Test Systems Development
Purpose-built test systems combining instrumentation, software, automation and data
Reliable testing requires more than individual instruments or software. It requires the right measurements, appropriate hardware, robust software, reliable communication and accurate data to work together as a complete system.
Sable Logic develops test and measurement systems for manufacturing, laboratory, validation and engineering environments.
Our solutions can range from focused test applications and equipment upgrades to fully integrated automated test systems incorporating instrumentation, fixtures, software, communications and production data.
We support customers from initial requirements definition through development, integration, validation and commissioning.
Test Systems Built Around the Requirement
The starting point for any effective test system is understanding what needs to be tested, why it needs to be tested and how the result will be used.
A production test system may need to make a rapid and repeatable pass/fail decision. A validation system may require detailed measurement data across multiple operating conditions. A laboratory application may place greater emphasis on measurement uncertainty, traceability and flexibility.
Sable Logic considers the complete requirement before selecting the technology.
This allows us to develop systems that balance measurement performance, test coverage, throughput, usability, traceability and cost according to the needs of the application.
Requirements & Test Strategy
Defining the right test before developing the system
A successful test system starts with a clear understanding of the product, process and technical requirements.
We work with customer engineering, manufacturing and quality teams to identify critical characteristics, determine appropriate test methods and establish how results should be evaluated.
Depending on the application, this may include:
- Test requirements and acceptance criteria
- Measurement and test strategy
- Test coverage and sequence development
- Pass/fail criteria
- Measurement ranges and accuracy requirements
- Cycle-time and production-throughput considerations
- Verification and validation requirements
- Data, reporting and traceability requirements
Establishing these requirements early helps prevent unnecessary complexity while ensuring that the system provides the information needed to make reliable engineering and production decisions.
Hardware & Instrumentation
Selecting the right measurement architecture
The performance of a test system depends on the measurement hardware behind it.
Sable Logic can integrate measurement instrumentation, data-acquisition hardware, signal conditioning, switching, control equipment and device interfaces into a coordinated test architecture.
Depending on the application, this may include:
- Data acquisition and measurement hardware
- Electrical measurement instrumentation
- Reference measurement equipment
- Switching and multiplexing
- Signal conditioning
- Power sources and loads
- Digital and analogue I/O
- Sensors and transducers
- Device interfaces
- Test fixtures and connection systems
Where existing equipment remains suitable, we can also investigate opportunities to modernise the control, software or measurement architecture without unnecessarily replacing functional assets.
Test Software
Turning hardware into a practical test system
Software provides the logic that coordinates the instruments, controls the test sequence, evaluates results and guides the operator.
Sable Logic develops test applications suited to the technical and operational needs of the customer, including LabVIEW-based systems and other appropriate software environments.
Typical functionality may include:
- Automated test sequencing
- Instrument control
- Product configuration
- Measurement acquisition
- Calculation and result evaluation
- Pass/fail determination
- Operator guidance
- Alarm and error handling
- User access and configuration control
- Result storage and reporting
- Integration with production databases and other systems
Our focus is not simply on automating measurements, but on creating software that is reliable, maintainable and practical for the people who use and support the equipment.
Communications & Device Integration
Connecting the devices that make up the test environment
Modern test systems frequently need to communicate with multiple devices using different interfaces and protocols.
Sable Logic can integrate communication between test equipment, products under test, production machinery and software systems.
This may include:
- Serial communications
- Ethernet and TCP/IP
- USB and other device interfaces
- Industrial communication interfaces
- Instrument communication protocols
- Manufacturer-specific interfaces
- Specialist product protocols
For specialised products such as smart meters, communication and configuration can form an important part of the test itself, allowing electrical measurements, functional behaviour, firmware, configuration and communication performance to be evaluated within the same test environment.
Fixtures & Mechanical Integration
Reliable testing depends on how the product interfaces with the system
The mechanical aspects of a test system are just as important as the instrumentation and software.
Fixtures must position the product consistently, provide reliable electrical or mechanical connections, protect both operator and product, and withstand repeated production use.
Sable Logic can incorporate fixture and mechanical requirements into the overall test-system design, including:
- Product location and retention
- Electrical and signal connections
- Pneumatic or mechanical actuation
- Sensors and interlocks
- Operator ergonomics
- Safety considerations
- Equipment enclosures and mounting
- Integration with production equipment
By considering mechanical, electrical and software requirements together, the test system can be developed as a complete piece of production or laboratory equipment rather than a collection of separate components.
Data & Traceability
A test result has greater value when it remains connected to the product
Modern manufacturing increasingly requires more than a simple pass/fail indication.
Test results may need to be associated with an individual product, retained for quality investigations, analysed for process trends or integrated into a wider manufacturing traceability system.
Sable Logic can incorporate data management and traceability into the test-system architecture, including:
- Product and serial-number identification
- Test-result storage
- Pass/fail history
- Measurement and parameter storage
- Test-station and operator information
- Date and time records
- Failure and diagnostic information
- Report generation
- Manufacturing database integration
- Interfaces to wider traceability and production systems
This creates a reliable link between the product, the test performed and the resulting evidence.
Validation & Commissioning
Proving that the system performs as intended
Developing the system is only part of the process.
Before a test system becomes part of a production or laboratory environment, it should be demonstrated that the equipment, software and overall test process meet the defined requirements.
Sable Logic can support:
- System verification
- Test-method validation
- Measurement correlation
- Functional testing
- Factory Acceptance Testing
- Site Acceptance Testing
- Commissioning
- Production trials
- Documentation
- Operator and maintenance training
- Handover and technical support
Where measurement performance is critical, validation can also consider reference equipment, calibration status, measurement uncertainty and repeatability.
Bespoke Engineering Combined with Proven Technology
Not every test requirement justifies developing every element of the solution from scratch.
Where appropriate, Sable Logic combines bespoke engineering and system integration with proven technologies from specialist manufacturers.
This allows us to select the most appropriate approach for the application rather than being restricted to a single product or platform.
For electricity-meter testing and calibration applications, our relationship with MTE Meter Test Equipment provides access to specialist meter-testing technologies including reference standards, power sources and stationary and portable test equipment.
For electrical safety and specialised production testing, Sefelec technologies can support applications including dielectric withstand, insulation resistance, protective-earth testing and automated cable and harness testing.
Sable Logic provides the local engineering layer around these technologies, helping to define the requirement, select and integrate the appropriate equipment, connect it with the wider test environment and support implementation, commissioning and training.
Where an existing commercial product does not fully address the requirement, we can develop the additional hardware, software, fixtures, interfaces and data systems needed to create a complete solution.
From Test Requirement to Working System
Test systems frequently require several engineering disciplines to work together.
Instrumentation must provide the required measurement performance. Fixtures must interface reliably with the product. Software must coordinate the process.
Communications must work with the device under test. Data must be stored correctly, and the complete system must function within the realities of the production or laboratory environment.
Sable Logic brings these elements together as a complete engineering problem.
Our involvement can range from improving or modernising an existing test process through to developing and commissioning a new integrated test system.
Need to improve an existing test process or develop a new test capability?
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