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
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