Customer
A frontrunner in the Austrian automotive landscape, our esteemed client is a provider of integrated solutions for testing of passenger cars, trucks, and large engines.

Challenge
The modern automotive testing landscape is an intricate symphony of actions, often spanning hours, with varied steps and measurement instruments. Constructing such elaborate sequences mandates profound engineering acumen, an in-depth grasp of testing processes, and intricate knowledge of measurement tools.

The challenge was to engineer a dedicated tool, providing application engineers with an intuitive platform for test procedure development. This tool was envisaged to present a lucid visualization of system logic, eschewing the need for text-based programming languages. The envisioned solution aimed to streamline test procedure development, thereby optimizing costs.

Solution
Engineers are innately visual thinkers, their thoughts best conveyed through imagery, diagrams, and schematics. In response, we meticulously designed a programming environment encapsulated within workflow diagrams, tailored for test procedure development. Our graphic editor orchestrates procedure operations through standard workflow elements and specialized blocks, orchestrating every facet of the test sequence.

These workflow diagrams seamlessly accommodate parallel execution, a pivotal facet enabling intricate test sequences that govern multiple measurement instruments. Each device can be directed through a separate branch, unencumbered by external instrument commands.

To curtail inadvertent errors, the editor restricts improper block use, drastically minimizing potential pitfalls. Built-in debugging tools—breakpoints, variable scrutiny, step-by-step execution - unearth errors with ease.

Advanced tools for procedure comparison streamline lifecycle management, a boon for commissioning engineers troubleshooting on customer sites.

Key Features:

• Graphical workflow programming catering to engineer comprehension.
• Unparalleled flowchart readability, fostering ease of modification.
• Extensible component library nurturing collaboration and code reuse.
• Robust procedure validation, mitigating component and block misuse.
• Interactive debugging arsenal.
• Intrinsic parallelism.

Results
The formidable procedure editor emerged as a reusable component, seamlessly integrated by the customer across diverse products. Our client employs this editor, enriching their arsenal for test procedure development across varied runtime environments.