HP 3497A Data Acquisition Control Unit with 44428A 16-Ch Actuator Card HPIB

HP 3497A Data Acquisition Control Unit with 44428A 16-Ch Actuator Card HPIB

The HP (Hewlett-Packard) 3497A is a benchtop Data Acquisition/Control Unit mainframe designed to provide interfacing, power supplies, and a plug-in card chassis for optional measurement and switching assemblies. This unit includes the HP 44428A 16-Channel Actuator Output Card installed in the mainframe. The 3497A communicates with a host controller via its built-in HPIB (HP-IB / IEEE-488 / GPIB) interface and can also be expanded using the HP 3498A Extender for larger channel counts. Front-panel local control is provided through an alphanumeric keyboard and a red LED display that shows measurement results, channel status, and programming information.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard (HP) / Agilent
• Model: 3497A Data Acquisition/Control Unit Mainframe
• Included plug-in card: HP 44428A 16-Channel Actuator Output Card
• Bus interface: HPIB (HP-IB / IEEE-488 / GPIB) — 24-pin Amphenol connector on rear
• Front panel: Alphanumeric keyboard; red LED numeric display; SRQ, TALK, LISTEN, REMOTE status indicators
• Alarm: Audible programmable beeper
• 44428A relay type: Mercury wetted Form C (SPDT — single pole, double throw)
• 44428A relay channels: 16, individually addressable
• 44428A switching rating: 1A at 100V DC/AC per relay
• 44428A application: Digital output switching, alarm actuation, test fixture power switching, or matrix switching
• Rear BNC connectors: EXT TRIG, EXT INCR, BBM SYNC
• Rear output jacks (5V max): VM Complete, Channel Closed, Timer
• Digital Extender connector: D-sub (rear panel, labeled Digital/White Cable)
• Extender compatibility: HP 3498A Extender
• Power input: 100 / 120 / 220 / 240V AC selectable, 160VA max, 48–66Hz
• Power connector: IEC C14 inlet (rear panel)
• Country of manufacture: United States
• Form factor: Benchtop

Applications

The HP 3497A was introduced in the early 1980s as part of Hewlett-Packard's instrument-grade data acquisition line, and it remains a capable and sought-after platform for lab automation and test system integration. The mainframe hosts up to three plug-in cards — scanners, actuators, voltage sources, and other functional modules — and coordinates them through a single HPIB (IEEE-488) connection to a controller PC or instrument. This architecture made it a standard building block in automated test equipment (ATE) setups for production testing, process monitoring, and R&D labs. The 44428A actuator card installed here uses mercury-wetted relays, which provide very low contact resistance and long cycle life — making them well suited for switching low-level signals, test fixture power rails, or alarm outputs. The 3497A is still used today in legacy ATE maintenance, university lab environments, and vintage HP instrument collections. It is compatible with HP BASIC and HP VEE programming environments, as well as any IEEE-488 controller.