Gather your data for 30% less

National Instruments has launched a new generation of multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) boards, claimed to be more than 30% cheaper per I/O channel than the previous generation, while delivering improved performance. The new M series consists of 20 boards, starting at around £260, which offer a minimum resolution of 16 bits, compared to the 12 bits of the previous E Series, introduced ten years ago.

The new boards (shown above) use a new system controller chip, which integrates several separate devices, thus saving space. The chip can carry out up to six operations simultaneously, at throughput rates up to five times faster than previous DAQ systems.

Measurement accuracy has been improved by up to five times, and recommended calibration intervals have been extended to two years. Up to 1.25 million samples can be taken per second, and some of the boards offer an analogue input accuracy of 18 bits - equivalent to a 5½-digit multimeter.

The boards are also said to cut overall system costs by using advanced tools to cut set-up times.