NI adds PPMU and SMU test modules to PXI platform

Combined with NI LabVIEW system design software, the new PXIe-6556 PPMU and PXIe-4140/41 SMU modules are said to reduce the cost of capital equipment, decrease test times and increase mixed signal flexibility. The PXIe-6556 is designed to allow engineers to generate and acquire a digital waveform at up to 200MHz or perform dc parametric measurements with 1% accuracy on the same pin. NI claims this simplifies cabling, decreases test times and increases the density of the tester. In addition, engineers can nearly eliminate timing skew due to different cable and trace lengths to the device under test with the built in timing calibration feature that automatically adjusts timing for these differences. The NI PXIe-4140/41 modules provide four SMU channels per PXI Express slot and up to 68 SMU channels per PXI chassis in 4U of rack height. With sampling rates of up to 600,000s/s, NI says engineers can significantly reduce measurement times or capture important transient characteristics of the device.