National Instruments cRIO-9081 User manual

USER MANUAL
NI cRIO-9081
Reconfigurable Embedded Chassis with Integrated Intelligent Real-
Time Controller for CompactRIO
This document describes the features of the National Instruments cRIO-9081 and contains
information about mounting and operating the device.
USB 2.0
Host Port
USB 2.0
Host Port
RJ-45 Gigabit
Ethernet Port 1
2 GB DDR3
16 GB
CFast SSD
RS-232
Serial Port
RJ-50
RS-485/422 (DTE)
Serial Port
MXI-Express Port
Intel Celeron
U3405 1.06 GHz Dual-Core
Processor
++
Xilinx Spartan-6
LX75 FPGA
++
cRIO-9081
Hardware
Data
C Series
Module
C Series
Module
VGA Port
USB 2.0
Host Port
USB 2.0
Host Port
RJ-45 Gigabit
Ethernet Port 2

Configuring the cRIO-9081
You can connect the cRIO-9081 to a host computer or network and configure the startup
options using the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port 1.
Connecting the cRIO-9081 to the Host Computer or
Network Using Ethernet
Complete the following steps to connect the cRIO-9081 to a host computer or Ethernet
network using the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port 1. NI recommends using the RJ-45 Gigabit
Ethernet port 1 for communication with deployed systems.
Note You can configure the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port 2 in Measurement &
Automation Explorer (MAX) under the Network Settings tab.
1. Power on the host computer or Ethernet hub.
2. Connect the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port 1 on the cRIO-9081 to the host computer or
Ethernet hub using a standard Category 5 (CAT-5) or better shielded, twisted-pair
Ethernet cable.
Caution To prevent data loss and to maintain the integrity of your Ethernet
installation, do not use a cable longer than 100 m (328 ft).
The cRIO-9081 attempts to initiate a DHCP network connection the first time you
connect using Ethernet. The cRIO-9081 connects to the network with a link-local IP
address with the form 169.254.x.x if it is unable to initiate a DHCP connection.
Finding the cRIO-9081 on the Network (DHCP)
Complete the following steps to find the cRIO-9081 on a network using DHCP.
1. Disable secondary network interfaces on the host computer, such as a wireless access
card on a laptop.
2. Ensure that any anti-virus and firewall software running on the host computer allows
connections to the host computer.
Note MAX uses UDP 44525. Refer to the documentation of your firewall
software for information about configuring the firewall to allow communication
through the UDP 44525.
3. Launch MAX on the host computer.
4. Expand Remote Systems in the configuration tree and locate your system.
Tip MAX lists the system under the model number followed by the serial
number, such as NI-cRIO-9081-1856AAA.
Finding the cRIO-9081 on the Network (Static IP)
Complete the following steps to find the cRIO-9081 on the network if the host computer is
using a static IP address. The following instructions are for host computers running
Windows 7. For more information about performing the network configuration steps in this
section, visit www.microsoft.com and search for change tcp/ip settings.
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1. Obtain IP settings from the host computer.
a) Click Start»Control Panel»Network and Sharing Center.
b) Select the primary network connection, which may appear as Local Area
Connection or something similar.
c) In the dialog box that appears, click Properties.
d) Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
e) Click Properties.
f) Record the IP address, Subnet mask, and Default gateway address. You need
these settings to configure the network settings of the cRIO-9081 and to restore the
network settings of the host computer.
Tip You can also access these settings by opening the Start menu,
entering cmd.exe, and entering ipconfig in the command window that
launches.
g) Wait at least one minute.
2. Configure IP Settings on the controller in MAX.
a) Launch MAX on the host computer.
b) Expand Remote Systems in the configuration tree and locate your system.
Tip MAX lists the system under the model number followed by the serial
number, such as NI-cRIO-9081-1856AAA.
c) Select the Network Settings tab near the bottom of the window.
d) Select Static on the Configure IPv4 Address control.
e) Enter values for IPv4 Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, and DNS Server based on
the information you recorded. Be sure to enter a value for IPv4 Address that is not
used by another device on the network. For example, do not use the IP address
usually assigned to the host computer.
f) Click Save and let MAX restart the cRIO-9081. The cRIO-9081 disappears from
under Remote Systems and does not reappear until you restore the original network
settings to the host computer.
g) Restore the original network settings to the host computer.
h) Return to MAX and refresh Remote Systems.
Configuring DIP Switches
Figure 1. DIP Switches
DISABLE RT
SAFE MODE
CONSOLE OUT
IP RESET
NO APP
USER1
NO FPGA APP
ON OFF
All of the DIP switches are in the OFF position when the chassis is shipped from National
Instruments.
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 3

DISABLE RT Switch
The position of the DISABLE_RT determines the operating system the controller boots into. If
the switch is in the OFF position, the system boots into LabVIEW RT. If the switch is the ON
position, the system boots into the non-RT OS installed on the system, such as Windows.
SAFE MODE Switch (RT Only)
The position of the SAFE MODE switch determines whether the embedded LabVIEW Real-
Time engine launches at startup. If the switch is in the OFF position, the LabVIEW Real-Time
engine launches. Keep this switch in the OFF position during normal operation. If the switch is
in the ON position at startup, the cRIO-9081 launches only the essential services required for
updating its configuration and installing software. The LabVIEW Real-Time engine does not
launch.
CONSOLE OUT Switch (RT Only)
The position of the CONSOLE OUT switch determines whether console input and output are
redirected to the RS-232 serial port. If the switch is in the ON position, console input and
output are redirected to the RS-232 serial port. If the switch is in the OFF position, the RS-232
serial port functions normally.
With a serial-port terminal program, you can use console output to read the POST results,
BIOS revision, IP addresses, and software installed on the cRIO-908x. You can also enter the
BIOS setup menu and modify BIOS settings. Use a null-modem cable to connect the RS-232
serial port on the chassis to a computer. Push the CONSOLE OUT switch to the ON position.
Make sure that the serial-port terminal program is configured with the same settings as the
RS-232 serial port. The default configuration settings for the RS-232 serial port in CONSOLE
OUT mode are the following:
• 9,600 bits per second
• Eight data bits
• No parity
• One stop bit
• No flow control
You can use the BIOS setup menu to modify the CONSOLE OUT configuration settings for
the RS-232 serial port.
Keep the CONSOLE OUT switch in the OFF position during normal operation.
IP RESET Switch (RT Only)
Push the IP RESET switch to the ON position and reboot the controller to reset the IP address
and other TCP/IP settings of the controller to the factory defaults. You can also push this
switch to the ON position to unlock a controller that was previously locked in MAX.
NO APP Switch (RT Only)
Push the NO APP switch to the ON position to prevent a LabVIEW RT startup application
from running at startup. If you want to permanently disable a LabVIEW RT application from
running at startup, you must disable it in LabVIEW. To run an application at startup, push the
NO APP switch to the OFF position, create an application using the LabVIEW Application
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Builder, and configure the application in LabVIEW to launch at startup. If you already have an
application configured to launch at startup and you push the NO APP switch from ON to OFF,
the startup application is automatically enabled. For more information about automatically
launching VIs at startup and disabling VIs from launching at startup, refer to the Running a
Stand-Alone Real-Time Application (RT Module) topic of the LabVIEW Help.
USER1 Switch (RT Only)
You can define the USER1 switch for your application. To define the purpose of this switch in
your embedded application, use the RT Read Switch VI in your LabVIEW RT embedded VI.
For more information about the RT Read Switch VI, refer to the LabVIEW Help.
NO FPGA Switch
Push the NO FPGA switch to the ON position to prevent a LabVIEW FPGA application from
loading at startup. The NO FPGA switch overrides the reset options described in the System
Reset Options section. After startup you can download to the FPGA from software regardless
of switch position.
Restoring the Hard Drive to Factory Default Condition
(Windows Only)
You can restore the hard drive of the cRIO-9081 to factory default condition either from a
recovery partition on the hard drive or from the NI Embedded Controller OEM Re-Installation
DVD shipped with thecRIO-9081.
In order to use the hard-drive recovery partition, you must press and hold <F4> during the
POST to launch the recovery utility. In order to use the recovery DVD, you must connect an
external DVD-ROM drive to one of the USB ports of the cRIO-9081. For more information
about restoring the hard drive to factory default condition, go to ni.com/info and enter the Info
Code hdrecovery908x.
Note Restoring the hard drive to factory default condition erases the contents of
the hard drive. Back up any files you want to keep before restoring the hard drive.
Installing an Operating System
The cRIO-9081 is shipped with an operating system installed. You can use an external CD/
DVD-ROM drive, connected to one of the USB ports, to install a different operating system
such as Windows Embedded Standard 7 Runtime (WES7). For more information about
installing an operating system on the cRIO-9081, go to ni.com/info and enter the Info Code
hdrecovery908x.
cRIO-9081 Features
The cRIO-9081 provides the following features.
Ports and Connectors
The cRIO-9081 provides the following ports and connectors.
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 5

NI cRIO-9081
45
1
67
3
2
1. Power Connector
2. RJ-50 RS-485 Serial Port
3. USB Ports 1-4
4. RJ-45 Ethernet Ports 1 and 2
5. MXI Express Connector
6. VGA Video Connector
7. RS-232 Serial Port
RS-232 Serial Port
The cRIO-9081 has an RS-232 serial port to which you can connect devices such as displays
or input devices. Use the Serial VIs to read from and write to the serial port. Refer to the
LabVIEW Help for information about the Serial VIs.
The following table shows the pinout for the RS-232 serial port.
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Table 1. RS-232 Serial Port Pinout
Pinout Pin Signal
Pin 1
Pin 5
Pin 6
Pin 9
1 DCD
2 RXD
3 TXD
4 DTR
5 GND
6 DSR
7 RTS
8 CTS
9 RI/WAKE
You can use the Ring Indicator (RI) on pin 9 to wake the controller from a low-power state.
You can drive RI with a logic level high to wake the cRIO-9081. Refer to the specifications on
ni.com/manuals for the RI wake voltage.
RS-485/422 Serial Port
The cRIO-9081 has an RS-485/422 serial port that is implemented with an RJ-50, 10-position
modular jack. The RJ-50 connector is isolated from the cRIO-9081. For more information
about the electrical isolation of the RS-485/422 port, refer to the specifications on ni.com/
manuals.
The following table shows the pinout for the RS-485 serial port.
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 7

Table 2. RS-485/422 Serial Port Pinout
Pinout Pin Signal
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1
2
1 No Connect
2 TXD-
3 TXD+
4 No Connect
5 No Connect
6 RXD-
7 RXD+
8 No Connect
9 No Connect
10 Isolated GND
The following figure shows how to wire several NI FP-1001 banks in an RS-485/422 network
controlled by the cRIO-9081. Only two FP-1001 banks are shown, but the cRIO-9081 can
control up to 24 nodes. Install 120 Ω termination resistors at each end of the network.
Figure 2. Wiring for an RS-485/422 Network Controlled by the cRIO-9081
RXD– RXD+ TXD– TXD+ RX– RX+ TX– TX+ RX– RX+ TX– TX+
cRIO-908x FP-1001 FP-1001
120 Ω120 Ω120 Ω120 Ω
COM 2 is designed to operate in four-wire (RS-422) mode. You can also use COM 2 in two-
wire mode.
The following accessories are available for the RS-485/422 serial port.
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Table 3. RS-485/422 (DTE) Serial Port Accessory
Accessory Length Part Number
RS-485, S8 Serial Cable, 10-Position Modular Plug to 9-Pin DSUB
(Isolated)
1 m 182845-01
2 m 182845-02
3 m 182845-03
DIN Rail-Mountable Screw Terminal Adapter — 778674-01
MXI Express Port
You can use the MXI Express port on the cRIO-9081 to connect to a MXI Express chassis.
Complete the following steps to connect one or more cRIO-9081 to a MXI Express device.
1. Make sure the MXI Express device is configured and powered off.
2. Make sure the cRIO-9081 is powered off.
3. Connect the cRIO-9081 to the MXI Express device using a x1 cable.
4. Power on the MXI Express device.
5. Power on the cRIO-9081.
The MXI Express LINK LED on the front panel of the cRIO-9081 lights green when
communication is established. The LINK LED lights yellow when communication is
broken or no cable is connected.
Note The cRIO-9081 may not detect MXI Express devices connected while
the cRIO-9081 is powered on.
The following table shows the MXI Express cables available from NI.
Table 4. NI MXI Express Cables
Length Part Number
1 m 779500-01
3 m 779500-03
7 m 779500-07
USB Ports
The USB ports on the cRIO-9081 support common USB mass-storage devices such as USB
Flash drives, USB-to-IDE adapters formatted with FAT16 and FAT32 file systems. LabVIEW
usually maps USB devices to the U:, V:, W:, or X: drive, starting with the U: drive if it is
available.
The following table shows the pinout for the USB host ports.
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 9

Table 5. USB Host Port Pinout
Pinout Pin Signal Description
1
42
3
1 VCC Cable power (5 V)
2 D- USB data-
3 D+ USB data+
4 GND Ground
Caution Do not hot-swap USB devices while the cRIO-9081 is in a hazardous
location or connected to high voltages. If the cRIO-9081 is not in a hazardous
location, you can connect and disconnect USB devices without affecting operation.
Video Port (VGA)
The cRIO-9081 VGA port outputs graphics using VESA standard VGA analog signaling. The
following table lists the VGA signals.
Pin Signal Name Signal Description
1 RED Red analog video signal
2 GREEN Green analog video signal
3 BLUE Blue analog video signal
4 NC No Connect
5 GND Ground reference
6 RED RETURN Ground reference
7 GREEN RETURN Ground reference
8 BLUE RETURN Ground reference
9 POWER 5 V power for DDC
10 GND Ground return for power
11 NC No Connect
12 DDC_D Data signal of serial communication
13 HSYNC Horizontal synchronization signal
14 VSYNC Vertical synchronization signal
15 DDC_C Clock signal of serial communication
Note Do not hot-swap VGA devices while the cRIO-9081 is in a hazardous
location or connected to high voltages.
10 | ni.com | NI cRIO-9081 User Manual

RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet Ports
The cRIO-9081 has two tri-speed RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet ports. By default, both Ethernet ports
are enabled and configured to obtain an IP address automatically. The Ethernet ports can be
configured in MAX.
The following table shows the pinout for the RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet ports.
Table 6. RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet Port Pinout
Fast Ethernet Signal Gigabit Ethernet Signal Pin Pinout
TX+ TX_A+ 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
TX- TX_A- 2
RX+ RX_B+ 3
No Connect TX_C+ 4
No Connect TX_C- 5
RX- RX_B- 6
No Connect RX_D+ 7
No Connect RX_D- 8
Note Both Ethernet ports perform automatic crossover configuration so you do not
need to use a crossover cable to connect to a host computer.
The following NI Ethernet cables are available for the cRIO-9081.
Table 7. RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet Cables
Cables Length Part Number
CAT-5E Ethernet Cable, shielded 2 m 151733-02
5 m 151733-05
10 m 151733-10
Table 8. Ethernet 10/100/1000 LAN Connector LED Indications
LED LED Color LED State Condition
ACT/LINK Green Off LAN link not established
ACT/LINK Green On (continuously lit) LAN link established
ACT/LINK Green On (pulsing) Activity on LAN
10/100/1000 Unlit Off 10 Mbit/s data rate selected
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 11

Table 8. Ethernet 10/100/1000 LAN Connector LED Indications (Continued)
LED LED Color LED State Condition
10/100/1000 Green On 100 Mbit/s data rate selected
10/100/1000 Yellow On 1,000 Mbit/s data rate selected
CPU eXpansion Module (CXM) Connector
In the future, the CXM connector will enable you to connect additional industry-standard I/O
to the cRIO-9081.
Power Connector
The cRIO-9081 has a power connector to which you can connect a primary and secondary
power supply. The following table shows the pinout for the power connector.
Table 9. Power Connector Pinout
Pinout Pin Description
V1
C
V2
C
V1 Primary power input
C Common
V2 Secondary power input
C Common
Caution The C terminals are internally connected to each other, but are not
connected to chassis ground. This isolation is intended to prevent ground loops and
does not meet UL ratings for safety isolation. You can connect the C terminals to
chassis ground externally. Refer to the specifications on ni.com/manuals for
information about the power supply input range and maximum voltage from
terminal to chassis ground.
If you apply power to both the V1 and V2 inputs, the cRIO-9081 operates from the V1 input.
If the input voltage to V1 is insufficient, the cRIO-9081 operates from the V2 input.
The cRIO-9081 has reverse-voltage protection.
The following NI power supplies and accessories are available for the cRIO-9081.
Table 10. Power Accessories
Accessory Part Number
NI PS-15 Power Supply, 24 VDC, 5 A, 100-120/200-240 VAC Input 781093-01
NI PS-10 Desktop Power Supply, 24 VDC, 5 A, 100-120/200-240 VAC Input 782698-01
12 | ni.com | NI cRIO-9081 User Manual

Buttons
The cRIO-9081 provides the following buttons.
NI cRIO-9081
3
2
1
1. Reset Button
2. Power Button
3. CMOS Reset Button
Power Button
Pressing the POWER button powers the cRIO-9081 on and off. If the cRIO-9081 becomes
unresponsive, you can power it off by holding the POWER button down for 4 seconds.
Reset Button
Pressing the RESET button resets the processor in the same manner as cycling power.
Note The FPGA continues to run unless you select the Autoload on Any Device
Reset boot option.
CMOS Reset Button
The cRIO-9081 has a CMOS reset button that you can use to reset the CMOS and the BIOS.
LEDs
The cRIO-9081 provides the following LEDs.
POWER
DRIVE
STATUS
USER1
USER FPGA1
POWER LED Indicators
The following table lists the POWER LED indicators.
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 13

Table 11. POWER LED Indicators
LED Color LED Pattern Indication
Green Solid The cRIO-9081 is powered from the V1 input.
Yellow Solid The cRIO-9081 is powered from the V2 input.
— Off The cRIO-9081 is powered off.
Drive LED
The DRIVE LED is lit yellow when an internal drive is being accessed.
STATUS LED Indicators
The STATUS LED is off during normal operation. The cRIO-9081 indicates specific software
error conditions by flashing the STATUS LED yellow a certain number of times every few
seconds, as shown in the following table.
Table 12. STATUS LED Software Indicators
Number of Yellow
Flashes Every Few
Seconds
Indication
1 The chassis is unconfigured. Use MAX to configure the chassis. Refer
to the Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for information
about configuring the chassis.
2 The chassis has detected an error in its software. This usually occurs
when an attempt to upgrade the software is interrupted. Reinstall
software on the chassis. Refer to the Measurement & Automation
Explorer Help for information about installing software on the
chassis.
3 The chassis is in safe mode because the SAFE MODE DIP switch is
in the ON position or there is no software installed on the chassis.
4 The software has crashed twice without rebooting or cycling power
between crashes. This usually occurs when the chassis runs out of
memory. Review your RT VI and check the memory usage. Modify
the VI as necessary to solve the memory usage issue.
14 | ni.com | NI cRIO-9081 User Manual

Table 12. STATUS LED Software Indicators (Continued)
Number of Yellow
Flashes Every Few
Seconds
Indication
Continuously
Flashing
The chassis has detected an unrecoverable error. Contact National
Instruments.
Continuously
Flashing or Solid
The device may be configured for DHCP but unable to get an IP
address because of a problem with the DHCP server. Check the
network connection and try again. If the problem persists, contact
National Instruments.
The cRIO-9081 indicates specific hardware error conditions by flashing the STATUS LED red
a certain number of times every few seconds, as shown in the following table.
Table 13. STATUS LED Hardware Indicators
Pattern of Red
Flashes
Indication
Continuously Flashing An internal power supply has failed. Check front-panel I/O, CXM,
and C Series module connections for shorts. Remove any shorts and
power cycle the controller. If the problem persists, contact National
Instruments.
Solid The cRIO-9081 internal temperature has exceeded a critical
threshold. Ensure that the ambient operating temperature does not
exceed the range specified in the Environmental section. If the
problem persists, contact National Instruments.
User LEDs
You can define the USER1 and USER FPGA1 LEDs to meet the needs of your application.
The following table lists the USER1 and USER FPGA1 LED indicators.
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 15

Table 14. User LEDs
LED LED Color Description
USER1 Green/Yellow Use LabVIEW Real-Time to define the USER1 LED with the
RT LEDs VI. For more information about the RT LEDs VI,
refer to the LabVIEW Help.
USER
FPGA1
Green/Yellow Use the LabVIEW FPGA Module and NI-RIO Device
Drivers software to define the USER FPGA1 LED. Use the
USER FPGA1 LED to help debug your application or retrieve
application status. Refer to the LabVIEW Help for information
about programming this LED.
Chassis Grounding Screw
The cRIO-9081 provides a chassis grounding screw.
NI cRIO-9081
1
1. Chassis Grounding Screw
For EMC compliance, you must connect the cRIO-9081 to earth ground through the chassis
ground screw. Use wire that is 1.31 mm2 (16 AWG) solid copper wire with a maximum length
of 1.5 m (5 ft). Attach the wire to the earth ground of the electrode system of the facility.
Caution If you use shielded cabling to connect to a C Series module with a plastic
connector, you must attach the cable shield to the chassis grounding terminal using
1.31 mm2 (16 AWG) or larger wire. Attach a ring lug to the wire and attach the wire
16 | ni.com | NI cRIO-9081 User Manual

to the chassis grounding terminal. Solder the other end of the wire to the cable
shield. Use shorter wire for better EMC performance.
For more information about ground connections, visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code
emcground.
Internal Real-Time Clock
The cRIO-9081 contains an internal real-time clock that maintains system time when the
cRIO-9081 is powered off. The system clock of the cRIO-9081 is synchronized with the
internal real-time clock at startup. You can set the real-time clock using the BIOS setup utility
or MAX, or you can set the clock programmatically using LabVIEW.
Refer to the specifications on ni.com/manuals for the real-time clock accuracy specifications.
CMOS Battery
The cRIO-9081 contains a CMOS battery. The CMOS battery is a lithium cell battery that
stores the system clock information when the cRIO-9081 is powered off. There is only a slight
drain on the CMOS battery when power is applied to the cRIO-9081 power connector. The
rate at which the CMOS battery drains when power is disconnected depends on the ambient
storage temperature. For longer battery life, store the cRIO-9081 at a cooler temperature and
apply power to the power connector. Refer to the specifications on ni.com/manuals for the
expected battery lifetime.
The CMOS BATTERY IS DEAD warning appears onscreen during the power-on self test if the
battery is dead. The cRIO-9081 still starts, but the system clock is reset to the date and time of
the BIOS release. The battery is not user-replaceable. If you need to replace the CMOS
battery, contact NI. Refer to the specifications on ni.com/manuals for information about
battery disposal.
Mounting the Device
To obtain the maximum allowable ambient temperature of 55 °C, you must mount the
cRIO-9081 horizontally on a flat, metallic, vertical surface such as a panel or wall. You can
mount the cRIO-9081 directly to the surface or use the NI Panel Mounting Kit. The following
figure shows the cRIO-9081 mounted horizontally.
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 17

Figure 3. cRIO-9081 Horizontal Mounting
NI cRIO-9081
1
1. Up
You can also mount the cRIO-9081 in other orientations, on a nonmetallic surface, on a
35-mm DIN rail, on a desktop, or in a rack. Mounting the cRIO-9081 in these or other
configurations can reduce the maximum allowable ambient temperature and can affect the
typical accuracy of modules in the cRIO-9081. For more information about typical accuracy
specifications for C Series modules and temperature deratings caused by different mounting
configurations, visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code criotypical.
Caution Make sure that no C Series modules are in the cRIO-9081 before
mounting it.
Tip Before using any of these mounting methods, record the serial number from
the back of the chassis. Knowing the serial number makes it easier to find the
CompactRIO system in MAX. You will be unable to read the serial number after you
mount the cRIO-9081.
Dimensions
The following figures show the front and side dimensions of the cRIO-9081. For detailed
dimensional drawings and 3D models, visit ni.com/dimensions and search for the module
number.
Figure 4. cRIO-9081 Front Dimensions
88.1 mm
(3.43 in.)
NI cRIO-9081
18 | ni.com | NI cRIO-9081 User Manual

Figure 5. cRIO-9081 Side Dimensions
27.6 mm
(1.08 in.)
27.6 mm
(1.08 in.)
0.0 mm
(0.0 in.)
0.0 mm
(0.0 in.)
0.0 mm (0.0 in.)0.0 mm (0.0 in.) 8.0 mm (0.32 in.)8.0 mm (0.32 in.) 80.0 mm (3.15 in.)80.0 mm (3.15 in.)
Mounting Requirements
Your installation must meet the following requirements for cooling and cabling clearance.
Allow 50.8 mm (2.00 in.) on the top and the bottom of the cRIO-9081 for air circulation, as
shown in the following figure.
Figure 6. cRIO-9081 Cooling Dimensions
Cooling
Outline
50.8 mm
(2.00 in.)
Cooling
Outline
50.8 mm
(2.00 in.)
88.1 mm
(3.43 in.)
NI cRIO-9081
Allow the appropriate space in front of C Series modules for cabling clearance, as shown in
the following figure. The different connector types on C Series modules require different
cabling clearances. For a complete list of cabling clearances for C Series modules, visit
ni.com/info and enter the Info Code crioconn.
NI cRIO-9081 User Manual | © National Instruments | 19

Figure 7. cRIO-9081 Cabling Clearance
50.8 mm
(2.00 in.)
403.7 mm
(15.89 in.)
Cabling Clearance
104.5 mm
(4.11 in.)
50.8 mm
(2.00 in.)
121.9 mm
(4.80 in.)
29.2 mm
(1.15 in.)
50.8 mm
(2.00 in.)
Ambient Temperature
Measure the ambient temperature at each side of the cRIO-9081, 63.5 mm (2.50 in.) from the
side and 50.8 mm (2.00 in.) forward from the rear of the cRIO-9081, as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 8. cRIO-9081 Ambient Temperature Location
50.8 mm
(2.00 in.)
63.5 mm
(2.50 in.)
50.8 mm
(2.00 in.) 63.5 mm
(2.50 in.)
11
1. Location for measuring the ambient temperature
Mounting the Device Directly on a Flat Surface
For environments with high shock and vibration, NI recommends mounting the cRIO-9081
directly on a flat, rigid surface using the mounting holes in the cRIO-9081.
What to Use
• cRIO-9081
• M4 screw (x6), user provided, which must not exceed 8 mm of insertion into the
cRIO-9081
What to Do
Complete the following steps to mount the cRIO-9081 directly on a flat surface.
20 | ni.com | NI cRIO-9081 User Manual