NIOPERATING INSTRUCTIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS NI 9505

This document describes how to use the National Instruments 9505 

module and includes specifications and pin assignments for the 

NI 9505.

Note The safety guidelines and specifications in this 

document are specific to the NI 9505. The other 

components in the system may not meet the same safety 

ratings and specifications. Refer to the documentation for 

each component in the system to determine the safety 

ratings and specifications for the entire system.

Caution This product may cause radio interference in 

a domestic environment, in which case supplementary 

mitigation measures may be required.

Related Information

Safety Guidelines

Operate the NI 9505 only as described in these operating 

instructions.

Safety Guidelines for Hazardous Locations

The NI 9505 is suitable for use in Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, 

C, D, T4 hazardous locations; Class I, Zone 2, AEx nA IIC T4 and 

Ex nA IIC T4 hazardous locations; and nonhazardous locations 

only. Follow these guidelines if you are installing the NI 9505 in a 

potentially explosive environment. Not following these guidelines 

may result in serious injury or death.

Caution Do not disconnect I/O-side wires or connectors 

unless power has been switched off or the area is known to 

be nonhazardous.

Caution Do not remove modules unless power has been 

switched off or the area is known to be nonhazardous.

Caution Substitution of components may impair 

suitability for Class I, Division 2.

Caution For Division 2 and Zone 2 applications, install 

the system in an enclosure rated to at least IP 54 as defined 

by IEC/EN 60079-15.

Caution For Division 2 and Zone 2 applications, install a 

protection device between the input signal and the Vsup 

pin. The device must prevent the Vsup-to-channel voltage 

from exceeding 42 V if there is a transient overvoltage 

condition.

Special Conditions for Hazardous Locations Use in 

Europe and Internationally

This equipment has been evaluated as Ex nA IIC T4 Gc equipment 

under DEMKO Certificate No. 07 ATEX 0626664X and is IECEx 

UL 14.0089X certified. Each module is marked II 3G and is 

suitable for use in Zone 2 hazardous locations, in ambient 

temperatures of -40 °C  Ta  70 °C. If you are using the NI 9505 

in Gas Group IIC hazardous locations, you must use the device in 

an NI chassis that has been evaluated as Ex nC IIC T4, Ex IIC T4, 

Ex nA IIC T4, or Ex nL IIC T4 equipment.

Caution You must make sure that transient disturbances 

do not exceed 140% of the rated voltage

Caution The system shall only be used in an area of not 

more than Pollution Degree 2, as defined in IEC 60664-1.

Caution The system shall be mounted in an 

ATEX/IECEx-certified enclosure with a minimum ingress 

protection rating of at least IP54 as defined in 

IEC/EN 60079-15.

Caution The enclosure must have a door or cover 

accessible only by the use of a tool.

Electromagnetic Compatibility Guidelines

This product was tested and complies with the regulatory 

requirements and limits for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) 

as stated in the product specifications. These requirements and 

limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against 

harmful interference when the product is operated in its intended 

operational electromagnetic environment.

This product is intended for use in industrial locations. As such, 

there is no guarantee that harmful interference will not occur in 

a particular installation, when the product is connected to a test 

object, or if the product is used in residential areas. To minimize

the potential for the product to cause interference to radio and 

television reception or to experience unacceptable performance 

degradation, install and use this product in strict accordance with 

the instructions in the product documentation.

Furthermore, any changes or modifications to the product not 

expressly approved by National Instruments could void your 

authority to operate it under your local regulatory rules.

Caution To ensure compliance with the applicable 

regulatory requirements, product installation requires 

either special considerations or user-installed, add-on 

devices. See the product installation instructions for 

further information.

Caution The inputs/outputs of this product can be 

damaged if subjected to Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). To 

prevent damage, industry-standard ESD prevention 

measures must be employed during installation, 

maintenance, and operation.

Special Conditions for Marine Applications

Some modules are Lloyd’s Register (LR) Type Approved for 

marine applications. To verify Lloyd’s Register certification, go 

to ni.com/certification and search for the LR certificate, or 

look for the Lloyd’s Register mark on the module.

Caution To meet radio frequency emission requirements 

for marine applications, use shielded cables and install the 

system in a metal enclosure. Suppression ferrites must be 

installed on power supply inputs near power entries to 

modules and controllers. Power supply and module cables 

must be separated on opposite sides of the enclosure and 

must enter and exit through opposing enclosure walls.

NI 9505 Hardware Overview

The NI 9505 provides unique flexibility and customization. The 

NI 9505 works together with the LabVIEW FPGA Module to 

create a highly customizable motor drive or actuator amplifier. 

Figure 1 illustrates the functionality of the NI 9505 working in 

conjunction with the LabVIEW FPGA Module in a typical motion 

control application. Figures 2 and 3 show more detailed versions 

of the position, velocity, and current loops implemented in the

LabVIEW FPGA Module. A typical application contains a 

position loop, velocity loop, and current loop, implemented in 

the LabVIEW FPGA Module block diagram. Depending on the 

application, you may not need to use all three loops. The examples 

installed in the labviewexamplesCompactRIOModule

SpecificNI 9505 directory illustrate methods for implementing 

each of these loops.

The NI 9505 returns the motor or actuator current data to the 

LabVIEW FPGA Module for use in a current loop or for 

monitoring. The NI 9505 also returns status information such as 

drive fault status, VSUP presence, and emergency stop status to the 

LabVIEW FPGA Module for use in system monitoring. Refer 

to the NI 9505 Reference Help book in the LabVIEW Help, 

available by selecting Help»Search the LabVIEW Help, for 

more information about the available status information.

The LabVIEW FPGA Module generates a PWM signal and sends 

the signal to the NI 9505. The PWM signal is proportional to the 

desired current or torque you want to provide to the motor or 

actuator. Increasing the PWM duty cycle results in increased 

current and thus increased torque. 

Quadrature encoder signals pass through the NI 9505 and are 

processed in the LabVIEW FPGA Module for use in the position 

Hot-Swap Behavior

The NI 9505 is always disabled when it is inserted in the chassis, 

regardless of whether VSUP is present or not. You can enable the 

drive using the Enable Drive method in software. Refer to the 

NI 9505 Reference Help book in the LabVIEW Help, available 

by selecting Help»Search the LabVIEW Help, for more 

information about enabling the drive.

When the NI 9505 is removed from the chassis while it is enabled, 

the power to the motor is removed and the motor decelerates to a 

stop based on its own friction.

Power

The Power LED (green) illuminates when the NI 9505 is properly 

inserted into a powered chassis.

Note The Power LED does not illuminate when the 

chassis is in sleep mode. 

VSUP

The VSUP LED (green) illuminates when the motor DC power 

supply is properly connected and powering the drive.

Disable

The Disable LED (yellow) illuminates when the drive is disabled. 

The drive is disabled by default at power-on. You can enable the 

drive using the Enable Drive method in software. Refer to the 

NI 9505 Reference Help book in the LabVIEW Help, available 

by selecting Help»Search the LabVIEW Help, for more 

information about this method.

Fault

Caution If the Fault LED is lit, determine the cause of the 

fault and correct it before enabling the drive.

The Fault LED (red) illuminates when a fault occurs. A fault 

disables the drive. Causes for fault are the following:

Caution VSUP greater than 40 V will result in damage to 

the NI 9505.

• Overvoltage

• Undervoltage

• Motor terminal (MOTOR±) short to VSUP

• Motor terminal (MOTOR±) short to COM

• Module temperature exceeds 115 ºC

• Sending commands to the motor before enabling the drive

Note Do not command motor movement until the drive is 

enabled with the Enable Drive method. Attempting to 

control the motor before it is enabled will result in a fault.

• Violating PWM minimum pulse width requirements. Refer to 

the Specifications section for more information about PWM.

Sleep Mode

This module supports a low-power sleep mode. Support for sleep 

mode at the system level depends on the chassis that the module is 

plugged into. Refer to the chassis manual for information about 

support for sleep mode. If the chassis supports sleep mode, refer 

to the software help for information about enabling sleep mode. 

Visit ni.com/info and enter cseriesdoc for information about 

C Series documentation.

Typically, when a system is in sleep mode, you cannot 

communicate with the modules. In sleep mode, the system 

consumes minimal power and may dissipate less heat than it does 

in normal mode. Refer to the Specifications section for more 

information about power consumption and thermal dissipation.

Wiring the NI 9505

The NI 9505 has a 9-pin female DSUB connector that provides 

connections for the encoder inputs, a +5 V connection for encoder 

power, a connection for an emergency stop input, and a connection 

to COM. Refer to Table 1 for the pin assignments.

The NI 9505 also has a screw terminal connector that provides 

connections to a motor DC power supply and a DC brushed servo 

motor. Connect the positive lead of the power supply to terminal 4, 

VSUP, and the negative lead to terminal 3, COM. Refer to Table 2 

for the terminal assignments.

Note You must use 2-wire ferrules to create a secure 

connection when connecting more than one wire to a 

single terminal on the NI 9505 screw terminal.

Caution Do not turn on or plug in the motor DC power 

supply until the screw terminal connector is fully inserted.

Optional Screw Terminal Accessory

Use the NI 9931 Screw Terminal Accessory instead of the 

detachable screw terminal connector to increase the output power 

of the module at temperatures below 70 ºC. The NI 9931 is 

available from ni.com (NI part number 780571-01) or by calling 

your National Instruments sales representative. Refer to the 

Specifications section for more information. Refer to Figure 5 for 

an illustration.

Figure 5. NI 9505 Module with Optional Screw Terminal Accessory

Wiring for High Vibration Applications

National Instruments recommends using ferrules to terminate 

wires to the detachable screw terminal connector or the NI 9931 

Screw Terminal Accessory when you use the NI 9505 in high 

vibration applications. Refer to Figure 6 for an illustration.

Figure 6. 4-Terminal Screw Terminal Connector or 

Accessory with a Ferrule

Motor Power Signals

The MOTOR+ and MOTOR- signals power the servo motor. 

Motor direction is as follows:

• Forward—Clockwise (CW) facing motor shaft

• Reverse—Counterclockwise (CCW) facing motor shaf

Encoder Signals

The encoder signals consist of a Phase A, Phase B, and Index 

(Phase Z) input. The NI 9505 supports differential and 

single-ended inputs for Phase A, Phase B, and Index (Phase Z) 

signals. Figures 8 and 9 show simplified schematic diagrams of the 

encoder input circuit connected to differential and single-ended 

inputs. You can also accommodate open-collector output encoders

by using a 1 kΩ pull-up resistor on each line to +5 VDC. Refer to 

the Specifications section for more information about the encoder 

inputs. 

The encoder signals are raw digital input signals. These signals are 

used in the LabVIEW FPGA Module for position and/or velocity 

feedback. Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the use of the encoder signals 

in a position and velocity loop in the LabVIEW FPGA Module. 

Refer to the examples installed at labviewexamples

CompactRIOModule SpecificNI 9505 for examples of using 

the encoder signals. Refer to the NI 9505 Reference Help book 

in the LabVIEW Help, available by selecting Help»Search the 

LabVIEW Help, for more information. 

If the encoder cable length is greater than 3.05 m (10 ft), use 

encoders with differential line driver outputs for your applications. 

Power for a +5 V encoder—generated by a power supply inside the 

NI 9505—is available on pin 5 of the DSUB connector.

Note The internal power supply is powered through the 

Vsup pin. 

Closed-loop servo applications require consistent directional 

polarity between the motor and encoder for correct operation. 

One industry-standard directional polarity is as follows:

• Positive = forward = clockwise (CW) facing motor shaft

• Negative = reverse = counterclockwise (CCW) facing motor 

shaft

Refer to Figure 7 for a depiction of clockwise and 

counterclockwise rotation. If encoder counting does not behave as 

expected, change the encoder polarity in the FPGA or swap the 

Phase A and Phase B connections.

When connecting the encoder wiring to the NI 9505, use shielded 

wire of at least 24 AWG. You must use cables with twisted pairs 

and an overall shield for improved noise immunity. Refer to 

Figure 4 for a connection example.

Note Using an unshielded cable may produce noise, 

which can corrupt the encoder signals and cause lost 

counts, reduced accuracy, or other erroneous encoder and 

drive operation.

Emergency Stop Signal

The E-Stop signal is an input to the drive from an emergency stop 

switch. Figure 10 shows a simplified schematic of the emergency 

stop input circuit. When the emergency stop switch is closed, 

current flows through the circuit, and the drive is enabled. When 

an external event activates the emergency stop switch, the switch 

opens and current stops flowing, disabling the drive. The E-Stop 

functionality is disabled by default. Refer to the NI 9505 Reference 

Help book in the LabVIEW Help, available by selecting Help»

Search the LabVIEW Help, for information about how to enable 

this signal using the Enable E-Stop Property.

Figure 10. Emergency Stop Input Circuit

Cable Requirements for EMC Compliance

Use the following guidelines when selecting cables for the 

NI 9505:

• Use shielded cables with a low impedance connection to 

chassis ground to minimize noise and signal crosstalk.

• Tie the VSUP cable shield to chassis ground at the module side 

only.

• Tie the motor cable shield to chassis ground at the motor side 

only.

• Tie the encoder cable shield to COM at the encoder side only.

• Wire encoder signals and their ground connections separately 

from all other connections to prevent lost encoder counts.

• Route wires along the machine frame to reduce high frequency 

noise.

• Add clamp-on ferrites to cables to further reduce emissions.

• Add a balun to the power cable to attenuate conducted and 

radiated emissions

Channel-to-COM ..............................0 to +30 VDC max, 

Measurement Category I

Isolation

Channel-to-channel ....................None

Channel-to-earth ground

Continuous ...........................60 VDC, 

Measurement Category I

Withstand .............................750 Vrms, verified by a 5 s

dielectric withstand test

Measurement Category I is for measurements performed on 

circuits not directly connected to the electrical distribution system 

referred to as MAINS voltage. MAINS is a hazardous live electrical 

supply system that powers equipment. This category is for 

measurements of voltages from specially protected secondary 

circuits. Such voltage measurements include signal levels, special 

equipment, limited-energy parts of equipment, circuits powered by 

regulated low-voltage sources, and electronics.

Caution Do not connect the NI 9505 to signals or use for 

measurements within Measurement Categories II, III, or IV.

CE Compliance

This product meets the essential requirements of applicable 

European directives as follows:

• 2014/35/EU; Low-Voltage Directive (safety)

• 2014/30/EU; Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC)

• 94/9/EC; Potentially Explosive Atmospheres (ATEX)

Online Product Certification

Refer to the product Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for 

additional regulatory compliance information. To obtain product 

certifications and the DoC for this product, visit ni.com/

certification, search by module number or product line, and 

click the appropriate link in the Certification column.

Shock and Vibration

To meet these specifications, you must panel mount the system and 

affix ferrules to the end of the screw terminal wires.

Operating vibration

Random (IEC 60068-2-64).........5 grms, 10 to 500 Hz

Sinusoidal (IEC 60068-2-6) .......5 g, 10 to 500 Hz

Environmental Management

NI is committed to designing and manufacturing products in an 

environmentally responsible manner. NI recognizes that 

eliminating certain hazardous substances from our products is 

beneficial to the environment and to NI customers.

For additional environmental information, refer to the Minimize 

Our Environmental Impact web page at ni.com/environment. 

This page contains the environmental regulations and directives 

with which NI complies, as well as other environmental 

information not included in this document.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

EU Customers At the end of the product life cycle, 

all products must be sent to a WEEE recycling center. 

For more information about WEEE recycling centers, 

National Instruments WEEE initiatives, and compliance 

with WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste and Electronic 

Equipment, visit ni.com/environment/weee.

Worldwide Support and Services

The NI website is your complete resource for technical support. At 

ni.com/support you have access to everything from 

troubleshooting and application development self-help resources 

to email and phone assistance from NI Application Engineers.

Visit ni.com/services for NI Factory Installation Services, 

repairs, extended warranty, and other services.

Visit ni.com/register to register your NI product. Product 

registration facilitates technical support and ensures that you 

receive important information updates from NI.

A Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is our claim of compliance 

with the Council of the European Communities using the 

manufacturer’s declaration of conformity. This system affords the 

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