From Bob Helsel, Executive Director of PXISA:

Welcome to the December edition of the PXI Newsletter.  Our intent is to educate and inform you about how the PXI standard is being used in modular test systems for a wide variety of industries.

PXI Express Synchronization
PXI Express not only retains the timing and synchronization features of PXI, but it also adds several new synchronization features by taking advantage of the existing differential connectors required in PXI and technological advances that provide higher performance, low-cost differential signaling. Building on these existing capabilities in PXI, PXI Express provides the additional timing and synchronization features of a differential system clock, differential signaling, and differential star triggers. By using differential clocking and synchronization, PXI Express systems benefit from increased noise immunity for instrumentation clocks and the ability to transmit at higher frequency clocks.

Our main article this month, Using PXI to Rapidly Develop Structural Test Systems for a Space Exploration Vehicle, describes how G Systems overcame mechanical, electrical, and software challenges using PXI products to deliver integrated systems within a six-month timeframe. In the New PXI Products section, we are showcasing PXI products recently released by members of the PXI Systems Alliance.

Thanks to Agilent Technologies, our sponsor for this month's issue.

Visit http://www.pxisa.org for more information.

Main Article

Using PXI to Rapidly Develop Structural Test Systems for a Space Exploration Vehicle

by Dave Baker, G Systems
Submitted by National Instruments

Introduction
We successfully conducted the first structural test for the Orion Ground Test Article (GTA) in August 2010. This proof pressure test at 1.05 atmospheres required the following three distributed systems working together:

• Pressurization and vent (P&V) system for automated control of the pressure within the module

• Data acquisition system (DAS) for real-time collection of structural data, real-time calculation of virtual channels, and analysis of limits and alarms

• Data distribution system (DDS) for real-time and post-test distribution of synchronized parametric, video, and audio data to test controllers and data clients

G Systems developed each system using PXI hardware and software components, which helped us shorten development cycles and maintain advanced functionality. Figure 1 shows the relationships between the various system elements.

Read more >>

Thanks to all our readers.
Bob Helsel, Editor
www.pxisa.org

New PXI Products

The PXI platform continues its explosive growth with many new product introductions. New products introduced in the last three months include (listed in the order received):

Agilent M9168C PXI Programmable Step Attenuator Module
Based on the PXI hybrid platform operating from DC to 26.5 GHz with a guaranteed 0.03 dB insertion loss repeatability for each section throughout the 5 million cycles operating life.

Pickering Interfaces 40-199 Fault Insertion Switch
Pickering Interfaces is expanding its range of over 20 PXI Fault Insertion solutions with the introduction of the 40-199.

Signadyne 1 GSPS Analog Ouput PXIe Modules
Signadyne introduces a new family of analog output PXIe modules reaching 1 GSPS. The new analog output modules (SD-PXE-AOU-H0003 and SD-PXE-AOU-H0004) double the sample speed of their predecessors, reaching 1 Gigasamples Per Second and 400 MHz of real-time bandwidth.

VPC G20x - Pull-Thru Interface
VPC's G20x offers 20 interconnect adapter slots, enabling pull-thru removal of connector modules and instrumentation from the chassis backplane with an additional 8-10 slots in a lower tier for optional wiring.

NI PXI Express System Expansion Modules
The NI PXIe-8364 and NI PXIe-8374 are the first PXI Express remote control modules that make it possible for engineers to directly interface multiple PXI Express chassis to a single host computer using any expansion topology, without requiring complex custom solutions.

Read more >>