control my relay via GPIB

[lutfi]

Hi,

I want to make some measurements of power mosfet under dc stress. I want to perform all measurements automatically. I want to have ability to change the mosfets connections using relays which are controlled by remote PC. Which means.

First I will connect mosfet to DC power supply (it has HPIB port) by connecting it via remote PC. And DC stress on mosfet.

Second change the connection of mosfet to LCR meter and make and record the measurements on PC via HPIB.

Switching Mosfet connections from DC PSU to LCR metre will be done by remote PC controlled relays.

Anyone who can show me a way?

thanks. 

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

You are going at this backwards.

Figure out how to do what you want to do even if you weren't automating the test since you will be using the same instruments.

All instruments can be controlled from the front panel.

Once you have a manual test, you can automate it.

[lutfi]

Let me give some more details about what I want to do. 

I have one mosfet, I will analyze its change on capacitances (Cgate-source, Cgate-drain) under dc stress.

I have one power supply and one LCRmeter (both have HPIB ports). I can read output current from power supply.

Since this is a long term test I want to do it by Lab view, or some other tool run on PC. And also I want to use a relay circuitry to change the mosfet connections. My flow will be as follows:

1- Mesaure Cgate-source capacitance; for this adjust relay connections as accordingly.

2- Measure Cgate-drain capacitance; for this adjust relay connection position.

3- Apply DC stress on Mosfet; for this adjust relay connections and apply 5 minutes 60V dc from gate of mosfet.

Repeat the above steps for 12 hours. 

So as you see it is not easy to do this manually. Therefore I want to use a program run on PC, which can drive the relay circuitry (to change the connections) and drive my power supply and LCR meter. 

Any suggestions how can I do this?

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

It's doesn't matter how long the test takes.

If you are not able to set up your test fixture and test equipment to be able to run the test the way you want in a manual process, you won't be able to automate it.

[lutfi]

I want to do the manual connections by relay circuit. I will write flow on lab view, change relay connections to lcr meter, do capacitance measurements, change relay connections to psu, do dc stress, change relay con. to lcr meter, do cap. measrement. etc.

[lutfi]

I want to do the manual connections by relay circuit. I will write flow on lab view, change relay connections to lcr meter, do capacitance measurements, change relay connections to psu, do dc stress, change relay con. to lcr meter, do cap. measrement. etc.

I want to control relay circuit, by lab view during my flow. Can I do that?

[crossrulz]

As long as you have LabVIEW drivers for all of your equipement, I don't see why is would be difficult.  A good state machine is all you really need.

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

I still maintain you are going at this backwards.

Put together your test set-up. Have you even done that yet?

You are so fixated on LabVIEW, that I doubt you are able to get your equipment to do anything

probably because you don't even have them hooked up in the proper way to be able to do what you want.

NI provides applets that lets you control whatever NI equipment you have. This is the least of your problems.

You should be able to manually get your test set-up to make one set of measurement. No LabVIEW required.

[lutfi]

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@crossrulz wrote:

As long as you have LabVIEW drivers for all of your equipement, I don't see why is would be difficult.  A good state machine is all you really need.

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I don't have driver or something else to control my relay. I don't know how can I do this? I am asking your suggestions.

[lutfi]

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@nyc_(is_out_of_here) wrote:

I still maintain you are going at this backwards.

Put together your test set-up. Have you even done that yet?

You are so fixated on LabVIEW, that I doubt you are able to get your equipment to do anything

probably because you don't even have them hooked up in the proper way to be able to do what you want.

NI provides applets that lets you control whatever NI equipment you have. This is the least of your problems.

You should be able to manually get your test set-up to make one set of measurement. No LabVIEW required.

---

I did not start to do anything. I am just thinking how can I handle this. I have the equipments only at the moment. I don't insist on Labview, any remote control application welcomes. 

As far as I calculated one set of measurement will take 12 hours. (stress, measure, stress, measure, ...) Therefore I can't do the measurements manually. So here is my questions.

1. How can I control a relay circuit through a SW running on PC?

2. How can I merge HPIB equipment control SW (labview or HPVee, etc) and relay control SW together?