NI PXI-1036 6-Slot, Universal AC PXI Chassis

The NI PXI-1036 is a 6-slot universal AC chassis designed to host 3U PXI and CompactPCI (PICMG 2.0 R3.0) modules for test, measurement, data acquisition, and control applications. The chassis delivers up to 132 MB/s system bandwidth with a dedicated star trigger slot providing equal-length trigger lines to peripheral slots and a 10 MHz system clock distributed independently to each slot with sub-250 ps skew. Universal AC input (100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz) powers the 300 W supply, while temperature-controlled fan speed maintains 30 W per-slot cooling capacity at noise levels as low as 41 dBA.

– Technical Specifications

• Slots: 6 (3U PXI/CompactPCI compatible)
• System Bandwidth: Up to 132 MB/s
• System Controller Slot: Slot 1 (PXI specification)
• Star Trigger Slot: Slot 2 with dedicated equal-length trigger distribution to slots 3–6
• System Clock: PXI 10 MHz (PXI_CLK10) with <250 ps skew between slots
• External Clock Input: PXI_CLK10_IN on P2 connector with manual enable/disable switch
• Trigger Architecture: Eight shared PXI trigger lines across all slots for inter-module synchronization
• Power Supply: 300 W total output, universal AC input 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz
• Input Current: 4–2 A
• Cooling: 30 W per slot, temperature-controlled fan (AUTO/HIGH)
• Acoustic Noise: As low as 41 dBA
• Dimensions: 6.97 × 10.12 × 8.38 inches (H × D × W)
• Weight: 11 lbs
• Mounting: Rack-mountable

– Key Features

• Interoperable with 5V and universal PXI-compatible products plus standard CompactPCI products
• Independent system clock distribution minimizes timing skew across slots
• Manual external clock selection enables custom synchronization schemes
• Thermal management scales fan speed based on air-intake temperature
• Compact footprint supports portable and fixed-installation deployments

– Typical Applications

• Multi-module test and measurement systems requiring synchronized triggering
• Real-time data acquisition with deterministic inter-slot communication
• Control systems demanding precise clock distribution and trigger coordination

– Compatibility & Integration

The chassis accepts all 3U PXI and CompactPCI modules. Slot 1 serves as the system controller location per PXI specification. Slot 2 provides dedicated star trigger resources but operates as a standard peripheral slot when advanced trigger functionality is not required. Clock and trigger outputs on the backplane enable external synchronization of chassis-resident modules with external instrumentation.