Fluke/Philips-LCR Meter (Model PM 6304/6306)

Features at a Glance

• Select the test you need
• Easy-to-use, at-a-glance display
• Test frequencies from 50 Hz to 1 MHz (100 kHz for PM 6304)
• 0.1% basic accuracy (0.05% for PM 6304C)
• RS-232 or IEEE-488 interface
• AC test levels from 50 mV to 2V rms
• Internal or external bias
• DC test measurement (optional)
• 9 front panel setups
• Actual component test voltage/current readback
• Automatic zero trimming
• Contact check and deviation mode (PM 6306 only)
• Front-panel test posts for immediate 4-wire measurements.

Versatile component measurement and testing

The PM 6306 and PM 6304 combine excellent component measurement power and versatility with remote programmability. Operation is as simple as ever – just connect the component to the test posts or fixture, and you can instantly read-out the dominant and secondary values and see the equivalent circuit diagram on the large LCD display. The basic capabilities of these instruments, with their wide range of test frequencies and voltage levels, make them two of the best RCL meter values in the business. The available options, from RS-232 or IEEE-488 interfaces (choice of interface as standard in PM 6306), DC test measurement component handler interface and Microsoft Windows ® test software, add up to a powerful component measurement and testing facilitiy – from development lab right through to production line.

Computer-aided component testing

The RS-232 or IEEE-488 Interface and ComponentView test software make the PM 6306 or PM 6304 a cost-effective solution for automated test setups such as incoming inspection or the quality assurance station in manufacturing. With the IEEE-488 interface, the RCL meter can become the heart of a fully automated component testing environment for operation at up to 10 measurements per second. Or with the RS-232 interface, the tester can be controlled simply and economically from a PC in a stand-alone system for incoming inspection of components and devices. With ComponentView, just recall an instrument setup from a stored file.

Start testing components while the Windows software acquires the data. Now this data can be archived, analyzed for pass/fail conditions, or plotted on the screen for visual analysis. The data also can be exported in standard Microsoft Excel formats for your favorite graphics or SQC package.

Testing the behavior of components under a range of different conditions is now very easy by using the scan mode. Just select the required frequency or voltage range and ComponentView software will execute the measurement sequence.

Component binning

The binning function lets you program tolerance limits to sort components into as many as ten bins. Then, simply insert the component in the test fixture and read the indicated bin number from the display. The optional handler interface provides lamp drivers for a visual indication of the proper bin, or a pass/fail indication, along with an external measurement trigger input, further speeding up the sorting process.

More measurement capability

The PM 6306 and PM 6304 have the test frequencies you need, with a wider choice of test frequencies than any other instrument in this class. For testing primary power components such as transformers and filter capacitors, these instruments have 50 and 60 Hz test frequencies together with the 100 and 120 Hz ripple frequencies.

In the 100 Hz to 20 kHz range, both RCL meters provide 100 Hz resolution for precision frequency characterization. For testing small value capacitors, 100 kHz is also provided in the PM 6304, while the test frequency of the PM 6306 is continuously adjustable up to 1 MHz.

Component test voltage levels are variable from 2V right down to only 50 mV to keep sensitive semiconductor junctions below their voltage thresholds. DC bias can be added, either from the built-in source or from an external source up to 40V dc.

Measuring the dc resistance of a component can be done with the optional dc test measurement capability. Measurements comparing the dc and ac resistance values of a component can now easily be done with the push of a front panel key.

The PM 6306 RCL meter is also able to check the component connection by measuring the impedances over the connections. Operation is easy; just press the appropriate key, the connection result will be displayed and you are sure about a proper 4-wire component connection.

Select the test you need

As well as fully-automatic operation that displays the characteristic parameters and the equivalent circuit, you can manually select other parameters of interest. Press a key to lock in component phase angle, impedance, Q (quality) and D (dissipation) factors. To get a more stable reading you can use the averaging function. For fast comparison of components, the PM 6306 also offers a deviation mode.

Select the current/voltage monitoring function to see the actual test current and voltage values measured at the component under test. This ensures maximum protection for current-sensitive components and allows the test current to be specified together with the measured component parameters.

With all these built-in capabilities, a Fluke RCL meter is a compact and versatile instrument that you can use wherever it is needed. And with the best measurement versatility and value in its class.