Your Test Rig Isn’t Old. Its Brain Might Be-Automotive Test Rig Automation

Modernize existing automotive test rigs with LabVIEW, real-time control, data acquisition and intelligent automation—improving performance, safety and test capability.

PROLABS Engineering Team

9/27/20262 min read

Automotive Test Rig Automation Is Changing

Many automotive test rigs installed 10 or 20 years ago were built with robust mechanical structures, fixtures and actuation systems.

In many cases, the mechanical rig is still good.

So why replace the entire machine?

The answer may be sitting inside the control cabinet.

The Rig May Still Be Capable. Its Control System May Be Outdated

Servo-hydraulic actuators, sensors, data acquisition and control technologies have evolved significantly.

But the biggest transformation has happened in control systems and real-time software.

An older test rig may have been designed around:

Command → Actuate → Measure → Record

A modern automated test rig can work more like:

Sense → Control → Analyze → Decide → Respond

The difference is the intelligence behind the machine.

LabVIEW: Turning Control Into Intelligence

Modern LabVIEW-based systems can combine:

  • Real-time control

  • High-speed data acquisition

  • Sensor integration

  • Signal processing

  • Test sequencing

  • Limit monitoring

  • Automated analysis

  • Pass/Fail evaluation

  • Data logging and reporting

Combined with appropriate NI Real-Time and FPGA hardware, the control system can continuously monitor what is happening and respond to changing test conditions.

The control system becomes the brain of the test rig.

Modernize the Rig Instead of Replacing It

A mechanically sound test rig does not necessarily need to be discarded because its automation system is outdated.

What can be upgraded?

Control Hardware
Modern real-time controllers can replace obsolete control hardware while retaining the existing machine architecture.

Data Acquisition
Modern DAQ systems can integrate torque, force, pressure, displacement, temperature, angle and other measurements.

Software
Test sequencing, real-time monitoring, signal processing, automated analysis and reporting can be integrated into a modern software architecture.

Safety
Limit monitoring, fault detection, interlocks and machine protection can be incorporated into the upgraded system.

Test Profiles
Modern software can make test profiles easier to configure, modify and execute.

When Should an Automotive Test Rig Be Modernized?

Consider modernization when:

  • The mechanical structure is still in good condition

  • Existing actuators are usable

  • Control hardware is obsolete

  • Spare parts are difficult to obtain

  • Software is no longer supported

  • Data acquisition is limited

  • Test profiles are difficult to modify

  • Manual intervention is still required

  • Reporting is largely manual

  • Safety monitoring needs improvement

  • New test requirements cannot be implemented easily

A test rig modernization program can upgrade:

Control Hardware + DAQ + Sensors + Real-Time Software + Safety + Test Automation + Data Analysis

Giving Test Rigs a New Brain

Modern control systems can upgrade existing test rigs to meet newer test and performance requirements.

The result can be improved:

Automotive Test Rigs That Can Be Modernized

Have an Existing Test Rig That Needs Modernization?

From LabVIEW and NI Real-Time/FPGA to data acquisition, machine control, signal processing and automated reporting, modern automation can transform existing test systems.

The Future May Not Be a New Test Rig

It may be the same test rig with a much smarter brain.

Your test rig may still have the muscle.
It may simply need a new brain. Discuss Your Test Rig