Uwe Krummenoehler, COO of KRATZER AUTOMATION AG: "With the new functions of our test bench automation system PAtools TX, we actively support our customers in the realization of their future-oriented, sustainable drive concepts. The timing factor plays a decisive role in the development. To remain marketable, tests must be carried out quickly, accurately, and under realistic conditions. To achieve this, our customers worldwide have been relying on our turnkey test bench solutions for 40 years.”
A representative case study shows that the new user interface of PAtools TX enables the creation of a test run with only half the number of clicks. The focus is not only on saving time during test creation but also on avoiding errors at an early stage. This means that test creation, including validation, can be carried out offline and without interrupting test operations. Working with the software is now much more intuitive and can be executed without an intensive training program And, the focus on the device under test considerably simplifies the creation and management of tests, DUTs, and test sequences. By using pre-built modules, tests can be created or supplemented in a matter of seconds.
The test bench automation system is based on the latest technology standards. It is open and can be extended flexibly offering a future-proof application. The newly-developed module management in version 8.1 enables the immediate embedding of numerous available plug & use modules for the integration of additional devices or interfaces. This way, the optimized UDS "Unified Diagnostic Service" module embeds a diagnostic connection to the DUT into automated test sequences, and moreover expands the user interface for manual mode operation. In addition, the PAtools TX programming language PAscript enables the development of further customer or project-specific device drivers. A broad and constantly growing PAscript API simplifies the creation of adapters to integrated test benches into the existing IT landscape. This open approach allows evolution at any time, and the test bench solutions can be adapted to new requirements and interfaces over many years of operation.
As an additional feature, PAtools TX 8.1 offers broad support for residual bus simulations and thus for a realistic test situation. The customer, therefore, does not have to resort to external additional software and hardware. Further costs and system transitions are eliminated.
With the seamlessly integrated EtherCAT HotConfig, which is exclusively available in PAtools TX, EtherCAT slaves can be configured station-related and thus independently from each other. This can be achieved with a single click and without test bench downtime. In addition to the automatic import of conversion formulas and a wide range of setting options via CoE, HotConfig also supports oversampling slaves, allowing signals to be stored at up to 100Khz. This means that they can be recorded and stored up to 100 times faster.
About KRATZER AUTOMATION:
For more than 40 years, KRATZER AUTOMATION AG has been providing process-oriented software solutions for the international automotive industry and the transport sector in Europe. With around 500 employees, the company supports its customers worldwide: at 8 German locations, with local engineers directly in the test fields and with its own companies in France, Great Britain, Italy, the Czech Republic, the USA, Singapore, and China.
In the division Test Systems, KRATZER AUTOMATION plans, implements and modernizes test systems for the mobility of tomorrow. Since 2004, a special focus has been on turnkey test systems for energy-saving and environmentally-friendly drive concepts such as hybrid or electric drives, battery and fuel cell technology.
Press contact:
KRATZER AUTOMATION AG
Stefanie Crucius
Marketing Communication Specialist
Gutenbergstr. 5
85716 Unterschleissheim
Germany
Tel.: +49-(0)89-32152-521
Fax: +49-(0)-89-32152-599
E-Mail: ka-info(at)ni.com
Internet: www.kratzer-automation.com
