PXIe (PCI Express eXtensions for Instrumentation)
What does PXIe mean?
PXIe (PCI Express eXtensions for Instrumentation) is a modern standard for modular measurement, test and automation systems based on PCI Express technology from the PC world.
It is used wherever many signals need to be acquired, generated or switched quickly, reliably and synchronously – for example in development, in the lab or in automated test systems in production.
A PXIe system typically consists of a chassis with multiple slots, a controller (embedded controller or external PC with PXIe interface) and various pluggable PXIe modules. These modules can include measurement cards, function and arbitrary waveform generators, switching and matrix cards, digital I/O modules, as well as RF and high-voltage cards. All modules are connected to the controller via the PCIe backplane integrated in the chassis, providing high bandwidth and low latency.
A key feature of PXIe is the integrated timing and trigger infrastructure. The system provides clock and trigger signals that allow multiple modules to be synchronized precisely in time. This enables accurate multi-channel measurements, which is essential in many test and measurement applications.
Compared to the classic PXI standard, PXIe offers higher data rates and more performance because it is fully based on PCI Express. Many PXIe chassis are backward compatible and support both PXI and PXIe modules. This allows existing measurement systems to be modernized step by step and expanded with high-performance PXIe hardware.
Typical application areas of PXIe include functional testing of electronic assemblies and devices, automated test systems in development and production, high-speed data acquisition of sensor signals, RF and radio measurements (e.g. radar or communication technology), as well as control and simulation tasks in hardware-in-the-loop environments. Thanks to its modularity, scalability and PC-based architecture, PXIe has established itself as a flexible platform for professional measurement and test technology.