Who needs LabVIEW?

I have a cyclic endurance test running where a jet engine fuel nozzle is exposed to pressure ramps from zero to full flow. Many thousands of them...several hundred hour's worth. Pressure is controlled, not by servo- or proportional valve because the fuel is heavily contaminated (on purpose) which would ruin those much faster than the unit under test.

So instead I have a stepper motor linked to a 20-turn needle valve dumping bypass flow back to the tank. And the stepper is controlled via Perl and the Device::LabJack module. The program also collects data, triggers a webcam for documentation, and has a rather nice Tk GUI.

UPDATE: Link to Atom Feed on my non-CPAN module is available here:
OO Interface to LabJack Device

Comment on Who needs LabVIEW?

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Who needs LabVIEW? by robot_tourist (Hermit) on Dec 27, 2006 at 09:42 UTC
Do we get screenshots? Block diagrams of the system? How can you feel when you're made of steel? I am made of steel. I am the Robot Tourist. Robot Tourist, by Ten Benson	[reply]
Re^2: Who needs LabVIEW? by aplonis (Pilgrim) on Dec 31, 2006 at 16:51 UTC
Yeah, sure. Over the holiday I am mainly just keeping the system running by keeping the slurry hopper filled with JP-8 and calibrated dirt. But I've got the report to write up, which will have diagrams and such. I'll share a few of those after I've got the report put together.	[reply]
Re^2: Who needs LabVIEW? by Anonymous Monk on Dec 27, 2006 at 12:22 UTC
Mom!! I taunted Robot Tourist, and now my foot is bleeding!! Can you bring me Happy Fun Ball?	[reply]
Re^3: Who needs LabVIEW? by robot_tourist (Hermit) on Dec 27, 2006 at 17:29 UTC
? How can you feel when you're made of steel? I am made of steel. I am the Robot Tourist. Robot Tourist, by Ten Benson	[reply]
Re: Who needs LabVIEW? by alpha (Scribe) on Dec 27, 2006 at 14:41 UTC
Um could you make some screenshots of that bbq ? :)	[reply]
Re: Who needs LabVIEW? by Fengor (Pilgrim) on Dec 30, 2006 at 17:27 UTC
Sounds like a very itneresting piece of candy :) I'm looking forward to screenshots diagrams or code you might wnat to share :) -- "WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR IF NOT THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN" -- Terry Pratchett, "Reaper Man"	[reply]