PCB Design, Bringing It All Together
December 7, 2011 by admin
Filed under Automation, Design, EDA, Editorial, New Articles
Joe Gorse, EE editor.
For anyone who has ever turned a PCB it is an obvious thing to ask for but we have all just stopped asking because one might die before it ever occurred: Integration between part manufacturer, distributor, PCB house, and PCB design tools into a development environment for the engineer. The esoteric electronic design automation (EDA) tools for the printed circuit boards of today could use some help. And that is putting it nicely.
In 2007, Sunstone Circuits resolved to pursue higher levels of integration within EDA to better serve their customers. But to do so would require collaboration within the traditionally fractious and competitive world of electronics. They invited the then-unlikely cast of characters to the table and made the pitch to integrate their tools and services for the engineer. 4 years later, in 2011, on my way to ESC Boston I attended a press briefing with Sunstone and partners on their collaborative Circuit Design ECOsystem (CDE), the integrated environment for the PCB developer.
The members of this fellowship are currently Digi-Key, NXP, National Instruments, Screaming Circuits, and Sunstone Circuits.
Roles of each member of the CDE are as follows.
Digi-Key provides real-time pricing and availability for components of the design.
NXP provides access to manufacturer-verified library definitions, datasheets, and simulation models, with the goal that the parts are fully specified within the design before it leaves the CAD tool.
National Instruments provides circuit simulation through NI Multisim while the engineers who use NI’s circuit development environment will benefit from the integration of the PCB development cycle.
Screaming Circuits provides quick-turn PCB fabrication and assembly.
Sunstone provides PCB fabrication, 24/7/365 live support, and the founding leadership behind the CDE.
Throughout the press briefing each member described the company performance, role in the ECOsystem, and next steps. Everyone indicated that business was going well, profits were healthy, and interest in the CDE remained firm. As the meeting progressed, the ramifications emerged and I asked: How can we get this to work?
We discussed the challenges that come with integration of engineering tools, particularly communication, standardization, and scaling.
I could see the Circuit Design ECOsystem approach mature into an intuitive process so that engineers can focus more on what they want to do as opposed to how they need to do it. For instance, “I want to have a switch to control this indicator” as opposed to “wondering whether or not the 3-pin FET package I chose has the right pinout for the 3-pin FETs I ordered in bulk, did I lay this part out on the top or the bottom, am I looking at the top or bottom layer, from which direction am I looking at what layer, which pin is the gate again?” It should not be possible to layout the wrong part after choosing what you wanted in the schematic, which should then guarantee its availability and cost through a distributor such as Digi-Key. This requires communication between the EDA tools and the manufacturer to mine the metadata of the part, which may be accomplished through a distributor that aggregates the data or through all the manufacturers that want their parts to get used in 21st+ century designs. Either way, it behooves everyone to build and agree upon a set of standards before running in N directions and never quite solving any problem better than the pencil and paper equivalent.
As it is now, Sunstone Circuits’ PCB123 is fairly well integrated with Digi-Key. You may select parts that exist in Digi-Key’s inventory, refresh live pricing, build the BOM, and actually place the order from within the program. The Circuit Design ECOsystem website is a bit bare, though it contains some useful links to the partner sites for the relevant step in the design process. For instance, under Part Research you will see NXP with a link to their product selector and Digi-Key with a link to buy parts; Circuit Design you will see PCB123 and NI MultiSim; Fabrication & Assembly you will see Sunstone Circuits for board quotes and Screaming Circuits for prototype assembly; and so on. Walking through the design and order process on CDE, it does not yet automatically populate the Digi-Key order page from your BOM or design files.
Exciting but difficult work ahead for the prototype ECOsystem crew as they look ahead to future-proof the system and prepare for scaling up when they engage more partners into the ECOsystem. I am looking forward to what they do next.
Circuit Design ECOsystem
http://www.circuitdesignecosystem.com/
Digi-Key
http://www.digikey.com/
Screaming Circuits
http://www.screamingcircuits.com/
National Instruments
http://www.ni.com/
Sunstone Circuits
http://www.sunstone.com/
National Instrument’s new Modular Instruments for measurement and test
November 23, 2010 by Test and Measurement Editor
Filed under Meters & Testers, Test Equipment
Technologies from National Instruments (www.ni.com) have revolutionized the way scientists and engineers in academia, government and industry approach measurement, test and automation, with the introduction of its new PXI – a PC-based platform for measurement, test and control. The PXI delivers the industry’s lowest latency and highest bandwidth with modular I/O for high-resolution DC to 6GHz RF.
With over 1,200 products from over 70 markets around the world, PXI is the platform of choice for a number of companies. Together with powerful software such as National Instruments’ LabVIEW, as well as swappable modular instruments, industrial engineers can produce sophisticated analysis routines and custom defined measurements.
Modular instruments from National Instruments serve as building blocks of versatile and economical automated test systems. Because the instruments are software-defined and modular, they are easily repurposed and quickly interchanged to meet evolving test needs.
NI Modular Instruments feature oscilloscopes and high-speed digitizers with bandwidth of up to 300MHz, 8- to 24-bit resolution, sampling rates up to 2GS/s, and up to 8 channels in PXI, PCI, and PXI Express. The company also offers function and arbitrary waveform generators with 16- and 12-bit resolution of up to 400MS/s sample rates for PXI and PCI.
NI Modular Instruments also offers digital waveform generator or analyzers with maximum clock rates of up to 200MHz, flexible differential and single-ended voltage levels for PXI and PCI, and data rates of up to 200MB/s.
NI Modular Instruments delivers high-frequency and RF devices, vector-based signal acquisition, analysis, and generation of up to 6.6GHz with 20MHz real-time bandwidth; digital multimeters (LCR Meters and DMMs) of 7½, 6½ and 5½ digit DMMs with up to 1.8MS/s sample rates and 10- to 26-bit resolution for PXI and PCI; programmable power supplies; and dynamic signal acquisition, analysis, and generation.
PXIe-4331 DAQ Module Built for Bridge-Based Measurements
October 6, 2010 by admin
Filed under Calibration, data acquisition
National Instruments introduced the PXIe-4331, a PXI Express data acquisition module for high-speed bridge-based measurements.
According to National Instruments, the data acquisition module increases accuracy and bandwidth for high-channel-count strain, load and pressure measurement systems.
The NI PXIe-4331 has built-in signal conditioning, and is a simultaneous high-speed bridge input module that provides signal conditioning for dynamic measurements from strain, pressure, torque and load sensors.
The module increases the speed of bridge-based measurements and, with PXI Express, provides 250MB/s of dedicated bandwidth per device to give engineers the freedom to increase channel count without compromising sampling rates or data throughput.
The NI PXIe-4331 features eight channels with 24-bit analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs) per channel and 102.4kS/s per channel sampling rate. It also offers antialiasing and digital filters per channel.
The NI PXIe-4331 also provides remote sensing, internal bridge completion and shunt calibration options per channel. The 8-channel bridge input module can scale to a 136-channel system in a single chassis and thousands of channels when synchronizing across multiple chassis.
The simultaneous sampling, high sample rate and channel synchronization features make the module suited for structural test applications such as fatigue and impact test, design validation and other dynamic tests.
New USB DAQ Devices From NI Useful For Multiple Applications
August 9, 2010 by admin
Filed under Calibration, data acquisition
National Instruments announced NI X Series multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devices for USB. USB X Series devices integrate high-performance analog measurement and control channels, digital I/O and counter/timers onto a single plug-and-play device, which engineers and scientists can use for a wide variety of portable test, measurement and data-logging applications. USB X Series DAQ devices include up to 32 analog inputs, four analog outputs, 48 digital I/O lines and four counters. The eight new devices range from 500 kS/s multiplexed AI to 2 MS/s/channel simultaneous sampling AI.
NI LabVIEW graphical programming makes it easy for engineers and scientists to develop completely custom test and measurement applications for USB X Series using intuitive graphical icons and wires that resemble a flowchart. LabVIEW 2010 simplifies data logging and analysis with a new technical data management streaming option within the NI DAQ Assistant and the ability to export data from a waveform graph to Microsoft Excel or NI DIAdem for post processing. USB X Series devices use the same multithreaded NI-DAQmx driver software as other National Instruments DAQ devices, making it easy to port LabVIEW or text-based code from previous applications for use with X Series.
USB X Series devices include two key technologies that make them as powerful as they are easy to use: NI-STC3 technology for advanced timing and triggering and NI Signal Streaming for high-speed, bi-directional data streaming.
At the core of all USB, PCI Express and PXI Express X Series devices is NI-STC3 timing and synchronization technology, which coordinates the timing and triggering of the analog, digital and counter subsystems. NI-STC3 technology provides X Series devices with independent timing engines for the onboard analog and digital I/O subsystems, making it possible for analog and digital I/O to execute independently at different rates or together with synchronization. X Series devices include four enhanced 32-bit counters for frequency, pulse-width modulation (PWM) and encoder operations, as well as a new 100 MHz timebase that can generate analog and digital sampling rates with five times better resolution than previous devices.
USB X Series devices include NI Signal Streaming, a patented technology that uses message-based transfers and device-side intelligence to deliver high-speed, bidirectional data transfer over USB, making it possible to perform analog, digital and counter operations concurrently. With this technology, simultaneous sampling now is available on two new devices, which can sample at 1.25 MS/s and 2 MS/s on each of their eight analog inputs. These devices are available with 32 or 64 MS onboard memory to guarantee finite acquisitions even with heavy USB traffic. The high sampling rates on all channels make these devices well suited for portable ultrasonic test and transient recording applications.
Each USB X Series device features a redesigned, extruded aluminum enclosure. The new enclosure offers an easy-access lid to keep signal wiring secure and shielded, and device-specific pinout labels on the lid make it possible to quickly determine the corresponding screw terminals for a given channel. The enclosure also includes a lockable USB port to prevent accidental removal during operation.
New Ethernet Data Acquisition Platform From NI
August 4, 2010 by admin
Filed under Calibration, data acquisition
NI CompactDAQ is an easy-to-use, complete data acquisition system for mixed-signal and sensor measurement.
National Instruments announced the new Ethernet-based NI CompactDAQ modular data acquisition system, which combines the ease of use and low cost of a data logger with the performance and flexibility of modular instrumentation. The new NI cDAQ-9188 chassis is designed to hold eight I/O modules for measuring up to 256 channels of electrical, physical, mechanical or acoustic signals in a small (25 by 9 by 9 cm), rugged form factor. With more than 50 different I/O modules to choose from, engineers and scientists can build remote or distributed, high-speed measurement systems using standard Gigabit Ethernet infrastructure. In addition, NI CompactDAQ simplifies initial setup with zero configuration networking technology and a built-in, Web-based configuration and monitoring utility.
A locking data cable and screw terminal-based power connector option make using NI CompactDAQ off the benchtop easier.
The flexibility of Ethernet allows users to more easily standardize their test systems by eliminating many of the physical constraints required by more traditional PC interfaces.
NI CompactDAQ uses patented NI Signal Streaming technology to deliver high-bandwidth data over Ethernet to a host computer. NI Signal Streaming provides the ability to maintain bidirectional analog and digital waveforms continuously over a TCP/IP connection. With NI-STC3 timing and synchronization technology, each chassis also can manage up to seven separate hardware-timed I/O tasks at different sample rates, including analog I/O, digital I/O and counter/timer operations. The chassis operate in a temperature range of -20 to 55 degrees Celsius and can withstand up to 30 g shock and 3 g vibration, making NI CompactDAQ ideal for demanding test applications on the benchtop, in the field or on the production line.
In addition to the Ethernet chassis, the NI CompactDAQ platform includes a four- and an eight-slot USB chassis and NI C Series I/O modules. NI offers more than 50 C Series modules to use interchangeably in NI CompactDAQ systems, each of which is hot-swappable and auto-detectable for simplified setup. C Series modules offer integrated signal conditioning and multiple connectivity options to create custom, mixed-measurement systems specific to the needs of an application. A single analog input module, for example, can acquire up to four channels of simultaneous 1 MS/s voltage inputs for measuring high-speed signals such as ballistic pressure or ultrasonic transducers.
These NI C Series modules are shown in a variety of chassis and carriers for USB and Ethernet.
You can choose from more than 50 NI C Series measurement modules
NI-DAQmx driver software, which is included with NI CompactDAQ, goes beyond a basic device driver to deliver increased productivity and performance. With NI-DAQmx, engineers and scientists can log data for simple experiments or develop a complete test system in NI LabVIEW, NI LabWindows™/CVI, ANSI C/C++ or Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. Furthermore, a consistent API means that an application developed for an NI CompactDAQ USB chassis will work with an NI CompactDAQ Ethernet chassis without any changes to software.
Programming NI CompactDAQ with LabVIEW delivers the most performance for the least effort. LabVIEW graphical programming makes it possible for engineers and scientists to develop sophisticated measurement, test and control systems using intuitive graphical icons and wires that resemble a flowchart. The multiple timing engines featured on NI CompactDAQ chassis complement the multicore optimizations in LabVIEW to make programming multiple measurement tasks in parallel easy. LabVIEW also offers integration with thousands of other hardware devices and provides hundreds of built-in libraries for advanced analysis and data visualization.
DAQ Modules With Integrated Signal Conditioning On NI’s PXI Express
May 26, 2010 by admin
Filed under Calibration, data acquisition
National Instruments announced the company’s first data acquisition (DAQ) modules with integrated signal conditioning for scalable, high-performance measurements on PXI Express. The new NI SC Express family delivers increased accuracy, high data throughput and best-in-class synchronization for measuring strain gauges, bridge-based transducers, thermocouples and high-voltage analog inputs. PXI Express provides 250 MB/s of dedicated bandwidth for each SC Express module in the chassis, which helps engineers increase channel count without compromising sampling rates or data throughput. With a smaller footprint, simplified cable management and new software features for automatic synchronization, the SC Express modules make it easy for engineers to set up and program high-channel-count sensor measurement systems.
The NI PXIe-4330 24-bit simultaneous bridge input module offers 0.02 percent accuracy and 25 kS/s per channel sample rate for high-performance strain, load, force and torque measurements. The bridge input module achieves high accuracy with a ratiometric design where the ADC references the excitation voltage. This approach removes the measurement’s dependence on the stability and accuracy of the excitation voltage. In addition, unique delta-sigma ADCs provide both excellent AC performance as well as DC accuracy, while traditional delta-sigma ADCs only offer AC performance.
The NI PXIe-4330 bridge input module can perform quarter, half and full bridge-based measurements with automatic synchronization features. The included driver software ensures tight synchronization across multiple modules and chassis with inter-channel skews as low as 5 ppb. The 8-channel bridge input module can scale to a 136-channel system in a single chassis and thousands of channels when synchronizing across multiple chassis. The high-accuracy, simultaneity and synchronization features make the NI PXIe-4330 module ideal for high-channel-count structural test applications, such as wind tunnels, bridge monitoring and crash tests.
With the NI PXIe-4353 thermocouple module, engineers can measure temperatures with 0.30 degrees C accuracy on 32 channels. The isothermal terminal block minimizes error with a unique design that optimizes thermal conductivity, making it possible for the nearby cold-junction compensation (CJC) thermistors to accurately measure at the thermocouple junctions. The 32-channel thermocouple module can scale to a 544-channel system in a single chassis and thousands of channels when synchronizing across multiple chassis. The increased accuracy and scalable platform make the NI PXIe-4353 module well-suited for precision measurements from a single channel to large systems for applications such as fuel cell testing and monitoring thermal chambers.
The NI PXIe-4300 high-voltage isolated analog input module is the first analog input module from National Instruments that can measure up to 300 V with simultaneous sampling. With a 16-bit ADC per channel and a 250 kS/s per channel sampling rate, the NI PXIe-4300 module can stream 4 MB/s per module and 68 MB/s in a single chassis. This 8-channel analog input module can scale to a 136-channel system in a single chassis and thousands of channels when synchronizing across multiple chassis. The ability to measure 300 V with CAT II channel-to-channel isolation makes the NI PXIe-4300 module ideal for automotive testing, such as fuel cell and battery tests.
The new SC Express modules include NI-DAQmx driver software and support for multi-device tasks, a new feature of NI-DAQmx that helps engineers easily synchronize multiple modules. The same code that acquires data from one module can synchronize up to 17 modules in a chassis. The modules work with a variety of NI hardware including NI X Series, dynamic signal acquisition (DSA) and NI SCXI products, and more than 1,500 types of I/O available on the PXI platform. The new modules also integrate with NI software including NI LabVIEW and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module, NI-Sync and NI DIAdem.
Software Developed for Mobile WiMAX Testing
December 17, 2009 by admin
Filed under PC-based Test Equipment, Test Equipment
National Instruments introduced the NI Measurement Suite for Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005), a software suite that engineers can use with modular RF instrumentation for automated testing of Mobile WiMAX devices. With this software suite, engineers can perform Mobile WiMAX component and device testing faster than with traditional instruments, and with better accuracy and greater flexibility.
Based on PXI Express instrumentation powered by multicore technology, the suite can perform error vector magnitude (EVM), power and spectral measurements three to five times faster than traditional instruments. PXI WiMAX test systems from National Instruments also provide a low-cost, R&D-grade instrumentation alternative to traditional instruments. With a typical residual EVM accuracy of -46 dB at 3.5 GHz (-10 dBm), this test system can perform significantly more accurate measurements than alternative production test-grade instruments. Additionally, the suite provides engineers enhanced flexibility with the same equipment used for testing Mobile WiMAX devices to test hardware that complies with other standards such as Fixed WiMAX, wireless local area network (WLAN), GPS, and GSM/EDGE/WCDMA cellular standards.
The Measurement Suite for Mobile WiMAX supports channel bandwidths from 1.25 to 28 MHz and fast Fourier transform (FFT) sizes 128, 256, 1024 and 2048, as well as all Mobile WiMAX modulation types with both convolution coding and turbo convolution coding. The Measurement Suite for Mobile WiMAX also can generate or analyze signals with up to eight zones and 16 bursts. Combined with the NI PXIe-5663E RF vector signal analyzer and NI PXIe-5673 RF vector signal generator, the measurement suite also provides continuous frequency coverage from 85 MHz to 6.6 GHz.
By including the NI Signal Analysis Toolkit for Mobile WiMAX and the NI Signal Generation Toolkit for Mobile WiMAX, the suite offers programming APIs and virtual instrument panels for signal generation and analysis in programming environments including the NI Lab VIEW graphical system design platform. In addition to a LabVIEW API, the toolkits install with an equivalent C-style API for engineers using C, C++, .NET, or similar programming language.
The Measurement Suite for Mobile WiMAX supports multiple PXI hardware configurations to meet different application needs. A standard NI test bundle for Mobile WiMAX includes anNI PXIe-5663 6.6 GHz vector signal alayzer, NI PXI e-5673 6.6 GHz vector signal generator, NI PXIe-1075 18-slot high-bandwidth chassis and a NI PXIe-8108 dual-core controller to provide high-performance flexibility to a variety of automated test systems.
