Emerson has added three entry-level instruments to its NI PXI automated-test platform, aiming to put its AI-assisted test workflow within reach of more engineering teams. The additions are the NI PXIe-4086 digital multimeter and new variants of the NI PXIe-5160 and PXIe-5162 oscilloscopes, all built for high-channel, mixed-measurement test in semiconductor, transportation, aerospace and defense, and research.
The pitch is cost. The PXIe-4086 DMM is positioned as a lower-cost route into high-accuracy, high-throughput measurement, with 6½-digit resolution and 35 ppm accuracy. The PXIe-5160 and 5162 oscilloscopes offer up to 1.5 GHz of bandwidth in two- or four-channel configurations, with 1 GB onboard memory options for capturing and analyzing high-bandwidth signals. Both slot into the existing PXI chassis rather than requiring a separate setup.
The reason a test engineer should look past the spec sheet is the software pairing. The instruments work with NI InstrumentStudio, which now supports the latest PXI instruments and switches for no-code configuration and debugging across a multi-instrument system, and with NI Nigel, the company's test-optimized AI for speeding up the development and debugging of automated tests. The argument Emerson makes is that the bottleneck in automated test is rarely the measurement itself but the time spent building and maintaining the test system, which is where the AI and no-code tooling are aimed.
"By combining the industry's most powerful platform for automated test with software that accelerates test automation, we're helping engineers accelerate product development, solve problems faster and spend more time engineering rather than designing their test systems," said David Hall, vice president of NI product marketing with Emerson's test and measurement business.
The release extends an earlier expansion of affordable NI PXI hardware, continuing a push to lower the entry cost of the platform. The modular design means a team can start with the instruments it needs now and add capability as validation and automation demands grow. NI became part of Emerson following its 2023 acquisition, and the PXI line is now sold under Emerson's test and measurement business.
