Keysight Technologies’ new E36300 Series triple-output programmable dc power supplies are designed with a large color display, intuitive user interface, modern device connections via LAN (LXI, USB and optional GPIB). The acoustically quiet power supplies’ low normal mode noise specifications assure quality power for precision circuitry applications. 

Each model in the series provides 0.01% line/load regulation, less than 50 us transient response time, low-range current measurement, and over -voltage, -current and -temperature protection to the device under test. The series supports BenchVue software, which enables setting of parameters and status alerts, visualization of power output, and log changing voltage and current over time. A full-menu, front-panel interface is suited for new users and students, as well as experienced design engineers.

The power supplies provide individual knobs for voltage and current, individual On/Off on each channel, and a keypad and softkeys. The E36300 Series is available to order now with prices starting at $1,100.

The ELR 9000 HP Series of regenerative, programmable electronic dc loads from Intepro Systems is designed to accommodate 3-phase mains between 360 - 528 Vac. The increased power density of the series provides load ratings of up to 15 kW in a single 3U rack-mounted instrument. A master-slave bus can be used to connect as many as 16 units in parallel to test loads of up to 240 kW. An integral, grid-synchronized inverter is designed to return up to 94.5% of the load test energy back to the grid.

The series offers four common regulation modes: constant voltage, constant current, constant resistance and constant power. The FPGA-based operational controls include a function generator and a table-based regulation circuit. PowerStar 6 software enables the creation of test routines using a drag-and-drop menu where coding can be performed without programming.

The electronic loads are available as stand-alone units or as complete test systems. Pricing for the Model ELR 9080-170 HP 3U starts at $8,900.

Pico Technology’s USB-controlled, professional-grade, 300 kHz to 6 GHz PicoVNA 106 vector network analyzer features a full-function, minimal-error, 'Quad RX' four-receiver architecture supporting both 8- and 12-term calibration without the uncorrectable switching errors, delays, and unreliability of traditional three-receiver designs. The instrument supports calibration methods such as 'enhanced isolation correction' and 'unknown thru'.

The analyzer offers a dynamic range up to 118 dB at 10 Hz, and 0.005 dB RMS trace noise at its 140 kHz maximum bandwidth. It can gather all four S-parameters at 190 µsec per frequency point, so a 500 point 2-port S2P Touchstone file is captured in less than 1/10 sec. The product is also applicable as a high-dynamic-range scalar network analyzer where phase measurements are not needed, or as a single-port vector reflectometer.

Windows software supports a full range of plot formats for a scalar or vector view of dual or single-port parameters. A remote automation interface is also included. The PicoVNA 106 is available starting at $5,995 from Saelig Company.

Lab Brick LDA is the latest series in Vaunix Technogies’ family of USB-powered, programmable digital attenuators for RF ATE, RF test, research and education applications. The device targets high density attenuation, fading simulation, wireless, MIMO, DVB, WiMAX and other multi-channel digital attenuator applications.

Capable of bidirectional fixed    attenuation, swept attenuation ramps, and fading profiles, the 4-channel attenuator provides up to 120 dB of control range with a 0.1 dB step size from 200 MHz to 6 GHz. Each RF port has a 50 Ω impedance with 1.3:1 typical VSWR. Switching speeds are 15 µsec typical. Maximum input level is beyond 28 dBm with an input IP3 over 55 dBm.

The compact unit, designed to operate reliably from -10°C to 50°C, fits into a single standard rack, with well-spaced 50 Ω SMA female connectors for each RF port. A fully programmable GUI application can operate multiple attenuator devices directly from a PC or self-powered USB hub. LabVIEW drivers, Windows API DLL files, Linux driver and instruction manuals are supplied with the Lab Brick LDA series.

Cleverscope’s new CS448 isolated, high CMRR, 4-ch., 200 MHz, 14-bit oscilloscope is designed to measure high voltage, fast slew-rate signals such as those in a full or three-phase power electronic switching bridge. The scope includes a built-in isolated 65 MHz signal generator and eight isolated 100 Mb/s logic inputs.

Accurately measuring small voltages while exposed to large (<1,000 V) swings, the device offers +/-0.8 V and +/-8.0 V input ranges, while attenuating probes are used to extend input range up to 800 V. When sampling at 500 MSa/s, all 4 channels are phase aligned with better than +/-140 ps skew. Integrated 14-bit ADC's enable a 110 dB frequency domain dynamic range. Two CS448's can be slaved to make an 8-ch scope with coherent sampling.

Included application software allows connection to a Windows PC via USB or Ethernet. RS232, SPI, I2C ports, and a Link Port for controlling accessories such as the CS1070 50 MHz power amplifier, or CS1110 VCE Sat Probe, are also included. The CS448 oscilloscope is available from Saelig Company for $9,600.

Pico Technology is enhancing PicoScope analysis by adding Modbus ASCII and Modbus RTU decoders capable of analyzing RS-232 and RS-485 signals for troubleshooting industrial PLC applications. PicoScope offers six test and measurement instruments in one, including protocol analysis, logic and spectrum analyzers, and a signal/arbitrary waveform generator, targeting it for signal integrity measurements on serial buses.

The Modbus decoder is available for all PicoScope models. For sources that are not referenced to earth, such as RS-485, the new PicoScope 4444 Series permits differential measurements on up to four channels without the external active differential probes typically needed in industrial applications. The decoder supports master and slave devices, standard and custom baud rates, and one or two ID bytes. Thousands of Modbus messages can be captured with each acquisition using the deep memory provided in most PicoScope models.

Modbus decoding and analysis is included as standard in the latest PicoScope beta version 6.13. The software is available for free download to existing and new PicoScope users.

The latest addition to Pentek’s Talon Series of recorders, the RTR 2745 rugged rackmount recorder increases the bandwidth for record and playback with the ability to capture and reproduce signal bandwidths up to 560 MHz.

The rugged recorder is a turnkey, wideband recording and playback system providing real-time capture of RF and IF signals. With two 3 GHz 14-bit A/D converters and built-in DDCs, the system targets capturing the IF outputs of RF downconverters with bandwidths as high as 600 MHz. Selectable DDC tuning frequencies allow accommodation of a range of IF outputs.

The DDCs provide a fixed decimation of 4 with selectable tuning frequencies to fs/2. Two output channels with 2.8 GHz 16-bit D/As and matching DUCs provide a fixed interpolation of 4. The 3 GHz A/Ds can operate without the digital down-converters for widening baseband capture. Sample rates range from 1.5 to 3.0 GHz. The RTR 2745 offers up to 61 TB storage capacity utilizing up to 32 removable, hot-swappable SSDs.

The Sapphire force-displacement test station is designed by Snaptron for accurate, repeatable force and displacement measurements of various types of tactile switches and switch assemblies. The station is a stand alone unit that tests and displays measurement data on an integrated LCD touch screen display. Full measurement reports can be uploaded to a network or USB drive.

The test station is used to test metal domes, poly domes, membrane switches and most other switches. Conforming with ASTM standard F2592, the product tests trip force, return force, standing free height, displacement (travel), tactile ratio, tactile activation slope, switch resistance, and other ASTM measurements. Two resistance circuits measure multiple electrical contacts so the device can detect two separate electrical contacts and be used to characterize resistive touch screens. An adjustable test head makes a range of product heights available for use. Custom specifications for the Sapphire force-displacement test station are available.

The AXO215 high-performance MEMS accelerometer developed by Tronics Microsystems, a TDK Group Company, is designed for miniaturization, reliability and inertial sensing performance in harsh environments. Complementing the lineup of GYPRO sensors, the new closed-loop accelerometer boasts superior acceleration sensing performance for demanding applications, such as precision instrumentation, unmanned vehicles and avionics.

The closed-loop configuration offers < 0.05 % non-linearity, and the hermetic 12 x 12 mm J-lead package ensures reliable performance levels in harsh environments, while decoupling the mechanical stresses from the host system. Providing an in-plane linear acceleration measurement, the device has an input range of 15 g with ultra-low noise of 15 µg/√Hz. The 24-bit digital output is delivered with a 3 µg bias instability and 7.3 grms operating vibration resistance.

An evaluation kit is specifically designed to provide improved testing functionalities. Fully compatible with the Arduino M0 open-source electronic prototyping platform, the plug-and-play kit features a compact design and integrates proprietary evaluation software to support various functionalities. Pre-production of the AXO215 MEMS accelerometer is scheduled to start in the second half of 2017.