SCPI programmable analogue Voltage output

[genericpurpleturtle]

Hi guys, I'm building some a automated test station to test products before they get shipped. I'm writing the software part of it in python and interfacing the software with various power supplies and mutlimeters using SCPI commands being sent over PyVisa using the NI-Visa library.

I'm now looking for some sort of analogue voltage output PLC which can output analogue signal voltages up to 5V that I can connect to over usb to a laptop and send it commands from python. I tried looking at some National instruments product (and as far as I could work out from their cryptic support documents they're only designed to be used with LABview and dont mention anything nothing about SCPI commands, so I'm unsure they'll work.

Can anyone recommend a product range or anything that fits the bill? A voltage measuring one one with multiple channels would be useful, but if needs be I can make do with multimeters.

Thanks guys!

[MosherIV]

Hi

No body does bare bones, home brew end of line production tests any more.

NI have almost exclusively taken oner the market for EOL test.
Labview (the NI software frame work) actually has support for competitors equipment, ie Bench DMMs, PSU etc.

From what you are descirbing, any DAC card or controllable PSU from NI will work.

Hope that helps

[Gribo]

There are power supplies with USB interface, and usually they also support SCPI commands. What are your exact requirements? Current source/sink? Accuracy? Response time? There are also cheaper alternatives to NI DAQs, which can also be used with Python/VISA.

[H.O]

How many channels do you need?
Perhaps something like a 34970A with one (or more) 34907A plugins is somehthing to look into. The 34907A plugin provides two +/-12V outputs. The docs says the module is earth referenced so look carefully at that in case you need isolated/floating outputs.

[Thomas]

Arbitrary Waveform Generators usually have a DC mode.
I think my Rigol DG1022 does ±10V into hi-z with 1mV resolution.

[ebclr]

https://labjack.com/

[pwlps]

https://www.mccdaq.com/data-acquisition/analog-output

Python is supported via a wrapper around their Universal Library API.

NB. PyVisa via USB can only work with instruments implementing the USBTMC device class, this is usually the case for laboratory-grade equipment from major brands like NI, Keysight etc. but not in cheap dongles such as labjack or M&C. That said I have been using quite a lot of M&C stuff and I'm quite happy with their software, this is not SCPI but the library is well documented and easy to use.

[voltsandjolts]

a power supply