NEWS RELEASE – Sept. 13, 2005 – Engineers now can use the National Instruments PXI-2527 300 V, 32-channel multiplexer along with the new DMM/Switch Express VI to ease development for data-logging and high-channel-count functional test applications. The hardware and software combination seamlessly integrates with the NI PXI-407x FlexDMM series, so engineers can expand their channel counts and make voltage, current, resistance, capacitance and inductance scanning operations with one function call in the National Instruments LabVIEW graphical development environment.
The new products are ideal for applications such as temperature scanning and functional test in a variety of industries, including military/aerospace, automotive and consumer electronics.The NI PXI-2527 multiplexer, which adds to the more than 125 switch configurations from NI, is a 300 V CAT I electromechanical switch module designed for medium- to high-density automated test systems. The module raises the density of PXI high-voltage multiplexers from NI by 500 percent. The multiplexer offers multichannel configurations, including 64x1 1-wire, 32x1 2-wire and 16x1 4-wire, with a switching capacity of up to 300 VDC/300 VAC CAT I (UL/CE certified) or up to 2 A.
The module includes a cold-junction compensation sensor in the front-mounting terminal block to assist in thermocouple scanning applications with a scan rate of 140 channels per second. The new DMM/Switch Express VI for NI LabVIEW extends LabVIEW Express technology to facilitate multipoint DMM operations and synchronization with any NI multiplexer switch module, either in PXI or SCXI. While most synchronized DMM/switch systems require extensive programming to route trigger signals between modules, the DMM/Switch Express VI abstracts this complexity from the engineer for high-level options, such as synchronous mode and full-hardware handshaking, with either PXI backplane or front-panel trigger-signal options.
The DMM/Switch Express VI combines the most common setup and module configuration steps into one function call, which greatly simplifies programming.The NI PXI-2527 multiplexer and DMM/Switch Express VI integrate with a variety of NI software including the LabVIEW graphical development environment, NI TestStand test management software and NI Switch Executive switch management software.
About PXI
PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI) is an open specification governed by the PXI Systems Alliance ( www.pxisa.org ) that defines a rugged, CompactPCI-based platform optimized for test, measurement and control. It is supported by more than 65 member companies and more than 1,150 products are available. PXI products are compatible with the CompactPCI industrial computer standard and offer additional features such as environmental specifications, standardized software and built-in timing and synchronization.
About NI Modular Instruments
NI offers essential technologies for test, which combine high-performance hardware, flexible software and innovative timing and synchronization technology for test and design applications. NI modular instruments offer accurate, high-throughput measurements from DC to 2.7 GHz. The product family includes:
- High-resolution digitizers (up to 24 bits, up to 200 MS/s)
- Signal generators (up to 16 bits, 200 MS/s)
- Digital waveform generator/analyzers (up to 400 Mb/s)
- Digital multimeters (up to 7½ digits)
- RF vector signal generators and analyzers (up to 2.7 GHz)
- Dynamic signal analyzers (up to 24 bits, 500 kS/s)
- Switching (multiplexers, matrices and general purpose)About National InstrumentsNational Instruments is a technology pioneer and leader in virtual instrumentation – a revolutionary concept that has changed the way engineers and scientists in industry, government and academia approach measurement and automation.
Leveraging PCs and commercial technologies, virtual instrumentation increases productivity and lowers costs for test, control and design applications through easy-to-integrate software, such as NI LabVIEW, and modular measurement and control hardware for PXI, PCI, USB and Ethernet.
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 3,600 employees and direct operations in nearly 40 countries.
In 2004, the company sold products to more than 25,000 companies in 90 countries.
For the past six years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America.
For more information
, Contact National Instruments or visit their web site at www.ni.com/switches .