Specialized software for measurement and testing technology

How software supports electronics developers Specialized software for measurement and testing technology

2024-09-03 A guest article by Laura Le Cam* | Translated by AI 5 min Reading Time

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Electronics developers have to deliver products quickly and cost-effectively at the same time. Measuring and testing technology in conjunction with special software supports this. Processes are automated, data analyses are made more precise and tests are carried out across multiple locations.

Supports electronics developers: The LabVIEW+ software package from NI is made up of various individual applications. It is important for developers to deliver products quickly and cost-effectively.(Image: dataTec) — Supports electronics developers: The LabVIEW+ software package from NI is made up of various individual applications. It is important for developers to deliver products quickly and cost-effectively.
(Image: dataTec)

Laura Le Cam is Business Development Manager at dataTec.

Electronics developers and test engineers need to test their products in a time- and cost-efficient manner and make decisions to improve product quality. Intelligent measurement and testing technology is used to meet the changing demands of a fast-moving market and improve test performance. This measurement technology makes it possible to automate complex processes efficiently and reliably, adapt to changing conditions and learn from the data. In addition, supplementary software is used to fully or partially automate test processes. On the one hand, this increases test throughput, as a lot of time is saved when carrying out measurements and processing data. On the other hand, automated processes are more accurate and consistent than manual steps. This reduces the error rate and reliable measurement results are available as a basis for decisions on design adjustments. For product development, this means a faster and more competitive time-to-market.

Tools for the automation of measurements include special software applications that support, for example, measurement data acquisition, data analysis, device configuration or the creation of test sequences. As a rule, it is worth using such tools as soon as a measurement is to be carried out several times and a measuring device is to be connected to a PC for this purpose.

When the measuring device is connected to a PC or network

Connecting a measuring device to a PC or a network usually requires special application software, for example to configure test parameters, record measured values, visualize measurement results or create reports. If two or more devices are used, the question of central, cross-location hardware control and automation of the measurement processes also comes into focus.

As the complexity of a test increases, so does the number of software tools used to support all work steps. This ranges from device configuration to the scaling of automated test systems. Measuring device manufacturers offer corresponding software applications through to specially developed software packages that can comprehensively cover and optimize the test workflow. Modern products such as the LabVIEW+ suite from NI are specially designed for complex test applications in development, validation and production.

Create automated test systems with suitable tools

LabVIEW+ is a software package consisting of various individual applications from NI. These include TestStand, DIAdem, FlexLogger, InstrumentStudio and LabVIEW. These are professional measurement and analysis tools that can be used to create automated test systems. The improved workflow can shorten the development time.

Each software component has special functions for accelerating and standardizing various test sequences: TestStand can be used to create test sequences for automated production or validation tests. DIAdem is a data management software for the evaluation, visualization and documentation of measured values. FlexLogger is a no-code software for data acquisition and InstrumentStudio enables simultaneous work with several devices; both together simplify device configuration and setup for measurements. LabVIEW is a graphical programming environment for the development of automated test systems with a connection to each measuring device.

Software automatically evaluates the measurement data

FlexPro is an analysis and presentation software for visualizing measured values, organizing data and carrying out comprehensive analyses.
(Image:dataTec)

LabVIEW+ is used across all industries for the manufacturer-independent integration of measuring devices. Engineers can use it to analyze large amounts of data, create protocols and develop automated test sequences for validation and production tests that can be controlled and monitored from anywhere in the world. The bundle is worthwhile for users who want to use at least one other NI software in addition to LabVIEW Professional.

Complex measurement tasks sometimes generate large amounts of data from different sources. In order to derive meaningful and decision-relevant results, sophisticated analysis procedures and careful data preparation are required. If necessary, the information must also be forwarded to cross-departmental decision-makers. Reliable measurement results form the basis for well-founded decisions that can increase both test productivity and product quality. The software-supported evaluation of measured values significantly reduces the analysis effort and enables an error-free process.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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A suitable analysis software is, for example, FlexPro from Weisang. The software offers tools that support both basic statistics and evaluation procedures. It is particularly suitable when large amounts of data need to be processed centrally. This includes all work steps from data import to the presentation of results.

Automated calculations and presentation of results

FlexPro is an analysis and presentation software for visualizing measured values, organizing data and carrying out comprehensive analyses. Data can be seamlessly imported and processed in all common file formats from various measuring devices. The optional data explorer indexes measurement data archives on the server so that data records with specific parameters or attributes can be searched for.

The software has a diagram wizard with a large selection of pre-programmed diagram types. The axis scaling automatically corresponds to the respective data values. Convenient calculation functions with predefined analyses. For example, for a Fourier transformation to minimize the effort required for data evaluation. The software also supports user-defined calculation formulas. The graphical analysis result is displayed immediately in a preview window. For report generation, diagrams can be inserted into a document using drag-and-drop. The page number and table of contents are automatically adjusted when a new measurement is imported. The integrated library offers numerous presentation templates.

By selecting a measurement file with a mouse click, a preview graphic of the data appears, providing an overview of the course of a measurement without any computing effort. Relevant information can be derived from this or important trends and patterns can be recognized. As measurements are usually carried out several times, several data sets are available for evaluation. The software supports the necessary analyses, which can be transferred to further measurements without having to repeat the individual work steps for each data set.

The automatic execution of such a test sequence often requires programming knowledge, as a script must first be created. FlexPro offers the advantage that automation can be carried out without knowledge of a scripting language. All generated analysis objects are linked to each other and form a dynamic network that can be extended by any number of imported measurement files. Created diagrams are updated directly with reference to the respective data set. (heh)