Integrated Test Platforms: Taking Advantage of Advances in Computer Hardware and Software

Ongoing hardware, software, and networking advances in low-cost, general-purpose computing platforms have opened the door for powerful, highly usable, integrated test platforms for demanding industrial applications. With a focus on the automotive industry, this paper reviews the pros and cons of integrated test platforms versus single-purpose and stand-alone testers. Potential improvements in in-process testing are discussed along with techniques for effectively using such testing to improve daily production quality, to maintain high production rates, to avoid unplanned downtime, and to facilitate process and product improvements and refinements through the use of monitoring, data collection, and analysis tools.