ABSTRACT
The microcomputer in turn has been applied successfully to instrumentation for rubber testing to improve the sensitivity of many test methods, to increase the amount of information from each test, and to store results for quick comparison to historical data. This chapter describes how to use microcomputers and their peripherals to modernize the gathering, storage, retrieval, and analysis of data. It discusses the wide range of software available for microcomputers. The chapter discusses the networking of microcomputers in a factory environment. A microprocessor, the heart of the microcomputer, is nothing more than a central processing unit on a single chip or a few chips. The signal coming from a strain gage, linear variable differential transformer, thermocouple, or resistance temperature devices must first be conditioned to match the requirements of an analog-to-digital conversion device. All microcomputers and their peripherals require software to do anything meaningful for the user.
