How to Interface with Genesis HighSpeed and/or Perception

The EtherCAT interface option of the GEN DAQ mainframe is used to transmit real-time computed results to an automation system acting as EtherCAT master. Thus, the GEN DAQ acts as a "number cruncher" getting raw data in (like voltages and currents), and sending computed results (like rms values, power and efficiencies) to the automation systems.

The transfer can happen in static or dynamic mode, and an ESI file generation is possible. Up to 240 results can be sent with an update rate of 1 kHz. The latency for the results is less than 1 ms. The GEN DAQ EtherCAT interface is successfully tested with EtherCAT masters, such as:

Detailed information about the EtherCAT interface can be found in the manuals of GEN4tB, GEN7tA, GEN17tA mainframes, available in the manual download section below.

The GEN DAQ EtherCAT interface option is only available for GEN4tB, GEN7tA, and GEN17tA mainframes. 

The GEN DAQ API is used to remote control the GEN DAQ hardware directly from your control software. Instrument setups can be loaded and saved, basic settings like sample rate can be changed, and the acquisition can be controlled. Furthermore, calculated results such as maximum values, RMS values, or power values can be transmitted with up to 2000 result blocks/s.

GEN DAQ API is based on JSON-RPC 2.0 network communication standards. The source code supplied by HBM can be compiled on many different operating systems. For ease of use in the Microsoft®.NET environment, a managed .NET dll is supplied as well. An extensive help file is available to explain interface calls offered in this API.

The Python driver is used to remote control the GEN DAQ hardware directly from your control software without using Perception.

Features included:

• Connections
• Acquisition control
• Mainframe
• Manage recordings
• Manage mainframe settings
• Recorder

The Python driver can be downloaded here free of charge:

Code repository on GitHub: https://github.com/hbk-world/ghs-gendaqapi-python

Package on Python Package Index: https://pypi.org/project/ghs-gendaqapi-py/

The Perception Custom Software interface is used for software extensions inside the Perception software by adding CSI user sheets, custom automation and extended analysis functions. Also, the user interface can be completely customized using the CSI interface.

The CSI interface has access to every Perception part: Start/Stop/Pause and Trigger, Start Manager, Acquisition System, Hardware Settings, Displays, Meters, User Tables, Formulas, Calculations, Data Manager, Data Sources, User variables, Notifications, Logging, Conversion Functions, Automation Actions, Sheet Manager and more. A basic Windows C# sheet template is included as well as example code for C#. It is usable with all languages that support Microsoft®.NET 4.

The PNRF reader toolkit is used by HBM to read and write data into the PNRF file. As a result, it is steadily maintained and improved. It is available to be integrated in any analysis software to directly read PNRF files, eliminating the need for export or conversion.

Several analysis packages have this reader already integrated and thus can read PNRF data directly. These packages include LabView, DiaDem, FlexPro, Famos, GlyphWorks, jBeam, Dynaworks and others. The PNRF reader comes with a COM interface and programming example in VisualBasic, C# and C++.