Ametek TW Series Owner's manual

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TrueWave
AC Power Source
TW SERIES
SCPI Programming Manual
March 2011 Document No. M161469-02 Rev D
Via Acquanera, 29 22100 Como
tel. 031.526.566 (r.a.) fax 031.507.984
[e-mail] www.calpower.it

Elgar TrueWave i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1 SCPI CONFORMANCE INFORMATION
1.1 Parameter Definitions.......................................................................................1-1
1.2 Units .................................................................................................................1-1
1.3 Conventions......................................................................................................1-1
1.4 Queries.............................................................................................................1-1
SECTION 2 POWER-ON AND RESET CONDITIONS
2.1 Factory Defaults ...............................................................................................2-1
2.2 Power-On Conditions .......................................................................................2-1
2.3 Reset Conditions..............................................................................................2-2
SECTION 3 SCPI COMMANDS
3.1 Measure Commands.........................................................................................3-1
3.2 Miscellaneous Commands................................................................................3-2
3.3 Source Commands...........................................................................................3-2
3.4 Status Commands ............................................................................................3-7
3.5 System Commands...........................................................................................3-8
3.6 Common Commands......................................................................................3-11
APPENDIX A STATUS REGISTER DEFINITIONS
A.1 Status Byte...................................................................................................... A-1
A.2 Standard Event Status Register...................................................................... A-2
A.3 Operation Status/Questionable Status Registers........................................... A-3
A.4 Error/Event Queue ......................................................................................... A-3
A.5 Serial Poll Operation ....................................................................................... A-3
APPENDIX B ERROR CODES
B.1 Error Codes Returned by SYSTem:ERRor? Query......................................... B-1
B.2 SCPI Error Codes............................................................................................ B-1
B.3 Device–Specific Error Codes........................................................................... B-2

SCPI Programming
Elgar TrueWave
ii
APPENDIX C SAMPLE PROGRAMS
C.1 Introduction......................................................................................................C-1
C.2 Source AC from Power Up...............................................................................C-1
C.2 Source DC from Power Up...............................................................................C-1
C.3 Source ACDC from Power Up..........................................................................C-1
C.4 Perform AC Disturbance ..................................................................................C-1
C.5 Perform AC Disturbance with Ext Trigger ........................................................C-2
C.6 Turn Off Front Panel Programmability .............................................................C-2
C.7 Password Operations.......................................................................................C-2
C.8 Provide Zero Crossing Pulses from Phase A...................................................C-2
C.9 Master/Slave Operation ...................................................................................C-2

Elgar TrueWave 1-1
SECTION 1SCPI CONFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Elgar TW Series conforms to all specifications for devices as defined in IEEE
488.2, and complies with SCPI command syntax version 1995.0.
1.1 PARAMETER DEFINITIONS
Type Valid arguments
<boolean> ON, OFF, 0, or 1
<value> Integer or Floating point number
<name> String enclosed by single or double quotes
1.2 UNITS
The TW Series accepts the following units as suffixes to numeric values:
Type of Unit Valid suffix
Voltage “Volts” or “V”
Current “Amps” or “A”
Frequency “Hz”
Time “ms” (milliseconds), “s” (seconds), or
“min” (minutes).
1.3 CONVENTIONS
Commands enclosed by “[ ]” are optional.
For example, SOURce:VOLTage:LEVel:IMMediate:AMPLitude 120.0
can be written as, SOURce:VOLTage 120.0.
1.4 QUERIES
The query syntax is identical to the command syntax, with a ”?” appended.
For example, to query the programmed voltage on phase A, send the string:
SOURce:VOLTage?. A subsequent device read will return a value such as “120.00".
All queries are terminated with a carriage return and line feed (0x0D 0x0A) for those
GPIB controllers that require termination characters. When the TW Series has nothing
to report, its output buffer will contain three ASCII characters: space, carriage return,
and linefeed (in decimal these values are <32><13><10>).

SCPI Programming
1-2Elgar TrueWave
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Elgar TrueWave 2-1
SECTION 2POWER-ON AND RESET CONDITIONS
The following sections define the factory and reset power-on conditions of the unit.
2.1 FACTORY DEFAULTS
When the TW is first powered up, the following factory defaults will be in place:
•GPIB Address: 25
•RS-232 Baud Rate: 9600
•RS-232 Data Bits: 8
•RS-232 Stop Bits: 1
•RS-232 Parity: N
•Number of phases
(amplifiers in
chassis):
TW1750 – 1
TW3500 – 2
TW3700 – 2
TW5250 – 3
2.2 POWER-ON CONDITIONS
When the TW is first powered up, the system reads in the configuration that was last
saved to memory position 0. The specific system items are:
•VoltsA, VoltsB, VoltsC
•Voltage Range, either High or Low
•OffsetVoltsA, OffsetVoltsB, OffsetVoltsC (for DC and AC-DC)
•Current Protection Type, either Fold or Shut
•Current Shutdown Time
•Current LimitA, Current LimitB, Current LimitC
•Frequency
•Phase AngleAB
•Phase AngleAC
•External Input Assignment, either Ext Gain Control or Off
•External Trigger Assignment, either Trig In, Trig Out, Phase A In, or Phase A Out
•Coupling State, either AC, DC, or AC-DC
•Parallel State, all amps in parallel, or not
•Sense State, either Local or Remote
•Output Impedance Setting, (IEC) either On or Off.

SCPI Programming
2-2Elgar TrueWave
In addition, unique system settings are read in from the non-volatile EEROM memory:
•Output Relay State, either Auto Start or Standby
•Keyboard Lock State, either Front Panel Program Enabled or Disabled
•Passcode Protection State, and the Passcode (if enabled)
•Quantity of Installed Amplifiers
•Quantity of Chassis Installed
2.3 RESET CONDITIONS
When the *RST command is sent via SCPI, the following conditions apply:
•Faults are cleared
•The error queue is cleared
•The output relay is opened
•VoltsA, VoltsB, VoltsC are set to 0
•OffsetVoltsA, OffsetVoltsB, OffsetVoltsC (for DC and AC-DC) are set to 0
•TW is moved to Low Range (0–156V, 5 Amps current limit)
•External Input Assignment is turned Off
•A locked keyboard remains locked.

Elgar TrueWave 3-1
SECTION 3 SCPI COMMANDS
3.1 MEASURE COMMANDS
MEASure[phase]
:CURR-ent?
:PEAK?
:INRUSH?
:FREQuency?
:PEAKCURRent?
:PHASe?
:POWer?
:TOTal?
:POWERFACtor?
:TOTal?
:CRESTFACtor?
:VA?
:TOTal?
:VOLTage?
:VAB?
:VBC?
:VCA?
Phase shall be 1, 2 or 3.
:MEASure[phase] Measurement (readbacks) tree, Phase = 1,2,or 3 indicating phase
to read. Phase = 0 is illegal here.
:CURRent ? Return current of a phase.
:PEAK? Return the peak current reading of a phase.
:INRUSH? Return the inrush current reading of a phase.
:FREQuency?Return the frequency of the TW system. The phase is not
applicable in this query.
:PEAKCURRent?Return the peak current of a phase.
:PHASe?Return the phase angle of a phase in relation to phase 1 (A).
:POWer ? Return presently calculated power in Watts of a phase.
:TOTal?Return presently calculated power of all three phases.
:POWERFACtor ? Return the power factor of a phase.
:TOTal?Return the total powerfactor of all phases.
:CRESTFACtor?Return the crestfactor of a phase.
:VA? Return the Volt/Amps of a phase.
:TOTal?Return the total VA of all three phases.
:VOLTage ? Return the RMS voltage of a phase.
:VAB? Return the RMS voltage difference between phases 1(A) and 2(B).
:VBC? Return the RMS voltage difference between phases 2(B) and 3(C).
:VCA? Return the RMS voltage difference between phases 3(C) and 1(A).

SCPI Programming
3-2Elgar TrueWave
3.2 MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS
ASSYno <string>
ASSYno?
OUTPut?
OUTPut <boolean>
OUTPut
:COUPling?
:COUPling <AC,DC,AC+DC>
:STATe?
:STATe <boolean>
:ASSYno ? Returns the assembly number.
:OUTPut?Return the state of the output relay.
:OUTPut <boolean> Set the output relay to open (OFF) or closed (ON).
:OUTPut
:COUPling?Return the present state of the output coupling electronics AC,
DC, or ACDC.
:COUPling <value> Set output electronics coupling state “AC”, “DC”, or “ACDC”. To
source DC with the TW it is necessary to set coupling to DC. To
apply a DC offset to an AC output use ACDC. The AC value is
entered into Volts, the DC offset is entered into Volts:Offset.
:STATe?Return the state of the output relay 1 or 0.
[:STATe] <boolean> Set the output relay to open (0,OFF) or closed (1,ON).
3.3 SOURCE COMMANDS
SOURce[phase]
:CURRent?
:CURRent <value>
[:LEVel?]
[:LEVel] <value>
:IMMediate?
[:IMMediate] <value>
[:AMPLitude] <value>
:AMPLitude?
:LOCK?
:LOCK <boolean>
:PROTection?
:PROTection <value>
:CLEar
:CURTimeout?
:CURTimeout <value>
:STATe?
:STATe <boolean>
[:TIMe] <value>
:TIMe?

SCPI Programming
Elgar TrueWave 3-3
[:LEVel] <value>
:LEVel?
:STATe <boolean>
:STATe?
:TRIPped?
:FREQuency <value>
:FREQuency?
:DISTurbance
:STATE <boolean>
:STATE ?
:STARTPHASE <value>
:STARTPHASE ?
:STOPPHASE <value>
:STOPPHASE ?
:CYCLES <value>
:CYCLES ?
:VOLTage <value>
:VOLTage ?
:TRIGger <GPIBGET,EXTERNAL,
IMMEDIATE,DISABLE>
:TRIGger ?
:PHASe?
:PHASe <value>
[:ADJust] <value>
:ADJust?
:LOCK <boolean>
:LOCK?
:Sense?
:Sense <LOCAL, REMOTE>
:VOLTage?
:VOLTage
:LEVel?
[:LEVel]
:IMMediate?
[:IMMediate]
[:AMPLitude] <value>
:AMPLitude?
:OFFSet <+-value>
:OFFSet?
:LOCK <boolean>
:LOCK?
:PROTection?
:PROTection <value>
[:LEVel] <value>
:LEVel?
:STATe <boolean>
:STATe?
:TRIPped?
:RANGe <value>
:RANGe?

SCPI Programming
3-4Elgar TrueWave
If the phase is set to 0 at query time, the phase A value will be returned.
:SOURce[phase] Source words: Phase = 0,1,2,or 3 indicating phase(s) to
control. Phase = 0 will apply the specified value to all three
phases for set operations.
:CURRent?Return the present current limit setpoint of a phase.
:CURRent [<value>] Set foldback over-current mode and optionally specify the
over-current value.
:LEVel?Return the present current limit setpoint of a phase.
:LEVel [<value>] Set over-current limit setpoint.
:IMMediate ? Return the present over-current setpoint of a phase.
:IMMediate Process new amplitude without waiting for more
commands. Must be followed by :AMPLitude command.
:AMPLitude <value> Set over-current limit setpoint.
:AMPLitude?Return the present current limit setpoint of a phase.
:LOCK? Returns the present SCPI over-current register lock state.
:LOCK <boolean> Locks all phase over-current registers at the SCPI
command level. Phase 0,1,2, or 3 may be programmed;
any value programmed will affect all 3 phases immediately.
:PROTection?Returns the present current limit value.
:PROTection [<value>] Specifies the over current shutdown mode and optionally
can specify the over current value.
:CLEar Clears the over-current protection circuit. Places the over
current system into foldback mode.
:CURTimeout?Returns the present over-current timeout value.
:CURTimeout [<value>] Programs the current level in current shutdown mode and
optionally sets the timeout value in milliseconds.
:STATe?Return the present enabled/disabled state of the over-
current timeout circuit 0 = tripped, 1 = not tripped.
:STATe <boolean> Set over-current timeout system to 1 = not tripped,
0 = tripped.
:TIMe <value> Program the over-current timeout setpoint.
:TIMe?Return the over-current timeout setpoint.
:LEVel <value> Sets the over-current setpoint and sets the shutdown
mode.
:LEVel?Returns the over-current setpoint.
:STATe <boolean> Set protection mode to 1 = shutdown, 0 = foldback.
:STATe?Return present protection mode 0 = foldback,
1 = shutdown.
:TRIPped?Return 1 if the over-current circuit has tripped, 0 if not.
:FREQuency <value> Set the frequency of the unit. Since there is only one
frequency for the unit, the frequency applies to all phases.

SCPI Programming
Elgar TrueWave 3-5
:DISTurbance This set of words allows the operator to generate a change
to the output waveforms of the TW. A number of cycles can
be raised or lowered in voltage at any point in the rising or
falling portion of a cycle.
:STATE ? Returns the present state of the disturbance software. 0 =
off, 1 = on.
:STATE <boolean> Set the Disturbance software to the on state. This
command shall precede all other disturbance commands.
:STARTPHASE ? Returns the present degrees that the disturbance begins.
:STARTPHASE <value> Sets the point on a cycle that the disturbance will begin. 0-
360.
:STOPPHASE ? Returns the present degrees on a cycle that the
disturbance will end.
:STOPPHASE <value> Set the point on a cycle that the disturbance will end.
:CYCLES ? Returns the present quantity of cycles that will exhibit the
disturbance voltage after the start point and before the end
point.
:CYCLES <value> Set the quantity of cycles that will exhibit the disturbance
voltage.
:VOLTage ? Returns the present disturbance voltage.
:VOLTage <value> Set the voltage of the disturbance cycles.
:TRIGger ? Returns the present set trigger type that kicks off the
disturbance.
:TRIGger GPIBGET Specify that a GPIB trigger will kick off the disturbance. Any
number of disturbances can
Be specified at GPIB trigger time.
:TRIGger EXTERNAL Specify that a rising TTL signal on the Sync Input will kick
off the disturbance.
:TRIGger IMMEDIATE Specify that the reception of this command will kick off the
disturbance.
:TRIGger DISABLE Specify none of the above; there will be no disturbance.
:PHASe?Return the phase angle of the specified phase (in relation
to phase A).
:PHASe [<value>] Set the phase angle of the specified phase in relation to
phase A.
:ADJust <value> Set the phase angle of the specified phase in relation to
phase A.
:ADJust?Return the phase angle of the specified phase in relation to
phase A.
:LOCK <boolean> Lock the specified phase angle at the SCPI level to phase
A. Any phase can be programmed, but phases B & C will
move together in relation to Phase A.
:LOCK? Return the SCPI level lock state of the phase angle
registers.

SCPI Programming
3-6Elgar TrueWave
:SENSe?Returns the present sense points LOCAL or REMOTE.
:SENSe LOCal Specify that the amplifier(s) control circuit will use internal
voltage readback points.
:SENSe REMote Specify that the amplifier(s) control circuit will use external
voltage readback points.
:VOLTage?Return the present voltage of the specified phase. If the
phase is 0 then Phase A will be returned.
:VOLTage [<value>] Set the voltage setpoint of the specified phase.
:LEVel?Return the present voltage setpoint of the specified phase.
:LEVel [<value>] Set the voltage setpoint of the specified phase.
:IMMediate?Return the present voltage of the specified phase.
:IMMediate [<value>] Set the voltage setpoint of the specified phase immediately
without waiting for any other commands.
:AMPLitude <value> Set the voltage setpoint of the specified phase.
:AMPLitude?Return the voltage setpoint of the specified phase.
:OFFSet ? Returns the DC (offset) voltage setpoint of the specified
phase.
:OFFSet [<value>] Set the offset voltage setpoint of the specified phase.
Coupling state must be set to DC or ACDC or an execution
error will be returned. In ACDC mode the value may
appear too high to the TW if the AC signal + the offset =
MAXV.
:LOCK <boolean> Lock the phase voltage registers at the SCPI level
together. When locked, any change to any phase will affect
all phases.
:LOCK? Return the specified phase SCPI register lock state.
:PROTection?Return the present overvolt protection level .
:PROTection [<value>] Set the overvolt protection setpoint value of the specified
phase.
:LEVel <value> Set the overvolt protection setpoint value of the specified
phase.
:LEVel?Return the overvolt protection value of the specified phase.
:STATe <boolean> Specify the overvolt protection state. 1 = protection turned
on. 0 will be ignored.
:STATe?Return the present overvolt state of the TW. Always will
return 1.
:TRIPped?Return the present state of the overvolt protection circuit.
0 = there has been no overvolt condition.
1 = the TW has shut down based on an overvolt condition.
:RANGe <value> Set the voltage range to (HIGH,1) range or (LOW,0) range.
:RANGe?Returns the present set voltage range of the TW. Return
values will be either “1” for HIGH or “0” for LOW.

SCPI Programming
Elgar TrueWave 3-7
3.4 STATUS COMMANDS
:STATus
:OPERation?
:OPERation
[:EVENt]?
:CONDition?
:ENABle <value>
:ENABle?
:PRESet
:QUEStionable?
:QUEStionable
:CONDition?
[:EVENt]?
:ENABle <value>
:ENABle?
:STATus The status commands tree.
:OPERation?SCPI commands returns ‘0’ always.
:OPERation The SCPI Operation sub-tree.
:[EVENt?] Returns ‘0’.
:CONDition?Returns ‘0’.
:ENABle <value> Sets the enable mask of the Operation Enable register.
This allows true conditions to be reported in the summary bit
of the Operation Condition register. Values may be written
and queried, but have no effect on the Operation Condition
register.
:ENABle?Returns the value in the Operations Enable register.
:PRESet Preset the value of the Operations Enable register and the
Status Questionable registers = 0x7fff.
:QUEStionable?Returns ‘0’ always.
:QUEStionable
:CONDition?Returns ‘0’.
[:EVENt?] Returns ‘0’.
:ENABle <value> Sets the enable mask of the Questionable Event register.
This allows true conditions to be reported in the summary bit
of the Questionable Conditions register.
:ENABle?Returns the value of the Questionable Conditions register.

SCPI Programming
3-8Elgar TrueWave
3.5 SYSTEM COMMANDS
:SYSTem
:AMPLIFier?
:AMPLIFier <value>
:CHASSIS?
:CHASSIS <value>
:CHAIN?
:CHAIN <value>
:CHECKSUM?
:CHECKSUM
:COMMunicate
:GPIB
[:SELF]
:ADDRess <value> [,<value>]
:ADDRess?
[:CONFig]
:STORe <value>
:STORe ?
:RECall <value>
:ERRor?
:EXTernal
:CLOCk?
:CLOCk <REFOUT,REFIN,TRIGIN,SYNCOUT>
:LOCK?
:DIRect <boolean>
:DIRect ?
:GAIN ?
:GAIN <boolean>
:IECLoad <boolean>
:IECLoad?
:MODulation <boolean>
:MODulation?
:KLOCk <boolean>
:KLOCk?
:AUTORUN <boolean>
:AUTORUN?
:PARALlel?
:PARALlel <boolean>
:PASSword
:CDISable <password>
[:CENable] <password>
:STATe?
:NEW <curr password>,<new password>
:SERIALNO %s
:SERIALNO?
:SYNC?
:SYNC <boolean>
:UPGRade
:VER[S][ion]?

SCPI Programming
Elgar TrueWave 3-9
:SYSTem The system command tree.
:AMPLIFier?Returns the quantity of amplifiers that are installed
in the TW.
:AMPLIFier <value> Set installed quantity amps (1..3).
:CHASSIS? Returns the number of parallel connected chassis.
:CHASSIS <value> Set the quantity of parallel connected chassis. If
the number is 1, this TW is either an individual
power supply or a chained slave. If the number is
2–8, this TW will attempt to connect to slave
chassis at power-up.
:CHAIN? Returns the units chain address
:CHAIN <value> Set the Slave address of this box. If the address
is set to 0, this TW is either an individual power
source or a master. If this value is 1–7, this TW is
chain (slave) address 1–7.
:CHECKSUM? Return the results of the checksum test.
1 == the checksum passed. 0 === failed.
:CHECKSUM Specify that the TW shall re-check its flash
checksum.
:COMMunicate The communications sub-tree.
:GPIB The GPIB communications channel.
[:SELF] SCPI sub-command.
:ADDRess <value> [<value>] Set the GPIB address The address must be 1..31.
:ADDRess?Returns the GPIB address presently set.
[:CONFig] The SYSTem:CONFig sub-tree.
:STORe <value> Specify that the present system setpoint/register
set shall be saved to EEPROM at the <value>
address. <value> shall be 0..98.
:STORe?Return the present EEPROM register address that
was read from to set the present setpoint/register
values. TW shall read in EEPROM address 0 at
power-up.
:RECall <value> Specify that TW shall read in the EEPROM
setpoint/registers from EEPROM location <value>.
:ERRor?Return the last Error logged by the GPIB/
RS-232 command processor. If there are no
errors, TW shall return as SPACE.
:EXTernal External connectors sub-tree.
:CLOCk?Return the present state of the Clock/Lock
connector interface circuit Returns.

SCPI Programming
3-10 Elgar TrueWave
:CLOCk <value> Set the Clock/Lock connector interface settings to:
-REFOUT : sends a TTL pulse out at each zero
crossing of Phase A.
-REFIN : is used with the PLL and the TW will
attempt to sync the outputs to the input TTL
signal.
-TRIGIN : configures the clock/lock BNC as an
input allowing the TW to use a supplied signal
to kick off events (such as the disturbance).
-SYNCOUT : specifies that changes to the
operations will generate a sync signal.
:LOCK ? Returns 1 if the PLL phase lock is in control, and 0
if the PLL is not locked to the frequency source.
:DIRect <boolean> Set the EXT INPUT connector to control the
amplifiers directly. GAIN and MOD must be off, or
an execution error will occur.
:DIRect?Return the state of the EXT INPUT connector.
:GAIN? Return the state of the EXT INPUT connector.
:GAIN <boolean> Set the EXT INPUT connector to control the gain
of the amplifiers. MOD and DIRECT must be off, or
an execution error will occur.
:IECLoad <boolean> Set the output impedance of the TW to support the
IEC European standard.
:IECLoad?Return the present state of the IEC load output
circuitry.
:MODulation <boolean> Set the EXT connector to modulate the amplifiers.
GAIN and DIRECT must be Off, or an execution
error will occur.
:MODulation?Return the state of the EXT INPUT connector.
:KLOCk ? Returns 1 if front panel program keys are locked.
:KLOCk <boolean> Send 1 or ‘ON’ to lock out front panel program
keys and output key. Send 0 or ‘OFF’ to make
these keys available again.
:AUTORUN ? Returns 1 if TW is setup to automatically close its
output relay after powering up, or else returns 0.
:AUTORUN <boolean> Send 1 or ‘ON’ to specify that the TW will
automatically close its output relay at power up.
:PARALlel?Returns 1 if the TW amplifiers are paralleled.
Returns 0 if parallel mode is not set.
:PARALlel <boolean> Set the TW amplifiers to operate in parallel mode:
1(ON). 0(OFF) specifies that the TW amplifiers are
operating independently.