Learn LABVIEW-FPGA with Real Code Examples

LabVIEW FPGA provides a graphical development environment for programming FPGAs without traditional HDL coding.

Supports tight integration with NI hardware (PXI, CompactRIO, FlexRIO).

Enables deterministic and parallel execution, ideal for high-speed control and signal processing.

Allows host VI to communicate with FPGA VI via DMA, FIFOs, and registers.

Used extensively in test, measurement, and industrial automation applications.

FPGA IP Builder and LabVIEW FPGA Module

Parallel and pipelined processing

Custom arithmetic and logic operations

High-speed I/O with NI hardware

Real-time interfacing with LabVIEW RT or host systems

FPGA VI - core FPGA logic design

Host VI - communicates with FPGA via DMA, FIFO, registers

Clocks and timing - hardware-timed execution

I/O Nodes - interface with digital/analog signals

Compilation - generates FPGA bitstream for deployment

Project file (.lvproj)

FPGA VIs

Host VIs

Hardware configuration and I/O mapping

Shared libraries or IP modules

Define FPGA VI inputs, outputs, and control logic

Use parallel structures (loops, sequences, pipelines)

Bind I/O nodes to hardware channels

Compile FPGA VI to generate bitstream

Deploy to FPGA and test with host VI

Beginner: Simple digital I/O control

Intermediate: FIFO-based communication

Advanced: Deterministic timing loops

Expert: Parallel signal processing pipelines

Architect: Complex embedded FPGA RT systems

LabVIEW FPGA vs HDL: FPGA is graphical, HDL requires VHDL/Verilog

LabVIEW FPGA vs LabVIEW RT: FPGA provides hardware-timed execution

LabVIEW FPGA vs traditional DAQ: much higher speed and determinism

LabVIEW FPGA vs Simulink HDL: NI provides integrated I/O ecosystem

LabVIEW FPGA vs PLC: FPGA for ultra-fast control, PLC for conventional control

2007 - LabVIEW FPGA Module released

2010 - PXI FPGA integration improvements

2013 - CompactRIO FPGA enhancement

2016 - FlexRIO support and new IP Builder

2019 - Simulation and debugging upgrades

2022 - Advanced timing and deterministic features

2025 - Hybrid RT + FPGA system optimization

FPGA VI - Visual FPGA logic in LabVIEW

Host VI - LabVIEW VI running on PC or RT system

DMA FIFO - Direct memory access queue for Host-FPGA communication

I/O Node - Interface with FPGA physical pins

Bitstream - Compiled FPGA configuration file