NI 9203 Manual

CALIBRATION PROCEDURE
NI 9203
This document contains the verification and adjustment procedures for the NI 9203. Refer to
ni.com/calibration for more information about calibration solutions.
Contents
Software.................................................................................................................................... 1
Documentation.......................................................................................................................... 1
Test Equipment..........................................................................................................................2
Test Conditions..........................................................................................................................2
Initial Setup............................................................................................................................... 3
Verification................................................................................................................................3
Accuracy Verification....................................................................................................... 3
Adjustment................................................................................................................................ 5
Gain Accuracy Adjustment...............................................................................................5
Offset Accuracy Adjustment.............................................................................................6
EEPROM Update......................................................................................................................7
Reverification............................................................................................................................7
Accuracy Under Calibration Conditions...................................................................................7
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.
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.
•NI cDAQ-9174/9178 Quick Start— NI-DAQmx installation and hardware setup.
•NI 9203 Getting Started Guide and NI 9203 Datasheet—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.
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.
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 —
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.
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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 describe the sequence of operation and test
points required to verify the NI 9203 and assume that adequate traceable uncertainties are
available for the calibration references.
Accuracy Verification
Complete the following procedure to determine the As-Found status of the NI 9203.
1. Remove all connections to the NI 9203.
2. Acquire and average samples for offset error.
a. Create and configure an AI current channel according to Table 2.
Table 2. NI 9203 AI Current Channel Configuration
Input Range Range Scaled Units Terminal Configuration
Min Max
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 Amps RSE
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 Amps RSE
b. Configure the AI current channel timing according to Table 3.
Table 3. NI 9203 Timing Configuration
Samples Per Channel Acquisition Mode Rate (S/s)
10k Finite 20k
c. Start the task.
d. Read samples from the NI 9203.
NI 9203 Calibration Procedure | © National Instruments Corporation | 3

e. Average the samples.
f. Clear the task.
3. Compare the average sample to the offset test limits in Tables 4 and 5.
Table 4. NI 9203 As-Found Offset Test Limits
Input Range Range (A) Test Point As-Found Limits
Min Max Location Value (A) Lower Limit (A) Upper Limit (A)
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 Min 0.000000 -0.000004 0.000004
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 Mid 0.000000 -0.000015 0.000015
Table 5. NI 9203 As-Left Offset Test Limits
Input Range Range (A) Test Point As-Left Limits
Min Max Location Value (A) Lower Limit (A) Upper Limit (A)
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 Min 0.000000 -0.000003 0.000003
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 Mid 0.000000 -0.000003 0.000003
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for both ranges.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for each channel.
6. Set the calibrator to Standby mode (STBY).
7. Connect the NI 9203 to the calibrator. Refer to Figure 1 for a connection diagram.
Figure 1. Accuracy Connections for the NI 9203
NI 9203Calibrator
COM
AIx
HI
LO
Guard
NI 9203Calibrator
COM
AIx
HI
LO
1 2
1. Connections when using a calibrator with a guard connection.
2. Connections when using a calibrator with no guard connection.
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.
8. Set the calibrator to Operate mode (OPR).
9. Set the calibrator current to a Test Point value indicated in Tables 6 and 7.
10. Compare the average sample to the gain test limits in Tables 6 and 7.
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Table 6. NI 9203 As-Found Gain Test Limits
Input Range Range (A) Test Point As-Found Limits
Min Max Location Value (A) Lower Limit (A) Upper Limit (A)
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 Max 0.020000 0.019979 0.020021
0.000 0.020 Min 0.010000 0.009988 0.010013
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 Max 0.020000 0.019969 0.020031
-0.020 0.020 Min -0.020000 0.020031 -0.019969
Table 7. NI 9203 As-Left Gain Test Limits
Input Range Range (A) Test Point As-Left Limits
Min Max Location Value (A) Lower Limit (A) Upper Limit (A)
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 Max 0.020000 0.019988 0.020012
0.000 0.020 Min 0.010000 0.009993 0.010007
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 Max 0.020000 0.019988 0.020012
-0.020 0.020 Min -0.020000 -0.020012 -0.019988
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 for each Test Point in Tables 6 and 7.
12. Set the calibrator to Standby mode (STBY).
13. Disconnect the NI 9203 from the calibrator.
14. Repeat steps 7 through 13 for each channel on the NI 9203.
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.
NI 9203 Calibration Procedure | © National Instruments Corporation | 5

c. Call and configure the NI 9203 get C Series adjustment points function according to
Table 8 to obtain an array of recommended calibration currents for both the Unipolar
and Bipolar Input Range.
Table 8. Get Adjustment Points Configuration
Input Range Range (A)
Min Max
Unipolar 0.000 0.020
Bipolar -0.020 0.020
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 9 to
adjust the gain for both the Unipolar and Bipolar ranges.
Table 9. Gain Adjustment Configuration
Input Range Range Physical Channel Reference Value
Min 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.
g. Set the calibrator to Standby mode (STBY).
h. Repeat steps d through g for each calibration current in the array.
i. Disconnect the calibrator from the NI 9203.
j. Close the calibration session.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each channel on the NI 9203.
Offset Accuracy Adjustment
Complete the following procedure to adjust the offset accuracy performance of the NI 9203.
1. Remove all connections to the NI 9203.
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 10 to
adjust the offset for both the Unipolar and Bipolar ranges.
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Table 10. Offset Adjustment Configuration
Input Range Range Physical Channel
Min Max
Unipolar 0.000 0.020 dDAQMod8/ai3
Bipolar -0.020 0.020 dDAQMod8/ai3
d. Close the calibration session.
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.
Reverification
Repeat the Verification section to determine the As-Left status of the device.
Note If any test fails Reverification 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.
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
NI 9203 Calibration Procedure | © National Instruments Corporation | 7

Table 11. NI 9203 Accuracy Under Calibration Conditions
Input Range As-Found As-Left*
Percent of
Reading
(Gain Error)
Percent of
Range**
(Offset Error)
Percent of
Reading
(Gain Error)
Percent of
Range**
(Offset Error)
Unipolar 0.082% 0.020% 0.042% 0.015%
Bipolar 0.084% 0.034% 0.042% 0.008%
* As-left limits are applicable immediately after adjustment.
** Range equals 21.5 mA for Unipolar and 43 mA (±21.5 mA) for Bipolar.
Note For operational specifications, refer to the most recent NI 9203 Datasheet
online at ni.com/manuals.
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access to everything from troubleshooting and application development self-help resources to
email and phone assistance from NI Application Engineers.
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372674D-01 August 5, 2020