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Overcoming Challenges in Building Safe and Efficient Test Benches with test.con
News | 3 minutes Reading Time |

Overcoming Challenges in Building Safe and Efficient Test Benches with test.con

Addressing Critical Obstacles in Test Bench Development
Developing test benches that comply with stringent safety standards and regulatory requirements is unavoidable in industries like automotive, energy, and medical technology. However, this process presents unique challenges, including navigating complex compliance landscapes, integrating diverse systems, managing operational risks, and ensuring thorough documentation. Below, we examine these challenges and demonstrate how Gantner Instruments' test.con software can effectively address them.

Key Challenges in Test Bench Development

  1. Navigating Compliance and Safety Standards
    Test benches in regulated industries must adhere to rigorous standards such as CE marking and EU conformity directives. Achieving compliance requires meticulous attention to detail and can become a complex, time-consuming task without the right tools to manage and document regulatory requirements throughout the development process.
  2. Managing System Complexity and Risk
    Test benches often involve monitoring industrial devices or simulating critical operations, introducing significant operational risks. Inadequate risk management can lead to equipment failure, safety hazards, and inaccurate test results. Integrating robust risk management strategies from the outset is crucial to ensure system reliability and operator safety.
  3. Ensuring Seamless System Integration
    Integrating various hardware and software components can present many challenges, especially when multiple devices need to operate synchronously. Effective system integration simplifies maintenance, ensures accurate data acquisition, and facilitates rapid troubleshooting. Without seamless integration, system performance can suffer, and diagnosing issues becomes more difficult.
  4. Documentation and Traceability
    Proper documentation is not only required for compliance with regulatory standards, but ensures transparency and aids in future maintenance. However, tracking every component and process can be overwhelming without efficient tools to support documentation and traceability.

How test.con Addresses These Challenges

Streamlined Graphical Programming for Real-Time Applications
test.con offers intuitive, drag-and-drop graphical programming for Gantner’s Q.series X controllers, eliminating the need for traditional coding. Users can efficiently design custom logic, data processing algorithms, and visualization functions. This approach accelerates development and makes programming accessible to engineers who may not have extensive software development experience.

Powerful Risk and Compliance Management
With its model-based development approach, test.con allows for the integration of complex control logic and safety functions at every stage. Regulatory requirements can be managed within the software, enabling the incorporation of industry standards and the documentation necessary for CE certification. test.con also supports programmable automation controller (PAC) functionality, providing the flexibility to meet specific safety and regulatory demands across different industries.

Integrated System Architecture and HMI Design
test.con has the ability to design human-machine interfaces (HMIs) directly within the platform. This capability enables operators to visualize and control the entire system in real-time, adding critical layers of monitoring and control for risk mitigation and seamless system integration. By unifying system architecture and HMI development, test.con enhances operational efficiency and reduces complexity.

Built-In Documentation and Traceability
test.con integrates documentation and traceability into the development process. From initial requirements analysis to final testing, the software supports comprehensive tracking of every element within the project, from individual components to complete system architectures. This integrated documentation facilitates CE compliance and provides a complete system record for future maintenance and audits.

Traction example with state machines

Partner with Gantner Instruments for Effective Test Bench Solutions

Whether you’re developing a complex test bench or seeking support for regulatory compliance and risk management, Gantner Instruments, in partnership with ProSign, offers the expertise and technology to assist you. test.con provides a comprehensive solution for building reliable, compliant, and efficient test benches tailored to your specific project needs.


Get Started with test.con

Ready to overcome the challenges of test bench development? Contact our team for a consultation, and we’ll guide you in implementing a solution that meets the highest industry standards.

Learn more about test.con and enhance your test bench development today.


Want to see a hands-on example?

This video guides you through all the required steps, including system design, modeling, and creating a curve generator.

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