NI Embedded Network Products Overview (CAN, LIN, FlexRay)
Products - Embedded Network Hardware
All NI embedded network interfaces are designed for easy custom application development. NI CAN, LIN, and FlexRay interfaces include feature-rich APIs and utilities to simplify the development of cost-effective tools in NI LabVIEW and other languages. You can use optional NI CAN toolkits to add support for industry-specific protocol layers and further reduce your development time. NI embedded network interfaces are available in three major product lines: high-performance NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay, low-cost USB CAN and LIN, and C Series CAN for the NI CompactRIO platform.
View Complete NI CAN Hardware and Software Compatibility Chart
High-Performance: NI-XNET PCI and PXI CAN and FlexRay Platform
The NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay platform is composed of accelerated NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay interfaces and NI-XNET driver software. With NI-XNET interfaces, you can develop applications for prototyping, simulating, and testing FlexRay and CAN networks faster and more easily in LabVIEW, NI LabWindows™/CVI, and C/C++. Designed for performance and ease of use in applications such as hardware-in-the-loop simulation, these interfaces excel in high-signal-count, low-latency applications in Windows and LabVIEW Real-Time OSs using NI device-driven DMA engine technology.
| NI-XNET Interface | PCI | PXI |
| NI-XNET FlexRay, 2-port | PCI-8517/2 | PXI-8517/2 |
| NI-XNET CAN, low-speed/fault-tolerant, 1-port | PCI-8511 | PXI-8511 |
| NI-XNET CAN, low-speed/fault-tolerant, 2-port | PCI-8511/2 | PXI-8511/2 |
| NI-XNET CAN, high-speed, 1-port | PCI-8512 | PXI-8512 |
| NI-XNET CAN, high-speed, 2-port | PCI-8512/2 | PXI-8512/2 |
| NI-XNET CAN, software-selectable, 1-port | PCI-8513 | PXI-8513 |
| NI-XNET CAN, software-selectable, 2-port | PCI-8513/2 | PXI-8513/2 |
Learn More about NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay Interfaces
Low-Cost and Portable: USB CAN and LIN
NI USB-847x interfaces are ideal for portable and low-cost CAN and LIN monitoring,logging, and testing applications. With high-speed CAN, low-speed/fault-tolerant CAN, and LIN interfaces featuring optional hardware synchronization, you can use two or more USB-874x modules together to interface to a wide variety of CAN and LIN networks.
USB-847x interfaces are ideal for a wide variety of applications, including in-vehicle network monitoring and logging, bus load monitoring, device validation with synchronized data acquisition, CAN device development and test, and CAN and LIN data correlation with external measurements.
| Interface Type | Without Synchronization | With Synchronization |
| USB CAN high-speed | USB-8473 | USB-8473s |
| USB CAN low-speed/fault-tolerant | USB-8472 | USB-8472s |
| USB LIN | USB-8476 | USB-8476s |
Learn More about NI USB CAN Interfaces
Learn More about NI USB LIN Interfaces
Embedded and In-Vehicle: CompactRIO CAN Modules
CompactRIO embedded prototyping and data-logging systems with two-port, high-speed and low-speed/fault-tolerant NI 985x CAN modules support CAN communication. CompactRIO modules connect directly to NI reconfigurable I/O (RIO) field-programmable gate array (FPGA) devices to create high-performance embedded systems that deliver the optimization and flexibility of a custom electrical circuit completely dedicated to your input/output application. NI RIO FPGA hardware provides unlimited options for timing, triggering, synchronization, and sensor-level signal processing and decision making.
| Interface Type | Model |
| CompactRIO CAN, high-speed | NI 9853 |
| CompactRIO CAN, low-speed/fault-tolerant | NI 9852 |
Learn More about Using CompactRIO CAN Modules
Explore Best Practices for CompactRIO Development
Products – Software
NI CAN products work with a variety of APIs for development environments such as LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, and C/C++.
View Complete NI CAN Hardware and Software Compatibility Chart
Drivers/APIs
NI-XNET API
Supported Interfaces: NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay
The NI-XNET API, the latest universal embedded network programming API, works with NI-XNET interfaces for CAN and FlexRay. It is recommended for any new CAN application using an NI-XNET interface and contains the functionality found in both the older NI-CAN Channel and Frame APIs. The NI-XNET driver also contains an NI-CAN Compatibility layer to run applications written using the NI-CAN Channel and Frame APIs.
Learn More about NI-XNET CAN and FlexRay Interfaces
NI-CAN Channel API
Supported Interfaces: NI Series 2 CAN (PCI, PXI, PCMCIA), NI-XNET CAN (with Compatibility Library)
The NI-CAN Channel API provides high-level, easy-to-use functions for access to CAN channels defined in Vector database (.dbc) or National Instruments CAN database (.ncd) files. The Channel API is recommended for CAN beginners.
Learn More about the NI-CAN Channel API
NI-CAN Frame API
Supported Interfaces: NI Series 2 CAN (PCI, PXI, PCMCIA), NI USB CAN, NI-XNET CAN (with Compatibility Library)
The Frame API provides low-level access to the bytes and bits transmitted over the CAN bus and is recommended for advanced users. The Frame API is the primary API for NI USB CAN devices.
Learn More about the NI-CAN Frame API
CompactRIO CAN FPGA Interface
Supported Interfaces: NI 985x CompactRIO CAN modules (with LabVIEW FPGA Module)
CompactRIO CAN modules are programmed directly from a LabVIEW FPGA target, enabling custom hardware processing of CAN messages before manipulating them in software. In addition, CompactRIO CAN modules commonly use the CAN Frame to Channel Conversion Library to manipulate frames from the LabVIEW Real-Time host.
Learn More about Using CompactRIO CAN Modules
Embedded Network Toolkits
You can use NI embedded network toolkits to add more protocols and industry-specific features to NI CAN interfaces.
ECU Measurement and Calibration Toolkit (CAN, Ethernet)
Supported Interfaces: NI-XNET (with NI-CAN Compatibility Library), CAN, NI Series 2 CAN, USB CAN
Supported OSs: Windows, LabVIEW Real-Time (Pharlap)
The NI ECU Measurement and Calibration Toolkit adds support for protocols common in ECU preproduction applications:
- Universal Measurement and Calibration Protocol (XCP)
- CAN Calibration Protocol (CCP)
- ASAM (.A2L) database file support
Learn More about the ECU Measurement and Calibration Toolkit
Automotive Diagnostic Command Set (CAN)
Supported Interfaces: NI-XNET (with NI-CAN Compatibility Library), NI Series 2 CAN, USB
Supported OSs: Windows, LabVIEW Real-Time (Pharlap)
The NI Automotive Diagnostic Command Set adds support for protocols common in automotive diagnostic applications:
- Keyword Protocol 2000 on CAN (KWP2000, ISO 14230)
- Diagnostics On CAN/Universal Diagnostic Services (ISO 15765)
- On-board Diagnostics (OBD-II) on CAN
- ISO Transport Protocol (ISO 15765-2)
- Volkswagen Transport Protocol
Learn More about the Automotive Diagnostic Command Set
CANopen LabVIEW Library
Supported Interfaces: NI-XNET (with NI-CAN Compatibility Library), NI Series 2 CAN
Supported OSs: Windows, LabVIEW Real-Time (Pharlap)
The NI CANopen LabVIEW Library is a set of LabVIEW functions that allow NI CAN interfaces to act as a CANopen master in industrial communication applications.
Learn More about the CANopen LabVIEW Library
Free Libraries
Frame to Channel Conversion Library
Supported Interfaces: NI Series 2 CAN, USB CAN, CompactRIO CAN
The NI CAN Frame to Channel Conversion Library is a collection of VIs for fast conversion of CAN frames to scaled channel information. You can use the VIs on Windows Vista/XP/2000, Pharlap ETS, and VxWorks. Because of this, CompactRIO or USB CAN users can take advantage of a database file (.ncd or .dbc) to easily and efficiently convert binary frames to readable channels.
Download the Frame to Channel Conversion Library
LDF Starter Kit
The NI LIN Definition File (LDF) Starter Kit is a toolkit that provides the functionality to read information from an LDF and to pass this information to a LabVIEW application.
Learn More
Complete NI CAN Hardware and Software Compatibility Chart
Introduction to CAN
Introduction to FlexRay
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