instrumentation & test systems 2 4 F O C U S » IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT HOW POWERFUL CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS OR TOOLS PERFORM, IT IS ABOUT HOW WELL THEY FUNCTION AS A TEAM WHEN FACED WITH COMPLEX DEVELOPMENT TASKS. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO CLEARLY STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION. « MICHAEL CONRAD, DIRECTOR OF PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT, INSTRUMENTATION AND TEST SYSTEMS FUTUREPROOF AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS FOR KEY CUSTOMERS Following the end of Windows XP support in April 2014, a key customer was required to upgrade its automation system on the engine test beds prematurely and define a futureproof solution for its development needs. This led to a close collaboration with AVL. Jörn Rosenberg, Regional Business Manager of Powertrain Test Systems Europe: “We had been working with this key customer for quite some time. Following a very demanding update from AVL PUMA Open™ 1.3.0 to PUMA Open™ 1.3.2, we agreed on specifying a new and futureproof automation solution. For that purpose, we worked very closely with our customer for several years. There was a need to define solutions with various different specialized departments, which included indicating measurement technology on the one hand, and calibration on the other. It was crucial to achieve optimum interac- AVL Team SUITE™ solutions are provided along the same principles as with vehicle development: “First of all, the demands are defined at system level and subsequently broken down to the individual products and implemented. Functionality is ensured in accordance with the V-process, first at component and product level, and then at the overall system level. To validate the system, we operate a separate test facility with real and virtual test beds, which we are planning to expand even further. Here we also validate the compatibility between the system and the hardware components used with the measuring and test systems,” Michael Conrad said. To be able to respond flexibly to evolving customer requirements, AVL has additionally introduced an agile software development process, which has also reduced the products‘ innovation cycles very substantially. In this regard, the technology supplier works very closely with its customers. “When we provide our solutions, we make an effort to involve the end-users in our activities. Otherwise we would not be able to take the needs of our customers into account early on in development. Where the solution‘s design and usability is concerned, we also collaborate closely with usability experts,” Michael Conrad explained, adding: “The concept of building a consistent solution out of a ‘team’ of efficient and user friendly software products provides customers with a broad variety of advantages and meets the following objectives: maintenance of consistency in user experience, confirmation of overall system quality in order to ensure consistent roadmaps and life cycles, use of common structures, support of model-based development, achievement of maximum compliance with standards and legislations and the possibility of technology support. In addition, the Team Suite aims at maximized functionality in the products to ensure excellent interplay between the equipment and the subsystems.”
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