Data Acquisition Systems Industry Information

Data acquisition systems (DAQs) gather information from one or more signal inputs or sensor sources and convert this information into a digital form for further analysis. These data acquisition systems are a means for monitoring and regulating manufacturing processes and systems. Data acquisition systems, alternately known as data loggers, are typically made to measure light, humidity, temperature, voltage, pressure, acceleration, rotation, strain and other similar events. Many data acquisition systems are compact and battery-powered for ease of use and storage. Numerous variations of instrumentation and modular systems are available from data acquisition system manufacturers. These data acquisition systems can be simple or complex, depending on the need.

Data acquisition system manufacturers create systems that consist of three main components. First, sensors respond to physical stimulation by transmitting signals or altering electrical properties like resistance. Data loggers then take the signal and convert it into a number-by a process called digitizing-and store the value or change it into a statistic. The final component of data acquisition systems is a type of computer that communicates with the data logger to collect what information has been measured. The data that is displayed on the computer is only as good as the sensor's ability to measure conditions and the data logger's ability to resolve the measurements.

Data acquisition systems can be used for all kinds of applications in field studies, troubleshooting and research. Along with monitoring and making appropriate adjustments for processes, manufacturers can test all types of technical products using data acquisition systems. Other applications include safety warnings and data gathering for research projects. Data acquisition systems monitor environmental conditions for various purposes, such as regulating temperature, and weather stations frequently use these systems to monitor meteorological conditions. Sensitive environments, like museums that need to stay at a constant temperature to preserve artifacts, benefit from data acquisition systems that measure factors like temperature and humidity. Among the many industries and fields that use data acquisition systems are aerospace, material handling, gas and oil processing, defense and military, mining, electrical, water treatment and disposal, pulp and paper, medical, amusement parks, chemical processing, laboratory equipment and shipbuilding.

It is important to keep certain factors in mind when looking for data acquisition systems and equipment. The accuracy of the system depends on the quality of the following: differential analog input channels, digital I/O channels, sampling frequency, resolution and accuracy. Other important factors are the transducers, ease of use and the quality of excitation. Many of these data acquisition systems are available with specialized features as well, ranging from waterproof for underwater operations to sizes smaller than a credit card. There are variations in the way the information is handled, for some will print out the data and others will transmit the measurements directly to a computer. Data acquisition system manufacturers, as a general rule, design very durable and either fixed or mobile systems, depending on the specific need.