Were you able to attend Automotive Testing Expo 2023? It's not just about showcasing the latest and greatest in automotive technology. It's also about the cutting-edge tools and techniques that drive innovation in the industry. If you weren’t able to attend, in this blog post, we're going to dive into some of the exciting demos from the expo that are poised to make a significant impact on the automotive testing world.
Demo 1: Minimizing Switching Losses with a Double Pulse Test System
Minimizing switching losses is a critical challenge for power device engineers, particularly those working with Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) devices. These advanced materials promise increased efficiency, but they also come with their own set of complexities. The standard method for measuring switching parameters and evaluating the dynamic behavior of Si, SiC, and GaN MOSFETs and IGBTs is the Double Pulse Test (DPT).
The Double Pulse Test enables engineers to measure energy loss during device turn-on and turn-off, as well as reverse recovery parameters. In a world where energy efficiency is paramount, understanding and minimizing these losses is crucial. This demo promises to shed light on how power device engineers can tackle this challenge effectively.
Demo 2: Battery Simulation and Testing with KickStart Software
Batteries are the lifeblood of electric vehicles and hybrids. Their performance, reliability, and lifespan are central to the automotive industry's electrification goals. Battery cycling, which involves charging and discharging a battery repeatedly for a specified number of cycles, is a critical component of battery testing. It allows engineers to understand how a battery performs over time and under various conditions.
The Keithley KickStart Battery Simulator App has introduced exciting new features, including battery cycling functionality and source measure unit (SMU) support. This development promises to be a game-changer in battery testing, offering a comprehensive, one-box solution for both battery simulation and model generation. The demo will also showcase the app's capabilities in testing batteries and simulating battery models using a Keithley 2461 SMU and Li-Ion batteries.
Demo 3: Test Automation Through Scripting with Python and More
In the fast-paced world of automotive testing, product complexity is constantly expanding while time-to-market is shrinking. The need for flawless product quality remains unwavering. Test automation emerges as a solution to this challenge. By increasing quality, driving efficiency, improving accuracy, and reducing time-to-insight, test automation becomes a cornerstone of modern automotive testing.
Tektronix equipment is at the forefront of this automation revolution. With industry-standard command interfaces and communication buses like USB and Ethernet, combined with high-speed APIs, tools, and software, Tektronix enables engineers to optimize test development and execution. The demo will likely provide a glimpse into how test automation can reshape the future of automotive testing.
