The PXIe-4051 is designed for use in a system that includes other hardware components, drivers, and software.

Notice A system and the surrounding environment must meet the requirements defined in PXIe-4051 Specifications.

The following list defines the minimum required hardware and software for a system that includes a PXIe-4051.

Table 2. System Components
Component Description and Recommendations
PXI Chassis

 A PXI chassis houses the PXIe-4051 and supplies power for PXIe-4051 functions.
Note NI recommends installing the PXIe-4051 in a chassis with slot cooling capacity ≥58 W for increased module capability.
PXI Controller or PXI Remote Control Module

 You can install a PXI controller or a PXI remote control (MXI) module depending on your system requirements. These components, installed in the same PXI chassis as the PXIe-4051, interface with the instrument using NI device drivers.
Cables and Accessories

 Cables and accessories allow connectivity to/from your instrument for measurements. Refer to Cables and Accessories for recommended cables and accessories and guidance.
NI-DCPower Driver

 Instrument driver software that provides functions to interact with the PXIe-4051 and execute measurements using the PXIe-4051.
Note NI recommends using the most current version of NI-DCPower with the PXIe-4051.
NI Applications

 NI-DCPower offers driver support for the following applications:
  • InstrumentStudio
  • LabVIEW
  • LabWindows/CVI
  • C/C++
  • .NET
  • Python

Cables and Accessories

NI recommends using the following cables and accessories with your module.

Table 3. Cables and Accessories
Accessory/Cable Description Part Number
Connector Kit for PXIe-415x and PXIe-405x Output connector and backshell assembly, ships with the PXIe-4051 788197-01
PXI slot blockers — 199198-01
Note For more information on supported cables and accessories for your instrument, refer to NI SMU Cable and Accessory Compatibility.

Additional Cabling and Accessory Guidance

NI recommends installing PXI slot blockers (p/n 199198-01) to fill any empty instrument slots in a PXI chassis. For more information on installing slot blockers and filler panels, refer to ni.com/r/pxiblocker.

Programming Options

You can generate signals interactively using InstrumentStudio or you can use the NI-DCPower instrument driver to program your device in the supported ADE of your choice.

  • InstrumentStudio—When you install NI-DCPower on a 64-bit system, you can monitor, control, and record measurements from supported devices using InstrumentStudio. InstrumentStudio is a software-based soft front panel application that allows you to perform interactive measurements on several different device types in a single program.

    InstrumentStudio is automatically installed when you install the NI-DCPower driver on a 64-bit system. You can access InstrumentStudio in any of the following ways:

    • From the Windows start menu, select National Instruments » InstrumentStudio. This launches InstrumentStudio and runs a soft front panel populated with devices detected on your system.
    • From Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), select a device and then click Soft Front Panel. This launches InstrumentStudio and runs a soft front panel for the device you selected.
  • NI-DCPower Instrument Driver —The NI-DCPower API configures and operates the module hardware and performs basic acquisition and measurement functions.
    • LabVIEW—Available on the LabVIEW Functions palette at Measurement I/O » NI-DCPower. Examples are available from the Start menu in the National Instruments folder.
    • LabWindows/CVI—Available at Program Files » IVI Foundation » IVI » Drivers » NI-DCPower. LabWindows/CVI examples are available from the Start menu in the National Instruments folder.
    • C/C++—Available at Program Files » IVI Foundation » IVI. Refer to the Creating an Application with NI-DCPower in Microsoft Visual C and C++ topic of the NI DC Power Supplies and SMUs Help to manually add all required include and library files to your project. NI-DCPower does not ship with installed C/C++ examples.
    • Python—For more information about installing and using Python, refer to the NI-DCPower Python Documentation.