Calibrating Channels

Use the Channel Calibration Wizard to add software channel calibration to a virtual channel. Channel calibration takes sensors, hardware, and measurement software into account and applies compensation to the measurement in addition to all scaling and hardware calibration, thus improving measurement accuracy.

Complete the following steps to launch the Channel Calibration Wizard from the DAQ Assistant and calibrate analog input virtual channels.

1. Select an existing task or global channel or create a new task or global channel.
2. Click the Calibration tab in the DAQ Assistant.
3. Select one or more virtual channels from the Channel List. You must select only one type of virtual channel. If you select virtual channels of different measurement types, the Calibrate button is disabled.
4. Click Calibrate.

The Channel Calibration Wizard launches. Complete the screens to calibrate the selected virtual channel. You can calibrate as many data points as needed to produce a calibration table.

The Channel Calibration Wizard stores a set of calibration properties for each virtual channel you calibrate. Select Properties in the Calibration tab of the DAQ Assistant to view calibration history, verify the calibration, recalibrate the selected virtual channel(s), and generate a calibration report. If you select virtual channels of different measurement types, the Properties button is disabled.

After calibrating the virtual channel, click Enable Calibration to enable or disable the calibration. If Enable Calibration is disabled, the calibration is saved but not applied to the selected virtual channels. To delete a calibration, select one or more virtual channels in the Channel List and click Delete Calibration.

In the Calibration tab, the Calibration Date and Expiration Date show when the last calibration occurred and when the calibration expires. If these indicators are disabled, you have selected virtual channels that have different calibration and/or expiration dates or are not calibrated.