New to NI - continuity test system development

[Yankees28]

I need to develop a test fixture which will allow a continuity test of 173 cables. These cables are attached at different ends of our product, so I'll be looking to detach at both end, connect a pig-tail jumper and then interface them with some NI equipment. I would like to automate this process so I'm considering LabView. Since I'm new to this environment I not sure which equipment will best serve me needs. If anyone has any thoughts I would greatly appreciate the input. My first question would be whether not a multi-channel NI device is available which could handle all 173 cables? or will it be necessary to create an array of NI modules. Secondly I would like to have flying leads and terminate into some sort of terminal block if possible. Does NI offer terminal blocks as an interface for their modules? Finally, this system just needs to be able to push a signal through one end of the cable into the NI equipment and back through the opposite end of the cable to show continuity. I will not get into the reporting I'm looking for view in VI's. I'm just looking to get my hardware ordered and start terminating cables at this point. 

[santo_13]

Do you mean a cable with 173 wires? or 173 cables?

In any case, the suggestions vary by your answers to the following questions,

1. Do you plan to do everything by yourself? do you have the required expertise with NI HW and LabVIEW programming?
2. What might be the typical resistance of each wire?
3. Do you just need to check if there is continuity between Connector A and Connector B of the cable for each and every wire/signal?
4. What is your budget for HW?
5. What is the form factor of the hardware you're looking at?

Basically, the idea is to use a high-density DIO card where you connect one end of the cable to DO channels and another end of the cable to DI channels, drive a know combination of signals at one end of the cable and expect the signals in the same order at the other end of the cable. If the signal is mixed, you know the cable is not as expected.

[Yankees28]

Santo_13,

Thanks for getting back with me. This will be a connect to connect continuity check. Some connectors have three conductors source to destination and others have 10 conductors. This will be a new equipment purchase and I'm new to NI/LabView environment. That said what I'll be looking to do is drive a signal via a NI USB-6009 I/O through the conductor and place a simple LED and resistor in series to show connectivity. My dilemma will be the need to duplicate this for 173 individual signals which are part of several different connectors, both Molex, Amp, and MKS-310's. I can get my budget approved from the PM to support the equipment purchase, but what I don't know is what models I can buy and how many I'll need to complete this task. What I would really like is a terminal block configuration where I could terminate each of my conductors and then switch or mux them as needed via a DAQ to the LabView app.

[santo_13]

See if this can give you some idea,

BTW, instead of USB-6009, I would suggest USB-6509 since it comes with 96 DIO lines and gives you ample room to expand.

You would send digital levels from DO lines through your "cable under test" and receive the signals at the DI lines, since you generated the signal, you would know what to expect at the DI lines, if those don't match, your cable is faulty.

[Yankees28]

santo_13,

Thanks this is the information I was looking for. I spoke with my PM today about a proof-of-concept using the USB-6009 and he's on board with needed to expand so I'll look at buying the USB-6509 to incorporate your idea.