NI Automated Test Outlook 2014 highlights latest in technologies and methodologies

March 10, 2014 10:02 am

National Instruments has released its Automated Test Outlook 2014, highlighting the company’s research into the latest test and measurement technologies and methodologies.
Engineers and managers can use the report, which examines trends affecting a range of industries, to take advantage of the latest strategies and best practices for optimising any test organisation.  Its highlights are:
Business strategy: organisational proficiencyThe talent pool for test engineers is shrinking, and test managers must improve organisational proficiency through smarter hiring, better on boarding and greater investment in training to ensure a properly skilled, staffed test organisation.
Architecture: managed test systemsNew technologies deliver greater feature sets on test equipment, helping test managers monitor the health of their test systems, lowering test costs and maximising uptime.
Computing: Cloud computing for testTraditional test frameworks limit profitability by not providing the ideal balance of performance and cost or the ability to scale based on actual product demand. Similar to the IT industry, cloud computing applied to automated test can alleviate these growing test concerns.
Software: scalable test software architecturesPressure to deliver test systems faster with fewer resources shifts software strategies away from rigid, inflexible solutions in favour of software-based platforms to maximise longevity and scalability across a product’s lifecycle and across new product designs.
I/O: Redefining the notion of sensorsThe number of sensors in products has significantly increased, challenging test managers to keep up with new technologies and adapt to this growing need. Test managers need agile test solutions they can change as quickly as the sensor-integrated products they test.