31 Aug 2013

Pickering Interfaces Expands its PCI Industrial Digital I/O Solutions

Clacton on Sea, UK - Pickering Interfaces, a leading provider of signal switching and conditioning solutions, is again expanding its range of PCI modules with the introduction of a 32-Channel Digital I/O card (50-412) capable of driving high current loads and reading back the logical state of high voltage logic signals.

The 50-412 digital I/O card provides 32 channels of digital output lines that can serve as high or low side drivers. Each channel is capable of sourcing 0.4A or sinking 0.5A at voltages up to 50V and has protection circuits that prevent over voltage, over current or thermal overload from occurring. Software interlocks prevent the high side and low side drivers on a channel from being operated at the same time and the module allows each channel to be independently selected for high or low side driving.

When high side driving is used the user to multiple pins on the card’s robust D Type connector supplies the source voltage.

The 50-412 digital I/O card provides 32 channels of independent digital inputs with a dual variable logic threshold that permits users to detect when an input is in a low state, an intermediate state or a high state from a single read operation. The high input impedance ensures minimal loading on the digital inputs. A single command allows the user to sequentially capture the status of all 32 input channels.

For applications requiring the read back of an output driver state, users of the 50-412 digital I/O card can connect the digital input and digital outputs together in a cable assembly or connector block. Pickering Interfaces provides a full range of connectivity options to support the 50-412.

According to David Owen, Business Development Manager for Pickering Interfaces “PCI remains an attractive test platform for many test system designers, particularly those with cost sensitive low to moderate complexity applications. The availability of high and low side drivers and digital inputs in a single module is ideal for applications where a common test platform is required to test a variety of UUT’s. The 50-412 digital I/O card provides a unique mixture of high voltage and current capability in PCI combined with variable threshold input state. This will appeal to users testing general purpose digital circuitry as well as those requiring the ability to drive external loads, such as relay coils and solenoids, without risk of damage to the driver under fault conditions and to read back the state of drive lines on the UUT”.

Pricing and availability information is supplied on our web site www.pickeringtest.com

About Pickering Interfaces

Pickering Interfaces offers signal switching and conditioning for a broad range of applications and architectures. Today, Pickering’s portfolio contains the largest range of switching cards in the industry for PXI, LXI, PCI and GPIB applications. Pickering’s products are specified in both commercial and military test systems installed throughout the world and have a reputation for providing excellent reliability and value. Pickering Interfaces operates globally with direct operations in the US, UK, Germany, Sweden, France, Czech Republic, and engineering support in China, together with additional representation in countries throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. We currently serve the automotive, aerospace & defense, power generation, energy and commercial electronics industries. For more information on signal switching and conditioning products or sales contacts please visit www.pickeringtest.com. Also visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+.