The VXI bus-an open standard for modulator instrumentation

Testing is an indispensable element in the production and operation of virtually all electronic assemblies and systems. The author discusses the problems of interconnecting test instruments and the subsequent development of the general purpose interface bus. The problems with this bus are discussed followed by a brief mention of the research into developing a common interface standard for modular instrumentation. Known as the VXI bus, the first version was published in 1987, the first products appeared in 1988 and it has now been adopted for standardisation by the IEEE. The author describes the bus and its construction. Compatibility with the general purpose interface bus and future prospects are also discussed