NI PXI‑7344 stepper/servo motion controller module

The NI PXI‑7344 is a 4‑axis stepper/servo motion controller module for PXI systems, designed to control up to four coordinated motion axes with high‑performance trajectory generation and closed‑loop servo control. It targets applications ranging from simple point‑to‑point moves to complex multi‑axis interpolation, running either as an embedded PXI motion controller or under host control from a PC controller in the PXI chassis.

NI PXI-7344

Product description and key parameters

The PXI‑7344 belongs to NI’s 7340‑series mid‑range motion controllers and is suitable for both stepper and servo motors on each axis. Typical capabilities include:

• Axes
  • 4 independent motion axes (each axis configurable for stepper or servo control).
  • Support for blended motion and fully coordinated multi‑axis moves.
• Control features
  • Closed‑loop servo control with PID/PIVff algorithms.
  • Linear and circular interpolation, 3D contouring, electronic gearing, and vector‑space control.
  • Onboard real‑time motion engine capable of executing multiple motion programs concurrently.
• Motion performance (per series specs)
  • Maximum stepper pulse rate: up to 4 MHz.
  • Encoder input rate: up to 20 MHz (quadrature incremental encoders).
  • Maximum PID update rate: on the order of 62.5 µs per axis (250 µs total for four axes).
  • Velocity, acceleration, and jerk (S‑curve) profiles configurable for smooth motion.
• I/O and signal ranges
  • Servo command outputs: ±10 V analog outputs (typically 16‑bit resolution) for servo drives.
  • Encoder inputs: quadrature incremental, single‑ended, up to 20 MHz.
  • Motion I/O per axis:
    • End‑of‑travel limit inputs (forward/reverse).
    • Home switch input.
    • Breakpoint output.
    • Trigger input.
  • General‑purpose I/O:
    • 32 bits of digital I/O.
    • 4 analog input channels, ±10 V range (typically 12‑bit).
    • 4 analog output channels, ±10 V range.
• PXI bus and synchronization
  • PXI form factor (peripheral module) powered from the PXI backplane.
  • Support for NI RTSI‑style timing/synchronization to coordinate with DAQ and vision boards.
  • High‑density 68‑pin VHDCI connectors for motion and digital I/O.

Datasheet‑style summary

A datasheet for NI PXI‑7344 generally specifies:

• Electrical and power
  • Bus voltage: +5 V and ±12 V from the PXI backplane.
  • Power consumption in the single‑digit watt range (around 5–6 W maximum).
• Motion specs
  • 4 axes, each with:
    • PID/PIVff servo loop.
    • 62.5–500 µs sample period range.
  • Maximum stepper frequency and encoder count rate as noted above.
• Safety and system functions
  • Watchdog timer to reset the board to a safe startup state.
  • Shutdown input that can disable all axes and command outputs.
• Physical and environmental
  • PXI board dimensions approximately 16 × 10 cm (excluding connectors).
  • Operating temperature: roughly 0 to 55 °C.
  • Storage temperature: roughly −20 to 70 °C.
  • Relative humidity: typically 10–90% non‑condensing.

The controller is designed to be used with NI‑Motion driver software and integrated into LabVIEW or other NI software environments.

Origin

The PXI‑7344 is a product of National Instruments (now NI), originally designed and manufactured as part of NI’s motion control portfolio. NI is headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, and its PXI modules are produced for worldwide industrial, academic, and research markets under NI’s quality and compliance processes.

Recommended related NI motion controllers (same brand)

If you are considering or using NI PXI‑7344, other closely related NI motion controllers from the same family include:

• NI PXI‑7342
  A 2‑axis version of the same 7340‑series controller. Suitable when only one or two axes are needed, offering similar features (stepper/servo control, interpolation, encoder feedback) in a smaller axis count.
• NI PCI‑7344
  PCI‑bus variant of the same 4‑axis controller, intended for desktop or industrial PCs rather than PXI chassis, with nearly identical motion capabilities.
• NI FW‑7344
  IEEE‑1394 (FireWire) version of the 4‑axis controller, used where a FireWire‑based distributed system is preferred instead of PXI or PCI.
• NI PCI‑/PXI‑7334
  Lower‑cost 4‑axis motion controllers focused more on stepper/servo control with a somewhat reduced feature set compared to the 7344, for simpler applications.

These related products share similar programming models and NI‑Motion software support, so applications developed for PXI‑7344 can often be ported to the other form factors with minimal changes, depending on axis count and bus type requirements.