This PIL 50-125 Series Shielded Relay Card SPST is a functionally equivalent shielded version of the unshielded 50-115 series, designed for automated test applications requiring 50MHz bandwidth signal switching, high isolation, and low crosstalk.
The 50-125 series utilizes Pickering Electronics' highest quality instrument-grade reed relays, equipped with sputtered ruthenium contacts, offering excellent performance in low-level and small-signal switching scenarios. The complete mu-metal magnetic shielding enclosure effectively reduces inter-relay magnetic crosstalk from 40% to just 1%, ensuring signal integrity even in high-density installations.
Attention: The 50-125 series has been replaced by Pickering's updated 50-115B series (50-125-021 → 50-115B-021, 50-125-121 → 50-115B-121). The new 50-115B series has been optimized and upgraded while maintaining full pin compatibility and functional equivalence.
Forging a Decade of Technical Excellence: Industrial Solutions Engineered by MXTD
For over ten years, Xi'an Mingxi Taida Information Technology Co., Ltd. (MXTD) has been a pioneer in industrial optimization, delivering tailored, high-performance technical solutions that maximize efficiency. Our unique business model seamlessly integrates precision R&D, international commerce, and full-lifecycle engineering support to safeguard and optimize your critical assets. Leveraging our deep manufacturing expertise, we engineer ruggedized hardware portfolios that ensure unwavering operational stability in the most demanding, heavy-duty environments.
Our core operational advantages include:
| Shielded reed relay | The entire series uses SPST reed relays with mu-metal magnetic shielding, supporting 50MHz bandwidth signal switching |
| High channel density | A single-slot PCI card provides 32 or 50 independent relay channels |
| Instrument-grade ruthenium contacts | Sputtered ruthenium contacts ensure excellent contact performance for low-level signal switching |
| Fast action speed | Typical action time <0.5ms, release time <0.5ms, typical value 250µs |
| Ultra-long service life | Low power >1×10⁸ operation, full power >1×10⁶ operation |
| Low contact resistance | Path resistance <800mΩ (typical value 400mΩ) |
| High insulation resistance | Off-state resistance >10⁹Ω |
| Standard PCI interface | Single-slot short-form PCI format, compliant with PCI specification 2.0.1 |
| 200-pin LFH connector | Front panel features 200 female LFH connectors, with a rich set of matching cables and accessories |
| Complete software driver | Provides VISA, IVI, and Windows kernel drivers |
| eBIRST supports | Compatible with Pickering eBIRST switch system test tools, enabling quick location of relay faults |
Blocked version vs. Unblocked version- PIL 50-125 Series Shielded Relay Card SPST
| Items | 50-125(Blocked) | 50-115(Unblock) |
| Magnetic shielding | ✅Complete mu-metal shielding | ❌Unshielded |
| Signal Bandwidth | 50MHz | / |
| Inter-channel crosstalk | Extremely low (shielding reduced to 1%) | Lower |
| Application | RF/high-frequency signal switching, high-density matrix | General low-frequency signal switching |
The 50-125 series is positioned as a high-density shielded general-purpose reed relay card in Pickering's PCI switch card product line. It forms a complete product matrix with other models in the same series:
| Model | Function | Shield |
| 50-110 | 32/64×SPDT reed relay | Unshielded |
| 50-115 | 32/64×SPST or 25/50×DPST reed relay | Unshielded |
| 50-125 | 32/50×SPST reed relay | Shield |
| 50-120 | 32×SPDT reed relay | Shield |
| 50-131A/132A | 16/32×SPDT/SPST Electromechanical relays | / |
Functions- PIL 50-125 Series Shielded Relay Card SPST
| SPST normally open signal switching | All relays are Form A (normally open), establishing a C-to-A signal path after energization |
| Independent channel control | Each relay channel is independently controlled by software to maintain its on/off state |
| High-density signal routing | Flexible signal matrix configuration is achieved with 32 or 50 independent channels |
| Shielding signal switching | Fully magnetically shielded to support high-isolation switching of 50MHz bandwidth signals |
| Low-level signal switching | Sputtered ruthenium contacts ensure reliable switching of small signals at the µV level |
Modular Architecture
The PIL 50-125 Series employs an uncommitted SPST relay array architecture:
Control and Drive
| Relay type | Reed Relay, sputtered ruthenium contacts |
| Contact type | Form A (SPST Normally Open) |
| Maximum switching voltage | 150VDC / 100VAC |
| Maximum power | 20W |
| Maximum switching current | 1A |
| Maximum carrying current | 1.25A |
| Path resistance | <800mΩ (typical value 400mΩ) |
| Off-state resistance | >10⁹Ω |
| Differential thermal offset | <10µV |
| Action Time | <0.5ms (typical value 0.25ms) |
| Release time | <0.5ms (typical value 0.25ms) |
| Connector | 200-pin Female LFH connector |
| Shape | Single-slot short-size PCI format |
| Bus interface | PCI (+5V signal) |
| Security Certification | CE(EN61010-1:2001, EN61000-6-1:2001, EN55011:1998) |
RF/Shielding Performance
| Signal Bandwidth | 50MHz Blocked version |
| Crosstalk (100Ω balanced) | 80dB @1MHz, 72dB @10MHz, 62dB @25MHz |
| Isolation (100Ω balance) | 75dB @1MHz, 60dB @10MHz, 55dB @25MHz |
Environment and Safety
| Operating temperature | 0°C to +55°C |
| Storage temperature | -20°C to +75°C |
| Humidity (operating/storage) | ≤90% Non-condensing |
| Altitude (Work) | 5000m |
| Altitude (storage/transportation) | 15000m |
| Safety standards | EN61010-1:2001 |
| EMC immunity | EN61000-6-1:2001 |
| EMC launch | EN55011:1998 |
| CE compliance | Yes, it meets all applicable EU directives |
50-125 series compatible with Pickering standard PCI module software driver architecture:
| Type | Description |
| VISA driver | Plug and play compatible, supports NI-VISA environment |
| IVI driver | Instrument drivers compliant with IVI standards |
| Kernel driver | Windows kernel-level drivers provide low-level APIs |
Supported Development Environments
| Environments | Support Status |
| LabVIEW | ✅Full support |
| LabWindows/CVI | ✅Full support |
| C/C++ | ✅Call via Kernel API |
| Visual Basic | ✅Support |
| Python | ✅Controllable via VISA interface |
| Relay on/off control | The on (close C-to-A) and off (open) states of individual relay channels are controlled by the control bit |
| Channel status reading | Query the current on/off status of each relay |
| Subunit operations | Batch operation of relay bits by sub-unit |
| Self-test function | Execution module self-test and relay status verification |
| eBIRST Diagnosis | Perform relay health status diagnostics using the eBIRST tool to quickly locate faulty relays |
| Old Model | New Model | Changes |
| 50-125-021 | 50-115B-021 | Pin compatible, functionally equivalent, and with universal software drivers |
| 50-125-121 | 50-115B-121 | Pin compatible, functionally equivalent, and with universal software drivers |
Migration Notes:
Tailored OEM & ODM Engineering Services
We recognize that off-the-shelf, pre-packaged hardware rarely satisfies the intricate requirements of specialized engineering applications. To eliminate these operational bottlenecks, our highly skilled technical division delivers end-to-end, made-to-order OEM and ODM services custom-tailored to your precise project specifications. Whether you require modifying delicate signal spectrum parameters, integrating complex triggering sequences, or designing custom physical enclosures, we collaborate as your transparent development partner to transform raw concepts into deployable, high-performance machinery.
Our custom design framework focuses on three core operational advantages:
By balancing ultimate design flexibility with rigorous stress-testing, we deliver application-specific instruments that integrate seamlessly into your existing workflows while maintaining maximum safety and peak operational performance.



Q: What are the advantages of the 50-125 series compared to the regular 50-110/50-115 series?
A:
The 50-125 is a shielded reed relay board. The standard 50-110 series is prone to magnetic or capacitive coupling between channels during high-frequency or multi-channel simultaneous switching. The 50-125, through its physical shielding structure, significantly improves signal bandwidth and reduces crosstalk between channels, making it more suitable for high-precision weak signal testing or mid-to-low frequency (hundreds of kHz to several MHz) signal switching.
Q: Which Pickering driver should be used when developing in LabVIEW or C#/C++?
A:
Pickering employs a general driver architecture. For System 50 (PCI) hardware of the 50-125 series, it primarily provides the following two driver solutions, which can be found in the Pickering driver download center:
Direct I/O Driver (pipx40): This is the lowest-level and most commonly used direct control driver, supporting various Windows development languages and offering extremely fast response times.
IVI-Switch Driver (pi40iv): If your test system architecture requires compliance with IVI instrument standards, this driver can be used to achieve instrument interchangeability.
Q: Why does the error "Resource Name Error" occur when initializing a board in LabVIEW?
A:
Cause: 50-125 is a PCI card, but many developers directly used the PXI module example, misconfiguring it as a PXI resource format such as PXI::14::INSTR.
Solution: PCI cards are usually identified in the Pickering driver by their card number or bus/slot number. Please open the Pickering Client Bridge (the official hardware management tool) to check the specific Card ID assigned to the PCI card by the system (e.g., Card 1), and pass the correct integer ID or VISA resource name in the initialization function.
Q: How to quickly check if a relay on a 50-125 board is damaged?
A:
A key feature of Pickering is its support for its self-developed eBIRST testing tool.
Software Diagnostics: By running Pickering's diagnostic software, it closes specific relays via serial commands, guiding the user through the diagnostic channels of external measuring instruments.
Dedicated Fixture: By purchasing the matching eBIRST hardware tool, simply plug it into the 200-pin (or related high-density) interface on the front panel of the board. With a single click, it automatically identifies which relay's contact resistance is exceeding the limit (fully automatic fault detection).
Q: What interface does the 50-125 board use on the front end? How do I connect the cables?
A:
This series of high-density PCI cards typically uses a 200-pin LFH (Low Force Helix) female connector or a 78-pin D-type connector.
Due to the very dense pin configuration, users are advised against attempting to add additional wiring themselves.
Official cables are provided for the 50-125 series (such as a 200-pin LFH to open-end adapter, or an adapter for four 50-pin D-sub connectors). During system integration, a picking terminal block is usually used for signal wiring to ensure that the shielding effect is not compromised.
Ready to integrate reliable Shield Relay Card control into your system? Our team is here to help you select the right configuration and provide ongoing support.
Contact our technical specialists at manager03@mxtdinfo.com / manager02@mxtdinfo.com for detailed specifications, pricing information, or to discuss your custom requirements. We're committed to delivering the perfect PIL 50-125 Series Shielded Relay Card SPST solution for your application needs.
Our customers’ satisfaction speaks for our quality — contact us to experience the same reliable service.
Our customers’ satisfaction speaks for our quality — contact us to experience the same reliable service.