Page 1 EX1200 S ERIES ENSITY WITCH EASURE ONTROL YSTEMS ’ ANUAL P/N: 82-0127-000 Rev June 7 , 2016 VTI Instruments Corp. 2031 Main Street Irvine, CA 92614-6509 (949) 955-1894...
Page 2: Table Of Contents
VTI Instruments Corp. ABLE OF ONTENTS ..............................2 ABLE OF ONTENTS Certification ................................5 Warranty ................................5 Limitation of Warranty ............................5 Trademarks ................................5 Restricted Rights Legend ............................5 ..........................6 ECLARATION OF ONFORMITY ..........................7 ENERAL AFETY NSTRUCTIONS Terms and Symbols ..............................
Page 3 www.vtiinstruments.com 4.................................. 69 ECTION EX1200 DMM O ......................... 69 ASIC PERATION Overview ................................69 DMM Input Connections ............................ 70 DMM M ..........................72 EASUREMENT ASICS Select an Input Connector ........................... 72 Configure the Measurement ..........................73 Configure Triggering ............................73 Take the Measurement ............................
Page 4 VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 DMM C ....................... 144 ALIBRATION ERIFICATION Introduction ..............................144 Required Resources ............................144 Setting Up the Instruments ..........................144 Connecting to the EX1200 ..........................145 Login into SFP ..............................146 Time Configuration ............................147 Performing Calibration ............................. 147 Performing Verification ............................
Page 5: Certification
VTI Instruments Corp. shall not be liable for injury to property other than the goods themselves. Other than the limited warranty stated above, VTI Instruments Corp. makes no other warranties, express or implied, with respect to the quality of product beyond the description of the goods on the face of the contract.
Page 6: Declaration Of Conformity
RODUCT ONFIGURATIONS VTI Instruments declares that the aforementioned product conforms to the requirements of the Low Voltage directive (European Council directive 2014/35/EU, dated 22 July 1993) and the Electromagnetic Compatibility directive (European Council directive 2014/30/EU; generally referred to as the EMC directive).
Page 7: General Safety Instructions
www.vtiinstruments.com ENERAL AFETY NSTRUCTIONS Review the following safety precautions to avoid bodily injury and/or damage to the product. These precautions must be observed during all phases of operation or service of this product. Failure to comply with these precautions, or with specific warnings elsewhere in this manual, violates safety standards of design, manufacture, and intended use of the product.
Page 8 VTI Instruments Corp. mainframe be calculated for all power supply rails. The required information can be found in Appendix B of the EX1200 Series User’s Manual (P/N: 82-0127-000). Failure to do so may result in damaging the switch card and the mainframe.
Page 9: Support Resources
UPPORT ESOURCES Support resources for this product are available on the Internet and at VTI Instruments customer support centers. VTI Instruments Corp. World Headquarters VTI Instruments Corp. 2031 Main Street Irvine, CA 92614-6509 Phone: (949) 955-1894 Fax: (949) 955-3041...
Page 10 VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 Series Preface...
Page 11: Section 1
www.vtiinstruments.com ECTION NTRODUCTION EATURES High-density Switch Subsystem with Scanning Measure and Control The EX1200 systems (EX1200s) are the highest density scanning switch/measure and control subsystem on the market today with the capacity to switch up to 576 channels of voltage or temperature in a 1U mainframe.
Page 12 VTI Instruments Corp. More than Switch and Measure EX1200s include a wide range of modules that can be used to create a stimulus/response test subsystem. Analog output modules can be used as part of the test sequence to generate waveforms or set control levels and can be synchronized with measurement inputs.
Page 13 www.vtiinstruments.com EXLab - Setup and Run EX1200s are supported by the popular EXLab turnkey software package. It allows end users to quickly setup a data-logging test scenario and begin collecting data within minutes. The EXLab intuitive GUI significantly shortens the time-consuming tasks of test setup and configuration – from setting channel configurations and display routines, to creating and exporting data files.
Page 14: Ex1200 System Specifications
VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 S YSTEM PECIFICATIONS ENERAL PECIFICATIONS ODULE LOTS 1 U Mainframes EX1202 (EX1262) Two standard plug-in module (PIM) slots (plus 6½ digit DMM) Six standard PIM slots (plus 6½ digit DMM) EX1206 (EX1266) 3 U Mainframes Sixteen standard PIM slots (plus 6½ digit DMM)
Page 15 www.vtiinstruments.com OWER PECIFICATIONS 920 VA EX1208/EX1268 OLTAGE 90 V to 250 V REQUENCY Manually set to 50 Hz or 60 Hz (default) LXI S PECIFICATIONS LXI C LASS OMPLIANCE LXI Version 1.4 Specification with Extended functions LXI Wired Trigger Bus, LXI Event Messaging, LXI Clock Synchronization, LXI Timestamped Data, LXI Event Logs Minimum Typical...
Page 16: Ex1200 Series 1 U, Full Rack Mainframe Dimensional Diagram
VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 S 1 U, F ERIES AINFRAME IMENSIONAL IAGRAM EX1200 Series Introduction...
Page 17: Ex1200 Series 1 U, Half Rack Mainframe Dimensional Diagram
www.vtiinstruments.com EX1200 S 1 U, H ERIES AINFRAME IMENSIONAL IAGRAM EX1200 Series Introduction...
Page 18: Ex1200 Series 3 U Mainframe Dimensional Diagram
VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 S 3 U M ERIES AINFRAME IMENSIONAL IAGRAM EX1200 Series Introduction...
Page 19: Ex1200 Series 3 U Mainframe Front Panels
www.vtiinstruments.com EX1200 S 3 U M ERIES AINFRAME RONT ANELS EX1200 Series Introduction...
Page 20: Ex1200 Series Dmm Specifications
VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 S DMM S ERIES PECIFICATIONS ENERAL PECIFICATIONS EASUREMENT UNCTIONS DC voltage (DCV), true rms AC voltage (ACV) DC current (DCI), true rms AC current (ACI) 2-wire ohms (2W-R), 4-wire ohms (4W-R) HYSICAL Dimensions (8.6 in x 4 in x 0.6 in) OOLING 5.9 L/s (12.5 CFM) minimum...
Page 21 www.vtiinstruments.com ESOLUTION (PLC) 60 H 50 H NTEGRATION PERTURE PERTURE ESOLUTION 167 ms 200 ms 6 ½ digits 16.7 ms 20 ms 5 ½ digits 1.67 ms 2 ms 4 ½ digits < 0.01 0.167 ms 0.2 ms 3 ½ digits Aperture Time is programmable from 10 µs to 2.184 s PLC = Aperture Time * Line Frequency –...
Page 22 VTI Instruments Corp. – 1 Y ESISTANCE CCURACY  5 °C 0 °C +55 °C ANGE ESOLUTION < 30% R > 30% R EADING ANGE ANGE ANGE 0.60 Ω 0.75 Ω 100 Ω, 6½ digit 100 µΩ 0.1000% 0.0600% 0.75 Ω...
Page 23 www.vtiinstruments.com ACI, VDC DCI) URDEN OLTAGE RMS FOR AC C URRENT ANGE 1 mA (DCI only) <0.1 V 10 mA <0.1 V 100 mA <0.6 V <0.4 V <0.9 V Over-range: 20% of range, except 3 A range HUNT ESISTANCE (ACI &...
Page 24 VTI Instruments Corp. – 5 ½ D – 1 Y AC V OLTAGE IGITS CCURACY 0 °C +55 °C REQUENCY ANGE ESOLUTION ANGE EADING CCURACY EADING CCURACY 20 Hz - 45 Hz 378 µV 2.28 mV >45 Hz - 100 Hz 198 µV...
Page 25 www.vtiinstruments.com – 6 ½ D – 1 Y AC C URRENT IGITS CCURACY  5 °C 0 °C +55 °C REQUENCY ANGE ESOLUTION < 30% R > 30% R ANGE EADING ANGE ANGE ANGE 200 µA 200 µA 20 Hz - 45 Hz 0.6000% 0.0350% 10 mA...
Page 26 VTI Instruments Corp. AC F REQUENCY AND ERIOD CCURACY ESOLUTION ANGE REQUENCY ANGE PPM R IGITS EADING FFSET Slow 6½ 100 mV to 300 V 3 Hz to 1.5 MHz Medium 5½ Fast 4½ 30.0 * Input signal > 10% of range.
Page 27 www.vtiinstruments.com ACV & ACI R EADING ILTER ETTING EADING 3 readings/second; Auto-zero ON, sample delay = 10 PLC MEDIUM 20 readings/second; Auto-zero ON, sample delay = 10 PLC HIGH 2000 readings/second; Auto-zero off, sample delay = 0, 0.01 PLC ONNECTOR NFORMATION 5 banana jacks Connector pin locations and signals can be found in Figure 4-1.
Page 28: Explanation Of Specifications
VTI Instruments Corp. XPLANATION OF PECIFICATIONS This section provides explanatory notes for EX1200 DMM specifications that may be misunderstood. Memory This is the internal FIFO/buffer memory of the EX1200 mainframe. This does not include any buffer memory that the individual plug-in cards may have. Some plug-in cards, such as the EX1200-7500, EX1200-3608, and EX1200-7416, have onboard buffers that allow them to perform high-speed operations.
Page 29 www.vtiinstruments.com Crest Factor Although the EX1200 DMM is a true RMS ac multimeter, calibration and all other accuracy specifications are applicable only to sinusoidal waveforms. If the input waveform is non- sinusoidal, it will affect the accuracy of the reading. It is important to consider the crest factor of the input waveforms to determine the percent error contributed by them.
Page 30: Maximizing Measurement Performance
VTI Instruments Corp. AXIMIZING EASUREMENT ERFORMANCE This section discusses tips and procedures that can help maximize the actual performance realized with the EX1200 DMM and aid the user in avoiding some common pitfalls associated with making measurements. Warm-up Time For the most accurate DMM measurements, the EX1200 should be warmed up for 30 minutes.
Page 31 www.vtiinstruments.com Low-Resistance Measurements When making low-resistance measurements and using switch cards, it is important the type of relay being used by the switch card. Solid-state relays tend to have a higher input impedance and more capacitance than mechanical relays, making mechanical relays preferable when performing measurements of this type.
Page 32 VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 Series Introduction...
Page 33: Section 2
 VTEX Scanner Driver Programmer’s Manual  VTEX System Driver Programmer’s Manual  VTI Instruments Corp. Drivers and Product Manuals CD  Power line cord All components should be immediately inspected for damage upon receipt of the unit. ETERMINE YSTEM...
Page 34: Warm-Up Time
VTI Instruments Corp. 3) All unused slots should be closed with blanking panels to ensure a proper air circulation. This is critical to avoid overheating of the cards. For more information, see the Blanking Panel description in this section. 4) The front panel of an EX1200 should not be exposed to strong air currents. Typical problematic sources include building ventilation and instrument or cabinet fans.
Page 35: Removing Plug-In Modules
www.vtiinstruments.com EMOVING ODULES An extractor handle (P/N: 41-0472-058) is provided is with all EX1200 mainframes to assist with removal of the module after installation. To remove a module, ensure that the captive screws have been removed from the EX1200 mainframe. Next, insert the insertion screw between the head of the screw and the front panel for the plug-in module, as shown in Figure 2-2.
Page 36 VTI Instruments Corp. 4) Using the #2 Phillips screw driver, install the four rubber feet using four (4) 6-32 x 7/16” pan head Phillips screws to secure the top and bottom and one (1) 6-32 x 1/2” pan head Phillips screw to secure side of each foot.
Page 37 www.vtiinstruments.com Rack Ears, Half Rack Width Option (P/N: 70-0373-101) The tabletop installation option can be used when an EX1200 is not installed in a rack, but will be employed as a bench top or desktop instrument. Required Tools 1) #2 Phillips screwdriver Parts List Item# Description...
Page 38 VTI Instruments Corp. Rack Ears, Dual Half Rack Width Option (P/N: 70-0373-102) The rackmount installation option includes all the parts necessary to mount an EX1200 system to the front of a standard test rack. Required Tools 1) #2 Phillips screwdriver...
Page 39 www.vtiinstruments.com 2-5: D IGURE NSTALLATION IAGRAM XPLODED RONT EX1200 Series Preparation for Use...
Page 40 VTI Instruments Corp. Rackmount Installation, Half Rack Width Option (P/N: 70-0373-103) The rackmount installation option includes all the parts necessary to mount an EX1200 to the front and rear of a standard test rack. Required Tools 1) #2 Phillips screwdriver 2) 5/16”...
Page 41 www.vtiinstruments.com 2-6: H IGURE IDTH ACKMOUNT NSTALLATION IAGRAM XPLODED RONT EX1200 Series Preparation for Use...
Page 42 VTI Instruments Corp. Rackmount Installation, Dual Half Rack Width Option (P/N: 70-0373-104) The rackmount installation option includes all the parts necessary to mount an EX1200 to the front and rear of a standard test rack. Required Tools 1) #2 Phillips screwdriver 2) 5/16”...
Page 43 www.vtiinstruments.com 2-7: D IGURE NSTALLATION IAGRAM XPLODED RONT EX1200 Series Preparation for Use...
Page 44: Ex1206/Ex1266 Mainframe Installation Options
VTI Instruments Corp. EX1206/EX1266 M AINFRAME NSTALLATION PTIONS EX1206 and EX1266 have three options which can installed prior to installation:  Tabletop Installation Option (P/N: 70-0361-100)  Rack Ear Installation Option (P/N: 70-0361-101)  Rackmount Installation Option (P/N: 70-0361-102) NOTE These options are not included with the EX1200 system and must be ordered separately.
Page 45 www.vtiinstruments.com 2-8: T IGURE ABLE NSTALLATION IAGRAM XPLODED RONT EX1200 Series Preparation for Use...
Page 46 VTI Instruments Corp. Rack Ear Installation Option (P/N: 70-0361-101) The rackmount installation option includes all the parts necessary to mount an EX1200 system to the front of a standard test rack. Required Tools 1) #2 Phillips screwdriver Parts List Item#...
Page 47 www.vtiinstruments.com Rackmount Installation Option (P/N: 70-0361-102) The rackmount installation option includes all the parts necessary to mount an EX1200 to the front and rear of a standard test rack. Required Tools 1) #2 Phillips screwdriver 2) 5/16” wrench or socket Parts List Item# Description...
Page 48 VTI Instruments Corp. 2-10: R IGURE ACKMOUNT ARDWARE NSTALLATION IAGRAM XPLODED RONT EX1200 Series Preparation for Use...
Page 49: Mainframe Installation Options
www.vtiinstruments.com 3U M AINFRAME NSTALLATION PTIONS EX1200s have three options which can installed prior to installation:  Tabletop Installation Option (P/N: 70-0370-100)  Rack Ear Installation Option (P/N: 70-0370-101)  Rackmount Installation Option (P/N: 70-0370-102) These options are not included with the EX1200 system and must be ordered separately. Tabletop Installation Option (P/N: 70-0370-100) The tabletop installation option can be used when an EX1200 is not installed in a rack, but will be employed as a bench top or desktop instrument.
Page 50 VTI Instruments Corp. 2-11: T IGURE ABLE NSTALLATION IAGRAM XPLODED RONT EX1200 Series Preparation for Use...
Page 51 www.vtiinstruments.com Rack Ear Installation Option (P/N: 70-0370-101) The rackmount installation option includes all the parts necessary to mount an EX1200 system to the front of a standard test rack. Required Tools 1) #2 Phillips screwdriver Parts List Item# Description VTI P/N Bracket, Rack Ear, EX1267/68/69 41-0494-010 Handle, 0.25 dia x 1.25 H X 4.0 L, 8-32, Aluminum, Black...
Page 52 VTI Instruments Corp. Rackmount Installation Option (P/N: 70-0370-102) The rackmount installation option includes all the parts necessary to mount an EX1200 to the front and rear of a standard test rack. Required Tools 1) #2 Phillips screwdriver 2) 5/16” wrench or socket...
Page 53: Blanking Panel
www.vtiinstruments.com 2-13: R IGURE ACKMOUNT ARDWARE NSTALLATION IAGRAM XPLODED RONT LANKING ANEL When a chassis is not fully populated, blanking panels (P/N: 41-0472-012) should be installed into the empty slots to maintain proper air flow through the chassis. Blanking panels should be ordered with the mainframe if empty slots are anticipated.
Page 54: Driver Installation
VTI Instruments Corp. An executable for installing JRE is available on the VTI Instruments Corp. Drivers and Product Manuals CD provided with the EX1200. If JRE is currently installed on the host PC, the software installation instruction for this software can be skipped.
Page 55: Network Configuration
www.vtiinstruments.com ETWORK ONFIGURATION By default, the EX1200 will attempt to locate a DHCP server. If one is found, the IP address assigned by the DHCP server will be assumed. Otherwise, after a timeout of 20 seconds, the unit will attempt to obtain an IP address by using Auto IP. Auto IP is a mechanism for finding an unused IP address in the range 169.254.X.Y where X is in the range 1 - 254 and Y is in the range 0 - 255.
Page 56 VTI Instruments Corp. Restore the EX1200’s Default Network Settings It may be the case that the EX1200 is in an unknown network configuration. The EX1200 can be returned to its default state by pressing the Reset Button located at the rear of the chassis.
Page 57 www.vtiinstruments.com 5) Determine if the PC is set to use auto or static IP. Figure 2-16 shows examples of both auto and static IP address configurations. 2-16: D ) IP A IGURE YNAMIC TATIC IGHT DDRESS ONFIGURATIONS 6) If set to use a static IP, record the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for use later. Select Obtain an IP address automatically to establish a connection to the EX1200.
Page 58 VTI Instruments Corp. 2-17: EX1200 S IGURE ET TO Set the EX1200 to Static IP 1) Disconnect all network connections from the PC except for the connection between the PC and the EX1200. 2) Apply power to the EX1200 and wait for the LAN LED to turn green.
Page 59 www.vtiinstruments.com 2-18: EX1200 S IGURE ET TO TATIC Restore the Host PCs Network Settings 1) Power down the EX1200 and reconnect it to the LAN in its desired location. 2) If the PC was originally set to use a static IP address, use the procedure in Determine PCs Network Settings to change the PCs IP address back to its original state.
Page 60 VTI Instruments Corp. 2-19: C EX1200 M IP C IGURE OMPLETED AINFRAME TATIC ONFIGURATION 8) Click the Submit button. Once this is done, it is no longer possible to communication with the EX1200 mainframe. This is normal and is addressed in the following steps.
Page 61: Time Configuration
www.vtiinstruments.com e) Enter the desired IP address. If using the IP from the example above, 192.168.1.1 can be used. If not automatically completed after the IP address is entered, set the Subnet mask field to 255.255.255.0. 2-21: C NIC S IP C IGURE OMPLETED...
Page 63: Section 3
www.vtiinstruments.com ECTION ASIC AINFRAME PERATION NPUT ONNECTIONS This section describes the connectors that are available on the EX1200 mainframe. Tables are provided to indicate the pin mapping used for these connectors and a brief description of the connectors functionality is provided as well. Ethernet Connector EX1200s use a 10/100BaseTX RJ-45 connector to connect to PCs, LANs, and other networking devices.
Page 64 For proper operation, each trigger bus connector must be populated with either a cable or a termination. Since the two connectors per unit are in parallel, they are electrically equivalent with respect to receiving the cable or termination. VTI Instruments P/N: 70-0322-000 provides two EX1200 Series Basic Mainframe Operation...
Page 65 www.vtiinstruments.com termination assemblies, which is sufficient to connect any number of instruments, since a termination is only needed at each end. An example of a three-unit trigger bus installation is shown in Figure 3-1. 3-1: T IGURE RIGGER ABLING XAMPLE As a general purpose output device, each Trigger Bus channel can be independently programmed with regards to its output functionality and its static level to assume when enabled as an output.
Page 66 VTI Instruments Corp. In addition to a single-master/multiple-slaves configuration, the Trigger Bus can be configured in Wired-OR mode. This mode allows multiple instruments to bring an LXI Trigger Bus channel to a “1” state. The channel will only go back to “0” when all instruments have released it. This is useful if multiple instruments in parallel operation must all complete before another instrument can begin its operations.
Page 67: Dmm Bus
www.vtiinstruments.com Reset Button A reset button is accessible through a hole in the rear panel of the EX1200 and can be used to restore default switch and network settings. This is useful for recovering from an incorrect or unknown network configuration. There are three modes of operation for this button which are based on the time the reset button is depressed.
Page 68: Led Indicators
VTI Instruments Corp. Slots configured for a matrix bus are not tied to a DMM bus. To use the onboard DMM with a matrix bus card, external wiring should be used to connect the desired front panel matrix output to the DMM, either through the front panel banana-jack connectors or through the 9-pin DMM bus I/O connector.
Page 69: Section 4
www.vtiinstruments.com ECTION EX1200 DMM O ASIC PERATION VERVIEW Some EX1200 series mainframes (hence referred to as EX126x) include an onboard DMM (please refer to EX1200 Series DMM Specifications for details regarding functions, ranges, and accuracy). The DMM can be used in three different ways: ...
Page 70: Dmm Input Connections
VTI Instruments Corp. DMM I NPUT ONNECTIONS Front Panel Connector The EX126x DMM’s hardware interface is made available on the front panel of the instrument. The DMM front panel has the following features: five banana jack inputs, a fuse, and three status LEDs as seen in Figure 4-1 (LED operation is detailed in the LED Indicators section of Section 3).
Page 71 www.vtiinstruments.com Function Front Panel Equivalent +SHI Sense HI +DAMPS Input I -SLO Sense LO GUARD (Ground Stud on Rear Panel) 4-1: DMM B I/O P ABLE IGNALS Using the DMM Bus with Switch Cards Some switch cards and plug-in instruments can access the EX1200 DMM without external wiring as they can connect across the backplane to the DMM bus.
Page 72: Dmm Measurement Basics
VTI Instruments Corp. DMM M EASUREMENT ASICS When making a measurement, the following sequence should be followed:  Select an Input Connector  Configure the Measurement  Configure Triggering  Take the Measurement  Retrieve the Data These steps are discussed in detail in the following sections for IVI-COM.
Page 73: Configure The Measurement
www.vtiinstruments.com ONFIGURE THE EASUREMENT A simple DMM measurement can be configured by setting the function, range, and resolution. There are many other parameters that may need to be configured depending on the type of measurement being performed. This is explained in detail in later sections. ...
Page 74 VTI Instruments Corp.  Sample Trigger Options Sample Trigger Source: sets the trigger line that moves the DMM from the Wait-For- Sample state to the Take Measurement state. Sample Trigger Slope: indicates whether a rising or falling edge will move the DMM from the Wait-For-Sample state to the Take Measurement state.
Page 75 www.vtiinstruments.com Trigger Model Status INITILIZED = 0 IDLE ARM ACTIVE = 0 IDLE TRIG ACTIVE = 0 LAYER SAMP ACTIVE = 0 INIT ABORT DEVICE ACTIVE = 0 (From any layer) INITILIZED = 1 INIT ARM ACTIVE = 0 INIT CONT? TRIG ACTIVE = 0 LAYER SAMP ACTIVE = 0...
Page 76: Take The Measurement
VTI Instruments Corp. IVI-COM Programming Interface The IVTEXDMM.Trigger interface provides properties and methods for setting the input trigger. The IVTEXDMM.Trigger.Multipoint interface provides properties and methods for setting the sample trigger and setting the measurement complete output trigger. AKE THE EASUREMENT Once the DMM has been configured, the measurement must next be initiated.
Page 77: Dmm Functions
www.vtiinstruments.com DMM F UNCTIONS This section of the manual discusses each measurement function of DMM and aids in understanding some of the DMM specifications. Understanding the operation of the DMM and each of its functions helps optimize the configuration of the DMM for measurement accuracy/speed.
Page 78: Resolution
VTI Instruments Corp. For example, if a 9 V signal is fed to the DMM and auto-range is enabled, the 10 V range is selected in order to display 9.00000 V (the total number of digits is based on the resolution selected).
Page 79: Integration/Aperture Time
www.vtiinstruments.com X = Resolution/Range Where Range =100V if userRange=300V, =1A if userRange=3A, = userRange otherwise if (X <= 1e-6) numberOfPLC=10; else if (X <= 1e-5) numberOfPLC=1; else if (X <= 1e-4) {// 4.5 digits numberOfPLC=0.1; else {// 3.5 digits numberOfPLC=0.01; apertureTime=numberOfPLC/PowerLineFrequency;...
Page 80: Limits
VTI Instruments Corp. Auto Zero Off The auto-zero function can be disabled programmatically to achieve higher measurement speeds. Once the auto-zero is disabled, the DMM no longer takes the new zero and reference measurements, but, instead, uses the last known zero and reference values to calculate the signal level.
Page 81: Dc Voltage Measurements
www.vtiinstruments.com DC V OLTAGE EASUREMENTS DC voltage (DCV) measurements are one of the simplest measurements to take with a DMM. The DMM measures the average voltage value of the connected signal differentially. This means that floating signals can be measured as well as signals containing large common mode voltage offsets (refer to the EX1200 Series DMM Specifications for maximum signal details).
Page 82 VTI Instruments Corp. When using switch multiplexer modules such as the EX1200-3048, each input channel pair (HI and LO) is routed through relays which are close to one another on the PCB to maintain the same average temperature. Because of this proximity, the relays generate approximately equal thermoelectric voltages on both the HI and LO channels, making the differential reading across these two switches approximately cancel the thermoelectric voltages.
Page 83 www.vtiinstruments.com Power Line Noise Rejection An intrinsic characteristic of integrating ADCs is their ability to reject spurious signals. When the PLCs is set to an integer value, the integrating technique rejects power-line related noise present with a dc signal on the input. This is called normal mode rejection, or NMR. (Note that common mode rejection is with a voltage being common to both input terminals, while NMR is with an ac voltage between the two input terminals).
Page 84: Ac Voltage Measurements
VTI Instruments Corp. Noise Caused by Ground Loops When measuring voltages in circuits where the DMM and the DUT are referenced to a common earth ground, but at different points, a “ground loop” is formed. As shown in Figure 4-8, any...
Page 85 www.vtiinstruments.com NOTE Although the DMM can measure up to 300 V rms (200 V from LO or Sense LO to Guard), this may exceed the maximum switching value of the plug-in module installed in the system. Ensure that voltage, current, and power specification for the plug-in modules are not exceeded when measurements are taken.
Page 86 VTI Instruments Corp. Waveform Example Crest Factor Sine 1.414 Full-wave Rectified Sine 1.414 Half-wave Rectified Sine Triangle 1.732 Square Wave (Symmetrical) Repeating Pulse (PWM) 4-10: C IGURE REST ACTORS FOR OMMON AVEFORMS Crest factor related errors are specified in the DMM specifications on page 20. The specifications are for non-sine waveforms that are above 100 Hz when the Low filter (3 Hz) is used.
Page 87: Dc And Ac Current Measurements
www.vtiinstruments.com Low-Level AC Voltages and Shielding When measuring ac voltages less than 100 mV, be aware that these measurements are especially susceptible to errors introduced by external noise sources. Exposed (unshielded) cabling acts as an antenna and the EX1200 DMM will measure the signals received. The entire measurement path, including the power line, acts as a loop antenna.
Page 88: Resistance Measurements
VTI Instruments Corp. measurements with motors and other devices with a high starting current, be certain that the current rush does exceed the fuse’s rating. The shunt resistance value applicable for each current range varies, making the selection of the proper range crucial for DMM safety.
Page 89 www.vtiinstruments.com Minimizing Lead Wire Resistance Errors While the best way to minimize lead wire resistance is to use the 4-wire method, this may not be practical for all applications, especially when the wiring density is high. When 4-wire measurements are impractical, the user can offset the lead resistance of the 2-wire resistance to obtain a more accurate value.
Page 90: Frequency/Period Measurements
VTI Instruments Corp. Common Error Sources The errors discussed previously for DC Voltage Measurements also apply to resistance measurements. Additional error sources unique to resistance measurements are discussed below. Self-Heating Error When a current passes through a resistor, heat is generated in the resistance source. This is unavoidable.
Page 91 www.vtiinstruments.com The resolution of frequency measurements is set from one of the following options: Slow Mode, Medium Mode, Fast Mode, and User Mode. Table shows the settings used for each mode. Mode Digits Aperture/Gate Time Slow 6½ 140 ms 5½ 14 ms Medium 4½...
Page 92: Temperature Measurements
VTI Instruments Corp. Connecting a frequency signal via the EX1200 DMM bus requires a making connections similar to those used for voltage measurements. DMM Backplane Frequency Sources CH 1 CH 2 CH n EX1200 Multiplexer Cards EX1200 Mainframe 4-9: F...
Page 93 www.vtiinstruments.com Digits The resolution, or number of digits, can be set for temperature measurements. Either 3½, 4½, 5½, or 6½ digits can be selected. Resolution should be optimized based on application and required results. While lower resolution yields faster sampling rates, it also decreases the accuracy of the reading.
Page 94 VTI Instruments Corp. provided by the EX1200 series terminal blocks provide less accuracy than a fixed reference, it does provide the advantage of requiring no external wiring and simplifying test setup. Note that the fixed reference is supported using the EX1200 DMM. To use external reference, the scanner driver must be used.
Page 95 www.vtiinstruments.com = nominal resistance of RTD (resistance at 0 °C) T = temperature in °C A = α[1+ (δ/100)] B = -αδ/1 x 10 C = -αβ/1 x 10 For the RTD’s with built-in support, the following Callendar-Van Dusen RTD parameters are used: α...
Page 96 VTI Instruments Corp. DMM Backplane RTDs CH 1 CH 2 CH n EX1200 Multiplexer Cards EX1200 Mainframe 4-16: RTD 2-W EX1200 DMM B IGURE ONNECTION VIA THE 4-Wire Measurement Connections The 4-wire RTD measurement method is the most accurate method of the two methods, as the set up automatically removes connection lead and switch resistance.
Page 97 www.vtiinstruments.com DMM Backplane CH1_1 CH2_1 EX1200-3048 EX1200 Mainframe 4-19: RTD 4-W EX1200 DMM B IGURE ONNECTION VIA THE Programming Interface The VTEX DMM and VTEX Scanner drivers provide the access to the features of EX1200 DMM. Refer to the below functions of the driver in its documentation. IVTEXDmmTemperature Interface IIviDmmTemperature..::.RTD Property Using a Thermistor...
Page 98 VTI Instruments Corp. (Series 44004) (Series 44007) (Series 44006) 0.0014733 0.0012880 0.0010295 0.0002372 0.0002356 0.0002391 1.074 x 10 9.557 x 10 1.568 x 10 4-12: T ABLE HERMISTOR URVE ITTING ONSTANTS Connecting to the DMM Any thermistor can be connected to the front panel terminals of the DMM using suitable connectors.
Page 99: Self-Test
www.vtiinstruments.com Programming Interface The VTEX DMM and VTEX Scanner drivers provide the access to the features of EX1200 DMM. Refer to the below functions of the driver in its documentation. IVTEXDmmTemperature Interface IIviDmmTemperature..::.Thermistor Property Scanlist Application Note When using scanlist with temperature measurements, it is important not to make any configuration modification between running the scan list and reading the data.
Page 101: Section 5
www.vtiinstruments.com ECTION CANNER VERVIEW VERVIEW The purpose of the VTEXScanner driver is to make it easy to control any VTI instrument where taking measurements on multiple modules is the primary purpose of the device. While controlling the instrument in the same way is possible by using a combination of other VTI drivers, this is often cumbersome due to the need to instantiate and initialize multiple drivers, and arrange scanlists and triggers exactly.
Page 103: Section 6
www.vtiinstruments.com ECTION RIGGERING VERVIEW The EX1200 is a bridge device and, therefore, does not expose a triggerable action. However, for ease of use, the scanner driver exposes a trigger model which functions like the SCPI 1999 Trigger Subsystem and works on the device and all installed plug-in cards. The user should be able to program to this representation except where otherwise noted.
Page 104 VTI Instruments Corp. Trigger Model Status INITILIZED = 0 IDLE ARM ACTIVE = 0 IDLE TRIG ACTIVE = 0 LAYER SAMP ACTIVE = 0 INIT ABORT DEVICE ACTIVE = 0 (From any layer) INITILIZED = 1 INIT ARM ACTIVE = 0...
Page 105: Section 7
Programs → LXI Discovery Tool. Once the utility is run, LXI Discovery Tool will scan the network to discover all LAN-based VTI instruments. Once the scan is complete, the tool shows all the instruments that were discovered, as shown in Figure 7-1. To open the web page, click on the Open Web Page.
Page 106: General Web
VTI Instruments Corp. ENERAL PERATION When initial connection is made to the EX1200, the instrument home page, Index, appears (see Figure 7-2). This page displays instrument-specific information including:  Model  Manufacturer  Serial Number  Description  LXI Class ...
Page 107: Soft Front Panel Main Page
Submit button and cannot be used for navigation. VTI Instruments Logo The VTI Instruments logo that appears on the upper left of all EX1200 web pages is a link to the VTI Instruments corporate website: http://www.vtiinstruments.com.
Page 108: Scanner Soft Front Panel
VTI Instruments Corp. Once a soft front panel is selected, a popup will appear displaying the appropriate information. When the current SFP is no longer needed, simply click on the grey “X” in the upper right corner to close the SFP and return to the main Soft Front Panel page.
Page 109 www.vtiinstruments.com  Slot x: One Slot tab will appear for each switch/instrument installed in the EX1200 system. This provides the ability to monitor the state of the relays or control them directly. When a plug-in card is initially accessed from the Tab bar, the switch’s SFP appears in Monitor Only mode.
Page 110 VTI Instruments Corp. Scanlist Field The Scanlist field allows for the creation of a list which can be sequentially executed once the Scan and Step Trigger requirements have been met. Each scan step consists of two phases: the setup phase and the sweep phase. The setup phase consists of general purpose switching and setup, where the sweep phase performs measurements on its defined channels.
Page 111 www.vtiinstruments.com  Connect/Disconnect: This button toggles between Connect and Disconnect. When Connect is selected, the path defined to the right of the button will be made. Choosing Disconnect will open the defined path.  A → B Drop Menus: From these menus, the input and output of each required path can be defined.
Page 112 VTI Instruments Corp.  Break Before Make checkbox: When selected, the scanner ensures that channel selected has completely settled before it connects to another channel. Deselecting this option increases scan speed, but introduces the of input channels potentially being shorted to each other for a short time.
Page 113 www.vtiinstruments.com  Trigger Delay: indicates the delay, in seconds, that occurs between connecting a switch channel to the DMM and when the measurement is taken. Valid values are 0 s to 4294.967295 s. An option to select Auto appears when this field is selected. Auto delay allows the DMM to automatically set the trigger delay based on the measurement configuration.
Page 114 VTI Instruments Corp. If a hardware trigger (an LXI, LAN, or DIO line) is selected as either the Scan Trigger or Step Trigger source, and the Rise/Fall slider will appear. This slider allows the user to choose which edge polarity will be accepted as the arm or trigger source or which will be asserted as a trigger output.
Page 115: Instrument Soft Front Panels
www.vtiinstruments.com  Scan Delay: Indicates the minimum time to complete each scan step. For instance, if this is set to 1.0 and a scan step completes in only 0.75 seconds, the scanner waits another 0.25 seconds before advancing to the next step. ...
Page 116 VTI Instruments Corp. size of the schematic can be changed from to any of the following sizes: Tiny, Small (default), Medium, and Large. 7-11: T IGURE YPICAL WITCH RONT ANEL For switches that support read-back, the relays are color coded to provide the user an indication of the relay states.
Page 117 www.vtiinstruments.com erase a saved state, simply click on the Load or Erase button, select the desired state number from the dialog box that appears, and then click OK.  Path button: This button opens the Path configuration window. From this window, the user can define channel-to-channel relationships by entering the desired path in the New Path text box using the formatting described in the Help discussion.
Page 118: Dmm Soft Front Panel
VTI Instruments Corp. DMM S RONT ANEL The DMM Soft Front Panel provides an interface for the user to configure and perform measurements with an EX1200 DMM. Note that this option is only available on EX1200 systems where the DMM is installed.
Page 119 www.vtiinstruments.com System Buttons To the right of the Status Display are two system buttons that affect the functionality of the EX1200 system and all installed modules.  Lock/Unlock: Requests (or releases) exclusive access to the EX1200 system.  Reset: Resets the SFP and the connected modules to power-on defaults. ...
Page 120 VTI Instruments Corp.  Digits: Indicates the number of significant digits that will be used when measurements are taken. Note that this property and Aperture Time are interrelated hardware settings. Thus, changing one affects the other. Optional Settings Some functions require optional settings. These settings are displayed only if a function requiring them is selected.
Page 121 www.vtiinstruments.com Auto Delay checkbox: When enabled, the DMM delays the measurement until it detects that its inputs have settled. Delay: Indicates the time, in seconds, the DMM will wait after getting a trigger input event before proceeding to the Sample Trigger layer. Valid values are -1.0 and 0 to 4294.967295.
Page 122 VTI Instruments Corp.  Range Delay: The amount of time the DMM takes between measurements on the same function, but on different ranges. Auto checkbox: When selected, the auto range function is enabled. Delay (sec): Sets the range delay. Valid values are between 0 and 4294.967295 s.
Page 123: Dmm Calibration Web Page
www.vtiinstruments.com  Get button: When clicked, data is immediately pulled from FIFO memory.  Get All checkbox: When enabled, clicking the Get button will retrieve all of the current data. Once the FIFO is empty, it will stop acquiring retrieving data. ...
Page 124 VTI Instruments Corp. AC Voltage: Calculates gains and offsets for ac voltage measurements. AC Current: Calculates gains and offsets for ac current measurements. Resistance: Calculates gains and offsets for 2-wire and 4-wire resistance measurements. Reference Instruments Field The calibration and verification routines use VXI-11 to communicate with reference instruments.
Page 125 www.vtiinstruments.com Calibration Status Field The Calibration Status field provides an indication of how close calibration is to completion. Begin calibration by clicking on the Initiate button in this field. Results Panel The Results panel provides access to the results of the calibration or verification operation. Calibration/verification begins by clicking on the Initiate button.
Page 126: Network Configuration
VTI Instruments Corp. ETWORK ONFIGURATION The EX1200 Network Configuration page can be seen in Figure 7-15. By default, the EX1200 will attempt to locate a DHCP server. If one is found, the IP address assigned by the DHCP server will be assumed, along with subnet masks, gateway, etc. Otherwise, after a timeout of 20 seconds, the unit will attempt to obtain an IP address by using Auto IP (IPv4 Dynamic Link Local Addressing).
Page 127: Time Configuration
www.vtiinstruments.com 7-15: EX1200 N IGURE ETWORK ONFIGURATION NOTE If problems are experienced connecting to the EX1200, please refer to the Network Troubleshooting process in Section 2. ONFIGURATION This entry page is used to change the time configuration of the EX1200. As the EX1200 has no notion of “wall clock”...
Page 128 VTI Instruments Corp. If a PTP master clock does not exist on the network, an LXI device on the network will begin serving as the PTP time master. The Time Configuration page allows for PTP time to be set manually. From the Time Configuration page, select the Set Time checkbox, then select the Grandmaster radio button from the Target field, and then configure the time by hand.
Page 129: Lxi Synchronization
www.vtiinstruments.com 7-17: SNTP C IGURE ONFIGURATION Using the Manual Time Setting If a PTP master or an SNTP server is not available, time can be configured manually by the user by selecting Manual in the Time Source drop menu. Note, manually set time sources are not very accurate and that this configuration should only be used if timestamp accuracy is not vital to a measurement.
Page 130 VTI Instruments Corp. 7-18: LXI S IGURE YNCHRONIZATION  IEEE 1588 Parameters PTP Grandmaster Clock MAC: indicates the MAC address of the device on the network to which all other IEEE 1588 compliant devices are synchronized. PTP Parent Clock MAC: indicates the MAC address of the device to which the EX1200 is synchronized.
Page 131: Lxi Identification
www.vtiinstruments.com  LXI Module to Module Parameters LXI Domain: an 8-bit number, 0 to 255, that indicates the domain the EX1200 is using for LAN events. All events sent by this device will include this data. Likewise, the device will only accept events that include the same LXI Domain data. ...
Page 132: Blink Lan Indicator
VTI Instruments Corp. LAN I LINK NDICATOR This action page is used to identify the EX1200 that is being commanded in the current session. When the Turn on button is pressed, the LAN LED located on the front panel of the EX1200 will blink.
Page 133: Upgrade
VTI Instruments and be accessible from the computer that is connected to the EX1200. Unless specifically noted by VTI Instruments, firmware upgrades do not alter the non-volatile configuration settings (network configuration, time configuration) of the EX1200.
Page 134 VTI Instruments Corp. 7-23: C DMM U IGURE OMPLETED ONTROLLER AND PGRADE During a plug-in module firmware upgrade, an Upgrade Status window similar to the one shown in Figure 7-24 appears. A step will appear for each plug-in module installed in the mainframe.
Page 135 www.vtiinstruments.com Remove Temporary Internet Files The initial steps of firmware upgrade involve preparing the host PC. The instructions that follow provide guidance for removing cookies from IE and clearing the cache retained by Java. Clearing Cookies from Internet Explorer 8 For Internet Explorer 8, the following steps can be taken to delete existing cookies (for other browsers, please refer to the browser’s on-line help documentation): 1) Open Internet Explorer.
Page 136 VTI Instruments Corp. Clearing Java Cache Once the cookies have been deleted from the host PC, the Java cache should be deleted next. For Java version 6, the cache can be removed by performing the following steps: 1) Navigate to the Control Panel (Start → Settings → Control Panel).
Page 137 www.vtiinstruments.com 4) When the Temporary Internet Files window opens, click the Delete Files… button. A confirmation dialog box will appear. Click to OK button delete the cache. EX1200 Series Maintenance...
Page 138 VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 Triggering...
Page 139: Section 8
www.vtiinstruments.com ECTION ROGRAMMING ROGRAMMING EFERENCES EX1200 systems ship with several programmer’s guides that define APIs and provide practical examples which assist the programming with sequencing, syntax, and the use of other IVI- specified APIs. These guides include:  VTEXSwitch Programmer’s Manual (P/N: 82-0117-000) ...
Page 140 VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 Triggering...
Page 141: Maintenance
www.vtiinstruments.com AINTENANCE EPLACEABLE The EX1200 DMM has a replaceable fuse located on its front panel for current input and is user- replaceable. It is a 3.15 A, 250 V fuse and can be replaced with VTI P/N: 35-0054-315. Alternatively, P/N: 2173.15XP from Littlefuse, Inc. may also be used as a replacement. DMM R EMOVAL EPLACEMENT...
Page 142 VTI Instruments Corp. 9-1: EX1266 DMM R IGURE EMOVAL NOTE The mainframe can continue to be used once the DMM has been removed. Installation Procedure 1) Using the guides shown in Figure 9-1, slide the DMM into the mainframe unit until the DMM is supported by the card guides.
Page 143 www.vtiinstruments.com 9-2: EX1267/68/69 DMM R IGURE EMOVAL NOTE Once the DMM is removed from the mainframe, the chassis can no longer be used. Installation Procedure 1) Using the guides shown in Figure 9-2, slide the DMM into the mainframe unit the until DMM is supported by the card guides.
Page 144: Ex1200 Dmm Calibration /Verification
VTI Instruments Corp. EX1200 DMM C ALIBRATION ERIFICATION NTRODUCTION Verification is the process by which the measurements of the EX1200 DMM are compared to reference standards to determine variances between the values measured by the DMM and the values outputted by the standard. After the completion of verification, a report can be saved that shows the measured and expected values for the points measured.
Page 145: Connecting To The Ex1200
www.vtiinstruments.com Calibrator LAN/GPIB Gateway GPIB GPIB Port Cable GPIB Port LAN Port Interconnect Cable Ethernet GPIB Cable Ethernet Cable Switch Daisy Chain LAN Port Amplifier Ethernet GPIB Cable GPIB Port 8.5 Digit DMM Cable Daisy Chain LAN Port GPIB Port Function Generator 9-4: I EX1200 DMM C...
Page 146: Login Into Sfp
VTI Instruments Corp. To use ACE, use the following steps: 1) Open ACE and click on the Add instrument toolbar. 2) Select Add LAN instrument on LAN and then click OK. ACE will search the network and list the LXI instruments connected to the LAN.
Page 147: Time Configuration
www.vtiinstruments.com ONFIGURATION When calibration is performed, the time and date of calibration is recorded, making it important to ensure that the EX1200’s time is configured properly. To determine the time, click on the Time Configuration link in the command menu. If the time is displayed incorrectly, use the following steps to configure the time from the Time Configuration web page.
Page 148 VTI Instruments Corp. Calibration Procedure 1) Connect to the embedded web page. See Connecting to the EX1200 for assistance. 2) Click Soft Front Panel from the Index page to navigate to the Soft Front Panel page. Select the ex1200-dmm DMM from the list of available plug-in modules (the slot designation will vary depending on the mainframe being used).
Page 149: Performing Verification
www.vtiinstruments.com 5) In the Reference Instruments section, select the appropriate instrument available on the GPIB/LAN network for the calibrator, external DMM, and function generator. This information can also be obtained from LAN/GPIB Gateway’s web page. Refer to the LAN/GPIB Gateway’s user’s manual for more information. Device Drop Menu Enter Ambient Temperature 9-11: D...
Page 150 VTI Instruments Corp. NOTE Detailed debug logs that describe what occurred during calibration/verification are saved to the “Current Working Directory” browser (typically C:\Documents settings\Username\Application Data\, although this varies from one browser to another). To find the actual location, open the Java Console by right clicking on the Java icon in the system tray and choose Java Console.
Page 151: Appendixa
www.vtiinstruments.com PPENDIX NBOARD EMORY EMORY ISTINGS AND LEARING ROCEDURES The following table provides information regarding memory contained in the EX1200 mainframes and plug-in modules. Protocol for clearing the memory is also included. Product Component Volatile? Contains User Writeable? Clear Procedure EX1200 Chassis 4 MB Flash Time configuration...
Page 152 VTI Instruments Corp. Product Component Volatile? Contains User Writeable? Clear Procedure EX1200-3608 8 MB Flash Model & serial None number file None Call “Delete All” API User configurations Calibrations Use the calibration APIs to overwrite the data 2 MB SPI Flash...
Page 153: Appendixb
www.vtiinstruments.com PPENDIX OWER ONSUMPTION ODULE OWER ONSUMPTION The following tables provide power consumption information for the EX1200 series plug-in modules. The EX1200 mainframe power is also provided to assist in determining available power. Switch Module +3.3 V +5 V +24 V Notes EX1200-2001 0.131 A...
Page 154: Application Note
VTI Instruments Corp. PPLICATION VERVIEW As with any backplane-based system where modules share power, such as VXI and PXI, the possibility exists where a combination of plug-in modules may exceed the maximum power available from the power supply. There are two limitations that govern power delivery by a supply: 1) the maximum power of the power supply and 2) the maximum power that can be delivered to a single slot.
Page 155: Ex12X8 Power Consumption Calculation
www.vtiinstruments.com For example, an EX1266 is populated with the following three cards:  EX1200-2001 with six (6) relays closed  EX1200-3048 with ten (10) relays closed  EX1200-3608 From the Plug-in Module Power Consumption section, the amount of current used by the switch card’s relays can be calculated and added to the total consumption on the 5 V rail: = card’s consumption + (number of relays closed)(relay consumption) 5V (EX1200-2001)
Page 156 VTI Instruments Corp. B-1: B EX12 IGURE ACKPLANE OWER EGMENTS IN THE When power requirements are calculated for these mainframes, the calculations should consider each backplane segment as an independent power system. The total power useable (P ) on a USEABLE segment is defined by the Useable Power specification for the mainframe being used.
Page 157: Index
www.vtiinstruments.com NDEX Numerics 2-wire resistance measurements ...........88 cooling ..................33 DMM connections ..............88 crest factor ................29, 85 2-wire RTD measurements current measurements DMM connections ..............96 crest factor ................87 3U installation options ..............49 DMM connections ..............87 rack ear ...................51 shunt resistor ................
Page 158 VTI Instruments Corp. resetting ........See LAN configuration initialize troubleshooting ..............56 EX1202/EX1262 installation options ...........35 web page ................129 rack ear, dual half rack ............38 NTP.................... 132 rack ear, single half rack ............37 rackmount, dual half rack ............42 rackmount, single half rack ............40 offset ....................
Page 159 www.vtiinstruments.com mainframe ................14 switch soft front panels device info tab ..............118 monitor and control tab ............116 temperature measurements ............93 configuration ................93 RTDs ..................95 thermistors ................98 thermocouples ................94 temporary internet files ............... 139 thermistor measurements ..............98 DMM connections ..............98 fitting curve constants.............98 thermocouple measurements DMM connections ..............94...

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