NI USB-6000 User manual

USER GUIDE
NI USB-6000
USB Multifunction DAQ Device
This user guide describes how to use the National Instruments USB-6000 data acquisition
(DAQ) device.
The NI USB-6000 is a USB device that provides eight single-ended analog input (AI) channels,
four digital input/output (DIO) channels, and a 32-bit counter.
Figure 1. NI USB-6000 Top and Back Views
1 Screw Terminal Connector Plug
2 LED Indicator
3 Micro-B USB Connector
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2|ni.com |NI USB-6000 User Guide
Contents
Safety Guidelines ......................................................................................................................3
Electromagnetic Compatibility Guidelines...............................................................................3
Unpacking ................................................................................................................................. 4
Packing List ...................................................................................................................... 4
Setting Up the Device ............................................................................................................... 4
Installing the Software ...................................................................................................... 4
Preparing the Hardware .................................................................................................... 5
Verifying the Installation .................................................................................................. 5
Using the NI USB-6000 in an Application ...............................................................................6
Features ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Block Diagram.................................................................................................................. 7
LED Indicator ...................................................................................................................7
Cables and Accessories.............................................................................................................8
Pinout and Signal Descriptions................................................................................................. 9
Analog Input .............................................................................................................................10
Connecting Analog Input Signals .....................................................................................11
Wiring Considerations .............................................................................................. 12
AI Start Trigger................................................................................................................. 13
Digital I/O ................................................................................................................................. 14
Power-On States ............................................................................................................... 14
Source/Sink Information................................................................................................... 14
I/O Protection....................................................................................................................15
PFI 0 and PFI 1 ......................................................................................................................... 16
Using PFI 0 as a Counter Source ...................................................................................... 16
Using PFI 1 to Trigger an Analog Input Acquisition .......................................................16
Where to Go from Here ............................................................................................................16
Example Programs ............................................................................................................ 16
Related Documentation.....................................................................................................16
Where to Go for Support .......................................................................................................... 19

NI USB-6000 User Guide |© National Instruments |3
Safety Guidelines
Operate the NI USB-6000 only as described in this document.
Caution Refer to the Read Me First: Safety and Electromagnetic Compatibility
document for important safety and electromagnetic compatibility information. To
obtain a copy of this document online, visit ni.com/manualsand search for the
document title.
Caution Do not operate the device in a manner not specified in this document.
Misuse of the device can result in a hazard. You can compromise the safety protection
built into the device if the device is damaged in any way. If the device is damaged,
contact National Instruments for repair.
Caution Do not substitute parts or modify the device except as described in this
document. Use the device only with the chassis, modules, accessories, and cables
specified in the installation instructions.
Caution Do not operate the device in an explosive atmosphere or where there may
be flammable gases or fumes. If you must operate the device in such an environment,
it must be in a suitably rated enclosure.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Guidelines
This product was tested and complies with the regulatory requirements and limits for
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) stated in the product specifications. These requirements
and limits provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the product is
operated in the intended operational electromagnetic environment.
This product is intended for use in industrial locations. However, harmful interference may
occur in some installations, when the product is connected to a peripheral device or test object,
or if the product is used in residential or commercial areas. To minimize interference with radio
and television reception and prevent unacceptable performance degradation, install and use this
product in strict accordance with the instructions in the product documentation.
Furthermore, any modifications to the product not expressly approved by National Instruments
could void your authority to operate it under your local regulatory rules.
Caution To ensure the specified EMC performance, the length of any wire or cable
connected to the screw terminal connector must be no longer than 0.5 m (20 in.).

4|ni.com |NI USB-6000 User Guide
Unpacking
The NI USB-6000 ships in an antistatic package to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD
can damage several components on the device.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors.
To avoid ESD damage in handling the device, take the following precautions:
• Ground yourself with a grounding strap or by touching a grounded object.
• Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of your computer chassis before removing the
device from the package.
Remove the device from the package and inspect it for loose components or any other signs of
damage. Notify NI if the device appears damaged in any way. Do not install a damaged device
in your computer.
Store the device in the antistatic package when the device is not in use.
Packing List
The NI USB-6000 is shipped in a box that contains:
• NI USB-6000
• Screw terminal connector plug
• Hi-Speed USB Cable
• NI-DAQmx DVD
• NI USB-6000 Quick Start
Setting Up the Device
Complete the following steps to get started with the device.
Note For instructions applicable to all NI DAQ devices, refer to ni.com/
gettingstarted.
Installing the Software
1. Install the application software, as described in the installation instructions that accompany
your software. Refer to Table 1 for available application software you can use with your
device.
2. Install NI-DAQmx, version 9.8 or later.
3. Register your products when the NI Product Registration Wizard appears.
Note Latest NI software releases are available for download at ni.com/support.

NI USB-6000 User Guide |© National Instruments |5
Preparing the Hardware
1. Insert the screw terminal connector plug into the connector jack on the device. Refer to
Figure 2.
2. The Hi-Speed USB cable has two different connectors on each end. Plug the smaller
Micro-B USB connector into the device, and plug the larger USB connector into a
USB port. Refer to Figure 2.
Figure 2. Hardware Setup for NI USB-6000
Verifying the Installation
1. Launch Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) by double-clicking the NI MAX
icon on the desktop, or (Windows 8) by clicking Measurement & Automation Explorer
from NI Launcher.
2. Expand My System»Devices and Interfaces and verify that the NI USB-6000 is listed.
If your device does not appear, press <F5> to refresh the view in MAX. If your device is
still not recognized, refer to ni.com/support/daqmx for troubleshooting information.
3. Right-click your device and select Self-Test. When the self-test finishes, a message
indicates successful verification or if an error occurred. If an error occurs, refer to
ni.com/support/daqmx.
4. Connect the wires (1.31 to 0.08 mm2, or 16 to 28 AWG) to the screw terminals by stripping
6.35 mm (0.25 in.) of insulation, inserting the wires into the screw terminals, and securely
tightening the screws. Refer to Figure 4 for the NI USB-6000 pinout.
5. Right-click your device and select Test Panels. A test panel appears.
6. Click Start to test the device functions, or Help for operating instructions. If an error
message is displayed, refer to ni.com/support/daqmx.
7. Click Close to exit the test panel.
1 Screw Terminal Connector Plug 2 Hi-Speed USB Cable
1
2

6|ni.com |NI USB-6000 User Guide
Using the NI USB-6000 in an Application
You can use the DAQ Assistant through many NI application software programs to configure
virtual and measurement channels. Table 1 lists DAQ Assistant tutorial locations for NI
applications.
Refer to the Where to Go from Here section for information about programming examples for
NI-DAQmx.
Table 1. DAQ Assistant Tutorial Locations
NI Application
Software Tutorial Location
LabVIEW Go to Help»LabVIEW Help. Next, go to Getting Started with
LabVIEW»Getting Started with DAQ»Taking an NI-DAQmx
Measurement in LabVIEW.
LabWindows™/CVI™Go to Help»Contents. Next, go to Using LabWindows/CVI»
Data Acquisition»Taking an NI-DAQmx Measurement in
LabWindows/CVI.
Measurement Studio Go to NI Measurement Studio Help»NI Measurement Studio
Help.Next, go to Developing Projects with Measurement
Studio»Getting Started with the Measurement Studio Class
Libraries»Measurement Studio Walkthroughs»
Walkthrough: Creating a Measurement Studio NI-DAQmx
Application.
SignalExpress Go to Help»Taking an NI-DAQmx Measurement in
SignalExpress.

NI USB-6000 User Guide |© National Instruments |7
Features
Block Diagram
Figure 3 shows key functional components of the NI USB-6000.
Figure 3. NI USB-6000 Block Diagram
LED Indicator
The NI USB-6000 has a blue LED indicator that indicates device status, as listed in Table 2.
Table 2. LED State/Device Status
LED State Device Status
Off Device not connected or in suspend.
On, not blinking Device connected and functioning normally.
Blinking Device has encountered an error. Wait 10 seconds to allow the
device to attempt to recover from the error. If the LED keeps
blinking, disconnect and reconnect the device. If the error
persists, contact National Instruments. Refer to the Where to
Go for Support section for contact information.
AI 7
AMP AI FIFO
ADC
MUX
AI 0
1 MΩ
1 MΩ
16-Position
Screw Terminal
Plug
P0.0 / PFI 0
P0.3
P0.1 / PFI 1
P0.2
Static
DIO
Edge Counter
ADC
Control
AI Start Trigger
USB 2.0
Full
Speed
Interface
USB
Connector
(Micro-B)

8|ni.com |NI USB-6000 User Guide
Cables and Accessories
Table 3 contains information about cables and accessories available for the NI USB-6000.
Note For a complete list of accessories and ordering information, refer to the
pricing section of the NI USB-6000 product page at ni.com.
Table 3. NI USB-6000 Cables and Accessories
Accessory Part Number Description
USB-6000 Accessory Kit 782703-01 Four additional screw-terminal connectors
and a screwdriver
USB-6000 Series
Prototyping Accessory
779511-01 Unshielded breadboarding accessory for
custom-defined signal conditioning and
prototyping.
Hi-Speed USB Cable,
A to Micro-B, 1 m
782909-01 —
Hi-Speed USB Cable,
A to Micro-B, 2 m
782909-02 —

NI USB-6000 User Guide |© National Instruments |9
Pinout and Signal Descriptions
Figure 4 shows the pinout of the NI USB-6000. Refer to Table 4 for a detailed description of
each signal.
Figure 4. NI USB-6000 Pinout
Table 4. Signal Descriptions
Signal
Name Reference Direction Description
D GND — — Digital Ground—The reference point for
digital signals.
AI GND — — Analog Input Ground—The reference
point for analog input measurements.
P0.<0..3> D GND Input or
Output
Port 0 Digital I/O
Channels0to3—Configure each signal
individually as an input or output.
Refer to the Digital I/O section for more
information.
PFI 0 D GND Input PFI 0—An edge counter input. Refer to the
Using PFI 0 as a Counter Source section for
more information.
D GND
P0.0/PFI 0
P0.1/PFI 1
P0.2
P0.3
AI GND
AI 0
AI 1
AI 2
AI 3
AI GND
AI 4
AI 5
AI 6
AI 7
AI GND
0
7 4 06 5 312 23
AI (±10V)
1
P0.x / PFI xx

10 |ni.com |NI USB-6000 User Guide
Analog Input
The NI USB-6000 has eight ±10 V fixed-range analog input channels for single-ended analog
input measurements.
Figure 5 shows the analog input circuitry of the NI USB-6000.
Figure 5. NI USB-6000 Analog Input Circuitry
The main blocks featured in the analog input circuitry are as follows:
•MUX—The multiplexer (MUX) routes one AI channel at a time to the amplifier (AMP).
•AMP—The amplifier (AMP) buffers analog input signal, before the signal is sampled by
the analog-to-digital converter (ADC).
•ADC—The analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes the AI signal by converting the
analog voltage into digital code.
•AI FIFO—The NI USB-6000 can perform both single and multiple analog-to-digital
conversions of a fixed or infinite number of samples. A first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer
holds data during AI acquisitions to ensure that no data is lost.
PFI 1 D GND Input PFI 1—A digital trigger input. Refer to the
Using PFI 1 to Trigger an Analog Input
Acquisition section for more information.
AI <0..7> AI GND Input Analog Input Channels 0 to 7—Analog
input voltage channels. Refer to the Analog
Input section for more information.
Table 4. Signal Descriptions (Continued)
Signal
Name Reference Direction Description
AI 7
AMP AI FIFO
ADC
MUX
AI 0
1 MΩ
1 MΩ