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Intelligent Curve Tracer 3.0 release

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L

locky_z

Member
Joined 2004
ebay.com.hk/itm/111334940747
Calvin said:
Hi,

now that´s weird. :confused:
Started the tracer today again and it worked!
Iirc the only difference I remember could have been that I started the ´ADS8771_v3.exe´ from the folder I downloaded from gerhard (#194) instead of the original ´Locky_z Curve Tracer Software - v3.5.zip´.
Got some nice curves and some very distorted which I think is due to some unfortunate settings of Vb et al.
So I closed the app and restarted it .... guess what ... no sweep but just a single measurement. :(
Closed and restarted the App again and it worked again :confused:

Well, so far I´m not too familiar with all the settings .... so I get results which sometimes appear reasonable and sometimes odd (especially the Hfe-Ic curves didn´t show sensible values ... a BC547C with a Hfe of >10.000 or <50??)
Here are the screen shots (btw. what and where is that ´save-file´?
1st: Options/System | 2nd: Diagnose/Device Test | 3rd: Measurement/Load Conditions/NPN-Hfe-Ic default | 4th: same, but parameters adjusted for BC547C | 5th: Go!, with and without Calibration

jauu
Calvin
Click to expand...
2019 version had change some relay control byte and DAC channel, and these parameter store in ads7871_v3s.ini. Previous versions of ini files may not work with 2019 version.
Suggestions go to Curve-Tracer/2019/ENG/EXE at master * locky-z/Curve-Tracer * GitHub, download the ini file for 2019 version.

Your last picture shows a very large hfe, I think the reason is the incorrect relay control bit in the ini file,
 
gerhard

gerhard

Member
Joined 2005
hoffmann-hochfrequenz.de
Calvin said:
Got some nice curves and some very distorted which I think is due to some unfortunate settings of Vb et al.
So I closed the app and restarted it .... guess what ... no sweep but just a single measurement. :(
Closed and restarted the App again and it worked again :confused:
..
Well, so far I´m not too familiar with all the settings .... so I get results which sometimes appear reasonable and sometimes odd (especially the Hfe-Ic curves didn´t show sensible values ... a BC547C with a Hfe of >10.000 or <50??)
Click to expand...

I never got meaningful results from bipolar transistors. Methinks the DUT then just
oscillates and you get random numbers. I did not investigate this because I happened
to get somewhat usable results for the FETs I was interested in, and that removed the
pressure. Absolutely no interest to debug someone else's hardware. Simply using
base stoppers would distort the results.

FETs are also not free from hickups, see the current limit effect on some DUTs in
the picture. Measured again, preferably with a different moon phase, these FETs behaved
normally.

And I don't miss the documented raw interface as long as I cannot set up the thing
from the intended surface without leaving doubt because of the "documentation".
When I'm going to program myself, I can just as well use lab supplies / fun generator /
scope under GPIB control.
What I wanted was: switch it on, plug the DUT in and see the results. :mad:

Gerhard
 

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L

locky_z

Member
Joined 2004
ebay.com.hk/itm/111334940747
Calvin said:
Hi,

I installed the files and the tracer is running.
Am getting mostly weirdo results when running the scripts or predefined measurements. :(
So far a rather disappointing experience since the documantation leaves room for improvement (No technical specs .... am I right that the maximum supply specs are +40V and 3.2A?)

jauu
Calvin
Click to expand...
1. Make sure the ADs7871_vs.ini is downloaded from Github.
2. Load the measurement conditions of "Ic-hfe" or "Vgs-ID" or "Vbe-Ic" with "fix Vce".
3. Make sure the being test component is good and you sure know their pin number. If the test component is broken, the curve is incomprehensible.
4.The measurement condition that does not have "Fix Vce" is "Customs Mode", which may need to be based on your supply voltage, may do some adjust.
 
AnalogJoe

AnalogJoe

Member
Joined 2018
I just bought one on e-bay.

For a curve tracer I use a programmable PSU and a bench multimeter both with GPIB and in MATLAB I automate everything to get the I-V curves, it works but its not as straightforward, I'm hoping this new curve tracer will substitute my current setup.
 
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