Calibration Executive incorrect error behavior

[RMThebert]

I have Calibration Executive 3.2.2.   When calibrating the PXI-4065, the test proceeds nicely until the 87% on the AC Voltage test.  The test asks for the Fluke 5500A or 5520A (I have both) to output 200VAC at 10Hz.  The Flukes both reply that the request is out of range.  The Calibration Executive reports an error in communications has occured and terminates.  If retry mode is on it still only terminates.  This is incorrect error handling behavior.

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The correct error handling is to flag in the beginning of the calibration that the identified calibrator Fluke 5520A cannot accomplish all tests specified, and then to offer the option to mark the unsupported test steps and skipped and proceed or to choose another calibrator.  The overall calibration can still be a fail.  This would allow us to use the off-the-shelf Calibration Executive because we can make a comment in our calibration records that indicates that we don't use 200VAC 10Hz measurement mode anyway, so calibration without that step is acceptable.

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The other KnowledgeBase entries indicate that I can with a full version of TestStand edit the tests.  Each step of the sequence is written as a single passowrd protected LabVIEW VI.  The error and termination behavior are from inside the PXI-4065-ACVoltage.vi and not passing the error out in TestStand does not stop the termination.  Turning off stop on first failure in TestStand also does not prevent the termination.  The entire AC Voltage calibration seems to be hardcoded into the associate LabVIEW VI, and that VI has its diagram locked so I cannot get inside to correct the behavior.

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Is this corrected in 3.3.3?

[memoryleak]

Someone with expertise in this area will have to answer this question, however in the meantime I've noted that both the mentioned calibrators are spec'ed to work at that range.

http://us.fluke.com/usen/Products/5500A.htm   (Specifications tab)

http://us.fluke.com/usen/Products/5520A.htm   (Specifications tab)

It would seem rather silly for us to specify a calibrator that isn't capable of producing the outputs necessary, so I suspect something more interesting is going on.

Do the calibrators return a specific error number, or just a text string?

Message Edited by memoryleak on 07-23-2009 05:57 PM

[RMThebert]

The detailed Fluke 55xxA specifications say that the AC voltage source only goes down to 45Hz above 32V.

http://assets.fluke.com/manuals/5500a___omeng1100.pdf

Thank you for your interest in this topic.

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I hope that these discussion items are used by NI to create the Calibration Executive version 4.

[Mark_E]

Hi CalLab,

This was reported to R&D (#104754) for further investigation. The NI 4065 Calibration manual is always the definitive source for the procedures that should be taken during a calibration. In it, there's a section labeled "Test Equipment" that indicates that the supported are the Fluke 5700A/5720A.

 

We apologize for the inconvenience of seeing other choices within Cal Exec. Thanks for the feedback!