How to Develop a Turnkey Test System with NI Products

The chief objective of National Instruments is to provide customers with a complete, comprehensive set of hardware and software tools that make the architecture of test and measurement applications unequivocal. Though simpler to use when compared with other vendor solutions in the market, these tools still require users to have a basic understanding of hardware and software engineering concepts. NI software, for example, is based on LabVIEW, a graphical programming language. First time users of LabVIEW must be prepared to invest some to time learning the basics of graphical programming techniques before using it to write the test program. For some customers, this time investment is not an option either due to the lack of engineering resources or short turn around times within which systems must be deployed. In any of these cases, customers can use the expertise and services of NI Alliance Partners, a group of organizations that use NI hardware and software to build and support turnkey ATE solutions.

1. NI Alliance Partner Program
2. NI Select Alliance Partners
3. Conclusion
4. Relevant NI Products and Whitepapers

NI Alliance Partner Program

To make it easier to identify the NI Alliance Partner that best meets your needs, we have categorized them according to their specialties. NI Solution Partners are companies involved in the delivery NI products as solutions. Solution partners include consultants, system integrators, channel partners, and Value Added Resellers (VAR). System integrators and consultants focus on providing a more comprehensive range of service, including test system design, development, integration, training, and support. Channel partners, who have more of an industry (such as automobile, energy, or semiconductor) focus rather than specific product expertise, can be used for building industry-specific applications. VARs are those solution partners who purchase NI products, add to their value, and then deliver them as a solution to our customers.

The National Instruments Alliance Partner program also includes NI product partners who develop software and hardware products that complement NIs offerings. Software product partners have assisted NI in expanding its third-party instrument driver network to more than 8000 drivers from over 275 third-part vendors. In addition they offer software add-ons and application software based on NI LabVIEW or other NI software products. Hardware product partners provide hardware tools complementary to NI software and hardware, such as LabVIEW, PXI, motion, and vision.

Even though NI Alliance Partners are separate entities, National Instruments takes measures to assure quality. In order to become an NI Alliance Partner, a NI business manager must agree to sponsor the company, based on an assessment of their technical competency, business practices, and customer references. In addition, Alliance Partners are encouraged to validate their expertise through various NI developer certifications.

The program is also segregated into three levels with members enjoying more benefits as they progress, further motivating members to enhance quality of their services and products. Advancing between levels is based on past track records, amount of business, and familiarity with NI products. The Associate Alliance Partner Level is meant for new companies inducted into the program. Here they must complete a one-year evaluation period during which mutual business objectives with NI are set. Organizations can advance to the Certified Alliance Partner Level after the probationary year is completed. In addition companies are required to accomplish at least one of the following:

• Provide satisfactory customer references for consulting or systems integration projects where National Instruments products were used
• Submit sample add-on products related to National Instruments products
• Submit approved instrument drivers for the National Instruments library
• Create at least one link back to ni.com from their Web site (for more information, visit the Alliance Resource Center)
• Have an NI Certified Developer on staff or NI Certified Product

The highest and most coveted level of membership is Select Alliance Partner. NI reserves the Select Alliance Partner category for distinguished members of the Alliance Partner program who have established a high level of business, commitment to an ongoing relationship with NI and professional business practices.

NI Select Alliance Partners

For instance, Konrad Corporation and Cal-Bay Systems are Select Alliance Partners. These organizations are strategically aligned with NI and have built turnkey solutions for common automated test applications such as in-circuit testers. They integrate systems for customers who require rapid deployment of test systems but lack the engineering resources necessary for learning new hardware and software tools. The Mixed-Signal Function Test System by Cal-Bay Systems is an example of such a system. It uses PXI and LabVIEW to test common electronic device functions from high-volume printed board testing to medical device validation. The system is a rack that contains a mass interconnect interface for connecting up to 2880 signals to a mixed instrument PXI mainframe consisting of the following components:

a. 2-channel 200 MS/s digitizer with 12-bit resolution
b. 200 MS/s arbitrary waveform generator with 16-bit resolution
c. Industry’s most accurate 7.5-digit digital multimeter
d. 20-channel digital waveform generator/analyzer with 100 MHz maximum clock rate
e. Programmable power supply with –50 V and 0 to 5A programming ranges
f. 512 crosspoint ultrahigh-density switch matrix

While this list of instruments is varied in order to solve a majority of test applications, customers have the option to add additional instruments (such as a source measure unit (SMU) or RF vector signal analyzers and generators) to address specific needs. Because of the high channel count of the system, Cal-Bay uses a mass interconnect system that makes connecting or disconnecting signals to and from instruments as easy as pushing or pulling a lever. The Cal-Bay system also comes with a built-in user interface that uses LabVIEW and NI TestStand to implement an array of tests. The combination of assembled hardware and complete test software provides users with an out-of-box experience that saves time and eliminates the need for customers to dedicate resources for learning new hardware and software tools.

Another example of a turnkey test system is the KT-8500 system, which has been designed specifically by Konrad Technologies for in-circuit testing (ICT). The system uses an 18-slot PXI chassis with multiple instruments to provide up to 1700 test points. The KT-8550 can help solve the needs of most ICT applications. However, for more advanced cases, Konrad offers the KT-8550 LEON, which includes modifications to the KT-8550 to make it suitable for high-volume multiple-test scenarios with extended voltage and current requirements.

Figure 2. The hardware setup of the KT-8500 uses various PXI instruments in order to serve as an ICT device for most components

Konrad also provides its users with a sophisticated software platform built using LabVIEW and NI TestStand. The code provides a host of tests that are ready for use out of the box. In case the UUT requires specific tests not part of the existing test program, Konrad has made the code flexible so that engineers can add new libraries and test sequences in to the system easily. In addition, the PXI mainframe also provides customers with a few empty slots in which to add hardware in case system requirements change. A good example of such a case would be adding an extra DMM to a system that now requires higher throughput. With empty slots and a modular test program, adding this feature is as easy as plugging in a module and making minor code modifications.

 
Figure 3. The KT-8500 operator interface is built on NI TestStand and LabVIEW.

Konrad’s KT-8500 and Cal-Bay’s Mixed Signal Tester are examples of turnkey solutions that provide the service of integrating NI products to for customers who do not have the ability or time to learn new tools. As part of integrating, these companies shift the responsibility of choosing the right hardware platform, wiring hardware, and building software test code away from the customer so companies can deploy test systems with short turnaround times. Such integrators provide technical support for their turnkey testers, ensuring that maintenance of these systems will not be an issue for the customer.

Conclusion

The NI Alliance Partner program meshes with the NI business goal of customer success. Its tiered membership ensures quality while its segregated structure permits customers to choose the ‘best fit’ organization for their particular application. It is unassailable that customers who have necessary resources can build complex, sophisticated test systems with minimal cost and time commitments using NI products. However for customers who have stringent deadlines with minimal resources to spare for application development, the NI Alliance Partner program can be the saving grace.

Relevant NI Products and Whitepapers

National Instruments, a leader in automated test, is committed to providing the hardware and software products engineers need to create these next generation test systems.

Software:

• NI TestStand Test Management Framework
• LabVIEW Graphical Programming Environment
• Signal Express Interactive Measurement Software

Hardware:

• Modular Instruments (Oscilloscopes, Multimeters, RF, Switching, and more)
• Multi-function Data Acquisition
• PXI System Components (Chassis and Controllers)
• Instrument Control (GPIB, USB, and LAN)

Test System Development Resource Library

National Instruments has developed a rich collection of technical guides to assist you with all elements of your test system design. The content for these guides is based on best practices shared by industry-leading test engineering teams that participate in NI customer advisory boards and the expertise of the NI test engineering and product research and development teams. Ultimately, these resources teach you test engineering best practices in a practical and reusable manner. Download guides from the Test System Development Resource Library.

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