It really wasn’t a difficult decision. Actually, it was simple, an open-and-shut case. All you had to do was compare the costs, and the costs always were higher. It didn’t matter what technology you compared—GPIB, PC plug-in boards, PC-connected instruments, or VXI—the answer was always the same. VXI was more expensive.
This fact certainly was not news to VXI manufacturers. They had known about it almost since the inception of VXI 10 years ago. However, manufacturers were concerned with other issues, such as standardization, interoperability and, of course, software.
In spite of its costs, VXI is very much a flourishing business. According to a Prime Data survey, the VXI market increased 28% in 1996, surpassing a 26% growth rate for 1995. More importantly, it is expected to grow at a 24% CAGR through the year 2000, breaking the $1B mark.
VXI manufacturers are taking some necessary steps to help VXI reach its market projections. In fact, many have introduced products over the past several months that specifically address the cost issue.
Now HP jumps into the race with 17 new VXI products that are targeted at lowering the cost of test. According to the company, these new products will reduce the typical hardware costs of a VXI system by about 35%.
Leading off the introduction is a family of mainframes. First out of the gate is the HP E8400A, a VXIplug&play-compatible, 13-slot, C-size cardcage. It is equipped with an innovative cooling system that handles a full complement of heat-generating VXI cards. Its power supply provides greater than 500 W of power, ample for more than 80% of today’s systems requirements.
System status is indicated with front-panel lights. An auxiliary connector that offers access to a variety of diagnostic information also is located on the front panel. Priced at $3,995, HP E8400A is reportedly the lowest cost-per-slot cardcage available today.
Next in line are two C-size digitizer modules, the two-channel HP E1563A and the four-channel HP E1564A. The digitizers sport a sampling rate of 800 kS/s with a resolution of 14 bits. Other features include seven input ranges from 62 mV to 256 V, greater than 110 dB of common-mode rejection (CMR), an accuracy of ±0.1% of range, and time or event trigger with delay. The E1563A costs $2,995, the E1564A is $4,995.
Following in the lineup is the HP E1419A, a C-size multifunction data acquisition and control card. It has 32 input channels and an on-board DSP for measurement analysis and control. The base unit samples at 100 kS/s, and has 16 bits of resolution, a CMR of >100 dB, and an accuracy of ±0.03%. Optional signal-conditioning plug-ins measure temperature, strain, voltage, current, resistance, frequency, and totalize. Another product introduction is the HP E1441A, a 12-bit, 15-MHz arbitrary waveform generator that has a sampling rate of 40 MS/s. Its sweep and modulation capabilities include lin/log sweep and AM/FM/FSK/Burst modulation. The price tag for the E1441A is $3,495.
Other modules include the E8460A, a C-size 256-channel relay multiplexer, and the B-size E1339A 72-channel digital output/relay driver. The multiplexer offers a fast scanning rate and a reconfigurable, high point-count switching topology. The digital output/relay driver module features open collector outputs that can switch up to 32 V, and each channel can sink up to 200 mA. The E8460A sells at $2,995, the E1339A at $995.
Attacking the cost-of-test issue from another direction, HP is one of the few companies that looked back at the technology that inspired VXI. VME and VXI have much in common. Why not take advantage of VME-based products and use them in VXI?
This is where M-Modules find their way into VXI applications. M-Modules are mezzanine boards that plug onto a carrier. There are about 150 different M-Modules available today that cover a variety of applications including I/O, networking, graphics, motor control, and switching.
Currently, two vendors, HP and C&H Technologies, offer M-Module carriers for VXI. HP’s E2251A M-Module Carrier is a single-slot, C-size card that accommodates up to six M-Modules (only five with cabling access). The carrier is transparent to the VXI system, and provides addressing and triggering for each M-Module. The price of the carrier is $1,995.
Along with the M-Module Carrier, HP also is introducing a number of M-Modules. These include switch modules, a multiplexer module, a quad serial interface module, a breadboard module and a digital I/O module. Prices for the M-Modules range from $395 to $745. Hewlett-Packard, (800) 452-4844.
Copyright 1997 Nelson Publishing Inc.
June 1997