Uncommon Signals for ECU/LRU Testers
Andrew - February 11, 2021
In making ECU and LRU testers, we come across a lot of common signal types; then there's the rest. While almost every high channel count system has one or two signals that are fairly unique, even the uniques begin to fall into some common buckets after a while. These signals usually represent 10% or less of a given system, though nearly 100% of systems have something more custom than not. It goes without saying that...
Common Signals for ECU/LRU Testers
Andrew - February 11, 2021
In making ECU and LRU testers, we come across a lot of common signal types. We estimate that these common signals make up at least 80% of every such system. Here's what we see, where we tend to see it, and how we commonly approach acquiring or generating it. (These are expressed from the tester's point of view. Our input is your ECU or LRU's output.) Analog Inputs What is it? An analog voltage or...
Data Acquisition Timing Strategies
Haden - February 11, 2021
Engineering data that is properly collected will help you make better decisions in the design, integration, and testing stages of your system. Timing and synchronization are a very important aspect of collecting valuable data. Some of these strategies are general purpose, but others and specific to NI DAQmx.
7 Common Mistakes Made When Replacing the Hardware for a System Update
Haden - February 11, 2021
Mistake #1: Trying to match hardware spec for spec The most common way to replace hardware is to follow the intuitive first step--check the specifications of the hardware that needs to be replaced and look for hardware that most closely matches. The problem with this method is that systems most often need an update due to the hardware being out of date or nearing obsolescence. If you try to match specifications, your closest match will...
How Standardization Improves Your Test Systems
Haden - February 11, 2021
A standardized test system is different from the impractical, universal system. The universal system claims to be able to do anything and therefore has to do everything. That is incredibly expensive and not an effective option. A standardized test stand uses a common code base, user interface, and hardware interface. This creates a standard platform for core functionality and allows for customization through software modules and hardware instrumentation to match the needs of the system...
Simulation to Minimize Development Risk
Bryan - February 11, 2021
You have a legacy control system that needs to be updated to new hardware and software while maintaining the same behavior as the old system. Building a system that simulates the environment of the legacy system can help. For example: if you are creating a new control system for a rocket launch facility, you would create a system that simulates the rocket and the launch facility. The simulation system can verify that the new controls...
9 Benefits to Working with Expert Contractors on your Test or Control System
Haden - February 11, 2021
Avoid pitfalls We have experience with many different systems at Endigit. Many of them have included helping customers recover from devastating pitfalls. and can recognize them before they make a major impact on the project. By avoiding those pitfalls, you can avoid weeks or months of development time by not going back and fixing problems that have propagated through the entire system. Understand capabilities Though there is documentation on almost all hardware and software to...
Tactics and Strategies for Updating Obsolete Systems
Bryan - June 12, 2020
I once had a customer ask me for a National Instruments DIO module to replace one that had gone bad. The problem was that the module had not been in production for over 10 years. It was an ISA bus module. I didn't even really know what ISA was. This system was old and had been working correctly, so no updates had been made. If it ain't broke then don't fix it. The problem is...
Cheap Is Not Lower Cost
Bryan - April 29, 2019
Three years ago my neighbors and I and moved into newly built homes. We both were looking to get our yards landscaped, and received quotes from a landscaper who had a great reputation. They had landscaped several homes near us that had incredible yards. The quotes we got were a lot of money. The most disappointing part of the quote was that the landscaper was busy and had several jobs lined up so we would have to wait a couple months to have the work done. A week or so after we got the quote, I got a knock on the door. The man at the door said that he was a landscaper and and was doing my neighbor's yard. He could get the work done that week with a lower cost. I asked for a quote, but he said that he did not do official quotes and just told me a price. The verbal price commitment was a few thousand dollars less than my other quote.