV/V For a full bridge, R is equal to the resistance of each element. For a
Scaling coefficient .............................. 2.9802 nV/V per LSB half or quarter bridge, R is equal to two times the resistance of each
Overvoltage protection element.
between any two terminals ........... ±30 V With the 150 mW limit, you can power full and half bridges as
Accuracy follows:
Error1 Percent of Reading Percent of Range2 • Four 350 Ω half bridges at 5.0 V
Calibrated max (-40 to 70 °C) 0.20% 0.25% • Four 350 Ω full bridges at 3.3 V
Calibrated typ (25 °C, ±5 °C) 0.05% 0.05% • Four 120 Ω half bridges at 2.5 V
Uncalibrated max (-40 to 70 °C) 0.60% 0.35%
Uncalibrated typ (25 °C, ±5 °C) 0.20% 0.1% If you need an excitation voltage greater than 150 mW, use the
1 Excluding offset null or shunt calibration. 2 Range equals 25 mV/V.
four-position external excitation voltage connector to connect an
external excitation source to the USB-9237.
Gain drift ............................................. 10 ppm/°C max
Offset drift
Channel Signal Names
2.5 V excitation............................... 0.6 μV/V per °C RJ50 (10p10c) Modular Plug and RJ50 RJ45 Signal
3.3 V excitation............................... 0.5 μV/V per °C Receptacle Pin Numbers Pin Pin Name Signal Description
5 V excitation.................................. 0.3 μV/V per °C 1 – SC Shunt calibration
10 V excitation................................ 0.2 μV/V per °C 2 1 AI+ Positive input signal
3 2 AI- Negative input signal
Safety 4 3 RS+ Positive remote sense signal
5 4 RS- Negative remote sense signal
Safety Voltages 6 5 EX+ Positive excitation signal1
Connect only voltages that are within these limits. 7 6 EX- Negative excitation signal1
8 7 T+ TEDS DATA
Between any two terminals ............... ±30 V max
9 8 T- TEDS Return1
Isolation 10 – SC Shunt calibration
1 These signals are shared by all four RJ50 connectors on the USB-9237.
Channel-to-channel............................. No isolation between channels
Channel-to-earth ground
Continuous...................................... 60 VDC, Measurement Category I
Withstand ....................................... 1,000 Vrms, verified by a 5 s
dielectric withstand test

BUY ONLINE at ni.com or CALL 800 813 3693 (U.S.)

2
Strain- and Bridge-Based Measurements

Accessories Ordering Information

There are several options for connecting signals to the USB-9237, as NI USB-9237 (carrier, module, and USB cable) ....................780137-01
shown in figures 1 and 2. NI 9945 (1/4 bridge, 350 Ω, qty 4) ......................................194739-01
NI 9944 (1/4 bridge, 120 Ω, qty 4) ......................................194738-01
NI 9949 (RJ50 to screw terminal) ........................................196809-01
NI 9942 (excitation connector) ..............................................194611-01
RJ50 cable, 2 m (qty 4)..........................................................194612-02
RJ50 cable, 10 m (qty 1)........................................................194612-10
RJ50 to signal wire cable, 2 m (qty 4) ..................................195950-02
RJ50 to signal wire cable, 10 m (qty 1) ................................195950-10

BUY NOW!
For complete product specifications, pricing, and accessory
information, call 800 813 3693 (U.S.) or go to ni.com/compactdaq.

Figure 1. NI 9237 with RJ50 to 10 m Signal Wire Cable

Figure 2. NI 9237 with RJ50 Cable and Screw-Terminal Accessories

BUY ONLINE at ni.com or CALL 800 813 3693 (U.S.)

3
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