GPIB Resources for TestEquity Chambers

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GPIB communications is achieved through an ICS Electronics 4809 and 4899A (TE-0003 and TE-1052) GPIB-to-Modbus Interface Converter which has been specifically designed to work with the Watlow F4 and F4T controllers used on TestEquity chambers. The converter lets you send simple read-write messages over GPIB to control and query the chamber's controller. The converter does all of the Modbus RTU packet formatting and handles the response packets. The user sends commands to the converter that sets the Modbus device address, specifies the register to be read or written to and the data value. The converter converts these commands into the Modbus packet format, adds the CRC checksum and transmits the messages to the chamber's controller.

TestEquity GPIB Manuals
Addendum and programming resources for TestEquity Option 0003 and 1052 GPIB Converters

ICS GPIB Converter Manual
Download Link

LabVIEW 8.6 Drivers
Mxxx9A_VI.zip (290K) is written by ICS Electronics. A combined VI is capable of controlling the GPIB-to-Modbus converter. The other VIs are sub-vis for specific functions. For the F4 controller only, not for the F4T Touch Screen controller.

LabVIEW VI Front Panel
LabVIEW_GPIB.zip (442K) is written by ICS Electronics. Includes executable VI Front Panel examples and a Driver Library file for all VIs. For the F4 controller only, not for the F4T Touch Screen controller.

Visual Basic Programming
ICS has a Temperature Control example program written in Visual Basic for its GPIB-to-Modbus Interface. Application Bulletin AB48-25d (pdf, 441K) describes how to use the program and how to adapt the program to a final application or to other GPIB Controller cards. The Application Bulletin includes a description of a Visual Basic example program that controls process temperatures with the temperature controller. The program runs on any GPIB Controller Card that uses the NI488.2 Command set. File TempCtlr.zip (75K) contains the Visual Basic source and executable files. For the F4 controller only, not for the F4T Touch Screen controller.

GPIB Keyboard Program
ICS's GPIB Enhanced Keyboard is the easiest way to control GPIB devices without writing a program. The GPIBkybd program is an interactive program that automatically finds your GPIB devices at startup and lets you send commands and queries to a device. The program automatically reads device responses and includes buttons for executing the more popular 488.1 and 488.2 commands. Works with ICS, Keithley, Measurement Computing and National Instruments' GPIB Controller cards. Requires that a GPIB-32.dll file be installed on the computer.

ICSconfig.zip is a zip file with a utility program for configuring ICS's GPIB Interface Products. ICSconfig replaces the olderr Niconfig_w program. ICSconfig is a menu driven program that walks the user through the setup procedure for setting the most common configuration parameters on ICS's GPIB Interfaces. Works with ICS, Keithley, Measurement Computing and National Instruments' GPIB Controller cards.

VISA Keyboard Program
ICS's VISA Keyboard provides interactive control of GPIB or LAN (TCP/IP) Instruments through a Keysight or NI VISA Library. The VISAkybd program lets you connect to a device or instrument by its IP address, by its GPIB address or as a VISA Resource. Once linked you can send commands and queries to a device. The program automatically reads device responses and includes buttons for executing the more popular 488.1 and 488.2 commands. Works with Keysight VISA and NI VISA version 2.6 or later. GPIB communiction rquires that a compatible GPIB Controller be installed on the computer.

VISAkybd.zip is a zip file with ICS's VISA Keyboard Controller program. Requires Visual Studio 6 or Microsoft's VB6_Runtime_Files.

NOTE: The examples shown in documentation from ICS are for illustration purposes only. They may not represent the correct setup or configuration for TestEquity chambers. Sample programs from ICS may change critical setup parameters, resulting in improper chamber operation. They are provided as a guideline for how to write your own programs only. Correct setup parameters are documented in the TestEquity chamber manuals.

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