A standardized framework.
Swelling in the enterprise product line situation, using a standardized framework to develop a common test platform is an effective way to improve product testing from development to production testing throughout the life cycle of hardware and software components reusability.
An ideal solution: Enterprise of glue stick the actual test Xuyao based on common definition of a standardized "core standards test system" for different types of products and different parts of plant / R & D centers in the actual test system (or verify the system) are based on the "He Xin Standard system "to achieve. On the one hand, the "standard system" should be defined by software programming the actual function; the other hand, the "standard system" must also be extended with application-specific capabilities. Taking into account these two factors, the "standard system" is the best form of hardware based on modular software-defined hardware platform,glue gun the specific modular hardware can come from a reliable supplier of the product list.
In addition, the "standard system" should also provide a common software architecture that can quickly build test sequences and realize report generation, database connectivity and other features, and test engineers only need to concentrate on maintenance or development of specific test steps. You can also set up a professional team providing in-house "standard system" of technical support, write documentation and develop clear guidelines to further improve the efficiency of the test engineer.
By building such a "standard test system", companies can test the equipment and maximizing code reuse and reduce test system development risk, reduce development time and reduce costs; both hardware and software architecture by sufficient and will not open for choice "Standardization" and the loss of flexibility.
2 multi-channel RF testing.
Wireless technology for test and measurement industry, change has a huge impact, including especially the two key technology trends, one is the MIMO technology, and the second is a variety of wireless standards in the same system integration. The two technology trends require the RF measurement system can achieve the parallel test, which requires multi-channel configurable RF test system. Such a system can be tested in parallel on the same device multiple wireless devices or test multiple communication standards. For MIMO systems, multi-phase synchronization between channels is also very important. At present, the PXI-based modular software-defined radio platform, the demand for such a number of solutions have been introduced accordingly.
3 Peer-to-Peer-speed transmission and computing.
With the increasing complexity of testing requirements and state the exponential growth in data volume, automated test system requires more processing capacity, distributed processing architecture also will be proposed. A new generation of high-performance distributed architecture should be the following point to point topologies with high throughput, low latency, to provide user-defined characteristics of these three processing nodes. Based on these three considerations, PXI Express technology is the ideal choice, it's Peer-to-Peer through the controller can not point to point transmission, direct transmission of data between the modules, with high throughput and low latency characteristics. Meanwhile, the FlexRIO FPGA-based PXI Express modules as defined in the distributed computing processing nodes. To really take advantage of Peer-to-Peer computing speed transmission and distribution technology, engineers also need a programming environment can facilitate the flow of data visualization of the operation, and is able to FPGA, real-time programming processor or x86 processor , LabVIEW graphical development environment will have such capabilities.
In automated test applications, Peer-to-Peer-speed transmission and computing technology is still in development stage, there are many areas of innovation need to practice, so that test engineers can make better use of these new technologies to create more intelligent and automated test systems.
4 real time test.
When the test part of the system when running in real-time system, is what we call real-time test. Real-time test to improve the stability and reliability of the test. A typical real-time hardware in the loop testing (HIL) test, for example, the controlled object model running in real-time systems, and thus the product or prototype to test the controller (Figure 2). As another example, in the semiconductor protocol-aware test, protocol-aware interface is also often based on real-time system implementation.
In electrical and electronic product development process in general, including various forms of design simulation, verification and system testing, and often involves the difficult transition between the various tools. If the engineers in the development and testing process can take the initiative to re-use models and other components will significantly enhance the efficiency of product development. Test software to provide real-time re-use of this model and testing mandates, including requirements tracking, incentive model, the test sequence and analysis procedures throughout the product design process. In addition to improve efficiency and reduce costs in all phases of the design process can also use the same test software to ensure the maximum from the initial product definition to final system testing of the continuity and consistency.
5 reconfigurable instruments.
Software as the core of the modular structure of its flexibility and customizable features such as widely used by engineers. But a new generation of test systems require hardware re-configuration should also have the ability, this hardware is usually field programmable gate array FPGA. In order to play a greater role in FPGA, so that engineers can easily be programmed to. The rise of high-level design tools are changing the rules of FPGA programming, the use of new technology can even graphical code C language code into digital hardware to facilitate engineers to FPGA applications. NI LabVIEW and FPGA processors to combine their respective advantages, the main processor and the FPGA to achieve fast processing tasks. This innovative structure can not be achieved by traditional methods to meet the application challenges, for example, engineers can deploy their own equipment in the processing algorithms embedded in the FPGA, real time DUT pass / fail test, does not occupy the main treatment control CPU resources.
Configuration based on PFGA instrument can be repeated in the defense and aerospace industry has many applications, and in the telecommunications, automation, medical equipment and consumer electronics and other fields also has great potential.
These five aspects of technology trends and methods apply to all companies - regardless of their industry, size or degree of globalization. Followed by application of cutting edge of technology to achieve innovation, continuous efforts in the direction of engineers, to understand and master the innovative technologies and methods to optimize the testing process and reduce cost of test.