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8588A / 8558A Reference Multimeter
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Product Introduction
The 8588A is an 8.5-digit reference multimeter for calibration laboratories. One-year DC voltage accuracy is 2.7 µV/V at 95% confidence (3.5 µV/V at 99%), with 24-hour stability of 0.5 µV/V (95%), and a stable 8.5-digit reading in one second. It measures more than 12 functions, including digitize voltage, digitize current, capacitance, RF power and current through an external shunt.
The 8558A is the same platform for automated test. It keeps the 8.5-digit resolution, the 5 MS/s digitizer and the 100,000 readings per second rate at 4.5 digits, with one-year DC voltage accuracy of 4.0 µV/V (95%). Current is specified to 2 A, and capacitance, RF power, external shunts and onboard FFT are not included.
Both models use the same menu and SCPI commands, and both emulate the 8508A and accept 3458A commands, so an existing system can move over without a new command set. Visual Connection Management shows how to wire the front terminals, and the inputs can switch between front and rear for ratio, difference and deviation measurements.
Key Features
- 8.5-digit resolution, with a stable 8.5-digit reading in 1 second
- One-year DC voltage accuracy: 2.7 µV/V (8588A) or 4.0 µV/V (8558A), 95% confidence, relative
- DC voltage 100 mV to 1000 V; AC voltage 10 mV to 1000 V, 1 Hz to 10 MHz
- DC and AC current to 30 A on the 8588A, or to 2 A on the 8558A
- Digitize voltage and current at 5 MS/s; at least 100,000 readings/s at 4.5 digits
- GPIB, Ethernet and USB TMC, with 8508A emulation and 3458A command compatibility
- 8588A also measures capacitance, RF power (R&S NRP) and current through an external shunt
Model Comparison
| Specification | 8588A | 8558A |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 8.5 digits | 8.5 digits |
| DC voltage | 100 mV to 1000 V | 100 mV to 1000 V |
| DCV accuracy, 10 V, 1 year, 95% relative | 2.7 µV/V + 0.05 µV/V | 4.0 µV/V + 0.06 µV/V |
| AC voltage | 10 mV to 1000 V, 1 Hz to 10 MHz | 10 mV to 1000 V, 1 Hz to 10 MHz |
| ACV accuracy, 10 V, 1 kHz, 1 year, 95% relative | 60 µV/V + 5 µV/V | 80 µV/V + 10 µV/V |
| Resistance | 1 Ω to 10 GΩ | 1 Ω to 10 GΩ |
| Resistance accuracy, 10 kΩ, 1 year, 95% relative | 7 µΩ/Ω + 0.5 µΩ/Ω | 10 µΩ/Ω + 0.6 µΩ/Ω |
| DC current | 10 µA to 30 A | 10 µA to 2 A |
| AC current | 10 µA to 30 A, 1 Hz to 100 kHz | 10 µA to 2 A, 1 Hz to 100 kHz |
| Digitize voltage | 100 mV to 1000 V, 5 MS/s, up to 20 MHz bandwidth | 100 mV to 1000 V, 5 MS/s, up to 20 MHz bandwidth |
| Digitize current | 10 µA to 30 A, 5 MS/s, up to 4 MHz bandwidth | 10 µA to 2 A, 5 MS/s, up to 4 MHz bandwidth |
| Frequency | 1 Hz to 10 MHz (V), 1 Hz to 100 kHz (I), 10 Hz to 100 MHz (BNC) | Same |
| Temperature | PRT and thermocouple (external cold junction) | PRT and thermocouple (external cold junction) |
| Capacitance | 1 nF to 100 mF | Not included |
| RF power | Rohde & Schwarz NRP series | Not included |
| External current shunt | A40B and other shunts | Not included |
| Front/rear input switching | Yes | Yes |
| Ratio, difference and deviation | Ohms, voltage and current | Ohms, voltage and current |
| Onboard FFT | Yes | No |
| Reading rate | 5 MS/s into memory; 100 kS/s at 4.5 digits; 1 reading/s at 8.5 digits | Same |
| Interfaces | GPIB IEEE-488.2, Ethernet, USB TMC | GPIB IEEE-488.2, Ethernet, USB TMC |
| Remote emulation | 8508A and 3458A | 8508A and 3458A |
| Memory | 15 million readings | 15 million readings |
Shared
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Display | Colour graphical display |
| True RMS | Yes, digital RMS |
| External reference | 10 MHz, 50 Ω or high impedance |
| Included accessories | Meter, general-purpose probe kit and pouch, two 4-way shorting PCBs |
Accuracy figures above are 1-year relative specifications at 95% confidence. The full specifications, including absolute uncertainty and 99% confidence, are in the datasheet.
