National Instruments Blog — Test & Measurement Insights

Practical tips, buyer guides, and industry insights from our measurement engineering team.

Wednesday 12th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

National Instruments vs. HPE for Test & Data Acquisition: A Cost Controller’s TCO Comparison

I’ve managed test equipment budgets for six years. Here’s how I compare NI PXI systems with HPE server-based DAQ, including frame grabber pitfalls, PLC questions, and hidden costs.

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Wednesday 12th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

Don't Call National Instruments Support Before Checking Calibration (The CompactDAQ Lesson)

A transparent smartphone thermal test taught me an expensive National Instruments CompactDAQ lesson: check calibration before calling support. The same logic applies to how to calibrate a blood pressure monitor.

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Tuesday 11th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

The Best National Instruments Boards: A 7-Step Verification Checklist Before You Buy

A practical checklist for selecting and verifying National Instruments boards—PXI, PXIe, CompactDAQ, CompactRIO, and network-connected systems. Written from a quality inspection perspective.

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Tuesday 11th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

Toughbook vs Dell Rugged for National Instruments Battery Test Systems

A test engineer compares Toughbook vs Dell rugged laptops for National Instruments battery test systems, including lessons learned from PXIe-8110-based racks and support calls to NI in Austin, TX.

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Monday 10th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

Buying NI Hardware? A Cost Controller’s Checklist for DAQ Cards, RoboRIO, and Test Systems

A practical procurement checklist from a cost controller on buying National Instruments DAQ cards, RoboRIO, PXI controllers, and test systems without blowing the budget.

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Monday 10th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

NXP vs. National Instruments for SDR: A Procurement Comparison

A cost-controlled comparison of National Instruments SDR platforms and NXP-based alternatives, covering CAGE code, integration, and total cost of ownership.

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Friday 7th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

Why Are Phones So Strong? A National Instruments SCB-68 Buying and Calibration Overview

A procurement admin's National Instruments company overview and SCB-68 buying comparison—plus National Instruments calibration, the 3310 story, and why are phones so strong.

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Friday 7th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

National Instruments FAQ: NI Corp, DAQ Boards, Voltage Testing, and Costa Rica (2025)

A quality compliance manager answers the most common National Instruments questions: NI Corp after the Emerson acquisition, NI Costa Rica operations, choosing a DAQ board, using a DAQ as a voltage tester, Cypress vs MCU-based loggers, and verification checklists.

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Thursday 6th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

Klein Multimeter vs National Instruments CompactDAQ for Power Supply Testing: A $3,200 Lesson

Comparing a $99 Klein multimeter with a $4,383 National Instruments CompactDAQ system for power supply testing. Five years of hands-on experience, real quote numbers, and a $3,200 mistake that changed how we test.

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Thursday 6th of August 2026 by Jane Smith

The $22,000 'Equivalent' Module: Why I Trust National Instruments Analog Output

A quality manager at DuraForce Corp explains how a 'functionally equivalent' analog output module failed validation testing, cost $22,000 in rework, and reinforced why National Instruments analog output belongs in precision test systems.

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