NI SMU Cable and Accessory Compatibility

It is important to work through this guide sequentially to identify and then pair up your SMU with compatible cables and accessories. To do this, complete the following steps:

1. Identify your SMU model according to the instructions in Identifying Your SMU Model.
2. Find your SMU model in the Device List.
3. Find your SMU model in Cable and Accessory Compatibility.
4. Find your cable or accessory in Cable and Accessory Details for more information.
5. Check the Known Limitations and Issues List for any known limitations you may encounter.

Note: Using the page search functionality in your browser to locate your SMU model may speed up this process (<Ctrl-F> on Windows or <⌘-F> on macOS).

This guide covers a broad range of configurations; but, it is not intended to cover every potential combination or use case. The most common and recommended solutions are presented. Configurations with known limitations are noted.

This guide is intended to cover current, legacy, and recently obsoleted NI SMUs and their cable and accessory options. It does not cover long-time end of life (EOL) NI SMUs or EOL cable or accessory options. The guide is not intended to cover cable or accessory options for other NI products, such as CompactRIO, C Series, DAQ Multifunction I/O, Digital Waveform Instruments (formerly HSDIO), Switches, RF, or R Series.

Some cables or accessories from other NI products may share the same connector or visually appear the same, but typically come with limitations, incompatibilities, or safety concerns. For these reasons, using NI SMUs with NI cables and accessories that are not included in this guide as compatible with your SMU model is not recommended.

To start, your SMU model number can be found on the hardware or in software. If your SMU is already installed, you may find it easier to locate the model number in software.

Locating the Model Number on the Hardware

• PXI and PXI Express (PXIe) modules: Model numbers are typically found at the top of the faceplate, or front panel, of the SMU. Click here for an example. 

Locating the Model Number in Software

If you've already installed Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), the NI-DCPower driver, and your SMU, complete the following steps:

1. Open MAX.
2. Select My System»Devices and Interfaces.
3. PXI and PXI Express (PXIe) modules: Click the chassis that your SMU is installed in to expand the list of devices installed in the chassis. Modules are listed as “NI PXI-“ or “NI PXIe-“ followed by the model number.

Use the following table to locate your SMU model. Then, note the connector type, pin count, and any other notes for reference. Next, continue to Cable and Accessory Compatibility.

Find your SMU model in the table below to see the compatible accessories. For more details about each accessory, refer to Cable and Accessory Details below. If you have questions about terminology, refer to the Glossary. After you have identified the cable and accessory options for your SMU from this section, continue to the Known Limitations and Issues List.

*Triaxial cables are compatible with the PXIe-4138/4139 if using the SA-413T adapter.

Find the cable or accessory model name below to see its description and part number. Select the part number link to view the cable or accessory’s shop page and user manual. Then, continue to the Known Limitations and Issues List.  

This section is important to review because not every cable and accessory combination allows access to the full functionality of your NI SMU. This list contains notes about known limitations when using certain combinations of cables and accessories. If your SMU or cable/accessory is not listed in this section, there are no known exceptions for it.

SMUs:

Cables and Accessories:

• D-Sub (DSUB) – Industry-standard, D-shaped connector that is used on 25-pin and 62-pin SMU cable and accessory connections. Click here for an example.
• COMBICON – General-purpose connector used on various NI SMUs.
• Triaxial Cable – Industry-standard cable for low current measurements that uses a guard signal between HI and LO to remove the effects of leakage currents and parasitic capacitances.
• Safety Interlock – Auxiliary connection that must be closed for the SMU to output >40 V DC.

When purchasing an NI SMU, for ease of use, the cables and accessories are listed on the product selection page.  To begin browsing NI SMUs, visit ni.com/smu.

• PXI Source Measure Units Product Flyer   
• NI Product Manuals, Product Specifications, Installation Guides, and more  
• TriaxM-TriaxM Specifications
• Safety Interlock Cable Assembly Kit Installation Guide and Specifications
• SHDB62M-DB62M-LL Specifications
• SHDB62M-BW-LL Specifications
• SA-413B Specifications
• SA-413T Installation Guide and Specifications