NI Switch Mating Connectors for Custom Solutions or Cables

This guide is intended to cover connectors and backshells designed for use with NI Switch devices. It does not explicitly cover other NI product families such as DAQ, HSDIO, C Series, or reconfigurable I/O (formerly R Series), although some models may use similar or the same parts. It also does not cover legacy or End of Life (EOL) parts or products.

• To determine compatibility of your terminal or connector block accessory with your NI Switch device or module, or your NI Switch cable, visit the NI Switch Cable and Accessory Compatibility Guide.
• To repair or replace a relay on your NI Switch see the NI Switch Replacement Relays Guide.
• For assistance getting started connecting signals to your NI Switch see How to Connect Signals to an NI Switch.

The table below contains a list of the connectors referenced that are found on the most popular NI Switch products. This is not intended to be a complete nor comprehensive list of all NI Switch products. Similar cables and connectors may be used with other NI products, and are not included here.  Refer to the Glossary for any questions regarding connector terminology. .

See the table below or the product manual for your product for more information on what connector is featured on your device. Additionally, NI Dimensional Drawings contain drawings for many connectors and the devices, modules, cables and accessories they are used on.

Caution: You must install mating connectors according to local safety codes and standards and according to the specifications provided by the manufacturer. You are responsible for verifying the safety compliance of third-party connectors and their usage according to the relevant standard(s), including UL and CSA in North America and IEC and VDE in Europe.

Note:

• In the following table connector pins are referred to as position formally, but may also be referred to as 8-pin, 37-pin, 62-pin, 68-pin, 78-pin, 96-pin, 100-pin, 160-pin, and 200-pin.
• When using board mount connectors with NI cables, NI recommends mounting the connector to a panel, enclosure, or similar mechanical support to ensure proper strain relief.

¹The Connector Kit for the 160-Pin DIN SwitchBlock includes a grounding bar to use when working with SwitchBlock modules. If using the Connector Kit with the 273x or 252x PXI modules the grounding bar does not need to be used.
² To create a custom cable for the NI 2512 or 2514 both the Connector Housing and Cable Crimp must be used. If you are in need of a custom cable for the NI 2512 or 2514 NI recommends evaluating to see if the DB8F-Bare Wire cable meets your needs prior to building a new cable.   

Use the table below to find the pin to channel mapping for your switch model. Some switch models have multiple topologies and will have different pinouts. For those models, select the link and find your corresponding topology to get to the correct pin diagram.

For more information on any of the listed NI orderable parts, please visit http://www.ni.com/contact-us/ to contact an NI representative. NI orderable parts listed in this guide without a product page can still be purchased by contacting NI.

For parts with a manufacturer part number, please contact the manufacturer or their vendors for further information about the product and purchasing.  Manufacturer part numbers represent functionally equivalent replacements that are currently available from the specified manufacturer. This may differ from the part found on your device, module, cable or accessory as NI continuously revises and improves their products.

Some parts are custom made for NI or are common parts in industry, and do not have orderable part numbers. Please use the specifications provided to find an appropriate part.

• Backshell - Surrounds the male or female cable connector to protect the cable connections and to provide cable strain relief. Click here for an example.
• Cable Connector - Found on the end of the cable, may connect to a device, another cable, or an accessory through a mating connector. Click here for an example.
• DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung) Connector-  Industry standard connector that is used on 100-pin and 160-pin Switches cable and accessory connections.
• D-Sub (DSUB) - Industry standard D-shaped connector that is used on 8-pin, 37-pin, 62-pin, 78-pin  Switches cable and accessory connections. Click here for an example.
• Dual Stack - Two combined connectors stacked onto each other on a PCB-mount connector. Each connector accepts its own cable. Click here for an example.
• Insulation Displacement Connector (IDC) - Also known as insulation-piercing contact (IPC). A type of cable connector that allows multiple conductor connections to a connector without soldering. Click here for an example.
• LFH- Industry standard Low-Force Helix connector that is used on 160-pin and 200-pin Switches cable and accessory connections. Click here for an example.
• PCB-Mount Connector - Also known as board-mount connector. Found on printed circuit boards (PCB), printed wiring boards (PWB) and other custom interface boards, normally soldered on. Typically a cable connector plugs into the PCB-mount connector to provide connection to an accessory or other device. Click here for an example.
• Ribbon Cable - A low-cost unshielded cable solution. Click here for an example.
• SCSI 0.050 D-Type -  Industry standard SCSI connector standard featuring 0.050 pin spacing that is used in 68-pin Switches cable and accessory connections. Click here for an example.
• Single Stack - A single connector end per cable or PCB-Mount interconnect. Click here for an example.
• Solder-Cup Connector - Opposite of the mating surface, wires are attached to the connector by soldering individual wires into cups. Click here for an example.
• Very-High-Density Cable Interconnect (VHDCI) - An improvement on the SCSI 68-pin connector featuring .8 mm pin spacing, allowing a smaller footprint and fewer bent pins during connection. Click here for an example.

• Learn about the compatibility of NI Switch devices and modules with NI Switch cables and accessories.
• Find the parts needed to replace a relay on NI Switch hardware
• Get started connecting signals to an NI Switch
• Dimensional Drawings: Switches
• Product Manuals, Specifications and More for NI Switch Products
• Find the parts needed to make a custom cable, breakout fixture, or replace connectors and screws with NI DAQ hardware.
• Find the parts needed to make a custom cable, breakout fixture, or replace connectors and screws with NI Digital Instrument hardware.
• Learn about cable and accessory compatibility for NI DAQ devices.
• Learn about cable and accessory compatibility for NI Digital Instruments.
• Learn about cable and accessory compatibility for C Series (cDAQ or cRIO) Modules.