NI and Astronics collaborate on aerospace and defense test systems

“We are focused on providing the latest technology to our customers. This move from VXI to PXI will retain the investments made in test program sets (TPSs) while providing a seamless upgrade path for our popular legacy instruments,” said Jim Mulato, president of Astronics Test Systems Inc. “The ability to collaborate with NI, a leader in PXI, will be a tremendous boost to the long-term sustainability of DoD test systems as we narrow the gap between commercial and military products.” The first product to be delivered as a result of the collaboration is the Astronics Frequency Time Interval Counter (FTIC) for PXI Express, modeled after the Astronics VXIbus 200 MHz Universal Counter. Designed for full TPS compatibility, the instrument can replace existing VXI-based FTICs and deliver the same capability in a newer PXI-based subsystem. This upgrade was achieved by using the analog circuitry, firmware and driver software in the existing VXI module. “As creator of the PXI platform, and as a long-term technology supplier to the aerospace and defense ATE community, we are excited to see Astronics Test Systems VXI technology making its way into PXI,” said Eric Starkloff, executive vice president of sales and marketing at NI. “This collaboration to make available products that support legacy capability along with our continuing investment in software-designed and synthetic instruments will significantly extend the life of current test programs.”