bb16@prism.gatech.EDU (BOSTATER,Scott) (10/04/89)
I'm looking for recommendations for software to drive a Data Translation
DT2801A A/D board. The board was bought with the intent of computerizing
a material science laboratory. The users are ibm pc ignorant and do not
want anything more than a point and shoot type of a system. No one is sure
exactly what they want out of the software other than being user-friendly
(i.e. idiot proof).
Has anyone out there used any of the following software products? Any info,
good or bad, would be greatly appreciated.
Software under consideration:
PCLAB $299
ATLAB $499
SNAPSHOT STORAGE SCOPE $495
LABTECH NOTEBOOK $995
ASYST $2095
ASYST+ $995
LT/CONTROL $2995
LABTECH ACQUIRE $195
CODAS $895
GENESIS $3495
Comments on other A/D software is also welcome.
Thanks in advance,
--
Scott Bostater GTRI/RAIL/RAD (Ga. Tech)
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him" -Ps 62.1
uucp: ...!{allegra,amd,hplabs,ut-ngp}!gatech!prism!bb16
Internet: bb16@prism.gatech.edutrb@stag.UUCP ( Todd Burkey ) (10/11/89)
In article <2249@hydra.gatech.EDU> bb16@prism.gatech.EDU (BOSTATER,Scott) writes: >I'm looking for recommendations for software to drive a Data Translation >DT2801A A/D board. The board was bought with the intent of computerizing >a material science laboratory. The users are ibm pc ignorant and do not >want anything more than a point and shoot type of a system. No one is sure >exactly what they want out of the software other than being user-friendly >(i.e. idiot proof). > >Has anyone out there used any of the following software products? Any info, >good or bad, would be greatly appreciated. > >Software under consideration: > PCLAB $299 > ATLAB $499 > SNAPSHOT STORAGE SCOPE $495 > LABTECH NOTEBOOK $995 > ASYST $2095 > ASYST+ $995 > LT/CONTROL $2995 > LABTECH ACQUIRE $195 > CODAS $895 > GENESIS $3495 > >Comments on other A/D software is also welcome. I've tried out a number of the above packages and found them better for analysis of data after the fact, than for 'automated' data acquisition. They always seem to try to be just too generic (and sometimes dangerous to use for failure-mode testing). Sorry, but I haven't played with that particular AD board. Setting up materials testing software can be a complex business. At Interlaken, we sell a universal test program (with controller) that is normally sold with our own load frames. Since our competitors have lagged behind in the use of computers in control and data acquisition, we find that a number of our controllers also get sold as front-ends on their systems as well. And yes, our stuff is based on PC's. Lately, I've seen more of a trend for the need for specific application programs to ensure 'idiot proof' operation in the areas of tensile and compression testing (the test is destructive and you sometimes need to do a lot of them over a short period of time.) These types of programs may be too specific for a university environment, but will save a lot of money in an industrial application. What types of materials testing does your lab do? And what kind of hardware are you currently using? A more important question, since I am relatively new to the Materials Sciences world...is there anyone else out there on Usenet in this field? I was somewhat surprised to see that there is no newsgroup even remotely related to materials testing. -Todd Burkey Manager of Software Development Interlaken Technology Corporation pwcs!stag!trb