Pickering shows Industry-standard modular switching/simulation tools

Pickering Interfaces will showcase its range of industry-standard modular PXI/PXIe and LXI signal switching and simulation products for electronic test and verification — including a new single-slot PXIe embedded controller and the recently released updated version of its Microwave Switch Design Tool at Electronica.

“Our modular switching and simulation products are based on familiar open industry standards that ensure long-term availability, shorten development time, and ultimately speed time-to-market,” said Steve Edwards, Switching Product Manager at Pickering. “With expert-level knowledge in architecting switching and simulation systems, we help our customers achieve their test objectives efficiently and deliver products with intuitive tools to enhance development teams’ design efforts and productivity. The result is scalable COTS test systems that can be optimized to meet their needs today and in the future.”

Pickering will launch its next generation Xeon PXIe embedded controller at the show — the most compact and powerful 3U one-slot embedded controller available for the PXI Express platform. Powered by an 11th generation Intel Xeon processor, combined with 64 GB DDR4 memory, and with up to 28 GB/s system throughput, the controller will easily support high bandwidth test and measurement applications with future-ready PCIe Gen4 and 10GBASE-T interconnectivity.

The company will also showcase the latest version of its Microwave Switch Design Tool (MSDT) – a free online tool for configuring PXI and LXI RF and microwave switching subsystems with just a few clicks — which was recently updated to add schematic design and simulation capabilities. The latest iteration of this web-based tool accelerates the design to production process — from block diagram to mechanical layout — minimizing risk by enabling engineers to design custom RF switching subsystems with an immediate visual indication of electrical performance.

Also on show will be a prototype of a new 12-slot LXI/USB chassis, scheduled for release in early 2025. With 12 slots in a 2U form factor, engineers can fit up to 24 PXI or PXIe switching, simulation and instrumentation modules in a 4U rack, providing a distinct advantage over traditional PXI chassis. Additionally, the chassis includes a removable embedded controller and power supply. Its USB-compatible and LXI-compliant interfaces facilitate direct control through standard interfaces available on most PCs, providing a cost-effective entry point into modular test and measurement applications.