CONTROL SOLUTIONS

Q8 High-Performance H.I.L. Control Board Product Information Sheet C1 - 1

Applications:
Rapid Control Prototyping
Real-Time Simulation
Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing
Robotics
Hardware Controller Design
Monitor & Control Production
Equipment
Process Control
Automation
And Many More

Designed by controls engineers FOR controls engineers!

Description
Quanser's innovative Q8 Hardware-in-the-Loop (H.I.L.) Control Board is a versatile and powerful
real-time measurement and control board offering an extensive range of hardware features and
software support.
Extensive I/O: This robust single-board solution was developed for multifaceted control systems and complex
- 8 A/D
measurement applications. With the Q8s wide range of inputs and outputs, you can easily
- 8 D/A
- 8 encoder inputs connect and control a wide variety of devices instrumented with analog and digital sensors, including
- 32 DIO quadrature encoders all with one board!
Simultaneous sampling of
all A/D, encoder and DIO The open-architecture Q8 is extensively supported by leading real-time targets including WinCon,
Simultaneous update of xPC and RT-LAB. The Q8 SDK also provides APIs for C, C++, ActiveX, .NET, LabVIEW, LabVIEW RTX,
D/A and DIO MATLAB and MATRIXx. Windows 2000 and XP drivers are provided together with VenturCom
Supported by industrial RTX drivers for real-time operations. The Q8 supports the tools and environments you work with
real-time targets:
- WinCon/RTX every day, regardless of your design.
- xPC
- RT-LAB With ultra-low I/O conversion times and simultaneous sampling of each I/O type, the Q8 is ideal
Q8 SDK supports many for all complex controls configurations. Additional Q8 boards can be added in an unlimited mas-
APIs & drivers ter-slave arrangement to support more I/O channels.
Visit www.quanser.com/qstudiorp for additional information regarding software tools and board
features.

Key Features
Optimized for real-time control performance with proven real-time targets or custom code
No expensive or inflexible DSP used, all processing via CPU
Quick-connect terminal board and cabling provided
Programmable counters and watchdog timer for maximum safety and flexibility
Full register information provided for custom driver development
Multiple OS support: Windows 2000, XP, VenturCom RTX
Multiple boards configurable in master-slave approach

Requirements
Full-Size PCI Slot (board is 275mm x 98mm / 11" x 3 15/16")

With Quanser the possibilities are infinite +1 (905) 940-3575 w w w. q u a n s e r. c o m

 CONTROL SOLUTIONS

Q8 High-Performance H.I.L. Control Board Product Information Sheet C1 - 2

Specification GENERAL D I G I TA L I/O

and Features Interface PCI Number of lines 32
PCI Bus Width 32-bit Conversion Time
Bus Speed 33 MHz Single Digital Output 0.18 s
ANALOG INPUTS Multiple Digital Output (32 lines) 0.18 s
Single Digital Input 0.68 s
Channels 8 SE
Multiple Digital Input (32 lines) 0.79 s
Resolution 14-bit
Features
Input Range (fixed) 10V
Totem-pole outputs
Conversion Time & Sampling Frequency*
Known state on power-up or reset
1 or 2 channels simultaneous 5.2 s / 192 kHz
Individually Software Programmable
All 8 channels simultaneous 17.8 s / 56 kHz
* The values above are measurements of the computation time of the Single access read/write of all channels
I/O specified. On-board hardware FIFO allows A/D conversions to be
performed in the background by the hardware, thus permitting control G E N E R A L P U R P O S E C O U N T E R -T I M E R S
calculations and A/D to be overlapped. Number of counter-timers 2
Features Counter-Timer Size 32-bit
Simultaneous Sample & Hold Timer Resolution 30 ns
ANALOG OUTPUTS Features
Channels 8 Configurable as PWM Outputs
Resolution 12-bit One Counter Configurable as Watchdog Timer
Slew Rate 2.5 V / s One Counter Allows Hardware Gating
Output range: Software enabling/disabling
Bipolar: 5V, 10V W AT C H D O G T I M E R S (reconfigured GP Counter-Timers)
Unipolar: 0-10V User programmable Watchdog Timers 1
Conversion Time ** Features
1 channel 0.62 s Software enabling/disabling
2 channels simultaneous 0.62 s Automatic reset of Analog Outputs & Digital I/O
8 channels simultaneous 1.35 s
** The values above are measurements of time to write to the D/A.
PWM O U T P U T S (reconfigured GP Counter-Timers)
On-board double-buffering allows D/A conversions to be performed in User-programmable PWM outputs 2
the background by the hardware, thus permitting control calculations
and D/A to be overlapped. E X T R A F E AT U R E S
Features Fused Encoder Section with LED status
Individual mode and gain selectability Fuse monitoring with watchdog and interrupt capability
Known state on power-up or reset 55 configurable interrupt sources
Simultaneous output External A/D Triggering Support
ENCODER INPUT COUNTERS S O F T WA R E S U P P O RT
Quadrature Encoder Inputs supported 8 Real-Time Target Support ***
Counter size 24-bit Quanser WinCon
Max. A and B Frequency in Quadrature 2 MHz The Mathworks xPC Target
Max. Count Frequency in 4X Quadrature 8 MHz OPAL-RT RT-LAB
Max. Count Frequency in Non-quadrature 15 MHz National Instruments LabVIEW RTX
Conversion Time *** Software support provided by their respective vendors.
Single Encoder Read 2.50 s OS Drivers
4 Simultaneous Encoder Reads 2.50 s Windows 2000, XP
All 8 channels simultaneous 4.72 s VenturCom RTX
Features API
Simultaneous Sampling C
Single-Ended Inputs C++
Non-quadrature (count/direction) and 1X, 2X or 4X ActiveX
quadrature modes .NET (VB, C#, C++ and others)
Extensive Index Pulse Signal Support LabVIEW, LabVIEW RTX
Individually programmable count and index modes, MATLAB
and filter clocks MATRIXx
TTL/CMOS compatible

With Quanser the possibilities are infinite +1 (905) 940-3575 w w w. q u a n s e r. c o m

Products and/or services referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Quanser Inc. and/or its affiliates. Other product and company
names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. 2004 Quanser Inc. All rights reserved. Specifications
are subject to change without notice. Errors and omissions excepted.