Data logging with R&S NGE102B bench power supply - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: TheresNoPlaceLikeOhm
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 14, 2019, 03:28:05 pm
content: Hi all,I recently acquired a R&S NGE102B power supply (https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/lt/product/nge100b-productstartpage_63493-576967.html#m/ao10:0:0). This is my first "real" piece of gear - up until now I've contented myself with hobbyist-level equipment.It has a USB connection (I haven't opted for the additional expense of LAN or wifi connectivity). This will be my first foray into interfacing bench gear with a computer.My question is this - is it possible to log the unit's current output over time using a Windows PC? I don't need remote control / programming or anything like that. Real-time graphing would be a big plus, but even just a big CSV dump into Excel would be great. I have done a whole lot of Googling and have encountered things like LabVIEW, Sigrok, and the like - I'm not really sure where to start.I considered setting up an Arduino to do the logging, but I'd need shunt resistors, an amplifier, and a better ADC, which seems a bit fiddly if there is a way to do it directly via the power supply.Can any of you fine EEVBlog folks point me in the right direction?Many thanks!

author: gslick
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2019, 05:49:26 pm
content: One possibility would be to install a VISA library to connect to the power supply in USB TMC mode, and write some simple code to use SCPI commands to query the the current and voltage values and log the values to a CSV file. Maybe using Python and PyVISA to interface to the VISA library.https://scdn.rohde-schwarz.com/ur/pws/dl_downloads/dl_common_library/dl_manuals/gb_sg/nge100b/NGE100B_User_Manual_en_04_Web.pdf6.5.10 Measurement CommandsMEASure[:SCALar]:CURRent[:DC]?This command queries the measured current value of the previous selected channel.MEASure[:SCALar]:POWer?This command queries the measured power value of the previous selected channel.MEASure[:SCALar][:VOLTage][:DC]?This command queries the measured voltage value of the previous selected channel.https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/lt/applications/r-s-visa-application-note_56280-148812.htmlR&S®VISA is a standardized software library that allows fast communications over diverse interfaces with a wide variety of T&M instruments that are detected on the network from PC applications.https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/us/driver-pages/remote-control/drivers-remote-control_110753.htmlhttps://www.rohde-schwarz.com/us/driver-pages/remote-control/3-visa-and-tools_231388.htmlhttps://www.rohde-schwarz.com/us/driver-pages/remote-control/why-visa-_231254.html4. VISA in Programming LanguagesThere are many programming languages offering the possibility to remotely control Test & Measurement instruments.In this guide, we focus on:Python in R&S ForumPython in PyCharmMATLAB®C# in Visual Studio Development EnvironmentLabVIEW™ANSI-C in LabWindows/CVI™If you don't want to do any programming yourself, maybe someone else knows of existing software that will do the the logging and possibly graphing that you want.

author: TheresNoPlaceLikeOhm
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 17, 2019, 09:38:12 am
content: Thank you for the reply gslick. Assuming I can do the code (which is in doubt, I'm a bit of a noob but am willing to learn), how would I actually interface with the PSU? Does something like MATLAB have an option to talk to external devices?edit: some Googling has told me that yes, MATLAB can do this.Anyone out there had experience with something like this I might learn from?

author: luzotug
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 01:17:11 pm
content: Surprisingly NGE102B/103B doesn't do data logging to USB flash drive, the front USB port is used only for screenshot and firmware update.SCPI commands is indeed the only way to get data out.