ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE COVER STORY CHOOSING THE RIGHT TEST INSTRUMENT
In order to optimise design performance and improve device functionality, it is vital to use the right test & measurement instruments. Allison Douglas, Market Development Manager at Keysight Technologies offers an insight into some of the latest advances from the company and how to achieve the most accurate test results across the product design cycle
I
n the Test & Measurement (T&M) industry today, there is a debate
between T&M experts, equipment manufacturers and end-users: What is the best instrument form factor to achieve this test? Benchtop, modular, or handheld? Contrary to what some T&M companies may tell you, “one size fits all” is a limiting value proposition. Why? The answer lives inside your product lifecycle: test needs evolve from unbounded in R&D to just enough in manufacturing. Different situations benefit from best-fit platforms—hardware and software—that provide meaningful choices. Keysight Technologies has taken the approach of providing a range of solutions across benchtop, modular, and handheld to meet the needs of all end- users, no matter what part of the product lifecycle you are in. All of these form factors utilise the same measurement science, resulting in measurement integrity across multiple platforms. Your team can benefit from this approach by gaining confidence across the lifecycle, because Keysight’s ongoing investment in measurement science ensures fully specified performance. The whole organisation benefits: It becomes more efficient when successive groups see consistent measurement results throughout the lifecycle, from early R&D to manufacturing. The foundation of this is the company’s commitment to measurement integrity. There are two new products that have been recently introduced to enhance Keysight Technologies’ modular portfolio. Both leverage the measurement science from the company’s existing benchtop portfolio to ensure measurement integrity and code compatibility across form factor and product lifecycle. The first new modular series that has been introduced are one-slot PXI vector network analyzers that cover 300kHz up to 26.5GHz. The new M9370A series offer the best PXI VNA performance on key specifications such as speed, trace noise, stability and dynamic range. This enables the PXI VNAs to perform fast, accurate measurements and reduce the cost-of-test by enabling simultaneous characterisation of many devices – two-port or multi-port – using a single PXI chassis.
K 12 SEPTEMBER 2014 | ELECTRONICS
based capabilities in the PXI form factor. The Keysight M9290A CXA-m PXIe signal analyzer delivers fully specified performance up to 26.5GHz and provides best-in-class specifications in key areas such as sensitivity and dynamic range. The CXA-m supports testing of
components, boards and systems in a variety of applications,
When space is at a premium, full two- port VNA capability with S-parameters can be added to an existing system that has just one open slot. To address applications such as high-volume device testing and highly complex on-wafer testing, a single chassis can be loaded with up to sixteen PXI VNA modules for use as either multiple two-port VNAs, a single 32-port VNA, or any combination in between (figure 1).
Figure1:
32-port True Crossbar 26.5GHz VNA in 4U Chassis
Figure 2:
Power suite CXA screenshot
including military maintenance operations at the intermediate and depot levels. Example devices-under-test include radios such as those used in the military, public safety, avionics, radar, electronic warfare and satellites. The rich set of built-in measurement capabilities, including swept and FFT modes in the same instrument, accelerates tasks such as the identification of spurious signals and harmonics. The CXA-m also reduces time and effort in system deployment. For example, it ensures seamless transitions between R&D, manufacturing and maintenance by providing 100-percent compatibility with code written for Keysight’s X-Series signal analyzers and ESA spectrum analyzers. Ready-to-use drivers and SCPI commands simplify evaluation and programming. To help ease the transition from
The PXI VNA uses the measurement
science and calibration technology from the popular Keysight PNA vector network analyzers. The PXI models also provide a graphical user interface that shares the familiar look-and-feel of the PNA family and eases the transition to PXI. The second
new introduction is one of the industry’s first signal analyser to provide swept and FFT-
benchtop to modular, the CXA-m has the same user interface as the X-Series signal analyzers. In addition, code developed on a benchtop MXA or PXA signal analyzer in R&D or design verification can be used with a PXI-based system that includes the CXA-m, and the code typically runs without modifications (figure 2). With both of these new products,
“Keysight
provides a range of solutions including
benchtop, modular, and handheld to meet the needs of all end-users, no matter what part of the product lifecycle you are in . . .”
Keysight continues its commitment to bring you the best measurement science and integrity, across a range of form factors. By ensuring consistent answers across diverse platforms, the company aims to put you in the strongest position to first focus on what’s needed and then optimise how to get there.
Keysight Technologies
www.keysight.com 0118 927 6201
Enter 210 / ELECTRONICS
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