5.1. Introduction

There is a variety of methods and interfaces that can be used to program the XR Series MagnaDC power supply from a computer or programmable logic controller. Standard Commands for Programmable Instrumentation (SCPI) are provided for basic ASCII interfacing without any necessary drivers. For more advanced programming requirements, an IVI-COM driver is also provided.

XR Series MagnaDC power supply purchased with optional LXI TCP/IP Ethernet (+LXI) or IEEE-488 GPIB (+GPIB) interfaces have additional commands and programming instructions.

5.1.1. IVI-COM Driver

An IVI-COM driver is included on the provided USB stick and is available for download from the Magna-Power website. The driver allows the MagnaDC power supply to communicate through many different programming languages and software environments, namely: Visual Studio, Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual Basic .NET, LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, and MATLAB.

The driver handles the low-level bus protocols, simplifying automation development. It supports TCP/IP, GPIB, and RS232 using standard VISA resource descriptors. For additional documentation and details on using the IVI-COM driver, refer to the driver’s included help file (MPEIVI.chm).

5.1.2. Communications Validation

It is important to establish and validate basic communications functions before starting a sophisticated computer interface project. The following instructions are intended to help customers isolate problems with computer settings, wiring, and electrical noise. The validation instructions also provide a common environment for which Magna-Power can reproduce issues in support cases and better serve the customer.

If not already installed, Magna-Power Electronics recommends using the terminal emulation programs called PuTTY for creating serial connections.

These instructions will validate communications over RS232, but the process can be completed over any interface by adjusting the connection settings. To test, make a physical connection between the RS232 connector on the MagnaDC power supply and the RS232 connector on the computer. Pin outs for these connectors are described in RS232.

Open Device Manager and under ports make note of the COM port number, as shown in Fig. 5.1.

Fig. 5.1 Windows Device Manager

Open PuTTY and select the Session menu. Enter the COM port that was found in Device Manger and enter 19200 for the Speed. Set the Connection type to Serial, as shown in Fig. 5.2.

Fig. 5.2 PuTTY Session Settings

Select the Terminal menu and set Force on for all options. Press the Open button to start the communications session with the MagnaDC power supply, as shown in Fig. 5.3.

Fig. 5.3 PuTTY Terminal Settings

Session should open a new blank window. Type the command:

*IDN?

If settings match and wiring connections are correct, the session window should look like Fig. 5.4.

Fig. 5.4 PuTTY Terminal Session Output