Room with a (Lab)VIEW

In the Bishop Ceramic Laboratory of Clemson's National Brick Research Center, Gary Parker is seeking the optimum drying cycle to use in clay brick manufacturing. His research requires continual monitoring and control of a unique dryer where various regimes of temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity can be tested. A rather ordinary personal computer links Parker to a plethora of virtual instrumentation provided by LabVIEW's developer, National Instruments. Parker and students working in the laboratory rely on LabVIEW software to control, monitor and record the processes involved.

Over the last two decades National Instruments has revolutionized the way scientists and engineers acquire, analyze and display data, and design control systems. Virtual instrumentation (VI) enables the user to create instruments with "pick and place" icons which are functionally the same as an actual instrument. National's hardware and software products transform ordinary personal computers into powerful workstations - an approach that has been vigorously embraced by industry.

According to Parker, LabVIEW is an invaluable teaching and research tool. "We know that students are likely to see these products again during their career," he observes. "Students who have the opportunity to develop skills with technology that is fast becoming an industry standard, are highly valued in the workplace."

Virtual instrumentation also offers financial benefits. "This technology helps us make the most of every research dollar," observes Bill Willis, Director of Clemson's Engineering and Electronics Services (EES). "Using virtual instruments and laboratory tools means that you are not continuously replacing expensive, outdated hardware. It also allows you to more efficiently allocate personnel resources."

Bob Teague, an EES lab technologist who has worked with Parker to set up the brick research system, is an enthusiastic supporter of LabVIEW and its capabilities. "There are a number of schools in the southeast that have established virtual engineering
laboratories," stated Teague. "The facilities at North Carolina State and the University of Tennessee are particularly noteworthy. Allocating resources to a similar effort here at Clemson would be proactive, in my opinion," observed Teague.