According to surveys, the leading factors that influence decisions to choose modular instrumentation over traditional test instruments include cost, footprint size, and the benefits of modularity itself. For these reasons, among others, modular instrumentation is growing in popularity, and the large manufacturers of traditional instruments are starting to take notice.
Agilent Technologies has been a player in the modular arena for quite some time, but in a quiet way. It’s likely that few would guess that Agilent is the second largest vendor of PXI test products. But the sleeping giant has awoken, as Agilent is rolling out an enormous expansion of its modular instrumentation line, serving notice that it’s back in the game in a big way.
大规模发布包括46个独立的PXI和AdvancedTCA扩展，用于仪器和测试（AXIE）产品，包括数字化器，任意波形发生器，数字化范围，数字万用表和一系列切换模块（见图）。模块包括IVI-C，IVI-COM和LabVIEW软件驱动程序以及增强的I / O库。通过此启动，Agilent已采用PCI Express（PXIe）作为其模块化仪表线的标准控制器I / O接口。
安捷伦的思想的重要组成部分在磕磕碰碰er this expansion of its modular lineup was true modularity, giving users the freedom to put together the hardware and software that’s best for their applications. In terms of hardware interfaces, Agilent has standardized on USB, PCIe, and LAN/LAN-to-GPIB. On the software side, the offering includes a full complement of drivers, calibration routines, soft front panels, chassis management tools, and I/O libraries.
“我们不会强迫客户进入特定的软件环境，因为他们选择了模块，”安捷伦模块化产品操作营销经理Carla Feldman说。相反，安捷伦正在支持PXI和Axie硬件之间无缝互操作的所有流行的驱动技术。软前面板有助于系统设置和调试，以及发现硬件功能和配置。
Among the PXI products are the first modular microwave signal analyzer, the M9392A, which includes a preselector, local oscillator/reference, microwave and RF downconverters, and digitizer/digital-IF modules. This instrument, which offers connectivity to Agilent’s 89600 VSA software, performs detailed signal analysis up to 26.5 GHz. It also provides instantaneous bandwidth of 250 MHz, a figure of merit that some of Agilent’s standalone signal analyzers cannot match.
此外，PXI产品中也是一个18插槽的PXIe底盘，该行业中的第一个具有16个PXI混合插槽。M9018A底盘提供完全切换的织物功能，可以通过背板从任何其他插槽路由到任何其他插槽，从而能够有效地路由多个PCIe流量。
这一推出在采用Axie仪器标准时，也会在领导者中举行安捷伦。该标准是2009年11月形成的联盟的产品，初始规范于6月批准。基于AdvancedTCA，Axie是一种现代化的高性能和模块化计算平台，为表格带来更大的卡片形状因子。
“虽然PXIe底盘限制在30瓦/插槽，但Axie专为200岁以上的电源和冷却而设计，”Agilent的模块化产品操作规划经理Von Campbell说。
从发射的Axie侧的亮点包括一对Axie 1.0机箱。M9502a是2u高度的双槽机箱，M9595a是4u高度的五个插槽模型。双槽机箱是PCIe Gen3分析仪U4301A的跳板，Agilent调用了第一个能够在Axie 1.0机箱中工作的第一个测量模块。该仪器可实现精确的多千兆位信号捕获和协议测试，以分析更广泛的串行总线。
各个模块价格范围不到2000美元至42,000美元。底盘定价从7500美元开始。
