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Keithley KickStart Software
Support for the legacy license KICKSTARTFL-BASE will end on February 4th, 2025. Take this opportunity and transition to a subscription or perpetual license option at 50% OFF! Contact us for details.
Drive innovation through faster test & measurement with KickStart Software. KickStart simplifies what you need to know about the instrument so that in just minutes you can take the instrument out of the box and get real data on your device. By plotting data immediately and offering quick statistical summaries of the data in the reading table, KickStart allows you to gather insights faster and make the decisions you need to move on to the next stage of device development. KickStart enables you to focus your time on interpreting the test results so that your team can meet its innovation goals.
Beyond Keithley arbitrary function generators, power supplies, data acquisition instruments, digital multimeters (DMMs) and source measure units (SMUs), KickStart can also be used as oscilloscope software to control Tektronix bench oscilloscopes.
Automated data collection from multiple instruments without expert knowledge
Highlights
- Collect millions of readings that are streamed to PC disk media for safe archiving
- Run tests on multiple instruments independently or simultaneously
Simple tools for visualizing data quickly
Highlights
- Large viewing area for data
- Access information about multiple tests in one window
- Highlight data of interest using markers
- Compare data from multiple test runs in a single plot
- Ability to load in arbitrary and basic waveforms from file data
Fast and easy test replication and sharing of results
Highlights
- Configure tests using simulated instruments and swap in real instruments when available
- Save test configuration in KickStart project and export along with data for test documentation
- Auto export data in .csv and .xlsx formats
- Auto export graphs in picture format
- Capture, save, and export AFG waveform settings
Supported instruments
Instrument Type | Model | KickStart Suite Apps |
---|---|---|
Arbitrary Function Generators | AFG31000 Series | AFG |
SMU Instruments | 2400 Series, 2600 Series, 2650 Series, 6430 | I-V Characterizer |
Oscilloscopes | TBS1000 Series, TBS2000 Series, 2 Series MSO, 3 Series MDO, 4 Series MSO, 5 Series MSO, 5 Series B MSO, 5 Series MSO Low Profile, 6 Series B MSO, MDO3000 Series, MDO4000 Series, MSO3000 Series, MSO4000 Series, DPO3000 Series, DPO4000 Series, TDS1000 Series, TDS2000 Series, and TDS200 Series | Scope |
Data Acquisition Units | DAQ6510, DMM6500, 2700, 2701, 2750, 3706A | Data Logger |
DMMs | DMM6500, DMM7510, DAQ6510, 2700, 2701, 2750, 2000, 2010, 2110 | DMM |
Power Supplies | 2280S-32-6, 2280S-60-3, 2281S-20-6, 2220 Series, 2230 Series, 2231A-30-3, 2260B Series, 2200 Series, and 2306-LAN | Power Supply |
Sensitive | 6517B, 6514, 6485, 6487, 6517A | DMM |
Instrument Type | Model | KickStart Specialty Apps |
---|---|---|
Sensitive | 6517B, 6517A | High Resistivity App |
SMU Instruments | 2400 Series, 2600 Series | Battery Simulator App |
Power Supplies | 2281S-20-6 | Battery Simulator App |
Battery | 2380 Series | Battery Simulator App |
Suite Applications
AFG App
Highlights
- Responsive interface allows users to change settings in real time
- Source and preview waveforms remotely
- Ability to Control both channels of multi-channel AFGs independently
- Access to a variety of source functions, including pulse, noise, arbitrary, exponential rise, and many more
I-V Characterizer App
Highlights
- Configure and control up to four Series 2400 Graphical, Series 2600B, 2651A, and 2657A SMU instruments for DC or Pulsed I-V test in either the same app, same project, or a combination of the two.
- Enables quick pulse test setup and analysis for the new Model 2601B-Pulse 10us Pulser/SMU for outputting pulses as short as 10us at 10A and 10V.
- Perform current versus voltage (I-V) testing on a variety of materials and devices
- Use up to four SourceMeter® SMU instruments in each test
Scope App
Highlights
- Three modes of operation enable data capture and datalogging of waveforms, measurements, and screenshots
- Supports data retrieval from analog channels of supported Tektronix scopes, as well as from reference and math channels
- Capture present data or arm to wait for a trigger, capture data, and re-arm for next trigger
Data Logger App
Highlights
- Quickly configure multi-channel data acquisition instruments
- Stream millions of readings directly to PC disk media for safe data archival
- Automatically export data in ready-to-use formats for reports and additional analysis - even while the test is running
DMM App (Digital Multimeter App)
Highlights
- Run independent or simultaneous tests that log measurements from one or more DMMs
- Get a quick summary of data using statistics built into the data table
Power Supply App
Highlights
- Easy access to control voltage bias and current limit while viewing data from primary measurement instrument in main viewing area
- Configure list sweep to automate tests, such as monitoring power consumption or stability of load current
- Export / save statistics with the data
Specialty Applications
Battery Simulator App
The KickStart Battery Simulator App gives users a simple method to create, manage, and simulate battery models along with the ability to cycle test batteries. This optional specialty application for KickStart software is designed for use with Keithley’s 2281S Power Supply/Battery Simulator for simulating battery models, the Keithley 2380 DC Electronic Load for battery model generation, and the Keithley 2400 Graphical Series and 2600A/B Series SMUs (channel A only) for battery model generation, battery simulation, and battery charge/discharge cycle testing.
The Battery Simulator App includes:
- Ability to generate, edit, and simulate custom battery models
- Responsive user interface which allows changes to the simulated state of charge in real time
- Table and graph views to visualize data collection in real time
- Ability to browse multiple battery models saved to repository on local drive
- Ability to import and export models to and from KickStart software
- Dynamic and static battery models
- Dynamic battery model updates values in real time
- Visual representation of battery VOC, Vt, SOC, ESR, current, and capacity
- One-box stimulator, model generator, and cycle testing solution using SMUs
- Ability to test batteries through multiple charge and discharge cycles with access to a myriad of test cutoff conditions
The KickStart Battery Simulator Application requires a license: either the KICKSTARTFL-BAT floating perpetual license or the KICKSTARTFL-BAT-AN 1-year subscription. A floating license allows selected users to manage transfer of an individual license to different PCs.
High Resistivity App
The optional high resistivity application (HRMA) for KickStart is designed for use with Keithley’s 6517B Electrometer/ High Resistance Meter. The 6517B along with the 8009 Resistivity Test Fixture is a laboratory standard for volume and surface resistivity measurements on insulating materials. Together, they can be used to measure resistance up to 1018 Ω at up to 1000V.
The KickStart High Resistance Measurement Option makes it easier for you to:
- Quickly and reliably determine resistivity of material using tests that conform to ASTM D257 standard
- Perform a Step Response test to identify electrification time appropriate to the material’s time constant
- Observe resistivity dependence on temperature and relative humidity of environment using optional probes 6517-TP and 6517-RH
- Use alternating polarity measurement technique to eliminate inherent background currents for the most accurate resistivity measurements.
The KickStart High Resistivity Application requires a license: either the KICKSTARTFL-HRMA2 floating perpetual license or the KICKSTARTFL-HRMA2-AN 1-year time-based license. A floating license allows selected users to manage transfer of individual license to different PCs.
I-V Tracer App
Keithley I-V Tracer Software leverages the unique touchscreen interface of the 2400 Series Graphical SourceMeter® Source Measure Unit (SMU) instruments to recreate the familiar user experience of a curve tracer for two-terminal devices. Adding the I-V Tracer to your SourceMeter instrument gives you a dedicated user interface for tracing the characteristics of your devices through both current and voltage. With a range of compatible instruments, I-V Tracer can utilize the full capabilities of each source measure unit, including the dual high-speed digitizers of the 2461 to perform tracing with AC polarity and pulsed DC, in addition to standard DC polarity.