Digital Multimeters (DMMs)

A digital multimeter, or DMM, is an electronic test instrument used to measure a variety of electrical properties, including voltage, current, capacitance, and resistance. DMMs display measurements on a screen, allowing for more precise readings than analog instruments that use gauges. Advanced DMMs may include additional capabilities, including continuity testing, diode testing, and an isolated digitizer mode.

Digital multimeters are commonly used to measure the electrical properties of automotive systems, aircraft electronics, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and consumer electronics. DMMs are used throughout the product lifecycle, including design, verification, validation, and maintenance.

A PXI DMM is a modular digital multimeter purpose-built for automated test systems using the PXI platform. It combines metrology-class measurement performance with the speed and flexibility required in modern test environments. PXI DMMs deliver exceptional accuracy and resolution, with options offering up to 26-bit resolution, DC voltage sensitivity down to 10 nV, and current sensitivity as low as 1 pA, making them well-suited for precision measurements across R&D, validation, and production. In addition to precision, PXI DMMs support sample rates up to 1.8 MS/s, which is up to 36 times faster than traditional benchtop DMMs. This higher speed enables analysis of transient waveforms, debugging of intermittent issues, and measurement of signals including high‑voltage waveforms up to 1,000 V.

Regardless of form factor, NI digital multimeters deliver precision, advanced measurement functionality, and a software-defined architecture to customize tests and scale systems. They integrate with NI software such as LabVIEW and InstrumentStudio to build custom measurement solutions.