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Today's Automation News Headlines from Automation.com
| NI Introduces USB-5680 RF Power Meter | ||
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Jan. 8, 2008 National Instruments announced the companys first USB-controlled true RMS RF power meter, which provides a highly flexible solution for automated test, measurement and monitoring applications in a small footprint. The 6 GHz NI USB-5680 power meter features high measurement accuracy and wide dynamic range packaged in a size similar to a typical power head. In automated test applications, the small size frees up valuable rack space without sacrificing performance. Powered solely from the USB cable, the new power meter is also ideal for portable applications because it consumes only 100 mA of current without an external power supply. Traditional power meters feature a power sensor or head located close to the unit under test and connect via cable to an accurate A/D converter located in conventional instrumentation housing. Using the latest PC and A/D converter technologies, the USB-5680 combines both the sensor and the A/D converter in one package occupying less than 9.6 cubic inches much smaller than the benchtop equivalent. The USB-5680 simply connects directly to an available USB port on any PC or PXI controller. With a broad frequency range, high dynamic range and precise measurement accuracy, engineers can use the USB-5680 true RMS power meter for a broad range of applications. Features include: To realize full instrumentation capabilities, the USB-5680 comes with a full-featured, executable soft front panel and intuitive, easy-to-use software libraries to help engineers quickly set up their systems. Engineers who need to measure continuous wave RF signals up to 6 GHz can use the USB-5680 in a stand-alone configuration with a VXIplug&play-compatible executable soft front panel to facilitate interactive control. To incorporate the USB-5680 in an automated test and measurement system, engineers simply use the intuitive application programming interface (API) with their programming environments of choice including NI LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI and the Microsoft .NET environment. About NI Modular Instruments NI modular instruments are the building blocks for economical and versatile automated test systems. With modular instruments, engineers specify the essential functionality they require choosing from a wide variety of measurement, signal generation, RF, power and switch modules. Then, they configure the instruments in software for their specific measurement tasks. Because these instruments are modular and software-defined, they are quickly interchanged and easily repurposed to meet the challenge of evolving test needs. As an added advantage, NI modular instruments offer high-speed test execution by harnessing the power of industry-standard PC and advanced timing and synchronization technologies. Options are available for a variety of platforms including PXI, PXI Express, PCI, PCI Express and USB. The product family includes: About National Instruments National Instruments (www.ni.com) is transforming the way engineers and scientists design, prototype and deploy systems for measurement, automation and embedded applications. NI empowers customers with off-the-shelf software such as NI LabVIEW and modular cost-effective hardware, and sells to a broad base of more than 25,000 different companies worldwide, with no one customer representing more than 3 percent of revenue and no one industry representing more than 10 percent of revenue. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 4,500 employees and direct operations in nearly 40 countries. For the past eight years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America. |
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