NI P/N 778962-01

[rusty2]

In installation document for P/N PXI-2530, P/N 778962-01 is referenced. No tooling information is provided. What is tooling?

[minh.tran@ni.com]

Good afternoon rusty2,

Thanks for contacting National Instruments with your issue, we'll try our best to resolve it for you as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Although I'm not 100% clear on what you mean by tooling, the part number you referred to is for the NI TB-2630:

http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/13950

This would be the terminal block used with your PXI-2530 if you wanted to use it in a multiplexer topology. 

If you haven't done so already, please install our NI-Switch software:

http://digital.ni.com/softlib.nsf/websearch/C141E855FE90DC5E862571870073FF29?opendocument&node=13206...

Along with the drivers, it will install the NI-Switches Help Guide which is an extremely useful resource for information about connecting signals to your device as well as how to control it.

There is also a great knowledge base entry that can also get you started:

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/conceptd.nsf/webmain/68BB529D2E81F47A862570810059B2D7

Best of luck with your project.

Sincerely,

Minh Tran
Applications Engineering

National Instruments

[rusty2]

I guess I should have been a little clearer. Sorry. The tooling I am refereing to will position the ribbon cable and connector in such a way that the connector will be correctly positioned over the centers of the wires, and the compression of the connector on the cable will be full, even, and in the correct position. Normally, there are tools for this which the manufacturer of the ribbon cables either recommend, or supply themselves.

Thanks, Roger 

[minh.tran@ni.com]

Good afternoon Roger,

Thanks for the clarification.  I may still be misunderstanding your question, but having used the PXI-2530 with the TB-2630 on several occasions, I've always just press-fitted the ribbon cables with the connectors.  There are metal teeth on the connector which guide the wire to the centre to ensure that a distinct connection is made between the ribbon cable and the connector.  Beyond that, there is the screw down strain-relief clamp on the TB-2630 to ensure that once the connector and ribbon cable are attached to the header pin, they will remain connected.

Sincerely,
Minh Tran
Applications Engineering
National Instruments

[rusty2]

Agreed, they can be pushed together. However, I am writting an installation manual for the military and tooling for proper orientation and assembly is required. The tooling P/N's will be entered in the technical documentation and the customer will be required to use the proper tooling and assembly procedures in the field before we will warranty the assembly.

Does it not exist?

[minh.tran@ni.com]

Good morning Roger,

Thanks for the follow-up post.  I see now, you're looking for a specific crimping tool for the TB-2630 and it's requisite connectors and cables. 

National Instruments doesn't make an IDC ribbon cable crimp tool and we don't formally endorse one in particular.  However, as a reference, the connectors we sell with the TB-2630 are manufactured by Samtec (P/N: IDD-09-HG) (http://www.samtec.com/technical_specifications/overview.asp?series=IDSD).  You can definitely contact them if you want a formal recommendation for an IDC Ribbon Cable Crimp tool.

In our team we use a wide variety of generic crimp tools, and really any should work, but for your application I can understand the stringent requirements for a specific model.

Best of luck with your project.

Sincerely,

Minh Tran

Applications Engineering

National Instruments