Discrete and Process Automation

Open-source drivers connect Tektronix instruments to Python

08 December 2023

A new open-source Python instrument driver package from Tektronix provides a native Python user experience for instrument automation. With integration into daily workflows and utilizing it with a preferred integrated development environment, engineers can now experience the power of auto-complete, precise type hinting, comprehensive built-in help, real-time syntax checking and enhanced debugging capabilities, resulting in unparalleled capabilities for seamless instrument automation. The open-source Python driver package is designed to work across a wide range of Tektronix and Keithley devices to facilitate ongoing development and updates, ensuring users in the test and measurement space have access to the latest features and improvements.

Source: Tektronix, Inc,Source: Tektronix, Inc,

Instrument drivers provide an abstraction layer between test application software and the instrument itself. Drivers hide the lower-level syntax commands needed to control an instrument. Making a simple measurement can take several commands to set up equipment, capture the measurement data and store it. A driver combines those commands, simplifying test automation.

The free and open-source driver package includes PyVISA, a software layer that interfaces the driver to the instrument. The package is now available globally via the Python Package Index.

To contact the author of this article, email GlobalSpecEditors@globalspec.com


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