OpenSystems Publishing
STANDALONE vs. MODULAR . . . BUILDING A MIXED SIGNAL TEST SYSTEM
VOL. 3, NO. 3
Taking PXI into
the realm of
RF communications
APPLICATION FEATURE:
PROCESS CONTROL
MACHINE MONITORING
PRODUCT GUIDE:
2004 BUYER’S GUIDE
W W W. P X I O N L I N E . C O M
WINTER 2003
PRESORTED
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PICTURED
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PXISA UPDATES
The president’s corner
By Bob Stasonis
PXI INDUSTRY REPORT
ITC – Board testing revisited
By Bob Stasonis
28
36
COVER PHOTO:
The Aeroflex 3000 series is a PXI-based modular test suite
for mobile phone and general-purpose wireless test. The
series encompasses four PXI modules, the 3010 3 GHz RF
synthesizer (single-slot 3U), the 3020 2.5 GHz RF signal
generator (two-slot 3U), the 3030 3 GHz RF digitizer
(two-slot 3U), and the 3060 2.5 GHz RF combiner
(single-slot 3U).
It also includes
supporting
applications
for signal
generation and
signal analysis
that meet the
specific requirements for
GSM/EDGE
and UMTS/
WCDMA
mobile phone
testing.
PXI Technology
Review is
published by:
OpenSystems
Publishing, LLC.
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DEPARTMENTS
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4 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
SPECIAL FEATURE: Standalone vs. Modular
Instrumentation bus history
By Tim Carey, Aeroflex Inc.
APPLICATION FEATURE:
Process Control Machine Monitoring
Off-the-shelf components combine to create a
super solution
By David Smith, Viewpoint Systems, Inc
Pyrex glass press instrumentation system
By Christopher D. Olson, Thomas B. Jozwiak,
Gregory C. Cala, Data Science Automation, Inc.
24
31
32
INDUSTRY UPDATE:
802.11 Board Test Station
Optimizing wireless measurements with the
PXI platform
By Wayne Larson, Larson Automation, Inc.
PRODUCT FOCUS:
Integrated Analog and Digital Devices
Building a mixed-signal test system
By Eric Starkloff, National Instruments
2004 BUYER’S GUIDE
General: Accessories, Controllers, Systems,
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6 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
SA Updates
By Bob Stasonis
T h e p r e s i d e n t ’s c o r n e r
I
In this column, I have written about the growth in the number of PXISA members and PXI instruments/tools, and the
fervor of our members in developing new specifications for
the architecture. Where are all of these instruments, chassis,
and drivers going? What markets are using PXI successfully?
Well, I donʼt have enough room here to talk about all areas of
PXI success. So letʼs examine the market globally and then
focus on one area of growth.
Initially, PXI saw success in the data acquisition market. Lowto-medium-speed I/O and switching resources in a 7-slot 3U
chassis was the norm. As the number of modules and chassis
sizes grew, in terms of slot count and 6U instrument size, companies in other areas of test/measurement and automation saw
PXIʼs usefulness and deployed it in ever-increasing numbers.
In terms of greatest growth in PXI deployment, PCB functional and system-level board test is probably among the
largest. PXI peripherals including high-speed digital pins,
boundary scan interfaces, and high-accuracy RF products
have become available in the last two years. Today, PXI is
testing automotive electronics, consumer white goods, and
more complex products, including cell phones.
What is impressive to me is the rapid acceptance of PXI in the
military and aeronautics test markets. This is a section of the
electronics market that is traditionally very slow to change
and for good reason. Reliability is critical. We do not need
planes to fail in midair, and generals want assurances that a
weapon fired harms the other side, so they tend to stick with
what works.
However, at last yearʼs Autotestcon, which is an IEEE testrelated conference that focuses on the mil/aero markets, I
saw a fair number of companies, both large and small, either
building PXI products or integrating other companiesʼ products for military and aeronautics applications. There were
new companies on the trade show floor exhibiting PXI, and
those who exhibited the previous year had a greater PXI catalog to show off. More importantly, sessions in the conference
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PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 7
T h e p r e s i d e n t ’s c o r n e r
focused on PXI, and the conference attendees asked questions
and took information back to their companies and their bases.
PXI was equally prominent at Autotestcon 2003.
stretching stress, etc. One of these applications also uses a
switching card with a TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) for
added cable diagnostics.
The “tire kicking” that went on at Autotestcon in 2002 is now
turning into real business. According to our members, a new
trend in the military is to request newer technology to replace
existing VXI-based systems. PXI is being quoted and winning
some contracts. So where is PXI being deployed?
In the fixed-base environment, PXI has found acceptance in
the area of testing jet engines. The system is designed to interface with both engine and facility based signals to provide the
technicians a complete view of their test environment while
the engine is mounted in a test bed.
In one example, the portable test set for the Maverick missile system is PXI-based. An extremely rugged chassis was
designed, and commercial PXI cards were used to create a
70-pound portable chassis that would work in the heat of the
Iraqi desert or the humidity of any jungle. This product is
presently deployed in nine countries.
In a very complex application, one PXISA member has deployed multiple systems for characterizing radar signals. The
basic test scenario is to stimulate tracking/acquisition radar
with typical “fly-by” targets, while at the same time, introduce
recorded or synthesized countermeasures. The compact size
of this PXI portion of the system was an important factor in
its development.
Another portable test system developed for the Navy tests
the condition of various cables. It is implemented by utilizing a PXISA member companyʼs DMM that has the ability to
measure leakage currents under variable DC voltage levels.
The capacitance measurement function of this DMM also
augments the leakage test with cable capacitance measurements as an indication of various faults, such as shorts, opens,
Clearly, the military is seeing the value of PXI, in much the
same way as the commercial markets. The rugged form factor
and small size allow the architecture to easily integrate into
a myriad of applications. In addition, the continued growth
in the number of available instruments and chassis further
assures PXISA members a chance to compete in this market.
In closing, let me say that I have enjoyed leading the PXISA
members over the past year as well as reporting our progress
in this column. As I write this column, however, my term as
president is drawing to a close. I wish the next president a
healthy economy and the support and imagination of the many
PXISA members. It should be a heck of a ride!
Bob Stasonis was formerly a business
development manager for Teradyneʼs
Assembly Test Division. Throughout,
the last 24 years, Bob has also held
technical, sales, and marketing positions with GenRad, Schlumberger, and
WK Test (formerly Wayne Kerr). He
has written numerous papers and articles on the subject of
electronic test. Bob is presently the vice president of marketing for the American Society of Test Engineers (ASTE),
and co-chairperson for the Boston IEEE Instrumentation
& Measurement Society. Bob earned his B.S.E.E. from the
University of Hartford in Connecticut. Bobʼs e-mail address
is stasonis@comcast.net
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8 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
PXI Systems Alliance (PXISA)
2515 Camino Del Rio South
Suite 340
San Diego, CA 92108
Tel.: 619-297-1213
Fax: 619-297-5955
E-mail: fbode@vxinl.com
Web site: www.pxisa.org
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Special Feature
Standalone vs. Modular
Instrumentation bus history
By Tim Carey
Instrumentation bus technology has
evolved quite a bit throughout the past
30 years. For standalone generalpurpose instruments, the main bus
technology during this time has been
General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB)
and, to a lesser degree, RS-232, with
more recent emergence of Ethernet,
Universal Serial Bus (USB), and
IEEE-1394 (Firewire). For modular
instruments, the main choice has been
VXI based upon an evolution of VME
and PXI, an evolution of PCI and
CompactPCI with PXI emerging as the
front runner. In this article, Tim compares standalone and modular instruments and describes why his company
ultimately chose PXI.
Standalone vs. modular
Because of its track record of decades of
reliability and compatibility, the standalone GPIB bus has earned an unrivaled
position at the top of the test and measurement world. Since its inception in
1975, there have been approximately
5-10 million instruments deployed
with a GPIB interface. Anyone would
be hard-pressed to find a measuring
instrument for system applications that
is not equipped for the GPIB bus. Due
to this fact, any modifications made to
this standard must be compatible with
current technologies to be beneficial to
GPIB users. This requires the HS488
extension proposal, which is currently
presented for adoption by the American
IEEE TC-8 committee, to adhere to current compatibility issues. The goal of
HS488 is to ensure that new technologies are compliant with instruments that
operate with both the HS488 and GPIB
protocols.
Modular bus technologies have evolved
from VME into VXI, and more recently,
from PCI into CompactPCI and now
PXI. PXI was designed to bridge the
gap between desktop PC systems and
high-end VXI and GPIB bus systems.
While standard PCs offer a very lowcost option for instrumentation systems,
they fail to meet many of the needs of
industrial and embedded applications.
VXI and GPIB systems meet the specific needs of instrumentation users, but
are often too large and expensive.
While PXI extends CompactPCI, it also
maintains complete interoperability so
the user can deploy any CompactPCIcompliant product in a PXI system and
vice versa. PXI extensions also leverage
off other standard technologies, such as
Windows software, VXI timing and
triggering, VXIplug&play instrument
drivers, and international environmental testing standards to deliver a powerful and affordable system.
Modular bus technology offers many
advantages over older bus standards.
However, it must overcome an enormously installed worldwide base of
users. Figure 1 to the right shows the
instrumentation bus milestones during
the last 30 years.
PXI is an ideal architecture for rapid
product and custom solution development. This stable architecture has become
an essential requirement to remain competitive and to satisfy market needs in fast
evolving communications development
and manufacturing applications. Table 1
shows a comparison of standalone and
modular test platforms. PXIʼs modular
architecture leverages a single user interface and a common chassis that enables
much higher bus speeds and lower system cost. Modular instruments donʼt need
multiple power supplies, cooling, built-in
controllers, or front panels.
Taking PXI into the realm of
RF communications
As part of its strategy to provide customers with flexible and cost-effective
test systems, Aeroflex has launched
Standalone
Speed
Timing and Synchronization
Product Availability
Modular
GPIB
VXI
PXI
1 Mbyte (488.2) to
8 Mbytes (HSS488)
40 Mbytes to
80 Mbytes (VME64)
132 Mbytes
None
Defined
>10,000
>1,000
~1,000
Form Factor
Large
Medium
Small/Medium
Standard Software Framework
None
VXIplug&play
NO
YES
Modular
EMI Shielding
Optional
Defined
Module Specific
System Cost
High
Medium-High
Low-Medium
Table 1
10 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
Figure 1
the Aeroflex 3000 series, a PXI-based
modular test suite for mobile phone and
general-purpose wireless testing. This
test suite is shown in Figure 2. Aeroflex
has made it a high priority to market
high-performance RF test capability
on the PXI platform. With a long history in systems development, Aeroflex
is extending its vast systems and RF
experience into the PXI instrumentation market. Now, both high-performance and low-phase-noise capability
are available in PXI. Aeroflex engineers
designed the PXI modules to cater to
the broadest possible range of mobile
terminal markets, including private
mobile radio, cellular, WLAN, cordless
telephone, and military radio systems.
The Aeroflex 3000 series encompasses
four PXI modules and complementary
software applications for RF signal generation and RF signal analysis. Signal
analysis software applications address
Figure 2
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PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 11
Special Feature
Standalone vs. Modular
the specific needs of GSM/EDGE and
UMTS/WCDMA mobile phone testing,
whereas signal generation applications
additionally provide a broad range of
other standards and generic system personalities. The new PXI modules include:
 3 GHz RF synthesizer
 2.5 GHz RF signal generator
 3 GHz RF digitizer
 2.5 GHz RF combiner
RF performance breakthroughs
for PXI
Aeroflex used the digital RF synthesizer
as a test bed for proving the viability
of using PXI for RF instrumentation.
Aeroflex based the RF synthesizer on
the companyʼs patented fractional N
synthesizer technology. It provides a
low-noise local oscillator input to other
modules. The 3010 digital RF synthesizer is an industry first for PXI. The
1.5-3.0 GHz frequency synthesizer
offers low phase noise and frequency
agility in a single-width 3U module.
The 3020 digital RF signal generator provides modulation and waveform generation, RF leveling, and frequency tuning
from 250 MHz to 2.5 GHz, with the 3010
providing the low-phase-noise LO input.
In addition to the groundbreaking 3010
and 3020, Aeroflex launched the 3030, a
compact RF digitizer with higher performance than any similar PXI product. The
3060 RF combiner, designed for use in
RF test systems in conjunction with the
3020 RF signal generator and 3030 RF
digitizer, is the first PXI module of its
kind designed specifically for RF component and radio terminal system test.
Aeroflex has carefully defined each
module to maximize reuse for the
development of future modules. Taking
PXI into the realm of RF wireless testing broadens the choices for system
developers, and accelerates the adoption of PXI in a major test market.
Tim Carey is a
senior product
marketing engineer with Aeroflex
Test Solutions,
Stevenage, England
division. Tim is
responsible for PXI product management at the company. For more information, contact Aeroflex directly.
Aeroflex Inc.
35 South Service Road
Plainview, NY 11803-4193
Tel.: 516-694-6700
Fax: 516-694-4823
E-mail: info-test@aeroflex.com
Web site: www.aeroflex.com
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12 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
Application Feature
Process Control
Machine Monitoring
Off-the-shelf components combine
to create a super solution
By David Smith
An aerospace valve manufacturer
was looking for a better solution for
their automated long-term durability
testing of valves destined for remote
locations. They needed a method of
presenting mixed signal stimulus to
their valves so as to exercise them in
a very precise and repetitive manner.
Viewpoint Systems was able to provide
a PXI solution that not only met, but
also exceeded their needs.
Introduction
The aerospace valve manufacturer
needed to apply a mixed signal stimulus
(analog and digital) to its valves with
microsecond accuracy for periods of
milliseconds to minutes. An ideal solution would scale to allow control of a
large number of valves at one time. This
solution should be easy to set up and
flexible enough to handle a variety of
different valve product requirements.
The solution was to combine Viewpointʼs DIO-64 event analyzer/controller
board with National Instrumentsʼ analog
output card and integrate them into a
tightly coupled arbitrary output system.
The DIO-64 provided the overall system
timing and digital output functions and
specifically drove the update clocks on
the NI analog output card, as shown in
Figure 1.
Viewpoint Systems had been working
with this valve manufacturing company
for more than four years on a wide
variety of testing solutions. Viewpoint
Systems understood the need to provide a clean and simple solution to this
problem.
The challenge
A test required the application of digital
pulses and a series of analog voltages
Figure 1
to the UUT at precise points in time.
The test called for a timing resolution
of 1 µsec, but the period between the
various changes was relatively longer
(>100 µsecs). The actual times and output states are usually known ahead of
time, but the test required repetition of
the sequence a given number of times,
typically tens of thousands of times.
Note that there was no requirement
for generating a continuous analog
waveform.
The ideal solution would scale in the
number of digital and analog channels
available to drive the UUT valves. It
would also scale across UUTs, allowing testing of a number of valves simultaneously.
A typical generated waveform is illustrated in Figure 2 (top is digital, bottom
is analog). The period of the waveform is
10msecs for easier visibility, but the test
requirement was that the period be adjustable from 10 msecs to 100 seconds.
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PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 13
Application Feature
Process Control
Machine Monitoring
relative to other system events AND
limit the amount of space required for
the analog output buffers.
Simply changing the timestamps in the
DIO-64 data can modify the timing of
the waveform. No change is necessary
in the analog output data buffer.
Figure 2
The traditional approach
The first solution involved a system that
integrated typical digital outputs, analog
outputs, and timer/counter cards. At second glance, something seemed wrong
with this approach. The combination
of precise timing and long (relatively)
duration introduced a whole new set of
problems with this type of solution.
The waveform definition for the output
waveforms was extremely large (number
of samples in a 100-second waveform at
1 Msample/sec), requiring significant
onboard or host memory resources.
This approach adversely impacted the
processing power and bus bandwidth
available to the rest of the test system.
Viewpoint’s solution
Our proposed solution involved combining the DIO-64 event analyzer/
controller card with a simple analog
output card.
The idea was to integrate readily available
components into a high-end solution. By
choosing hardware that supported multi14 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
board triggering and clocking (like the
PXI trigger bus), the hardware was
combined with little additional wiring or
components.
The DIO-64 would provide all the digital
output capabilities and the clocking signal for the analog output board.
The key ingredient
One of the primary advantages of using
the DIO-64 as an output device is that
the user can define the output waveform in its simplest form, with no need
to generate large buffers of redundant
data. This feature can also apply to other
hardware in the system. By clocking the
analog output waveform from a signal
in the DIO data, the application can
precisely position the analog updates
Viewpoint Systemsʼ DIO-64 dynamic
digital I/O cards exploit the PXI bus
extensions, allowing simple solutions
to tricky data acquisition problems. It
is common to route clocks and triggers
over the PXI trigger bus, and the DIO64 does this as well. The DIO-64 is
unique in its ability to be able to direct
up to three digital output bits over the
PXI trigger bus. This feature allows
DIO-64 applications to send clocks or
triggers to other PXI devices at arbitrary
points in time – perfectly synchronized
with the rest of the digital output data.
In this case, DIO-64ʼs Port A, bit 13, is
directed over the PXI trigger bus to the
analog output card.
Putting it all together
The application that drove this test solution was fairly simple. The test technician specified the output waveforms in
terms of time and digital/analog output
values. Inserting a new point simply
meant adding a new row of information. Changing the position in time of
an event was as simple as modifying the
timestamp for that particular row. The
application also managed the number
of times to repeat each sequence. Refer
to Figure 3.
The application downloaded a list of
analog values to the analog output hardware where a DIO-64 digital output bit
was used to clock out these values. The
...dynamic digital I/O cards exploit
the PXI bus extensions, allowing simple
solutions to tricky data acquisition problems.
Conclusion
Figure 3
application then downloaded the digital
sequence to the DIO-64 hardware and
started the test. At the appropriate time,
the DIO-64 then applied the next digital output scan and clocked the analog
output. It couldnʼt have been simpler!
Refer to Figure 4.
The decisions that led to a test system
solution had significant impact on the
systemʼs usability, performance, and
maintainability. It is important to look
at all these factors when weighing
alternative designs. The brute force
approach to this solution would have
consumed large amounts of processor
time generating the data buffers, would
have required significant memory resources, and would have consumed a
large amount of bus bandwidth.
The final solution, however, allowed
for the test waveforms to be described
simply. The application transferred
this test waveform description almost
directly to the hardware, and once the
process was initiated, the application
was free to handle other test activities.
The hardware generated the output
sequences with minimal interaction
with the application.
Detailed specifications on Viewpoint
DIO64 Systemsʼ event analyzer/controller board, along with additional
application solutions, are available at
www.ViewpointSystems.com/dio64.
The DIO-64 offers input and output
and can share clocks with National
Instrumentsʼ cards.
Figure 4
This approach scales well. The 64 digital channels available on the DIO-64
are anticipated to be more than enough
for the test system. Adding additional
analog output cards can scale the number of analog channels available. The
additional cards can be clocked in the
same manner.
The customer’s reaction
The customer felt very good about
this solution. It consisted of just a
few components: it had a very slight
impact on the system; and the customer
understood the solution to the point that
they were comfortable maintaining and
enhancing it.
David Smith is
vice president
and an owner of
Viewpoint Systems.
His responsibilities
include product
development, custom system integration, and project
leadership. David holds a B.S. in
computer engineering from Rochester
Institute of Technology.
For more information, contact
Viewpoint Systems directly.
Viewpoint Systems, Inc.
800 W. Metro Parkway
Rochester, NY 14623
Tel.: 585-475-9555
Fax: 585-475-9645
Web site: www.viewpointUSA.com
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PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 15
Application Feature
Process Control Machine Monitoring
Pyrex glass press instrumentation system
By Christopher D. Olson, Thomas B. Jozwiak, Gregory C. Cala
A Pyrex glassware manufacturer
desired to upgrade their 24 x 7 process monitoring on high-temperature
production glass presses. The original
C-based system was difficult to maintain and modify, and was developed
with technology that is now obsolete.
Equipment deterioration and obsolescence dictated a change from the
present system with enhanced features.
This is where Data Science Automation
(DSA) came into the picture.
The solution
DSA developed a contemporary system
based on National Instrumentsʼ (NI)
LabVIEW, PXI, and DAQ to acquire
digital and analog signals from displacement sensors, pyrometers, etc.,
for event and process monitoring, and
to replicate the original GUI to simplify
the end userʼs transition. An industrial
PXI solution was suitable to sustain
the harsh, high-temperature environment and 24-hour operation. In addition to real-time analysis and display
of process characteristics, the data is
collected for archival to a networked
Oracle database.
to present the data in a similar manner.
LabVIEW allowed DSA to develop
front panel controls and indicators that
closely resembled the old systems but
with all the built-in features to design a
useful user interface.
The system permits selection from
several existing job files (recipes) that
specify target values, ranges, etc., for
various pieces of glassware. These
recipes have been well established from
the years of production of several different types of glassware. Production rates
will range from 20-50 parts per minute.
Manufacturing new designs and storage
of the new recipes is easily accomplished through a spreadsheet recipe
interface. See Figure 2.
Using various SCXI modules, DSA
was able to seamlessly interface with
these signals on the individual presses
for acquiring, analyzing, and presenting
press data to the operator, in addition
to archiving to the customerʼs existing
database.
The customer was using service-proven,
heavy-duty LVDTs to acquire position
and velocity measurements from the
hydraulic press ram system. There was
no desire to change LVDT manufacturers based on the past success in this
demanding environment. The integrated
PXI-1010 chassis with integral SCXI
module capability enabled selection of
compatible LVDT modules for signal
conditioning and acquisition of the
required data without having to change
LVDT models or manufacturers. This
allowed DSA to do a direct comparison
between old and new systems for verification without introducing additional
unknowns with another sensor.
System monitoring
In addition to the position and velocity
measurements, temperature measurements are acquired through optical pyrometers, since direct connection to the
mold surface with a thermocouple is
impossible. Direct connection of the
pyrometers system outputs to the analog inputs of the PXI system allows
The PXI solution utilizes a mixture of
analog and digital inputs to monitor the
glass press process and to compare the
analyzed values to stored parameters for
several types of glassware. It is critical to
the quality of the glass for the operator to
have immediate access to the analyzed
data for adjustment of the process, if
necessary, as shown in Figure 1.
This is especially true during change
of production runs. Running outside of
these specified parameters will lead to
possible loss of product and delays in
the production cycle.
Since the operators are accustomed
to viewing the results with the current
system, the new solution would have
16 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
Figure 1
display to the operator in the control
room and to a remote panel display on
the production floor for analysis. This is
a direct benefit to the operators during
initial setup of production runs because
it allows them to monitor and adjust
critical parameters at the press without
having to return to the control room.
Timing events and tracking of 8/16
mold-set data is accomplished by continuously monitoring digital channels
from the press PLC system. By monitoring these channels, data can be tracked
as the mold progresses through the 8/16
stations. Timing and sequencing information is acquired and analyzed along
with the analog data for display to the
operators. The operator has the choice
of viewing the acquired data in various
modes based on mold location, parameter, or by summary screen.
In addition to the parameters being
displayed to the operator in the control room, critical values such as mold
temperatures, ram velocity, and event
timing need to be displayed for the
operators directly by the glass press.
These display features are achieved
by the analyzed data being output to
easy-to-see panel meters which are
located directly next to the press.
During the changeover to another
piece of glassware, the operator will
monitor this critical subset of parameters at the press for adjustment of
the process. Once the operators are
satisfied with the quality of the glassware being made, they can better
monitor the production from the local
control room and select more detailed
displays of the press activity by way
of selectable front panel screens. An
example is shown in Figure 3.
The production line is located in a
different area of the facility than the
engineering and administrative offices.
Leveraging off of the built-in features
of LV, supervisors can view and even
control the application with the built-in
Web server. If a supervisorʼs support
is required on the off-shift, they can
remotely access the same control with a
Web browser, as shown in Figure 4.
The data is acquired, analyzed, and presented to the operator and additionally
logged to the local hard drive. At sched-
Figure 2
Figure 3
uled intervals, the data is inserted to a
networked Oracle database utilizing the
LabVIEW database connectivity toolset. Once the data has been archived
in the companyʼs enterprise system, all
personnel with access to the database
can use it for reporting, production
analysis, report generation, etc.
This is the first phase of the project. The
next phase will be to instrument the other
four glass presses with the same type
of solution. All the stations will be networked so data and recipes can be shared
between them if necessary. In addition to
all presses having their own DAQ sys-
tem, one spare unit will also be used
as a replacement should the need arise.
The spare unit will be on the shelf and
powered up so it will be up to date with
the information stored on the production
presses. Should the customer desire to
include additional channels (i.e., pressure,
temperature, etc.), the PXI/SCXI chassis
can easily accommodate several modules
for expandability.
In conclusion
Data Science Automation, Inc. was able
to use the modularity of the National
Instrumentsʼ PXI chassis to deliver an
industrial solution with the functionality
PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 17
Application Feature
Process Control
Machine Monitoring
Figure 4
needed by the customer. The ability of
the NI product line to seamlessly connect to the customerʼs service-proven
sensors was critical to this solution. By
selecting the LabVIEW development
environment, DSA was easily able to
reproduce the capability of the existing system and introduce the needed
new functionality that the customer
required. The application is now structured in a modular type architecture that
will allow for easier future enhancement. The customer also benefits from
the easy-to-follow application code as
compared to the proprietary C-based
code that was a challenge to understand
and modify. Equally as valuable is the
knowledge that the components are
industry standard and available off the
shelf for replacement if necessary.
Christopher D. Olson is a measurement and automation engineer.
Thomas B. Jozwiak is a measurement
and automation consultant.
Gregory C. Cala is vice president of
operations.
RSC #18 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
18 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
Christopher D. Olson
Thomas B. Jozwiak
For more
information,
contact Data
Science
Automation
directly.
Gregory C. Cala
Data Science Automation, Inc.
Southpointe Plaza I
400 Southpointe Boulevard
Suite 210
Canonsburg, PA 15317
Tel.: 724-745-8400
Fax: 724-745-8461
Web site: www.dsautomation.com
RSC #19 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 19
20 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
PICKERING
RSC #21 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
22 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
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PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 23
Industry Update
802.11 Board Test Station
Optimizing wireless measurements with the
PXI platform
By Wayne Larson
Larson Automation has developed an 802.11 board test
station. This tester fully integrates the chip-set standard
manufacturing test plan with engineering tools to control the
test station and the Device Under Test (DUT) from a simple
drill-down GUI interface. This system is used for production testing, engineering evaluation, or for manufacturing
a debug station. In this article, Wayne explains how Larson
Automation conducted testing on the PXI platform.
One of the compelling reasons to move to the PXI platform is
to take advantage of the instrumentation connected to the test
controllerʼs bus. In addition, portions of the measurements are
performed in the host CPU. This simplifies custom measurement techniques, and optimizes each portion of the measurement cycle.
An automated test system can be simplified to include a test
controller, stimulus instruments, measurement instruments, and
the DUT. There are also requirements for communication, triggering, and synchronization between the blocks. Figure 1 shows
a functional schematic of a test controller, but for simplicity,
does not include the electrical and mechanical interfaces.
An automated test station performs a series of measurements,
much like a manual test station. Each measurement is a process
of discreet steps. In Figure 2, we have represented these as:
 System setup: The DUT is powered up, instrument paths are
set for the input and output signals, and any configuration
on the DUT is performed as required for the measurement.
 Stimulate DUT: The instrument that supplies the stimulus
is commanded to apply the proper signal to the input of the
DUT, as required for the measurement.
 Collect raw data: The DUT is in the proper state for measuring and transforming the supplied stimulus as required.
The measurement instrument is used to collect the raw data.
Figure 1
For a box instrument, it may not be accessible as part of the
overall measurement. Additionally, the user may choose to
let the instrument perform the entire process. For example,
this may be the process of triggering a measurement on a
spectrum analyzer. The spectrum analyzer will sweep a
band-pass filter over a frequency range and record the value
of the A/D converter. This converter is subject to a voltage
measurement with relation to the power applied.
 Process information: This step converts the raw data into
useable information. It also transforms the data that was
collected by the sensor, scales it into a log format, removes
any internal instrument error, and applies the proper frequency scale for the x-axis. Ultimately, it produces a trace
on the screen that represents power vs. frequency.
 Perform measurement: The requested information is extracted
from the processed data. It may be the peak power of the
trace, the power at a certain frequency, or the frequency of the
highest power point.
 Transfer data to controller: The measurement result is transferred to the test controller. A traditional box instrument
will perform this over a GPIB bus, Ethernet, RS-232, or
some other medium of data transfer.
Figure 2
24 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
Most automated measurement systems are derived from
manual test methods. Engineers typically use discreet box
instruments to make the measurements that they are interested in. Traditional box instruments have the advantage of
specialized displays and measurement routines to process and
display the information they are best suited to handle. Each
standalone instrument is typically optimized to measure a
particular parameter such as:
 Power vs. frequency (spectrum analyzer)
 Frequency (frequency counter)
 Total RF power (power meter)
 Down-converted I and Q vs. time (vector signal analyzer)
The disadvantage, from a test station point of view, is the
serial method of processing required. For each measurement,
the engineer needs to connect the appropriate instrument,
stimulate the DUT, collect the raw information, process and
analyze it, and then send it over an instrumentation bus (usually GPIB) in a non-optimized, relatively slow shared bus to
the test controller.
Using the approach of multiple discreet measurement instruments adds a fair amount of complication for routing signals
to the different instruments and increases the difficulties communicating to the test controller. New issues arrive in the synchronization, timing, and triggering as well. This operation is
shown in Figure 3.
The user must repeat the measurement cycle for each instrument. The timing diagram is represented in Figure 4. Each
measurement requires setup of the stimulus and routing of the
proper signal to the proper measurement instrument independently. The next example will measure peak power, frequency
Figure 3
accuracy, power in band, EVM, and will verify the integrity
of the data packet.
By rethinking the measurement strategy to take advantage of
the PXI instrumentation architecture, the user can streamline
this process significantly. Using the PXI instrument model,
the RF analyzer is a combination of an RF down-converter
that covers the frequency and bandwidth desired, and a digitizer that performs the desired measurements at a base-band
frequency. This architecture is similar to modern standalone
RF instruments. The processing of the signals is performed in
the host processor using digital signal processing techniques.
Digital filters are applied to the waveform rather than switching in the proper electrical filter. I and Q demodulation is an
algorithm instead of a vector demodulator that is optimized
for a unique frequency.
This step allows the user to acquire one set of raw data from a
digitizer and process it for whatever parameter is desired. This
simplifies a number of things:
Figure 4
PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 25
Industry Update
802.11 Board Test Station
 It reduces the overall cost of the system
 It reduces the overall test time significantly
 It reduces the complexity of the switching, synchronization,
timing, and triggering interface
Figure 7
As a side advantage, all measurements naturally correlate to
each other because they are based on the same raw data. If the
oscillator occasionally loses lock, all measurements would
be either locked or unlocked. A block diagram is shown in
Figure 5.
Figure 8
Modulation power
Starting with the raw data again, the user can process the
data slightly differently, and extract the magnitude vs. time
information. This display is useful to determine power ramp
uptime, overshoot, peak power, and power ramp downtime.
The representation of this function is shown in Figure 9.
Baseband conversion
Figure 5
It is clear from the sequencing diagram in Figure 6 that the
process is much more efficient and quicker. There are also
11 functional blocks, as opposed to 30 as shown in Figure 4.
What is not initially obvious is the speed advantage of having
the instrumentation and the test controller share a PCI bus. An
example of the digitizer output vs. time is shown in Figure 7.
RF spectrum
The RF down-converter is tuned to the center frequency of
the 802.11b channel, and the test system is set up to make the
measurement. The burst is captured by the digitizer. This is a
simple packet that covers less than 300 µsecs. Starting with
the raw data, the user can perform a standard FFT to show
the power with respect to frequency for a standard spectrum
analyzer display. The user can utilize this to calculate power
in band. This process is shown in Figure 8.
The raw data is processed by digitally down-converting the
data to baseband, and representing it as I and Q data streams.
The user then extracts the exact carrier frequency and, thus,
the frequency error, and resamples the data at the clock rate.
This step releases the BPSK/QPSK demodulated data stream
as I and Q chips, as represented in Figure 10.
Calculate EVM
From the I and Q bit stream, the user can calculate the error
for each chip as an error vector, and can consolidate this information into an Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) value for the
packet. Figure 11 shows how this can be plotted on a constellation diagram with the center of the circles representing the
ideal location.
Decode frame/decode data
Starting from the I and Q bit stream again, the user can
continue to decode the information contained in the frame.
Figure 6
26 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
A breakdown of the frame can be
seen in Figure 12. The user performs
a Barker Correlation, descrambles
the data, locates the Start Frame
Delimiter (SFD), and checks the
header CRC to ensure proper decoding. The rest of the header information can be used to determine how
to decode the payload. The user can
then work down the protocol stack to
decode the actual information contained in the payload.
Figure 9
Figure 10
These steps can all be performed on
one small data acquisition sample
(<1 msec). Data is captured once,
and analyzed in many different ways.
The test time is dependent upon the
processing speed of the computer and the amount of analysis
desired. In addition, configuration can easily be done through
software.
Bringing this idea one step further is the concept of a synthetic test station. This is where integration of basic components takes place to support different devices or protocols. By
changing the down-converter frequency range, it is possible to
convert a test station to support 802.11a from one designed to
support 802.11g. With the plethora of wireless protocols and
standards being introduced all the time, this technology helps
preserve an investment in test equipment and test development for future projects.
Wayne Larson is president of
Larson Automation. For more
information, contact Larson
Automation directly.
Figure 11
Larson Automation, Inc.
48511 Warm Springs Blvd., Suite 209
Fremont, CA 94539
Tel.: 510-656-4100
Web site: www.LarsonAutomation.com
Figure 12
PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 27
Industry Report
By Bob Stasonis
ITC – Board testing revisited
T
Throughout the more than 30-year existence of the Automatic
Test Equipment (ATE) industry, there has been a pendulum
effect in terms of technology focus. At certain times in the
industry, the focus was on creating new ways to address the
testing needs of component manufacturers. At other times,
innovation in the testing of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)
and subassemblies has been in the forefront. In this column,
Iʼll relate some of the technologies that I saw at the 2003
International Test Conference (ITC).
Overall, the show floor was more of a “meet & greet” type of
exhibit. In other words, the hardware and software on display
was minimal. However, there were enough staff from each
company to talk to the attendees and assess their needs.
ITC has long been a barometer of how technology swings. Now
in its 33rd year, the papers presented at this IEEE sponsored
conference showcase the research and status of test strategies and standards. The theme for 2003 was “Breaking Test
Interface Bottlenecks.” The faculty and attendees came from
many countries in Europe and Asia, as well as ITCʼs home
in North America. Since the conference location changes
every two years, this yearʼs ITC was held in Charlotte, North
Carolina. ITC will be in Charlotte again next year, and will then
move to Austin, Texas in the fall of 2005. The Web site address
for ITC is www.itctestweek.org.
Conference overview
The ITC of the previous 10 years was very component testcentric. The exhibitors and the papers in the conference were
very focused on getting that extra picosecond of resolution out
of a microprocessor, ASIC, or memory test system. However,
last year, the ITC inaugurated a Board Test Workshop at the
end of the conference. The attendance was so positive that the
committee added a board and system test track to the main
conference in 2003.
I attended ITC to look at the technology on the show floor and
to listen to the presenters give their vision of the future from a
board test standpoint. I also presented and participated in several well received sessions. I think youʼll agree with me that
there is a resurgence in development for board testing, driven
by the board technology itself, and the desire to provide lower
cost solutions for testing. From the standpoint of PXI, there
was a strong showing that the architecture is poised to play a
part in this technology resurgence.
Trade show floor – less is less…
The trade show portion of ITC has seen a precipitous decline
in terms of vendors throughout the last few years. In terms
of component testing, with one exception, the major players
were noticeably absent. Only Advantest had an exhibit, albeit
a virtual one. There were no hardware products/samples at
the show, only pictures and software demos. Companies like
Agilent, Teradyne, and NP Test were represented by speakers
at the conference, and their logos were conspicuously placed
outside the exhibit hall and in the conference guide.
28 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
The PXI Systems Alliance was also represented on the show
floor. Goepel, JTAG, National Instruments, and Pickering had
their products on exhibit. In terms of board test, they were the
primary exhibitors involved in the market.
While the primary focus of the conference is still IC test and
design, ITC had a separate board and systems test track. If I
were to summarize the track in three topics, they would be:
 Functional test
 Electrical access
 BIST (Built-In Self Test)
There was virtually no discussion of the traditional test strategies: In-circuit test, Automated Optical Inspection (AOI), or
Automated X-ray Inspection (AXI). It should be noted, however that ITC tends to focus on the theoretical aspect of testing and not on strategies or implementation. There was some
discussion on a technique called flying probers, but this was
discussed under the premise of limited access.
In the area of functional testing, PXI was a well received topic.
National Instruments presented a 90-minute tutorial about the
PXI architecture and its application in board testing, and more
than 60 people attended. Ninety minutes was not enough to
explain the architecture, and the strongest comment received
was that it needed to be longer. Only a third of the audience
raised their hands when asked if they knew what PXI meant. It
was obvious that some education on this subject was needed.
There was not enough time to give real world details as to how
PXI is being implemented in electronics manufacturing, but
Iʼm sure the debate for next yearʼs ITC conference committee
will be to expand this session.
There was also a panel on the use of PXI in functional testing,
hosted by Glenn Woppman, president of ASSET Intertech.
The panel consisted of Stan Craft of Microcraft (a systems
integrator), Eric Starkloff of National Instruments (a PXI
manufacturer), E. Smitt of Lockheed Martin (a PXI user),
Jim Webster of BAE Systems (an opposing view), and me.
Actually, Jim was not as much of a naysayer as one might
think. Rather, his position was “You say PXI is so great, prove
it!” The panel proceeded to show how and where PXI works
well from a broad set of perspectives. I think the major opinion that the audience took home was that PXI is one tool they
can draw on for a variety of applications. However, the importance of understanding your end productʼs specifications and
test requirements is far more important than any particular test
architecture. One attendee commented that the panel was so
harmonious in their message that the session was akin to a
“PXI love fest.”
In the area of BIST, there were several sessions. However,
Intelʼs presentation appeared to have the most interest. The
Three Reusable Integrated Bist-u-Technologies (TRIBuTE)
program will be part of Intel microprocessors in a few years.
The three on-die BIST designs will provide internal self-test
information as well as verify the external bus structures of
the motherboard the processor is mounted on. TRIBuTE will
greatly offset the test limitations brought on by the lack of
electrical access and bus speeds that can be degraded by external probing. Access to this circuitry is via either BIOS ROM
or a Boundary Scan Test Access Port (TAP).
Boundary Scan – the future of board testing?
Speaking of Boundary Scan, the IEEE 1149.X specification dominated the conference with nine papers in the main
conference and an additional seven papers in the Board
Test Workshop. Clearly, lack of electrical access is driving
increased interest in this specification. Fortunately for PXI
users, there are several members who are producing 1149.x
compliant test products. In my research for this column, I
asked several of these companies for market input on where
the various aspects of 1149 are being implemented.
...there is a resurgence in
development for board testing,
driven by the board technology
itself, and the desire to provide
lower cost solutions for testing.
In the mid 1990s, there was an extension to the 1149 spec to
address the issue of analog component testing. The 1149.4
mixed-signal test specification defined a compliant device
with a series of Analog Boundary Modules (ABMs). These
ABMs can be integrated into an analog chip design and used
to monitor the status of an analog net, inject stimulus, make
measurements, and return test results to the TAP for external assessment. They can also be implemented as a separate
device that monitors analog nets and other devices. Additional
pins were added to the JTAG interface to allow for analog
instrumentation. Other than the addition of the TBIC (Test
Bus Interface Circuit), 1149.4 is compliant with the 1149.1
protocol. According to several manufacturers of 1149.1
tools, you can use existing Boundary Scan test products to
“brute force” 1149.4 test code. More information on the
1149.4 specifications can be found on the IEEE Web site at
www.grouper.ieee.org/groups/1149/4/.
For those readers who are a little unfamiliar, the 1149.x specification, which was also known as the Joint Test Action Group
(JTAG) interface, was first introduced in 1990. The initial
specification, known as1149.1, defined a serial interface with
compatible digital devices that allowed the JTAG interface
to take control of a device, run internal self tests, and verify
interconnections between devices, all done without electrical access to the individual pins. The standard was accepted
slowly, as JTAG compliance required specialized chips and
additional interconnections as device geometries got smaller
and smaller. With the efficiencies of scale in IC manufacturing that have been realized over the last decade, the additional
cost of 1149.1 became negligible, and it actually lowered the
cost of testing complex PCBs.
How many 1149.1 devices are available? Heiko Ehrenberg,
CEO of Goepel Electronics stated, “Almost every mid to high
complex digital component today has Boundary Scan (1149.1)
capabilities built in. CPUs, DSPs, microprocessors, some
communication chips, PLDs, FPGAs, and similar devices
almost all come with 1149.1 built in. Additionally, almost all
devices in a BGA or similar package come with Boundary
Scan, since this is the only economical way to test for connectivity on such devices on the board and system level. Even
some more complex memory devices are now available with
a limited 1149.1 implementation.” If you search the Internet,
youʼll find that the devices are available, there is a broad range
of tools available for both designing in 1149.1, and there are
hardware and software tools for developing test programs.
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PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 29
PXI Industry Report
The main problem is that there are not a lot of 1149.4 products being implemented. I only found one 1149.4 compliant
device available from National Semiconductor (STA400).
Is it the same issue that 1149.1 experienced early on? After
all, no one wants to add additional cost and use up valuable
resources for something that can only be used for testing unless
absolutely necessary. Ray Dellecker, United States marketing
manager for JTAG Technologies put it this way, “We believe
that 1149.4 acceptance and implementation are limited by the
usual chicken-and-egg situation. Except there are three camps,
not two: users, IC vendors, and tools providers. The 1149.4
spec has been out for years, but no one has done anything
commercial with it. That is why we developed our new evaluation kit and announced it at ITC. We are looking for potential
users who would like a convenient means of experimenting
with the capabilities of 1149.4 on a sample board, and in the
process begin to develop ideas for commercial application.
As these ideas solidify, we will be able to ascertain the needs
of the marketplace and respond accordingly.” Dave Bonnett,
technical product manager for ASSET Intertech appears to
agree with Ray. “We feel that the market will find 1149.4
acceptance as more tools for development and testing become
available. The markets that will eventually embrace the 1149.4
architecture will be in the area of high reliability. Medical and
military/aeronautics systems need the visibility into as much
of their designs as possible. In this case, itʼs not just diagnostic
capability, itʼs prognostics – finding weak signals before they
cause problems. In areas of high liability, such as the automotive industry, 1149.4 should also find acceptance.”
Daveʼs predictions for the automotive industry are already
being looked into. A paper from Lancaster University in the UK
showed how 1149.4 compliant chips could monitor the status of
analog circuitry in mission-critical options on the automotive
horizon. For example, drive-by-wire and brake-by-wire are new
applications that will require extensive diagnostics to ascertain
impending failures and implement options for the driver so
they will not be stranded or fatally injured. The nature of the
automotive industry dictates that this diagnostic ability must be
implemented at the lowest possible cost. More work needs to
be done, but it appears that 1149.4 may find its first home under
the hood of your new SUV in the near future.
In 2003, a new extension of the 1149 spec was added. The
1149.6 specification defines a new set of commands and circuitry that allow for characterization and diagnosis of highspeed serial interfaces. With the proliferation of high-speed
digital interfaces, including Gigabit Ethernet, Firewire, USB
2.0, and other SERializer/DESerializer (SERDES) devices, the
need to better test the integrity of these data paths is clear. For
more detail, go to the IEEE Web site at www.grouper.ieee.org/
groups/1149/6/.
In the area of 1149.6 compliance, all of the companies interviewed for this article agree that this standard will be accepted
30 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
much faster than the past two 1149 specifications. Ray
Dellecker said, “We see 1149.6 taking off more rapidly than
1149.4, primarily because the need for it is well understood.
In fact, the working group that produced the spec was prodded
by potential end users, and that means its practical application
is more assured. Because of this market push, we are actively
developing tools to support the standard.” Dave Bonnet added,
“1149.6 is being driven by several major networking hardware
companies. I expect that we will see 1149.6 compliant devices
in less than two years. As the market embraces this spec, we
will provide tools to assist them.” Finally, Heiko Ehrenberg
stated, “Goepel will support the standard by offering compliant hardware and software tools in the future. I expect adoption
of this standard to be much faster than for 1149.4. However,
again I see the implementation of 1149.6 capabilities initially
in custom ASICs, later on maybe in off-the-shelf devices such
as SERDES and high-speed communication chips. I expect
first applications to appear in late 2004, early 2005.”
Conclusion
Overall, the ITC was a good experience from a technology
standpoint. Major companies, universities, and a lot of imaginative entrepreneurs are developing new ways to address the
issues of testing advancing technology, safety, and costs. Next
year, the ITC will focus on end-to-end test flow, from IC to
board and on to system testing. I expect to see lots of new
trends then as well. I hope you can make it to Charlotte, North
Carolina next October!
For more information, contact Bob Stasonis at:
bstasonis@opensystems-publishing.com
Companies quoted in this column:
ASSET Intertech
2201 N. Central Expressway, Suite 105
Richardson, TX 75080
Tel.: 888-694-6250
Fax: 972-437-2826
www.asset-intertech.com
GOEPEL Electronic GmbH
Goeschwitzer Str. 58/60
07745 Jena
Germany
www.goepel.com
JTAG Technologies Inc.
1006 Butterworth Court
Stevensville, MD 21666
Tel.: 877-FOR-JTAG
Fax: 410-604-2109
www.jtag.com
Product Focus
Integrated Analog and
Digital Devices
Building a mixed-signal test system
By Eric Starkloff
As computing and communications technologies converge,
consumer devices are becoming more complex. At the same
time, the semiconductor industry is combining more analog
and digital technologies on a single chip, creating unique
testing challenges. For these mixed-signal test systems, system developers need modularity and flexibility of both the
analog and digital test components. PXI is designed to meet
these needs through its modular
design, making it an ideal platform
Stimulus
for mixed-signal test.
Open standard and modular
hardware deliver
Analog
the challenge of traditional instrumentation. Modular instrumentation, however, can take the best of both worlds. If the
system requirements change as time goes on, users can add
modules to expand channel counts or to address changes in
signal levels or frequency needs. If the analog channels have
varying bandwidth requirements, users can select modules
with different bandwidths, tailoring their systems to exact
Arbitrary waveform generators
Response
High-speed digitizers
Function generators
Simultaneous-sampling data acq
The only requirement of a mixedFrequency synthesizers
RF signal analyzers
signal system is that it integrates analog
Digital waveform generators
Digital waveform analyzers
and digital components. Typically, this Digital
definition applies to systems where the
Digital test modules
Digital test modules
analog and digital components integrate
Pulse/pattern generators
together to test the same device. With
Logic sources
the open standard of PXI, engineers and
scientists can integrate multiple comTable 1
paniesʼ products together into a single
system. With more than a thousand
products in PXI, and with interoperability with CompactPCI,
requirements. By choosing modular components to fit the
system developers can mix any number of devices from one
specific requirements of the applications, users only pay for
or more vendors into one system. Table 1 lists common analog
what they need, thus controlling costs and addressing the issue
and digital stimulus and response devices. The PXI platform
of shrinking budgets. These technologies can be used to create
delivers a greater degree of test system flexibility and hardware
faster, more flexible mixed-signal systems to solve applicareuse than is possible in fixed-functionality systems. For mixedtions that previously required expensive proprietary solutions
signal test systems, the PXI modular architecture is a flexible
or simply remained unsolved.
platform for integration.
Eric Starkloff is the PXI and moduSystem flexibility for mixed-signal test
lar instrument marketing manager at
Traditional instrumentation, along with modular instrumentaNational Instruments. He joined the comtion, trends toward mixed-signal test. For example, mixed-sigpany in 1997, and currently is responnal oscilloscopes are more common than ever. A mixed-signal
sible for leading the project management
oscilloscope is ideal for systems that only require a few chanteams for PXI, modular instruments, VXI,
nels of analog and digital with static requirements. Increasingly,
GPIB, and test software. Eric holds a
though, engineers need different frequency ranges or different
B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia
channel counts for driving new requirements. If the device
at Charlottesville. For more information, contact National
under test changes, the requirements could change dramatiInstruments directly.
cally. With traditional instrumentation, a mix of requirements
for the same system or a change in those requirements over
National Instruments
time, means that users must purchase new instruments. With
11500 N Mopac Expwy
the fixed functionality of traditional instrumentation, if the
Austin, TX 78759
users need more analog channels, they have to buy new instruTel.: 800-811-0742
ments to replace the current ones. If the analog channels need
Fax: 512-683-9300
different bandwidths, they pay for the highest bandwidth on
E-mail: info@ni.com
all the channels, regardless of whether they all need it. This is
Web site: www.ni.com
PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 31
Web Site
waveform generators
RSC #3201 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
ROM EMULATORS
RSC #3202 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
RSC #3203 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
32 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
www.acqiris.com
www.acromag.com
www.adlinktech.com
www.advmeas.com
www.advancedmsinc.com
www.aerocomm.com
www.utmc.aeroflex.com
www.aim-online.com
www.alfautomazione.com
www.alphitech.com
www.amfax.co.uk
www.ancot.com
www.asset-intertech.com
www.bbtechno.com
www.bi2s.com
www.bloomy.com
www.bustronic.com
www.chtech.com
www.calbay.com
www.centralp.com
www.chromaate.com
www.chromausa.com
www.conduant.com
www.daqtron.com
www.dsautomation.com
www.ekf.de
www.elma.com
www.gage-applied.com
www.generalstandards.com
www.geotestinc.com
www.gespac.com
www.goepel.com
www.ghs.com
www.huntron.com
www.icon-tech.com.au
www.inesinc.com
www.inesinc.com
www.intertesttech.com
www.invisar.com
www.ittcannon.com
www.kaparel.com
www.lecroy.com
www.macpanel.com
www.marconi.com
www.marekmicro.de
www.maxt.com
www.menmicro.com
www.microbus.com
www.ni.com
www.navatek.com
www.nextron.com.tw
www.pickering.co.uk
www.pxit.com
www.qmt.ch
www.quantum-controls.com
www.rohde-schwarz.com
www.sbs.com
www.schroff.us
www.strategic-test.com
www.team-solutions.com
www.teradyne.com
www.thermotron.com
www.tracewellsystems.com
www.tripleease.com
www.ttitestron.com
www.ueidaq.com
www.vieng.com
www.vi-tech.com
www.viewpointusa.com
www.vpc.com
General Memory
Flash
Extenders
Connectors
Attenuators
BUYER’S GUIDE: GENERAL
Acqiris
Acromag, Inc.
Adlink Technology America, Inc.
Advanced Measurements, Inc.
Advanced Microcomputer Systems, Inc.
AeroComm Inc.
Aeroflex UTMC
AIM USA
ALFAUTOMAZIONE Srl
Alphi Technology Corporation
Amfax Ltd
Ancot Corporation
ASSET InterTech
B & B Technologies, Inc.
Bi2S
Bloomy Controls, Inc.
Bustronic Corporation
C & H Technologies, Inc.
Cal-Bay Systems, Inc.
Centralp Automatismes
Chroma ATE, Inc.
Chroma Systems Solutions, Inc.
Conduant Corporation
DAQTron, Inc.
Data Science Automation, Inc.
EKF-ELECTRONIK GmbH
ELMA Electronic, Inc.
Gage Applied Technologies
General Standards Corporation
Geotest
Gespac
GOEPEL electronics GmbH
Green Hills Software, Inc.
Huntron
ICON Technologies
INES GmbH
Innovative Electronik Systems Inc
International Test Technologies
Invisar, Inc
ITT Cannon
Kaparel Corporation
LeCroy Corporation
MacPanel Company
Marconi Integrated Systems
MarekMicro
MAX Technologies, Inc.
MEN Micro Elektronik GmbH
Microbus Inc
National Instruments
Navatek Eng. Corp.
Nextronics Engineering Corp.
Pickering Interfaces Ltd
Px Instrument Technology Ltd
Qualimatest S.A.
Quantum Controls, Inc.
Rohde & Schwarz
SBS Technologies, Inc.
Schroff
Strategic Test
Team Solutions, Inc.
Teradyne, Inc.
Thermotron Industries
Tracewell Systems, Inc.
Triple E
TTI Testron
United Electronic Industries
VI Engineering, Inc.
VI Technology
Viewpoint Systems
Virginia Panel Corporation
Accessories
Test Interface
waveform generators
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Boundary Scan
Debugging
Interfaces
Prototyping
√
Wireless
Remote Access
PXI-to-PXI
PCI-to-PXI
PCI-to-PCI
PMC
PCMCIA
PC•MIP
Pkg.
Modules
Enclosures
IP Modules
Drivers
Front Panels
Backplanes
App. SW
GPIB
Serial
Turnkey
Systems
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2004 BUYER’S GUIDE: GENERAL
√
Test
Integration
System Tools
Development
SCSI
Serial
Remote
PXI
Controllers
Prototyping
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√
PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 33
DATA ACQUISITION
RSC #3401 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
DIGITAL I/O
RSC #3402 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
RSC #3403 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
34 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
Acqiris
www.acqiris.com
Adlink Technology America, Inc.
www.adlinktech.com
Advanced Power Designs Inc.
www.VxIbus.com
Aeroflex UTMC
www.utmc.aeroflex.com
Agilent Technologies
www.agilent.com
AIM USA
www.aim-online.com
Alphi Technology Corporation
www.alphitech.com
Analogic Corporation
www.analogic.com
Ascor, Inc.
www.ascor-inc.com
B & B Technologies, Inc.
www.bbtechno.com
Ballard Technology
www.ballardtech.com
Bustec
www.bustec.com
C&H Technologies, Inc.
www.chtech.com
Chroma ATE, Inc.
www.chromaate.com
Chroma Systems Solutions, Inc.
www.chromausa.com
Conduant Corporation
www.conduant.com
Corelis, Inc.
www.corelis.com
Cytec Corp
www.cytec-ate.com
Datum
www.datum.com
D-TACQ Solutions Ltd.
www.d-tacq.co.uk
Digalog Systems, Inc.
www.digalogpxi.com
Exacq
www.exacq.com
Excalibur Systems, Inc.
www.mil-1553.com
Gage Applied Technologies
www.gage-applied.com
General Standards Corporation
www.generalstandards.com
Geotest
www.geotestinc.com
Gespac
www.gespac.com
GL Communications, Inc.
www.gl.com
GOEPEL electronics GmbH
www.goepel.com
Innovative Electronik Systems Inc
www.inesinc.com
Innovative Integration
www.innovative-dsp.com
Janz Automations Systeme AG
www.janzag.de
JTAG Technologies B.V.
www.jtag.com
Kineticystems Company, LLC
www.kscorp.com
LeCroy Corporation
www.lecroy.com
MarekMicro
www.marekmicro.de
Meilhaus Electronic GmbH
www.meilhaus.com
MEN Micro Elektronik GmbH
www.menmicro.com
Murrelektronik, Inc.
www.murrinc.com
National Instruments
www.ni.com
Pickering Interfaces Ltd
www.pickering.co.uk
PX Instrument Technology Ltd
www.pxit.com
Racal Instruments, Inc.
www.racalinst.com
Radical Systems Engineering
www.radicalsystems.com
SBS Technologies, Inc.
www.sbs.com
Signametrics Corporation
www.signametrics.com
Spectrum GmbH
www.spec.de
Strategic Test
www.strategic-test.com
Summit Microelectronics
www.summitmicro.com
Sundance DSP
www.sundance.com
Team Solutions, Inc.
www.team-solutions.com
Teradyne, Inc.
www.teradyne.com
Tracewell Systems, Inc.
www.tracewellsystems.com
United Electronic Industries
www.ueidaq.com
Viewpoint Systems
www.viewpointusa.com
ZTEC Instruments, Inc.
www.ztec-inc.com
CAN Fieldbus
√
GPIB
√
Ethernet
√
Interfaces
Boundary Scan
√
Synchro-Digital
BUYER’S GUIDE: INSTRUMENTS
Avionics
MIL-1553
Web Site
ARINC
GENERATORS
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Optical: Video
Switching
I/O
Other
Switch Matrix
Multiplexers
RF
High-Current
General
Microwave
LVDT/RVDT
Stimulus
Other
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2004 BUYER’S GUIDE: INSTRUMENTS
√
Pulse Gen.
Pattern Gen.
Motor Gen.
Measurement
Function Gen.
Generators
Frq. Synth.
DAC
Amplifiers
Digitizers/O-Scope
Signal Cond.
Power Mtr.
DSP
DMM
Data Acq.
Counters
ADC
Analyzers
Time Interval
Power Supplies
DC Sources
Power
PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 35
New Products
By Eli Shapiro
ANALYZERS: OTHER
Ascor, Inc.
Web site: www.ascor-inc.com
Model: 7205
RSC No: 15798
A PXI block down converter • Extends RF signal analyzers to 6 GHz • Eliminates external
switching • 10 MHz reference input • Plug
and Play software interface • Two-slot PXI
size • +15 dBm input power • 0 to 2.7 GHz
passthrough
ANALYZERS: TIME INTERVAL
Geotest
Web site: www.geotestinc.com
Model: GTX2220
RSC No: 15785
A 1.3 GHz time interval counter • Provides all
features of standalone counters, including
frequency, period, totalize, and time interval
in the PXI form factor • Uses reciprocal
counting techniques • 10 digits/sec of resolution for frequencies from 1 Hz to 1.3 GHz;
determines any frequency to seven digits in
1ms • 2300 measurements/sec capability
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
National Instruments
Web site: www.ni.com
Model: TestStand v3.0
RSC No: 15807
A ready-to-run test management environment for organizing, controlling, and executing automated prototype, validation, and
manufacturing test systems • Graphical
sequence editor environment • Adapters for
tests written in any programming language
• Multithreaded sequence execution engine •
ASCII, HTML/Web, and XML report generation • Access, Oracle, and SQL Server database connectivity • Create, edit, execute, and
debug sequences • More than 30 built-in
step types • Develop custom test steps for
unique requirements • Advanced sequenc-
RSC #36 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
36 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
E-mail: newproducts@opensystems-publishing.com
RSC #15798
ing, branching, and flow control • Source
code control system integration
Model: VDM 7.0
RSC No: 15810
A vision development module for machine
vision and scientific imaging applications
• Consists of IMAQ Vision and NI Vision
Builder • High-level machine vision and
image processing functions as well as
display tools • Processing and analysis of
grayscale, color, and binary images • Highspeed pattern matching for locating objects
of various size and orientation, even in poor
lighting • Blob analysis for calculating 49
parameters, including the area, perimeter,
and location of objects • Image calibration
for correcting lens distortion and camera angle • Support under LabVIEW RT •
Interactive vision prototyping environment
that generates LabVIEW diagrams or builder
files for LabWindows/CVI and Visual Basic •
Offline inspection with automated scripting
and batch processing • Image display with
zooming, panning, extracting, and scrolling •
Measurements such as distances, areas, and
locations returned • Visual image management with the image browser • Performance
benchmarking with the performance meter
• Compatible operating systems: Windows
2000/NT/XP/ME/9x
BOUNDARY SCAN
GOPEL electronic GmbH
Web site: www.goepel.com
Model: SYSTEM CASCON 4.1
RSC No: 15797
A boundary scan software suite • Version
includes Scan Vision II, a next generation
graphical viewer product based on Router
Solutions’ CAMCAD package
• Processes design data from
many different CAE systems,
extracting required information for viewing schematic
and layout features • Scan
Vision supports applications
such as: graphical indication
of a fault location, graphical presentation of fault
coverage, interactive cross
probing between schematic,
layout, and net list, hierarchical design browsing, interactive guarding for Flash
programming or test pattern
generation, and interactive
logic probing in layout and
schematic in conjunction
with the SYSTEM CASCON
graphical multi mode debugger • Extension
of the CASLAN programming language with
an interface for external 32-bit DLLs • BGA
package generator supports interactive generation of boundary scan and non-boundary
scan device models • Backwards compatible
and supports all boundary scan controllers
by GOEPEL electronic based on VXI, PXI, PCI,
USB, PCMCIA, GPIB, Parallel, RS-232, and
Fast Ethernet
GENERAL PURPOSE SWITCH
Digalog Systems, Inc.
Web site: www.digalogpxi.com
Model: P6608
RSC No: 15801
A 32-channel, general-purpose relay board
• 32 Form A relays • 1A maximum current
• 100VDC or 100VAC maximum switching
voltage • 512-state scan list • PXI triggers •
Onboard debounce timer • Programmable scan
advance delay • Drivers provided for Windows
9x/ME/NT/2000/XP • Programming: Visual
Basic, Visual C/C++, LabView, LabWindows/
CVI, and CVI function panels
GENERATORS: PULSE
Geotest
Web site: www.geotestinc.com
Model: GP1550H
RSC No: 15784
A series of dual-channel, GPIB-programmable pulse generators for use as 100 percent form-fitting replacements for HP8160A
pulse generators • Fully compatible with the
HP8160A, including output specifications
and the GPIB command set
IP MODULES/CARRIERS
MAX Technologies, Inc.
Web site: www.maxt.com
Model: PXI-400
RSC No: 15794
A multi-protocol, 3U, intelligent PXI carrier board • Supports up to two 8/32-MHz
IndustryPack modules • StrongArm RISC
processor at 200 MHz • 1 to 2 Mbytes of
SRAM and 16 Mbytes of shared memory,
expandable to 64 Mbytes • Onboard firmware • Runs multiple protocols simultaneously • Received messages are time-tagged
with 32-bit microsecond precision • IRIG-B
RSC #15797
input support • Multiple carrier boards can
be time synchronized
LVDT/RVDT STIMULUS AND
MEASUREMENT
Geotest
Web site: www.geotestinc.com
Model: GX5152 Series
RSC No: 15786
A series of PXI Digital Stimulus-Response
(DSR) cards for bus emulation and highspeed digital test • The 6U GX5152 is the
master, which includes the DSR timing
set and can control up to 15 GX5153 DSR
slaves to expand the dynamic digital I/O
channels up to 512 • Timing set within the
DSR master features major cycles running
at 100 MHz, and minor cycles running at
50 MHz • Provides strobes that control the
master and any slave instruments to generate or capture data • Features a trigger signal, 10nsec edge placement resolution, and
five memory SIMMS for a memory depth of
up to 8 Mbits • Variety of I/O modules available; TTL, LVDS, and programmable levels
MAINFRAMES/CARD RACKS/ENCLOSURES
Geotest
Web site: www.geotestinc.com
Model: GX7100 Series
RSC No: 15803
A 3U/6U, 14-slot combination PXI chassis
• Accommodates seven 3U PXI or CompactPCI instruments and seven additional
3U or 6U PXI or CompactPCI instruments
• Expandable to accommodate additional
PXI/CompactPCI instruments using MXI-3
• Built-in peripherals include: hard disk,
floppy disk, and CD-ROM or CD-RW drives
• Accommodates instruments from any vendor • Desktop and rackmount configurations
• Front-loading mechanism similar to VXI •
UUT interfacing options
MarekMicro
Web site: www.marekmicro.de
Model: PXI Chassis
RSC No: 15805
A series of PXI 2.1 compliant chassis • Rackmount and desktop PXI chassis with 8, 14,
18, and 21 slots • Optimized cooling and
reduced noise • Based on MarekMicro’s PXI
backplane technology
RF SWITCH
Geotest
Web site: www.geotestinc.com
Model: GX6062
RSC No: 15787
A high-density RF multiplexer in 6U PXI form
factor • 12 groups of 1:4 multiplexers that
can be software controlled to provide various
multiplexer configurations, while maintaining
the instrument’s full 200 MHz of bandwidth •
Provides differential RF switching and may
be configured as 12 x 1:4, 6 x 1:9, 2 x 1:29,
1 x 1:59, as well as other configurations •
Suited for Automated Test Equipment (ATE),
parametric measurements, engineering verification, high-density switching systems, and
RF communications
SCANNERS/MULTIPLEXERS
Geotest
Web site: www.geotestinc.com
Model: SMX4032
RSC No: 15773
A 32-channel PXI relay scanner/multiplexer
• Onboard microcontroller • Can be configured on the fly to handle 2, 4, and 6-wire
guarded measurements • Very low thermaloffset leakage and capacitance • Up to four
differential switching groups of 10:1 • Fast
switching and settling times • Measure relay
actuation time • Test for contact failure •
Auto-scanning mode • Trigger input and
output • Triggered scanning operation •
Power and control isolation • Self cleaning
• Channel ID • Programmable actuation and
delay times
TEST SYSTEMS
Geotest
Web site: www.geotestinc.com
Model: MTS-206
RSC No: 15806
A rugged, portable tester for the Maverick
Missile System • Field testing of the AGM-65
missile, missile sections, LAU-117 & LAU88 launchers, and launcher-missile clusters
• PXI architecture • Full parametric test with
optional diagnostics • Controlled by an
integrated LCD display and touch screen •
Menu-driven • Automatic cable selection
TURNKEY SYSTEMS
MEN Micro Elektronik GmbH
Web site: www.menmicro.com
Model: 190007
RSC No: 15799
A 19” PXI desktop enclosure for 6U cards •
IEEE-1101.10 compliance • 14-slot, 3U PXI
backplane • 650W, open-frame power supply • Three DC fans, temperature controlled
• 6U PXI system controller installed, with
Pentium III processor at up to 1.26 GHz
or Pentium 4 processor at 2.2 GHz, 256
Mbytes DRAM, and a 2.5”, 20-Gbyte hard
disk • Windows installed on request
RSC #15805
RSC #15787
FOR MORE INFORMATION
on these and other new products, check our
Web site at www.pxionline.com.
RSC #37 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003 / 37
RSC #38 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
38 / PXI Technology Review / Winter 2003
RSC #39 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
RSC #40 @www.pxionline.com/rsc
RSC #40 @www.pxionline.com/rsc