PXI & LXI switching & simulation solutions on display at AUTOTESTCON

Products being demonstrated include:

2-slot USB/LXI Modular Chassis – This chassis offers a small lightweight form factor, making it ideal for portable, benchtop and space restrictive applications. It supports one or two 3U PXI modules and accepts the majority of Pickering’s PXI products. The USB compatible and LXI compliant interfaces enable the chassis to be controlled directly through standard interfaces found on most personal computers—allowing for a very cost effective route into the modular test and measurement market.

Millivolt Thermocouple PXI Simulator Module – A low-voltage source module ideal for simulating the operation of a thermocouple. This module supports up to 32 channels from a single-slot 3U PXI module, each with an independent output of -100mV to +100mV and a remote sense that allows for the correction of ground voltages on each channel.

High-Density 2 Amp PXI Multiplexer – Available in 20 configurations, these modules use high-quality electro-mechanical signal relays allowing each channel to switch current up to 2A and voltage up to 300VDC/250VAC and are supported by Pickering’s eBIRST switching system test tools. These multiplexers are suitable for signal routing in ATE and data acquisition systems.

LXI Simulation Tool – This simple and highly portable tool provides users with a simple and highly portable platform for application development. Supported products include Pickering Interfaces’ PXI & LXI switching modules as well as partial support of its PXI simulation and instrumentation products. This tool allows programmers to develop and debug test code for Pickering's LXI switching devices prior to receiving the devices or before installing the LXI switching in a test system..

Switch Path Manager Signal Routing Software – This signal routing software simplifies signal routing through switching systems and speeds up the development of switching system software. Switch Path Manager supports Pickering's PXI, LXI, PCI and GPIB switching modules and the interconnection between these products.

Cable Design Tool –This graphics-based web tool is used to create custom cable solutions for many applications. Features include a built-in library of standard cable sets that can be used as the basis for customization or they can be defined from scratch. The tool allows very detailed design characteristics including: selection of connector types, wire type, pin definitions, pin and cable labeling, cable bundling, length selection, sleeving, comments and more.

Additional products being shown in the booth include: precision resistor modules, high-density reed relay matrices and diagnostic test tools. Below are some of the products that will be showcased:

• High-Density 2 Amp PXI Relay Module (model 40-100) – Configured with 83 SPDT relays, this relay module is suitable for applications requiring medium power switching with very high density. It features a 2 Amp current capacity and voltages to 200VDC/140VAC. Typical uses are found in automotive, aerospace, military and power cell testing applications.
• PXI & PCI High-Density Precision Programmable Resistor (models 40-297 & 50-297)  – Designed as a simple solution for applications requiring accurate simulation of resistive sensors, this series includes 50 model configurations per platform. Each version offers users the choice of channel count, range and setting resolution. With resolution from 0.125Ω to 2Ω and channel counts from 3 to 18 and basic accuracy is 0.2% ± resolution.
• 50Ω 600 MHz PXI RF Multiplexer Module (model 40-760) – Available in dual, quad and octal SP4T, single, dual and quad SP8T, single and dual SP16T and SP32T configurations. All versions exhibit low insertion loss and VSWR through the use of modern RF relay technology. Each version has been carefully designed to ensure excellent and repeatable RF characteristics to frequencies of 600MHz with each path having a nominally equal insertion loss.

• LXI Modular Chassis – these chassis provide an easy way of supporting Pickering’s 3U PXI modules in an Ethernet-based LXI control environment. All of its PXI switching products are supported along with simulators such as resistor modules and battery emulators.

• eBIRST Switching System Test Tools – These tools simplify switching system faultfinding by quickly testing the system and identifying the faulty relays. Once identified, the tools then display a graphical representation of the switching system’s PCB assembly, highlighting the relays that need to be replaced.

Pickering Interfaces stands behind all of its manufactured products with a standard three-year warranty and guaranteed long-term product support. Pricing and availability information is supplied on Pickering's web site.