National Instruments NI 9203 Manual

CALIBRATION PROCEDURE
NI 9203
This document contains the verification and adjustment procedures for the National
Instruments 9203. For more information about calibration solutions, visit ni.com/
calibration.
Contents
Software.................................................................................................................................... 1
Documentation.......................................................................................................................... 2
Test Equipment......................................................................................................................... 2
Test Conditions......................................................................................................................... 3
Initial Setup............................................................................................................................... 3
Verification ............................................................................................................................... 3
Accuracy Verification....................................................................................................... 4
Adjustment................................................................................................................................ 5
Gain Accuracy Adjustment .............................................................................................. 5
Offset Accuracy Adjustment ............................................................................................ 7
EEPROM Update ..................................................................................................................... 7
Re-Verification ......................................................................................................................... 7
Accuracy Under Calibration Conditions .................................................................................. 8
Worldwide Support and Services ............................................................................................. 8
Software
Calibrating the NI 9203 requires the installation of NI-DAQmx 9.2 or later on the calibration
system. You can download NI-DAQmx from ni.com/downloads. NI-DAQmx supports
LabVIEW, LabWindows™/CVI™, C/C++, C#, and Visual Basic .NET. When you install
NI-DAQmx, you only need to install support for the application software that you intend to use.

2|ni.com |NI 9203 Calibration Procedure
Documentation
Consult the following documents for information about the NI 9203, NI-DAQmx, and your
application software. All documents are available on ni.com and help files install with the
software.
Test Equipment
Table 1 lists the equipment recommended for the performance verification and adjustment
procedures. If the recommended equipment is not available, select a substitute using the
requirements listed in Table 1.
NI cDAQ-9174/9178 Quick Start
NI-DAQmx installation and hardware setup
NI 9203 Operating Instructions and Specifications
NI 9203 specific information, specifications, and calibration interval
NI-DAQmx Readme
Operating system and application software support in NI-DAQmx
LabVIEW Help
LabVIEW programming concepts and reference information about NI-DAQmx VIs and
functions
NI-DAQmx C Reference Help
Reference information for NI-DAQmx C functions and NI-DAQmx C properties
NI-DAQmx .NET Help Support for Visual Studio
Reference information for NI-DAQmx .NET methods and NI-DAQmx .NET properties, key
concepts, and a C enum to .NET enum mapping table
Table 1. Recommended Equipment
Equipment Recommended Model Requirements
Calibrator Fluke 5700A If this instrument is unavailable, use a
high-precision current source with an
accuracy <100 ppm.
Chassis NI cDAQ-9178 —

NI 9203 Calibration Procedure |© National Instruments |3
Test Conditions
The following setup and environmental conditions are required to ensure the NI 9203 meets
published specifications.
• Keep connections to the NI 9203 as short as possible. Long cables and wires act as
antennae, picking up extra noise that can affect measurements.
• Verify that all connections to the NI 9203 are secure.
• Use shielded copper wire for all cable connections to the NI 9203. Use twisted-pairs wire
to eliminate noise and thermal offsets.
• Maintain an ambient temperature of 23 °C ±5 °C. The NI 9203 temperature will be greater
than the ambient temperature.
• Keep relative humidity below 80%.
• Allow a warm-up time of at least 10 minutes to ensure that the NI 9203 measurement
circuitry is at a stable operating temperature.
Initial Setup
Complete the following steps to set up the NI 9203.
1. Install NI-DAQmx.
2. Make sure the NI cDAQ-9178 power source is not connected.
3. Install the module in slot 8 of the NI cDAQ-9178 chassis. Leave slots 1 through 7 of the
NI cDAQ-9178 chassis empty.
4. Connect the NI cDAQ-9178 chassis to your host computer.
5. Connect the power source to the NI cDAQ-9178 chassis.
6. Launch Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).
7. Right-click the device name and select Self-Test to ensure that the module is working
properly.
Verification
The following performance verification procedures describes the sequence of operation and test
points required to verify the NI 9203 and assumes that adequate traceable uncertainties are
available for the calibration references.

4|ni.com |NI 9203 Calibration Procedure
Accuracy Verification
Complete the following procedure to determine the As-Found status of the NI 9203.
1. Set the calibrator to Standby mode (STBY).
2. Connect the NI 9203 to the calibrator. Refer to Figure 1 for a connection diagram.
Figure 1. Accuracy Connections for the NI 9203
Note If the calibrator outputs are truly floating, connect the negative output to a
quiet earth ground as well as COM to give the entire system a ground reference.
3. Set the calibrator to Operate mode (OPR).
4. Set the calibrator current to a Test Point value indicated in Table 4.
5. Acquire and average samples.
a. Create and configure an AI current channel according to Table 2.
b. Configure the AI current channel timing according to Table 3.
1 Connections when using a calibrator with a guard connection.
2 Connections when using a calibrator with no guard connection.
Table 2. NI 9203 AI Voltage Channel Configuration
Input
Range
Input Range Scaled
Units Terminal ConfigurationMin Max
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 Amps RSE
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 Amps RSE
Table 3. NI 9203 Timing Configuration
Samples Per Channel Acquisition Mode Rate (S/s)
10k Finite 20k
NI 9203Calibrator
COM
AIx
HI
LO
Guard
NI 9203Calibrator
COM
AIx
HI
LO
1 2

NI 9203 Calibration Procedure |© National Instruments |5
c. Start the task.
d. Read samples from the NI 9203.
e. Average the samples.
f. Clear the task.
6. Compare the average sample to the test limits in Table 4.
7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for each Test Point in Table 4.
8. Set the calibrator to Standby mode (STBY).
9. Disconnect the NI 9203 from the calibrator.
Adjustment
The following performance adjustment procedure describes the sequence of operation required
to adjust the NI 9203.
Gain Accuracy Adjustment
Complete the following procedure to adjust the gain accuracy performance of the NI 9203.
1. Set the calibrator to Standby mode (STBY).
2. Connect the NI 9203 to the calibrator. Refer to Figure 1 for a connection diagram.
3. Adjust the NI 9203.
a. Initialize a calibration session on the NI 9203. The default password is NI.
b. Input the external temperature in degrees Celsius.
Table 4. NI 9203 Test Limits
Input
Range
Range (V) Test Point 1-Year Limits
Min Max Location Value (A)
Lower Limit
(A)
Upper Limit
(A)
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 Max 0.020000 0.019980 0.020020
0.000 0.020 Mid 0.010000 0.009988 0.010012
0.000 0.020 Min 0.000000 -0.000004 0.000004
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 Max 0.020000 0.019969 0.020031
-0.020 0.020 Mid 0.000000 -0.000014 0.000014
-0.020 0.020 Min -0.020000 -0.020031 -0.019969

6|ni.com |NI 9203 Calibration Procedure
c. Call and configure the NI 9203 get C Series adjustment points function according to
Table 5 to obtain an array of recommended calibration voltages for both the Unipolar
and Bipolar Input Range.
d. Set the calibrator to a reference value determined by the array of recommended
calibration currents.
e. Set the calibrator to Operate mode (OPR).
f. Call and configure the NI 9203:Gain adjustment function according to Table 6 to
adjust the gain for both the Unipolar and Bipolar ranges.
g. Set the calibrator to Standby mode (STBY).
h. Repeat steps d through g for each calibration voltage in the array.
i. Disconnect the calibrator from the NI 9203.
j. Close the calibration session.
4. Disconnect the NI 9203 from the calibrator.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for each channel on the NI 9203.
Table 5. Get Adjustment Points Configuration
Input Range
Range
Min Max
Unipolar 0.000 0.020
Bipolar -0.020 0.020
Table 6. Gain Adjustment Configuration
Input
Range
Range Physical
Channel Reference ValueMin Max
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 cDAQMod8/aixThe reference value from the array
of adjustment points
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 cDAQMod8/aixThe reference value from the array
of adjustment points

NI 9203 Calibration Procedure |© National Instruments |7
Offset Accuracy Adjustment
Complete the following procedure to adjust the offset accuracy performance of the NI 9203.
1. On the NI 9203, connect AI3 to COM.
2. Adjust the NI 9203.
a. Initialize a calibration session on the NI 9203. The default password is NI.
b. Input the external temperature in degrees Celsius.
c. Call and configure the NI 9203:Offset adjustment function according to Table 7 to
adjust the offset for both the Unipolar and Bipolar ranges.
d. Close the calibration session.
3. Disconnect AI3 from COM on the NI 9203.
EEPROM Update
When an adjustment procedure is completed, the NI 9203 internal calibration memory
(EEPROM) is immediately updated.
If you do not want to perform an adjustment, you can update the calibration date and onboard
calibration temperature without making any adjustments by initializing an external calibration,
setting the C Series calibration temperature, and closing the external calibration.
Re-Verification
Repeat the Verification section to determine the As-Left status of the device.
Note If any test fails Re-Verification after performing an adjustment, verify that
you have met the Test Conditions before returning your device to NI. Refer to
Worldwide Support and Services for assistance in returning the device to NI.
Table 7. Offset Adjustment Configuration
Input Range
Range
Physical ChannelMin Max
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 cDAQMod8/aix
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 cDAQMod8/aix

8|ni.com |NI 9203 Calibration Procedure
Accuracy Under Calibration Conditions
The values in the following table are based on calibrated scaling coefficients, which are stored
in the onboard EEPROM.
The following accuracy table is valid for calibration under the following conditions:
• Ambient temperature 23 °C ±5 °C
• NI 9203 installed in slot 8 of an NI cDAQ-9178 chassis
• Slots 1 through 7 of the NI cDAQ-9178 chassis are empty
Note For operational specifications, refer to the most recent NI 9203 Operating
Instructions/User Guide and Specifications online at ni.com/manuals.
Worldwide Support and Services
The National Instruments website is your complete resource for technical support. At ni.com/
support you have access to everything from troubleshooting and application development
self-help resources to email and phone assistance from NI Application Engineers.
Visit ni.com/services for NI Factory Installation Services, repairs, extended warranty, and
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Communities using the manufacturer’s declaration of conformity. This system affords the user
protection for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and product safety. You can obtain the DoC
for your product by visiting ni.com/certification. If your product supports calibration,
you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at ni.com/calibration.
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Austin, Texas, 78759-3504. National Instruments also has offices located around the world. For
telephone support in the United States, create your service request at ni.com/support or dial
Table 8. NI 9203 Accuracy Under Calibration Conditions
Input Range
Percent of Reading
(Gain Error)
Percent of Range*
(Offset Error)
Unipolar 0.080% max 0.019%† max
Bipolar 0.082% max 0.033% max
* Range equals 21.5 mA for Unipolar and 43 mA (±21.5 mA) for Bipolar.
† This specification is lower than the Percent of Range typical specification in the NI 9203
Operating Instructions and Specifications because the typical specification shows digits only
to the hundredth place.

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