NI Launches New ECU Test System to Streamline Functional Test
June 16, 2020
Blog
NI's first integrated ECU test system helps reduce test costs and ensure unit efficiency.
NI, formerly known as National Instruments, announced its ECU Test System offering which assists Tier 1 suppliers in end-of-life testing. NI's first ever purpose-built system for automotive ECUs is, according to the company, helping pilot customers with their end result and budget.
The ECU Test System (ECUTS) is a solution that combines standardization with the flexibility to drive efficiency in tester development, maintenance, and test time. NI integrated the first level of common components into a standardized test architecture to save customers time in the development process and to simplify tester maintenance.
Because of the modular PXI design, testing is flexible and can scale across a range of body, chassis, and powertrain ECUs (based on the instrumentation selected). According to the company, the high-performance hardware (powered by TestStand) can help reduce test time. As many as four DUTs can be tested in parallel with a single test system.
Features of the ECUTS:
- Accelerate development with a higher-level starting point. The Systems R&D team has already integrated instrumentation, cabling, loads, switching, and a mass interconnect into a core rack so customers can focus on building the right test sequences to thoroughly test ECUs.
- Standardize on a global architecture for functional test of body, chassis, and powertrain ECUs. The benefits from this range from leveraging standardized comprehensive service programs, to reusing operator training courses, to being able to correlate data across sites.
- Reduce test cycle time by testing up to four ECUs in parallel.
- Reduce floor space by using one high-throughput tester to do what several used to.
- Reduce risk of downtime through improved system reliability and maintainability with built in troubleshooting tools and global service programs that streamline repairs and exchanges.
NI also unveiled an updated brand identity including a new logo, visual identity, digital experiences, and a brand campaign recognizing the contributions of the engineers and enterprises who “Engineer Ambitiously” every day. To share the stories of those who aim higher and go bigger, NI launched Perspectives.
For more information, visit: ECU Test System (ECUTS).
Tiera Oliver is the assistant managing editor at Embedded Computing Design. She is responsible for web content editing, product news, and story development. She also manages, edits, and develops content for ECD podcasts, including Embedded Insiders.
She utilizes her expertise in journalism and content management to oversee editorial content, coordinate with editors, and ensure high-quality output across web, print, and multimedia platforms. She manages diverse projects, assists in the production of digital magazines, and hosts company podcasts by conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders to deliver engaging and insightful discussions.
Tiera attended Northern Arizona University, where she received her bachelor's in journalism and political science. She was also a news reporter for the student-led newspaper, The Lumberjack.
