NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PXIe-4163 24-Channel 24 V 50 mA PXI Source Measure Unit User Guide

: June 12, 2024
: NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

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GETTING STARTED GUIDE

PXIe-4163

PXIe, 24-Channel, ±24 V, 50 mA PXI Source Measure Unit

This document explains how to install, configure, and test the PXIe-4163. The PXIe-4163 ships with NI-DCPower driver software, which you can use to program the module.

Note Before you begin, install and configure your chassis and controller.

Verifying the System Requirements

To use the NI-DCPower instrument driver, your system must meet certain requirements.

Refer to the product readme, which is available on the driver software media or online at ni.com/manuals , for more information about minimum system requirements, recommended system, and supported application development environments (ADEs).

Unpacking the Kit

Refer to the following figure to identify the contents of the PXIe-4163 kit.

National instruments logo1

Figure 1. PXIe-4163 Kit Contents

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PXIe-4163 - Figure 1

PXIe-4163
PXIe-4163 Safety, Environmental, and Regulatory Information
Maintain Forced-Air Cooling Note to Users

Notice To prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) from damaging the module, ground yourself using a grounding strap or by holding a grounded object, such as your computer chassis.

Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of the computer chassis.
Remove the module from the package and inspect it for loose components or other signs of damage.
Notice Never touch the exposed pins of connectors.
Note Do not install a module if it appears damaged in any way.
Unpack any other items and documentation from the kit.

Store the module in the antistatic package when the module is not in use.

Other Equipment

There are several required items not included in your PXIe-4163 kit that you need to operate the PXIe-4163. Your application may require additional items not included in your kit to install or operate your PXIe-4163.

Required Items

A PXI Chassis and chassis documentation
A PXI Controller or PC with a Device for PXI Remote Control system that meets the system requirements specified in this guide and chassis documentation

Optional Items

PXI Slot Blocker Kit (NI part number 199198-01)
SHDB62M-DB62M-LL Low Leakage Cable for SMU, 62 D-Sub Male to 62 D-Sub Male
– 1 m (NI part number 142947B-01)
– 2 m (NI part number 142947B-02)
SHDB62M-BW-LL Low Leakage Cable for SMU, 62 D-Sub Male to Bare Wire Male
– 1 m (NI part number 142948A-01)
– 2 m (NI part number 142948A-02)
62-Pin Connector Kit for PXIe-416x SMUs (NI part number 785582-01)

Visit ni.com for more information about these additional items.

Preparing the Environment

Ensure that the environment you are using the PXIe-4163 in meets the following specifications:

Temperature and Humidity

Temperature

Operating

Chassis with slot cooling capacity ≥58 W¹ 0 °C to 55 °C

All other compatible chassis 0 °C to 40 °C

Storage -40 °C to 71 °C

––––––––––––––––

¹ Not all chassis with slot cooling capacity ≥58 W can achieve this ambient temperature range. Refer to PXI chassis specifications to determine the ambient temperature ranges your chassis can achieve.

Humidity

Operating 10% to 90%, noncondensing

Storage 5% to 95%, noncondensing

Pollution Degree 2

Maximum altitude 2,000 m (800 mbar) (at 25 °C ambient temperature)

Notice This model is intended for use in indoor applications only.

Installing the Software

You must be an Administrator to install NI software on your computer.

Install an ADE, such as LabVIEW or LabWindows™/CVI™.
Visit ni.com/downloads/drivers and search for NI-DCPower.
Download the latest version of NI-DCPower by clicking Download and then running the executable (.exe) file.
Driver support for the PXIe-4163 was first available in NI-DCPower 17.6.
Follow the instructions in the installation prompts.
Note Windows users may see access and security messages during installation. Accept the prompts to complete the installation.
When the installer completes, select Restart in the dialog box that prompts you to restart, shut down, or restart later.

Installing the PXIe-4163

Notice To prevent damage to the PXIe-4163 caused by ESD or contamination, handle the module using the edges or the metal bracket.

The PXIe-4163 is a single-slot module with one backplane connector. The module may be installed into any PXI Express-compatible slot.
1. Ensure the AC power source is connected to the chassis before installing the PXIe-4163.
The AC power cord grounds the chassis and protects it from electrical damage while you install the PXIe-4163.
2. Power off the chassis.
3. Inspect the slot pins on the chassis backplane for any bends or damage prior to installation. Do not install a module if the backplane is damaged.
4. Position the chassis so that inlet and outlet vents are not obstructed.
For more information about optimal chassis positioning, refer to the chassis documentation.
5. Remove the black plastic covers from all the captive screws on the module front panel.
6. Identify a supported slot in the chassis. The following figure shows the symbols that indicate the slot types.

Figure 2. Chassis Compatibility Symbols

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PXIe-4163 - Figure 2

PXI Express System Controller Slot
PXI Peripheral Slot
PXI Express Hybrid Peripheral Slot
PXI Express System Timing Slot
PXI Express Peripheral Slot

PXIe-4163 modules can be placed in PXI Express peripheral slots, PXI Express hybrid peripheral slots, or PXI Express system timing slots.
7. Touch any metal part of the chassis to discharge static electricity.
8. Ensure that the ejector handle is in the downward (unlatched) position.
9. Place the module edges into the module guides at the top and bottom of the chassis. Slide the module into the slot until it is fully inserted.

Figure 3. Module Installation

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PXIe-4163 - Figure 3

Chassis
Hardware Module
Ejector Handle in Downward (Unlatched) Position

10. Latch the module in place by pulling up on the ejector handle.
11. Secure the module front panel to the chassis using the front-panel mounting screws.
Note Tightening the top and bottom mounting screws increases mechanical stability and also electrically connects the front panel to the chassis, which can improve the signal quality and electromagnetic performance.
12. Cover all empty slots using EMC filler panels or fill using slot blockers to maximize cooling air flow, depending on your application.
13. Power on the chassis.

Related Information
Why Is the ACCESS LED Off When the Chassis Is On? on page 18

PXIe-4163 Pinout and LEDs

Front Panel

Refer to the following figures and tables for information about the PXIe-4163 front panel connector pins, channels, and LEDs.

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PXIe-4163 - Figure 4

|

Item

---|---
A| LED Access Status indicator
B| LED Voltage Status Indicator

Table 1. LED Access Status Indicator

Status Indicator	Device State
(Off)	Not Powered
Green	Powered
Amber	Device is being accessed

Table 2. LED Voltage Status Indicator

Status Indicator

|

Output Channel State

---|---
(Off)| All device outputs are disconnected from their voltage generation sources through output disconnect relays.
Green| At least one device output is connected to a voltage generation source.
Red| The device has a fault or is in error due to the voltage generated or measured by the device. Refer to the driver software for possible sources. The device will not operate until the error is cleared and/or the device is reset.

Pinout

The following figure and table provide detailed signal information for the PXIe-4163 connector.

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PXIe-4163 - Figure 5

Table 3. PXIe-4163 Signal Descriptions

Bundle

| Channel| Pin| Signal Description
---|---|---|---
A| 0| 61|

Sense HI

62

| Output HI
1| 41|

Sense HI

42

| Output HI
2| 19|

Sense HI

20

| Output HI
3| 17|

Sense HI

18

| Output HI
4| 38|

Sense HI

39

| Output HI
5| 59|

Sense HI

60

| Output HI
0 to 5| 40|

Sense LO

B

| 6| 56| Sense HI
57|

Output HI

7

| 36| Sense HI
37|

Output HI

8

| 14| Sense HI
15|

Output HI

9

| 12| Sense HI
13|

Output HI

10

| 33| Sense HI
34|

Output HI

11

| 54| Sense HI
55|

Output HI

6 to 11

| 35| Sense LO
C| 12| 50|

Sense HI

51

| Output HI
13| 30|

Sense HI

31

| Output HI
14| 8|

Sense HI

9

| Output HI
15| 6|

Sense HI

7

| Output HI
16| 27|

Sense HI

28

| Output HI
17| 48|

Sense HI

49

| Output HI
12 to 17| 29|

Sense LO

D

| 18| 45| Sense HI
46|

Output HI

19

| 25| Sense HI
26|

Output HI

20

| 3| Sense HI
4|

Output HI

21

| 1| Sense HI
2|

Output HI

22

| 22| Sense HI
23|

Output HI

23

| 43| Sense HI
44|

Output HI

18 to 23

| 24| Sense LO
A, B, C, D| 0 to 23| 10|

Output LO

—|

—

| 21| Calibration HI
5|

Void

11

16

32

47

52

53

58

Cable Bundles

The PXIe-4163 has 24 channels organized into four cable bundles (A, B, C, D) for use with associated cable accessories. The following figure and table provide detailed bundle information.

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PXIe-4163 - Figure 6

Bundle

| Channels
---|---
A|

0 to 5

B

| 6 to 11
C|

12 to 17

D

|

18 to 23

Configuring the PXIe-4163 in MAX

Use Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to configure your NI hardware. MAX informs other programs about which NI hardware products are in the system and how they are configured. MAX is automatically installed with NI-DCPower.

Launch MAX.
In the configuration tree, expand Devices and Interfaces to see the list of installed NI hardware.
Installed modules appear under the name of their associated chassis.
Expand your Chassis tree item.
MAX lists all modules installed in the chassis. Your default names may vary.
Note If you do not see your module listed, press to refresh the list of installed modules. If the module is still not listed, power off the system, ensure the module is correctly installed, and restart.
Record the identifier MAX assigns to the hardware. Use this identifier when programming the PXIe-4163.
Self-test the hardware by selecting the item in the configuration tree and clicking Self-Test in the MAX toolbar.
The MAX self-test performs a basic verification of hardware resources.

Related Information
What Should I Do if the PXIe-4163 Doesn’t Appear in MAX? on page 17
What Should I Do if the PXIe-4163 Fails the Self-Test? on page 18

Self-Calibrating the PXIe-4163

Self-calibration adjusts the PXIe-4163 for variations in the module environment. Perform a complete self-calibration after the first time you install the PXIe-4163.

Install the PXIe-4163 and let it warm up for 30 minutes.
Note Warm up begins when the PXI Express chassis has been powered on and the operating system has completely loaded.
Self-calibrate the PXIe-4163 by clicking the Self-Calibrate button in MAX or calling niDCPower Cal Self Calibrate or niDCPower_CalSelfCalibrate.

The PXIe-4163 modules are externally calibrated at the factory but you should perform a self-calibration in all of the following situations:

After first installing the PXIe-4163 in a chassis
After any module that is in the same chassis as the PXIe-4163 is installed, uninstalled, or moved
When the PXIe-4163 is in an environment where the ambient temperature varies or the PXIe-4163 temperature has drifted more than ±5 °C from the temperature at the last self-calibration
Within 24 hours of the previous self-calibration

Related Information
What Should I Do if the PXIe-4163 Fails the Self-Test? on page 18

Programming the PXIe-4163

You can generate signals interactively using InstrumentStudio or you can use the NI-DCPower instrument driver to program your device in the supported ADE of your choice.

Software

| Location|

Description

---|---|---
InstrumentStudio| Note InstrumentStudio is supported only on 64-bit systems. If you are using a 32-bit system, use your driver’s specific soft front panel instead of InstrumentStudio.

InstrumentStudio is automatically installed when you install the NI-DCPower driver. You can access InstrumentStudio in any of the following ways:

From the Windows start menu, select National Instruments»[Driver] Soft Front Panel. This launches InstrumentStudio and runs a soft front panel populated with NI-DCPower devices.
From the Windows start menu, select National Instruments» InstrumentStudio 2018. This launches InstrumentStudio and runs a soft front panel populated with devices detected on your system.
From Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), select a device and then click Test Panels…. This launches InstrumentStudio and runs a soft front panel for the device you selected.

| When you install NI-DCPower on a 64-bit system, you can monitor, control, and record measurements from supported devices using InstrumentStudio. InstrumentStudio is a software-based soft front panel application that allows you to perform interactive measurements on several different device types in a single program.
NI-DCPower Instrument Driver| LabVIEW—Available on the LabVIEW Functions palette at Measurement I/O» NI-DCPower. Examples are available from the Start menu in the National Instruments folder.| The NI-DCPower API configures and operates the module hardware and performs basic acquisition and measurement functions.
LabVIEW NXG—Available from the diagram at Hardware Interfaces»Electronic Test»NI-DCPower. Examples are available from the Learning tab in the Examples» Hardware Input and Output folder.
LabWindows/CVI—Available at Program Files»IVI Foundation»IVI»Drivers» NI- DCPower. LabWindows/CVI examples are available from the Start menu in the National Instruments folder.
C/C++—Available at Program Files»IVI Foundation»IVI. Refer to the Creating an Application with NI-DCPower in Microsoft Visual C and C++ topic of the NI DC Power Supplies and SMUs Help to manually add all required include and library files to your project. NI-DCPower does not ship with installed C/C++ examples.

Troubleshooting

If an issue persists after you complete a troubleshooting procedure, contact NI technical support or visit ni.com/support.

What Should I Do if the PXIe-4163 Doesn’t Appear in MAX?

In the MAX configuration tree, expand Devices and Interfaces.
Expand the Chassis tree to see the list of installed hardware, and press to refresh the list.
If the module is still not listed, power off the system, ensure that all hardware is correctly installed, and restart the system.
Navigate to the Device Manager.
Operating System| Description
---|---
Windows 10/8.1| Right-click the Start button, and select Device Manager.
Windows 7| Select Start»Control Panel»Device Manager.
Verify the PXIe-4163 appears in the Device Manager.
a) Under an NI entry, confirm that a PXIe-4163 entry appears.
Note If you are using a PC with a device for PXI remote control system, under System Devices , also confirm that no error conditions appear for the PCI-to-PCI Bridge.
b) If error conditions appear, reinstall NI-DCPower and the PXIe-4163.

Why Is the ACCESS LED Off When the Chassis Is On?

Before proceeding, verify that the PXIe-4163 appears in MAX.

If the ACCESS LED fails to light after you power on the chassis, a problem may exist with the chassis power rails, a hardware module, or the LED.

Notice Apply external signals only while the PXIe-4163 is powered on. Applying external signals while the module is powered off may cause damage.

Disconnect any signals from the module front panels.
Power off the chassis.
Remove the module from the chassis and inspect it for damage. Do not reinstall a damaged module.
Install the module in a different chassis slot from which you removed it.
Power on the chassis.
Note If you are using a PC with a device for PXI remote control system, power on the chassis before powering on the computer.
Verify that the module appears in MAX.
Reset the module in MAX and perform a self-test.

Related Information
PXIe-4163 Pinout and LEDs on page 6

What Should I Do if the PXIe-4163 Fails the Self-Test?

Restart the system.
Launch MAX.
• Failed self-test
1. Perform self-calibration, then perform the self-test again. The PXIe-4163 must be calibrated to pass the self-test.
• Failed self-calibration
1. Perform self-calibration again.
Power off the chassis.
Reinstall the failed module in a different slot.
Power on the chassis.
Perform the self-test again.

Where To Go Next

Located online at ni.com/manuals Located using the NI Example Finder

EXPLORE| | LEARN| | CREATE

the application development environment (ADE) for your application.

Getting Started with LabVIEW
Getting Started with LabWindows/CVI

| |

about hardware features or review device specifications.

PXIe-4163 Specifications
NI DC Power Supplies and SMUs Help

| |

custom applications with an application programming interface (API).

NI-DCPower Soft Front Panel
NI-DCPower Instrument Driver

NI-DCPower Examples
NI DC Power Supplies and SMUs Help

| | | |
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ni.com/support

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*This item is also installed with the driver software.

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PXIe-4163 Getting Started Guide | © National Instruments

Information is subject to change without notice. Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for information on NI trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. For patents covering NI products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the National Instruments Patent Notice at ni.com/patents. You can find information about end-user license agreements (EULAs) and third-party legal notices in the readme file for your NI product. Refer to the Export Compliance Information at ni.com/legal/export-compliance for the NI global trade compliance policy and how to obtain relevant HTS codes, ECCNs, and other import/export data. NI MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN AND SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY ERRORS. U.S. Government Customers: The data contained in this manual was developed at private expense and is subject to the applicable limited rights and restricted data rights as set forth in FAR 52.227-14, DFAR 252.227-7014, and DFAR 252.227-7015.

377402B-01 January 25, 2019