It extends LabVIEW with graphical tools to:
| | 2018 | 2021 | |--|------|------| | Desktop Execution | Full support | Full support | | cRIO / PXI | Supported (must match LabVIEW RT version) | Improved FPGA co-simulation interface | | Windows Real-Time | Phar Lap ETS support | Removed; only NI Linux RT |
NI’s acquisition by Emerson (2023) and the gradual sunsetting of LabVIEW NXG means that the 2018–2021 versions represent the mature peak of the classic Control Design and Simulation Module. Newer 2023+ versions exist, but innovation has shifted to: labview control design and simulation module 2018 2021
For most industrial users, deploying on LabVIEW 2021 SP1 with the Control and Simulation Module 21.0 remains the recommended stable target.
Example workflow (2021):
Design plant in Simulink → export as FMU (model exchange) → import to LabVIEW CD&SM → design controller graphically → deploy to cRIO. It extends LabVIEW with graphical tools to:
| Aspect | LabVIEW 2018 | LabVIEW 2021 | |--------|--------------|----------------| | Supported LabVIEW | 2018 (32 & 64-bit) | 2021 SP1 (32 & 64-bit) | | OS Compatibility | Win 7, 8.1, 10 (LTSC) | Win 10 (1909+), Win 11, Server 2019/2022 | | Real-Time OS | NI Linux RT, VxWorks 7 | NI Linux RT 2021, Phar Lap ETS deprecated | | Python Integration | No native Python node | Python Node with Control & Simulation interoperability |
| Tool | Purpose | |------|---------| | Control Design Assistant | Interactive GUI for model-based design (available until 2020, removed in 2021) | | Simulation Loop | Timed loop with ODE solvers for continuous/discrete simulation | | Control & Simulation VIs | ~200 VIs for math, analysis, and control | | CD-SIM Time Response VIs | Step, impulse, initial, and arbitrary input responses | | Frequency Response VIs | Bode, Nyquist, Nichols, singular value | | Model Construction VIs | Convert between TF, SS, ZPK, and zero-pole-gain | | | 2018 | 2021 | |--|------|------| |
By the time LabVIEW 2021 was released, the focus had shifted heavily toward 64-bit computing and modern OS compatibility. The Control Design and Simulation Module in 2021 isn't a radical rewrite, but it benefits significantly from the core LabVIEW engine updates.
Key Improvements in 2021:
The LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module (CDSM) is an add-on for LabVIEW that provides tools for modeling, analysis, controller design, and time-domain simulation of dynamic systems. Between 2018 and 2021 NI maintained this module with features supporting model-based design, control algorithm development, linear and nonlinear simulation, and co-simulation with Simulink.