National Instruments Introduces Industry’s Highest-Performance VXI Embedded Controller

Nov. 18, 2008 – National Instruments (Nasdaq: NATI) has introduced the NI VXIpc-882, a two-slot VXI embedded controller featuring the Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7400. As the industry’s highest-performing VXI embedded controller, the VXIpc-882 delivers much faster processing capabilities than typical single-core controllers. Additionally, by combining the controller with the multicore support of NI LabVIEW 8.6 graphical programming software, engineers can create superior-performance VXI systems.

“We use National Instruments embedded VXI controllers in our multi-site test platform to test programmable magnetic sensors known as Hall effect sensors,” said Achim Lott, Test Engineer for Micronas, a supplier of integrated circuits and sensor systems. “With the NI VXIpc-882 controller, we can more efficiently test up to four devices in parallel. Overall, the new controller reduced our total test time by 23 percent.”

With the high-performance peripheral I/O on the VXIpc-882, engineers can create hybrid systems by connecting external instruments to the VXI system through the GPIB, Ethernet, USB or serial ports or the ExpressCard/34 slot. This makes it possible for them to build on their existing systems using the latest technologies. Additionally, engineers can gain flexibility by adding a second VXI chassis to their systems with the NI VXI-MXI-Express remote controller connected to the VXIpc-882 via the ExpressCard/34 slot.

Engineers requiring maximum performance and reliability can upgrade the VXIpc-882 controller to include a 32 GB solid-state hard drive instead of the standard rotating magnetic disk drive. When paired with the 32 GB solid-state hard drive, the controller offers increased reliability and speed when reading and writing to files and streaming data. It also provides increased durability when exposed to shock and vibration because the drive has no moving parts.

Engineers can achieve even better performance from their existing VXI systems by combining the controller with LabVIEW 8.6 graphical programming software. Using the enhanced multicore capabilities of the latest version of the software, engineers can take full advantage of the VXIpc-882 by simplifying multithreaded application development to improve performance without making major changes to existing LabVIEW code.

Readers may visit www.ni.com/vxifor more information on the VXIpc-882.

About National Instruments
National Instruments (www.ni.com) is transforming the way engineers and scientists design, prototype and deploy systems for measurement, automation and embedded applications. NI empowers customers with off-the-shelf software such as NI LabVIEW and modular cost-effective hardware, and sells to a broad base of more than 25,000 different companies worldwide, with no one customer representing more than 3 percent of revenue and no one industry representing more than 10 percent of revenue. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 5,000 employees and direct operations in more than 40 countries. For the past nine years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America. Readers can obtain investment information from the company’s investor relations department by calling (512) 683-5090, e-mailing nati@ni.com or visiting www.ni.com/nati.