1U-high programmable power system makes scopelike transient measurements
By Dan Strassberg -- EDN, January 8, 2004
Agilent says that its N6700 programmable dc modular power systems offer industry-leading processing speed, autoranging outputs, and new measurement capabilities for automatic-test applications in many industries (Picture). To tailor a system to your requirements, you can mix and match from a menu of 13 modules priced at $450 to $2480. The modules deliver 50 and 100W per output and offer a range of features, measurement capabilities, speed, and accuracy levels. The 1U-high enclosures, which cost $2200 and accommodate one to four modules, need no top or bottom air vents, enabling you to mount other instruments immediately above and below them.
Although they use a switching-power architecture to achieve compactness and high efficiency, the modules deliver the low noise and ripple of linear power supplies, enabling precise control and measurements in the milliampere and microampere regions. Programming speeds are 10 to 50 times as fast as those of other programmable power supplies, and autoranging outputs enable one supply to do the job of several traditional units. In addition, says Agilent, the modules are the first general-purpose power supplies to incorporate high-speed test extensions, which include an oscilloscopelike digitizer that simplifies system configuration and increases the accuracy of displaying high-speed transients and pulse events in the device under test.
Agilent Technologies, 1-800-452-4844, www.agilent.com/find/N6700.
