For some features, PC-based scopes sport higher performance than similar benchtop instruments. Trevor Smith, Pico Technology The debugging and validation of electronic systems calls for versatile instruments with wide-ranging functions and easy programmability. An engineer working on high-speed logic signals one day might be called upon to run a long-duration soak test the following day […]
FAQ
Key considerations for RF power measurement equipment
The choice of power sensor and meter greatly depends on the qualities of the signal being measured. Bob Buxton, Boonton Electronics Today’s complex modulation schemes and pulsed communication modes have brought the need to measure RF power ever more accurately and efficiently. There are multiple technologies available for the measurement of RF power, falling into […]
Automotive cable and harness testing made easy
A hipot tester, switch, and automated software can assure vehicle connectors are safe and reliable. Glen Broderick, Vitrek Inc. Loose or mismatched electrical components cause the highest rate of failures in vehicles. Often harnesses and components are inadvertently pinched, miswired or damaged during installation. Also, cable insulation that isn’t secured can wear through and cause […]
Test and measurement in education
Lab classes become much more meaningful when students can operate their own test instruments rather than watch an instructor turn knobs and push buttons. Paul Cracknell, Liquid Instruments Consider the typical EE lab in the average university. Labs must be outfitted with costly equipment to give students exposure to the breadth of measurements that characterize […]
What are alternatives to Li-ion batteries?
There are many alternatives to Li-ion batteries, including fuel cells, various types of supercapacitors, redox flow batteries, novel Li-based chemistries such as lithium-sulfur (LiS), and more. This FAQ focuses on alternative non-lithium rechargeable battery chemistries, including calcium-ion (Ca-ion), magnesium-ion (Mg-ion), sodium-ion (Na-ion), zinc-ion (Zn-ion), iron-air (Fe-air), and sodium-sulfur (NaS) that can be more readily integrated…
Debugging digital and analog signals with cross-domain analysis
Multi-domain signal analysis is blurring the line between real-time oscilloscopes and real-time spectrum and signal analyzers. Fernando Gomez, Tektronix Inc. Multi-domain signal analysis is enabled by advanced oscilloscope features such as 12-bit ADC, digital down conversion (DDC), and flexible channel inputs where each can be either analog or digital. As Signal Integrity (SI) and Power […]
5G test equipment goes mainstream
Performance qualities once only available in exotic instruments can now be found in gear designed for production testing. Rohde&Schwarz GmbH & Co. 5G has now made the jump from research to mainstream adoption, and most chip manufacturers are well down the road to developing second or third-generation components. In the early R&D phase, it was […]
Can RF shock you?
Engineers know they’ll get a poke if they touch household ac wires. But RF current typically is not felt as electric shock because the frequency is too high to depolarize nerve membranes. However, RF current can cause both internal organ damage and surface radiation burns, so care must be taken to avoid high exposure. It’s […]
Scope-based diagnosis of three-phase motor drives
Ordinary oscilloscopes can view basic parameters in modern motor drives, but operational insights generally require specialized power analyzers. Variable frequency drives (VFD) generate carefully controlled pulse-width modulated (PWM) waveforms to modulate the speed of industrial ac motors. Often, the motors involved are three phase. Three-phase ac induction motors (ACIMs) are widely used though they are […]
Measuring power choke inductances
The inductance of power chokes changes with current level. Conventional small-signal-measuring bridges are out of their depth here! Hubert Kreis, ed-k • Alan Lowne, Saelig Co. Inc. With the exception of air-core coils, all power inductances show a saturation behavior; their inductance drops with rising current. The core materials can lose permeability and then behave […]