Many battery testing labs are facing a looming challenge: the end-of-life announcement for NHR battery cyclers by NI. These tools have been widely adopted in the battery test industry, but NI has ceased selling them and will only support them through the end of 2026. Enerchron software, which many NHR customers use for battery pack testing, is tightly coupled to NHR cyclers and lacks support for other brands, leaving labs with limited options for expansion or integration. 

The Risks of Fragmented Test Environments 

As labs seek to expand their testing capacity, they’re forced to adopt new cyclers and software platforms. This leads to: 

• Multiple software interfaces 
• Duplicate effort in creating test sequences 
• Increased training and maintenance overhead 
• Risk of inconsistent data and reporting 

The DMC Solution: A Unified, Scalable Test Software 

DMC offers a powerful alternative: a LabVIEW and TestStand-based software platform built on our Battery Production Test (BPT) system and Cortex framework. Our solution:

• Interfaces with any cycler brand, not just NHR 
• Provides a single test environment for legacy and new hardware 
• Supports PXI, cDAQ, DAQmx, NI-XNET CAN, and industrial PLCs 
• Offers customizable dashboards, live signal viewers, and real-time data logging 

For examples of our work with BPT Software-powered Test Systems, see the case studies below: 

• Cost-Effective Battery Test System 
• EV EOL Battery Pack Test System 

Built for Flexibility and Growth 

Whether you’re running validation tests in R&D or production tests in manufacturing, DMC’s software adapts to your needs. 

• Object-oriented LabVIEW architecture for modularity 
• TestStand sequencing for intuitive recipe creation 
• Hardware abstraction layer to future-proof your lab setup 
• Seamless integration with MES, safety systems, and material handling 

Real-World Impact and Customer Alignment 

At events like The Battery Show, DMC has actively engaged with many NHR customers to align on future needs and support strategies. Our DMC BPT-Based solution has already been deployed in labs and production lines using NHR-9300 and NHR-9200 cyclers working together with NI PXI and cDAQ hardware. This solution offers NHR users a smooth transition away from NHR cyclers and Enerchron, as the DMC BPT-based software package can be used to control any battery cyclers you choose as your NHR replacement. 

Have Questions? Let’s Talk. 

If your lab is facing the sunset of NHR cyclers, now is the time to explore a unified, flexible, and future-ready test software to work with your next battery cycler choice.

The post Future-Proofing Battery Test: A Unified Software Solution for NHR Cycler Users appeared first on DMC, Inc..

DMC will be joining NI (National Instruments) as a co-exhibitor at booth 5607, where we’ll showcase our Battery Production Test (BPT) system alongside NI’s PAtools software—offering attendees a firsthand look at our integrated solutions for advanced battery testing.

DMC’s BPT (Battery Production Test) System

Our scalable hardware and software solution is built for high-throughput, end-of-line testing of battery modules and packs. It is designed to meet the performance, safety, and traceability demands of modern battery production lines. See a physical demo in person at the show! For more information, see this NI Solution Brief.

NI PAtools System Design, Integration, Deployment, & Training

Also at the show, we’ll demonstrate how NI’s powerful PAtools software can be integrated into your R&D and validation testing workflows. PAtools, combined with DMC’s test engineering, battery, and system integration expertise, provides a robust platform for any modern battery test lab. For more information, see this NI Solution Brief.

Battery Validation Lab Test Systems & Services

Whether you’re focused on cell, module, or pack-level testing, DMC can provide Battery Lab Integration Services for complete battery test lab solutions that scale with your operation and ensure compliance with the most rigorous performance and safety standards. For more information, see this NI Solution Brief.

Why It Matters

With the acceleration of EV adoption and the rapid advancement of energy storage technologies, the need for reliable, efficient, and flexible battery testing solutions has never been greater. At DMC, we combine decades of battery testing experience with industrial test automation expertise to help both researchers and manufacturers bring battery innovations to market more quickly.

See DMC’s Battery Production Test Solution (BPT) Demo

Meet Us in Detroit

We’re excited to connect with battery and EV professionals from around the world. Whether you are an existing Client or Partner, or completely new to working with DMC, be sure to visit our DMC team in NI’s booth 5607 and explore how our test solutions can support your battery development and production goals.

Let’s Talk at the Show!

The post DMC to Exhibit with NI at The Battery Show 2025 in Detroit appeared first on DMC, Inc..

At DMC, we’ve been at the forefront of this evolution, building robust, scalable, and future-proof battery test solutions for major OEMs, EV startups, and energy labs. As part of our journey, we’ve continued to work with a variety of legacy and cutting-edge battery cycler platforms, including a longtime staple in the industry: the Aerovironment battery cyclers, now rebranded under Webasto Charging Systems following their acquisition.  

If you walk into a battery lab or R&D center today, there’s a good chance you’ll still spot AV-900, ABC-150, or ABC-170 cyclers humming away in a corner. These workhorses have been around for years and have built a track record for staying accurate and dependable under heavy use. They’ve been put to the test on everything from older lead-acid cells to the newest high-performance lithium-ion packs, and they’re still getting the job done. The challenge isn’t the hardware—it still performs as reliably as ever, but the built-in software tools haven’t evolved alongside the rapid changes in battery testing. Many of the original integration options now feel dated. The good thing is, modern automation platforms and updated integration methods make it possible to breathe new life into these proven systems. 

Modernizing Control & Automation with LabVIEW and TestStand

At DMC, we’ve built dozens of test systems that interface with Webasto/Aerovironment cyclers using a variety of control strategies.

Common strategies include:

• Remote Operation System (ROS) scripting, which requires C-based development, offers basic command-level access—but lacks user-friendly interfaces and extensibility for long-term test programs.  
• Legacy DCOM Drivers for Windows applications like LabVIEW have been available but are notoriously outdated, lacking support for modern toolchains and requiring extensive debugging.  

To simplify the process, DMC has developed custom LabVIEW drivers, reusable APIs, and scalable frameworks that integrate Webasto cyclers into full-featured test automation platforms.

CAN-Based Communication remains the most effective, open, and performant option for high-speed integration—especially for systems with dual outputs or demanding test sequencing. These DMC solutions are built using NI LabVIEW, TestStand, and CompactDAQ/PXI platforms, often tightly coupled with MES systems, high-speed instrumentation, and safety interlocks.  

Whether retrofitting an older AV/ABC cycler or building a new test stand that supports multiple equipment types (Webasto, Bitrode, Chroma, Arbin, etc.), we ensure operator-friendly UIs, data-logging pipelines, and real-time feedback for test traceability and compliance.  

DMC has expertise and proven software control routines to support these common Aerovironment/Webasto cycler models:

• MT-30
• ABC-150
• ABC-170 / CE
• ABC-600
• AV900 / 900-EX

Typical Use Cases We’ve Enabled

• End-of-line (EOL) validation of high-voltage EV packs
• Functional verification of Battery Management System (BMS)
• Remanufacturing and warranty diagnostics
• High-throughput cycling for R&D across multiple chemistries
• HiL simulation of charge/discharge behavior with Webasto cyclers

In all cases, we help customers move beyond “bare-bones” PC control to a fully automated, traceable, and scalable test environment.  

Should You Build it Yourself or Work with a Partner?

DMC brings decades of expertise, a deep portfolio of turnkey battery test systems, and partnerships with industry leaders like NI, Webasto, and Microsoft. So, whether you’re modernizing a legacy test bench or developing a brand-new validation platform, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel or the driver stack. We’re here to help you accelerate development, reduce risk, and build for scale.  

Let’s Talk Battery Test Automation

Want to bring new life to your AV/Webasto cyclers? Looking to scale your test infrastructure with modern tools? Contact us to learn more about how DMC can help you integrate, automate, and future-proof your battery testing workflow. 

The post Modernizing Battery Testing with Webasto Cyclers and LabVIEW Integration appeared first on DMC, Inc..

The Battery Simulator System delivered by DMC provides the ability to test BMS devices using a Hardware In the Loop (HIL) testing approach. This HIL testing is performed before those devices are fully incorporated into the large battery packs they are designed to monitor and manage. The system provides software-controlled simulated signals for all input sensors connected to the BMS and provides the ability to measure relevant outputs and responses from the BMS. This makes it possible to perform fully automated testing and validation of BMS functionality across any realistic range of input conditions the device may encounter in field operation.

Table of Contents

• System Introduction
• System Details
  • Definitions
• Overview of Hardware System
• System Enclosure
• Battery Stack Simulation
• Cell Voltage / Current Measurement Module (Optional)
• Battery Stack Simulator Connections
• Temperature Sensor Simulation Module
• PXI Chassis to Controller Interface
• Software Driver Libraries for System Control
• Safety / Interlock Functions
• National Instruments / LabVIEW Experience
• Test and Measurement Experience
• Related Past and Current Projects

System Introduction

The Battery Simulator System leverages the DMC Battery Testing Platform hardware and software. DMC’s modular Battery Testing Platform incorporates open software and hardware technologies along with flexible and reliable subsystem components and instruments which are completely customized to the end user’s specifications.

The Battery Testing Platform is built around high-quality off-the-shelf hardware assembled from a variety of vendors, including Pickering Interfaces, National Instruments (NI), Lambda, and Agilent, among others. Selection of individual instruments in the DMC system is based completely on required performance, not allegiance to a single hardware vendor.

The system can simulate a stack of 108 battery cells in series and 50x 4-bit temperature sensors. The system was delivered with source code libraries for low-level driver functions that provide full control over the available functionalities of the Battery Simulator System. This software code is based on pre-existing software modules, which were assembled and customized to accommodate the customer’s specific test system and test application. DMC did not develop a higher-level test execution control application as the customer wished to develop their primary test control application themselves.

System Details

Definitions

• BMS: Battery Management System – An electronic system for managing a rechargeable battery by continuously monitoring the battery state, calculating and reporting data on the battery, performing safety functions in fault conditions, performing cell balancing functions, etc.
• NI: National Instruments, Inc.
• PXI: Programmable eXtensions for Instrumentation – Hardware platform for test and measurement IO
• DMM: Digital Multi-Meter – An electronic measurement device, commonly capable of acquiring high-resolution voltage, current, resistance, or capacitance measurements, as either single-point measurements or waveform captures
• DUT: Device Under Test – Client’s BMS device to be tested

Overview of Hardware System

A high-level functional diagram of the DMC Battery Simulator System is shown below.

System Enclosure

The Battery Simulator System is built upon the Media Director Lectern V2, a portable (wheeled) rack-mount enclosure desk, as shown below.

This mobile desk provides 32U of total rack-mount space in two separate columns for mounting primary system components, including 6U of rack-mount space in the upper portion of the lectern just beneath the desk surface.

Controller and Accessories

The primary controller for the Battery Simulator System is a rack mount PC. This PC serves as the primary controller for the test system and runs a LabVIEW test application developed by customer engineers.

A listing of the performance specifications of this PC is provided below.

• Processor(s): Intel® i7 – 2600 (LGA1155) Quad Core Processor 3.4GHz/8MB Cache
•  2U Riser Card PCIe – x16, x4, x1
• Memory – DDR3: 16 GB DDR3-1333/PC3-10600
• Hard Drive: 2TB SATA III 7200RPM
• Optical Drive: Plextor® PX-890SA 24x DVD±R/W
• Video Card: PCI-EXPRESS RADEON HD6450 1GB/PCIe 2.0 (Dual Monitor)
• Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit OE

The system includes a license for the LabVIEW NI Developer Suite package (the most comprehensive and full-featured package offered by National Instruments) to ensure the customer has access to the complete set of LabVIEW functions, toolkits, and capabilities for their development activities. This is the package that DMC uses internally for development, so utilizing this package also ensures that the controller PC will have full access and compatibility with all supporting software provided by DMC.

The system includes dual DellTM UltraSharpTM U2410 monitors that are mounted above the desk surface of the enclosure via a dual flat panel mounting arm.

The system includes the Logitech Wireless Keyboard/Mouse MK710 peripheral devices for user operation of the PC.

Battery Stack Simulation

The Battery Stack Simulation sub-system consists of Pickering PXI 41-752, 6-cell battery simulator cards placed inside a PXI chassis, providing independent cell voltage simulated outputs. The Battery Simulator System includes 18 PXI cell simulator cards, enabling simulation of a battery stack of 108 cells.

The cell simulator current outputs and voltage sense lines from each card connect to a custom-built circuit board which configures the independent simulated cells into a full simulated battery stack. It also handles battery stack management and safety functions. Past this custom circuit board, the cell supply/sense lines route to a single high-density DUT connection on the front panel of the test stand.

The Pickering cell simulator cards offer no direct means of reading back their output current or voltage. As a result, the cards themselves provide no direct capability for voltage supply line leakage current measurement, or for actual cell voltage measurements.

Since these measurements are useful for the characterization and calibration of a BMS device, DMC’s Battery Simulator System provides the capability to acquire independent cell voltage and current output measurements using a high-resolution Cell Current/Voltage Measurement Module. This module consists of an active high-density relay switch matrix that enables measurement of the current flow on any cell line or of the voltage differential between any two cell lines in the battery stack. This high-resolution cell current/voltage measurement module is described in more detail later in this document.

DMC considers the Pickering 41-752 battery simulator card to be an excellent tool for simulating a battery input to a BMS for the following reasons:

1. The 750V isolation barrier allows the outputs to be stacked in series without inducing unintentional ground faults or loops and without voiding the manufacturer’s warranty.
2. The cards are capable of both sourcing and sinking current, just like an actual chemical cell. Accurate testing of BMS cell balancing operations requires this current-sinking function.

The 750V isolation barrier of the Pickering 41-752 card allows it to be used to emulate an entire low power battery stack representative of those used for vehicle propulsion.

The Pickering PXI 41-752 is a PXI based, 6-channel battery simulator module. Each channel of the module can supply up to 7V and 300mA to the load. Each channel is fully isolated from ground and from each other, allowing the channels to be connected in series to simulate batteries arranged in a stacked architecture. The 750V isolation barrier permits the 41-752 to be used to emulate a low power battery stack representative of those used for vehicle propulsion.

Each battery simulator provides independent power and sense connections, allowing the battery simulator to sense a remote load and correct for wiring voltage losses. The battery simulator is designed to respond quickly to dynamic loads, minimizing the need for local decoupling capacitors at the load.

A signal line on the user connector allows the user to shut down all battery simulator channels with a single connection. Multiple module control lines are linked together to provide an easy way of inhibiting voltage generation (E-Stop) when using many series-connected modules that provide high output voltages.

Cell Voltage/Current Measurement Module (Optional)

The Cell Voltage/Current Measurement Module provides independent (DMM based) high-resolution measurement of the voltage between any two cells in the simulated battery stack or of the current on any given cell voltage supply line. These measurements are useful for the characterization (cell balancing functions, power consumption, leakage currents, etc.) or calibration of a BMS device. This module also enables automated calibration of the Battery Stack Simulator device itself.

To deliver this extensive range of measurements in a cost-effective manner, the module utilizes a single high-accuracy digital multimeter in conjunction with an active high-density switching matrix to connect this meter to any desired set of measurement points. The Battery Simulation system contains a NI PXI-4071 Digital Multi-Meter (DMM) installed in one of the PXI chassis. This 7 ½ digit DMM delivers the following measurement capabilities:

• Voltage measurements from ±10 nV to 1000 VDC
• 8 DC current ranges with sensitivity down to 1 pA
• ±500 VDC/Vrms common-mode isolation
• Resistance measurements from 10 µΩ to 5 GΩ
• 1.8 MS/s isolated, 1000 V waveform acquisition

The Cell Voltage/Current Measurement Module uses a single DMM, and thus it is only possible to acquire one particular measurement at a given time (i.e. the specific probe point that the current relay multiplexer state is connecting the DMM to measure). It is very straightforward, however, to set up functions in the test control software to scan through all cell voltage or current measurement points by simply reconfiguring the relay state between each measurement acquired by the DMM.

The switching matrix in this module also makes it possible to simulate a broken connection between a simulated cell and the BMS or to simulate a shorted connection between two adjacent cells; these can be useful fault insertion mechanisms in BMS testing regiments. Similarly, the Voltage/Current Measurement Module also provides the ability to perform complete and total disconnection of the cell simulator from the BMS device under test.

The Cell Voltage/Current Measurement Module utilizes 5-amp relays that can handle cold switching up to 750 V and are thus more than capable of handling the expected total stack voltage generated by many simulated cells in series. 

The Cell Voltage/Current Measurement Module fundamentally consists of multiple removable/swappable relay multiplexing cards that are seated in a 4U (7”) high Vector card cabinet. It is designed to be located either directly above or directly below a PXI chassis containing cell simulator modules (as shown in the image below). Each relay card connects directly to a cell simulator card and handles the measurement multiplexing for those six simulated cells. This design makes it easy to scale the multiplexer module when adding or removing cell simulator cards to increase/decrease the size of the simulated cell stack.

Battery Stack Simulator Connections

Each simulated cell has one supply and one sense line that needs to be routed independently to the Device Under Test (to allow the cell simulator modules to accurately compensate for voltage drop in harness/wiring). Therefore, the complete set of simulated cell connections consists of 108 cell voltage supply lines and 108 cell voltage sense lines. The Battery Simulator System provides two parallel connections to the simulated cells.

Battery Stack Connection 1 is used to interface with the Device Under Test through a pair of connectors that are panel mounted in the system enclosure panel. There are separate connectors (with identical pin-out mappings for consistency) for the simulated cell voltage stack sense and supply lines, as shown below.

Battery Stack Connection 1 utilizes 2x 160 position connectors as depicted below:

Battery Stack Connection 2 provides an auxiliary parallel connection to all simulated cell supply and sense lines for external monitoring, measurement, and diagnostic purposes. This parallel connection has an available standard screw terminal connection for each cell voltage supply and sense line, as depicted below. These breakout terminal connections are mounted facing out the front of the primary system enclosure to make them externally accessible.

Temperature Sensor Simulation Module

The Temperature Sensor Simulation module supports simulation of 50x 4-bit resistive temperature. To enable future flexibility, the module provides the ability to alternatively simulate 25x 8-bit with some minor reconfiguration of built-in jumper points. The figures below illustrate the simulation of either one 8-bit or two 4-bit resistor chains and how the module supports switching from 4-bit to 8-bit simulation through the installation of jumpers. An N-bit simulated temperature sensor essentially consists of N fixed resistors that can be inserted or removed from the simulated temperature sensor circuit using a relay switching matrix. The resistor values that are placed in line with the simulated temperature sensor circuit add with one another (since they are in a series configuration) to produce the desired resistance to simulate a particular temperature reading.

For a 4-bit simulated sensor, there are a total of 2^4 = 16 discrete resistance values (including a short circuit) that can be applied by each simulated sensor. For an 8-bit simulated sensor, there are a total of 2^8 = 256 resistance values that can be generated. The actual resistor values used in the module (which thus affect the total range and the set of overall resistance values that can be generated) are fully configurable and are determined by the requirements of the test application.

The temperature sensor simulation system utilizes a modular motherboard and daughter card architecture. The actual physical resistors that comprise the simulated temperature sensors are all installed on swappable daughter cards that plug into the module’s motherboard. The motherboard handles the “infrastructure” of aggregating independent resistors into simulated temperature sensors, integrating relays to control the simulated temperature circuits, etc. By swapping in and out sets of daughter cards containing different resistor values, different types of temperature sensors or different temperature ranges can be simulated to accommodate varying testing requirements or DUT models.

The relays that are responsible for configuring the desired output state of the simulated temperature sensors are contained on and controlled by two high-density PXI relay cards. Control of the Temperature Sensor Simulation module is accomplished through a set of LabVIEW driver VIs provided along with the system.

The simulated temperature sensor module drivers include algorithms to automatically calculate the optimal combination of resistors that should be inserted into a given simulated temperature sensor circuit to achieve the closest possible resistance to the commanded value. Thus, the interface for controlling the temperature sensor module is simple and abstracts away the lower-level hardware operations. It is simply necessary to specify the desired resistance (corresponding to the temperature reading you want to simulate) to apply to a particular temperature sensor number.

Each simulated thermistor requires two connection lines, and thus for a total of 50 simulated thermistors the system has 100 total connections from the Temperature Sensor Simulation Module to the DUT. The Temperature Sensor Simulation Module has a 104-position connector mounted in the front panel of its enclosure, as depicted in the image below.

PX Chassis to Controller Interface

The Battery Simulator System includes two full 18-slot NI PXI-1045 chassis to house Cell Simulator PXI cards as well as supporting instrumentation and device control cards.

Both of these chassis interface to the controller PXI using an MXI Express interface. A NI PXI-PCIe8362 card is installed in an available PCIe port of the controller PC to provide two MXI interface ports. Each PXI chassis has a NI PXI-8360 MXI Interface card installed in the first slot of the chassis. The MXI ports on the controller PCI card each connect via an included three-meter, high-speed MXI cable to one of the MXI interface cards in the respective PXI chassis to effectively link both chassis to the single PC controller.

This MXI Express interface provides a software-transparent link between the controller PC and the PXI chassis that house system instrumentation and card modules. This linkage allows the Battery Simulator hardware to effectively be available as native or directly connected instrumentation on the controller computer.

Software Driver Libraries for System Control

The Battery Simulator System includes LabVIEW driver libraries (with full unlocked source code) that provide full control over the available functionalities of the Battery Simulator System. DMC did not develop a higher-level test execution control application for this particular system, as the customer wished to develop a primary test control application internally.

DMC has provided the following control drivers (with accompanying documentation) for use on the controller PC:

• DMC custom LabVIEW drivers for full simulated battery stack control and management
• DMC custom LabVIEW drivers for control of Cell Voltage/Current Measurement Module
• DMC custom LabVIEW drivers for control/management of simulated temperature sensors
• DMC custom LabVIEW Digital Multi-Meter Drivers for higher-level DMM functions (waveform capture and analysis, etc.)
• VISA (Virtual Instrument Software Architecture) driver set for direct control of individual Cell Simulator modules and Pickering relay cards
• Direct IO driver set for direct control of individual Cell Simulator modules and Pickering relay cards

Safety/Interlock Functions

Since the Battery Simulator System can generate high voltages (as required for battery stack simulation), it contains both hardware and software-based safety features to disable all voltage output during a safety event.

• Large Red ESTOP button in the middle of the top desk surface of Battery Simulator System enclosure
• External/Remote Interlock connector on the right-side panel of the enclosure
• Software-based disable command to open PC-controlled relay that is in series with safety interlock loop

Activating any of these safety features will immediately turn off all voltage outputs from the Battery Stack Simulator.

Company Overview And Qualifications

DMC is a well-known and established controls engineering and consulting firm focused on the industrial automation market. We develop and implement solutions for a wide range of industries using a variety of technologies. DMC has successfully delivered solutions for hundreds of companies including 3M, Abbott Laboratories, Argonne National Labs, Bosch, BRP, Caterpillar, Chrysler, Fermilab, Ford, John Deere, UL, Wrigley, and Yaskawa. Every solution we develop is based on a solid understanding of engineering principles with the primary objective of helping our client increase profitability and productivity using world-class solutions.

DMC is a certified member of the Control Systems Integrators Association (CSIA). DMC passed a rigorous third-party audit of 200 criteria that span all aspects of business performance in the areas of:

• General Management
• Human Resources Management
• Marketing and Business Development
• Financial Management
• Project Management
• System Development Lifecycle
• Quality Assurance Management

National Instruments / LabVIEW Experience

DMC has been a National Instruments (NI) Alliance member for more than 10 years with one of the largest teams of Certified LabVIEW developers in the country, including several National Instruments Certified LabVIEW Architects (highest level of certification available), and multiple NI Certified LabVIEW Developers.

Test and Measurement Experience

Our Test and Measurement Automation services help clients automate laboratory testing using the latest technologies. We have years of experience delivering world-class solutions to leaders in research, development, production, quality, and certification testing. Our flexible and collaborative approach is proven to deliver efficient, accurate, and robust test systems, as well as the tools to leverage test data for effective results analysis.

DMC has employed LabVIEW in many industries, including product development, test and measurement engineering, R&D, and high-tech manufacturing. We have developed LabVIEW solutions for hundreds of projects at dozens of customers, including:

• Argonne National Laboratories
• Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab)
• Bombardier Recreational Products Bosch
• Underwriters Laboratories
• LG
• Bosch

DMC applies a disciplined and systematic approach to LabVIEW software design. Engineers at DMC employ software conventions and architectures so that code is structured and well-organized. One example of these structures is a LabVIEW state machine that builds a system based on states, events, and actions

DMC has a vast, reliable code library that has been tested and can be used to significantly reduce the development time and risk. Leverage the work we’ve already done to reduce start-up time now and downtime later. We’ve also developed LabVIEW tools for additional features such as HTML and PDF reporting, TDMS file storage, external data viewers, and SQL databases.

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NI Connect 2024 was a highlight event this year for the Test and Measurement industry that brought together major thought leaders to share insights, forge connections, and celebrate innovation. Let’s dive into the key takeaways! 

Solving the Challenges of Battery Production and Remanufacturing Test

At NI Connect, DMC had the privilege of showcasing our cutting-edge battery production and remanufacturing test innovations at our exhibit in the Battery Production Test booth. We deeply appreciate the valuable input from our customers, which has allowed us to develop solutions that directly addresses the common pain points we frequently hear about from conference attendees. Scalability and openness to the test platform are core principles of DMC’s Battery Pack Test (BPT) solution, ensuring it meets the dynamic needs of the industry. If you are encountering similar challenges with you battery pack or module testing, explore our Battery Test page to learn how we can assist you-from consulting to full system integration.

The DMC Battery Pack Test (BPT) System is designed by DMC’s Battery Test experts, leveraging almost two decades’ worth of battery test experience. It is a highly capable pack and module testing solution that enhances test coverage and scales with your organization. Some notable features include: 

• Open Platform: Built on NI TestStand, the BPT offers a truly open platform for managing test recipes that allows customers to fully own and adapt the solution to meet emerging technology requirements. 

• User-Centric Station Operation: Intuitive workflows ensure consistent daily production operation with minimal interaction with the software. 

• Role-Based Access Controls: Screen and feature access are controlled based on roles. 

• Flexible Configurations: The BPT can be deployed in one station rack module or decomposed into multiple station modules for optimized cycle times and throughput. 

• Complete Traceability: Continuous data acquisition (DAQ) provides traceability and visualization. 

• Integration with MES/SCADA Systems: Seamlessly integrates with your manufacturing execution system (MES) or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. 

• Data Analytics via NI SystemLink or custom database plugin: Enables data analysis and insights. 

• IT-Synced User Permissions Management: Ensures secure access. 

• Soft-Front Panel HMIs: Allows manual device control and diagnostics.

DMC also took part in a joint presentation with NI on Advanced Battery Cell Testing Techniques, highlighting the work we’re currently doing to help our customers scale battery cell testing with NI’s latest technology.

Celebrating Partnerships and Connections

NI Connect 2024 was more than just a conference; it was a celebration of the strong bonds formed between colleagues, partners, and clients. Amidst great dinners, social events, and learning opportunities, the DMC team took a moment to recognize the strong partnership we’ve shared with NI for over 25 years. This partnership has been instrumental in helping our mutual customers solve challenging technical problems in a variety of industries. Some key themes to our partnership as I see them are:

Expertise and Solutions: DMC, recognized as an NI Preferred System Integrator, brings unparalleled NI ecosystem expertise to the table, especially LabVIEW programming. DMC’s role extends beyond writing code; we act as consultants, advising on hardware choices and anticipating future needs. NI’s hardware product offerings combined with DMC’s expertise and software solutions helps our customers get to market faster. 

Investments in Product Offerings: NI continues to invest in both hardware and software, enhancing test workflows and leveraging test data with their latest emphasis on the LabVIEW+ Suite. NI’s renewed commitment to their software platforms provides clarity on areas of NI’s investment and enables DMC to focus on forward-looking solutions for our customers, knowing that we have the investment and backing of NI to take on the next challenge. In particular, NI’s focus on AI is opening new doors for the future of what test engineering can look like, and DMC is excited for the new opportunities ahead. 

Collaborative Spirit: NI Connect 2024 exemplified the collaborative spirit that drives the industry forward. The strong partnership between NI and DMC is a testament to this spirit, resulting in innovative solutions for customers. NI’s Battery Test Solution for Pack Validation and DMC’s Battery Production Test (BPT) solution are recent examples of DMC and NI collaboration.  

Thought Leadership and Educational Lectures: A key feature of NI Connect 2024 was the array of lectures on cutting-edge innovations, providing a platform for thought leadership within the industry. These sessions were not just educational but inspirational at times, offering a glimpse into the technological advancements that are shaping our world.  

NI Focus on Generative AI

Notably, several exciting AI technology integrations were discussed, highlighting how NI is focusing on leveraging AI as a competitive advantage in their product offerings, which will help our customers leverage this cutting edge technology to enhance their business performance. Here are some highlights: 

Analytics Tools (AI and ML): The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in test processes was a hot topic this year. Attendees discovered how these tools can improve yield, enhance product quality, and drive innovation. NI continues to invest in its new AI assistant, NIGEL, expanding capabilities and planning a roadmap that ensures you can leverage the power of AI wherever you need: from the cloud to the edge and anywhere in between. 

Effective Test Data Management: Companies learned strategies for optimizing test data management. By efficiently handling large volumes of data, organizations can make informed decisions and drive better outcomes. Tools like NI SystemLink greatly simplify this task. DMC has lots of experience using SystemLink and can attest to its impact on our customers’ workflows, data analytics, and systems management. AI is certain to play a large role in transforming the utility of this data and rapidly accelerating data analysis capabilities for our customers.

Python/LabVIEW Integration: Attendees explored Python/LabVIEW integration, allowing seamless collaboration between these two powerful programming languages. This integration streamlines test development and data analysis, enhancing overall efficiency and productivity. Both Python and LabVIEW are getting lots of AI integration investment, making it easier for teams to build sophisticated software in record time. DMC’s multiple service areas, including Test & Measurement and Application Development frequently work together on projects, bringing the best solutions from multiple technologies like LabVIEW and Python together into an integrated solution that leverages the advantages of both. You can check out some of our latest thinking on using text-based languages for your test projects here. 

Final Thoughts

NI Connect 2024 was a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation. It was an event where industry leaders could share their vision for the future and where partnerships were strengthened. As we reflect on the success of this year’s conference, we are reminded of the endless possibilities that lie ahead for technology and innovation. The DMC team, along with our partners at NI, are at the forefront of this journey, providing our expertise and enthusiasm to our customers to help them solve their most challenging problems.  

Thanks for reading! We hope to see you next year at NI Connect 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas.  

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We chose multiplexers that are rated for high voltages, can carry a decent amount current, and are rated by their manufacturer to have their relays switched on and off plenty of times. These are mechanical systems, however, and, if you build enough test systems with multiplexers that constantly switch relays on and off, one of them will eventually fail. Any part of a factory line system failing means downtime, which can lead to losses.

The best approach to test systems that last and deliver value is to expect that they may fail at some point. At DMC, we design tools to delay and diagnose the inevitable as opposed to ignoring it.

To this end, we deployed our project with a diagnostic sequence and additional hardware that the client could use periodically to detect wiring and relay faults so we can fix them. There are several ways in which this idea can be applied.

Take the example of testing a standard 120V AC outlet: we need to check that we see ~120V between live and neutral as well as live and ground but ~0V between neutral and ground.
 
In our case, we mapped DMM and each of the test points to multiplexer coordinate “paths” and those paths to human-readable names through our custom “MUX Manager” library. This enabled us to control relays with Python lines like these:

mux_manager.get_pin_path(<Pin Name>, <Rail>)

mux_manager.set_pin(<Pin Path>, <New State>)

mux_manager.read_pin(<Pin Path>)

mux_manager.clear_all()

mux_manager.get_pin_path(<Pin Name>, <Rail>)

mux_manager.set_pin(<Pin Path>, <New State>)

mux_manager.read_pin(<Pin Path>)

mux_manager.clear_all()

If we wrote a generic method in a test class to measure the voltage between two pins, a first attempt would look something like this:

 class VoltageTest:
    …

    def test_voltage(self, pin_a, pin_b, expected, tolerance): 

        self.mux_manager.clear_all()

        path_a = self.mux_manager.get_pin_path(pin_a, Rail.POSITIVE) 

        path_b = self.mux_manager.get_pin_path(pin_b, Rail.NEGATIVE) 

 

        self.mux_manager.set_pin(path_a, True) 

        self.mux_manager.set_pin(self.dmm_positive_path, True) 

        self.mux_manager.set_pin(path_b, True) 

        self.mux_manager.set_pin(self.dmm_negative_path, True) 

        measurement = self.dmm.read_voltage()

        # Clearing up connections

        self.mux_manager.clear_all()

        if (expected - tolerance) < measurement < (expected + tolerance): 

            return "PASS"

        else:

            return "FAIL"

 class VoltageTest:
    …

    def test_voltage(self, pin_a, pin_b, expected, tolerance): 

        self.mux_manager.clear_all()

        path_a = self.mux_manager.get_pin_path(pin_a, Rail.POSITIVE) 

        path_b = self.mux_manager.get_pin_path(pin_b, Rail.NEGATIVE) 

 

        self.mux_manager.set_pin(path_a, True) 

        self.mux_manager.set_pin(self.dmm_positive_path, True) 

        self.mux_manager.set_pin(path_b, True) 

        self.mux_manager.set_pin(self.dmm_negative_path, True) 

        measurement = self.dmm.read_voltage()

        # Clearing up connections

        self.mux_manager.clear_all()

        if (expected - tolerance) < measurement < (expected + tolerance): 

            return "PASS"

        else:

            return "FAIL"

We need to clear up the connections at the end of each function call to leave the multiplexer in a clean state so that calls to test_voltage can be rearranged in a test sequence by an engineer without worrying about what pins are previously enabled. On the other hand, when we imagine how such a method would be used, we start to see some redundancy. In testing the 3-pin outlet, we would have to enable and disable DMM pins 12 times and get similar inefficiencies with the pins being tested.The problem is compounded when this generic function is run hundreds of times in one sequence and that sequence is run hundreds of times. The likelihood of a single relay failing (and therefore risk of downtime) is made unnecessarily high by lazy programming.

 
Instead, we could use our knowledge about our system and the math abilities of Python to eliminate this redundancy with a method in the MUX Manager:

class MUXManager:

    …

    def masked_set_pins(self, pin_and_rail_list):

        high_pins = set()

        for pin_name in self.pin_names: 

            pin_path_positive = self.get_pin_path(pin_name, Rail.POSITIVE) 

            pin_path_negative = self.get_pin_path(pin_name, Rail.NEGATIVE) 

            if self.read_pin(pin_path_positive):

                high_pins.add(pin_path_positive) 

            if self.read_pin(pin_path_negative):

                high_pins.add(pin_path_negative)

        need_to_be_high_pins = set()

        for pin_name, rail in pin_and_rail_list:

            pin_path = self.get_pin_path(pin_name, rail)

            need_to_be_high_pins.add(pin_path)


        need_to_make_low_pins = high_pins - need_to_be_high_pins

        for path in need_to_make_low_pins:

            self.set_pin(path, False)

        need_to_make_high_pins = need_to_be_high_pins - high_pins

        for path in need_to_make_high_pins:

            self.set_pin(path, True) 

class MUXManager:

    …

    def masked_set_pins(self, pin_and_rail_list):

        high_pins = set()

        for pin_name in self.pin_names: 

            pin_path_positive = self.get_pin_path(pin_name, Rail.POSITIVE) 

            pin_path_negative = self.get_pin_path(pin_name, Rail.NEGATIVE) 

            if self.read_pin(pin_path_positive):

                high_pins.add(pin_path_positive) 

            if self.read_pin(pin_path_negative):

                high_pins.add(pin_path_negative)

        need_to_be_high_pins = set()

        for pin_name, rail in pin_and_rail_list:

            pin_path = self.get_pin_path(pin_name, rail)

            need_to_be_high_pins.add(pin_path)


        need_to_make_low_pins = high_pins - need_to_be_high_pins

        for path in need_to_make_low_pins:

            self.set_pin(path, False)

        need_to_make_high_pins = need_to_be_high_pins - high_pins

        for path in need_to_make_high_pins:

            self.set_pin(path, True) 

By using set differences, we know which relays to turn off and on from a previous state and avoid any calls in the process that would be redundant.

This is not a perfect approach and requires knowledge of the system such as whether you would be performing any hot switching or there needs to be an order to the switch calls.

For our voltage tests, however, this approach was the right one and worked best for our client’s needs. We can rewrite our test_voltage method to incorporate this new method as follows:

class VoltageTest:

    …

    def test_voltage(self, pin_a: str, pin_b: str, expected, tolerance): 

        self.mux_manager.masked_set_high_pins([

            (pin_a, Rail.POSITIVE), 

            ("DMM+", Rail.POSITIVE), 

            (pin_b, Rail.NEGATIVE), 

            ("DMM-", Rail.NEGATIVE),

        ]) 

        measurement = self.dmm.read_voltage()

        if (expected - tolerance) < measurement < (expected + tolerance): 

            return "PASS"

        else:

            return "FAIL"    

class VoltageTest:

    …

    def test_voltage(self, pin_a: str, pin_b: str, expected, tolerance): 

        self.mux_manager.masked_set_high_pins([

            (pin_a, Rail.POSITIVE), 

            ("DMM+", Rail.POSITIVE), 

            (pin_b, Rail.NEGATIVE), 

            ("DMM-", Rail.NEGATIVE),

        ]) 

        measurement = self.dmm.read_voltage()

        if (expected - tolerance) < measurement < (expected + tolerance): 

            return "PASS"

        else:

            return "FAIL"    

Our method is more readable and efficient while reducing the relay switches per measurement. The animation given shows the decreased switching actions needed (from 24 down to 12) with this new approach — which is even more pronounced for outlets with more pins.

 
What I like most about this whole endeavor is that it confronts the fact that it illustrates how thoughtful engineering design can be exemplified in many ways — in hardware and software. By complicating how our software works, our hardware takes fewer steps and lives longer. Good multiplexing is, well, multiplex.

Learn more about DMC’s Battery Pack and BMS Test Systems and contact us today for your next project.

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DMC has been an NI Integration Partner since 1997. This year, we exhibited our Battery Production Tester (BPT) at the NI booth.

“We’re closely partnering with them [NI] to deliver this,” Steven Dusing, Senior Project Engineer who attended the conference, said.

Read more about our BPT solution here.

This year was one of the largest turnouts for the conference, providing a great opportunity for networking, and connecting with partners and clients.

“This year’s show provided a great space for members of our Test & Measurement team to meet with partners, customers, and colleagues we’ve worked with over the past 15 years,“ Darren Jones, Senior Director of Test & Measurement, said. “Generally speaking, The Battery Show was huge this year, which indicates the growth of the battery world.”

According to Darren, it was good to see a number of people  the team has known over the years: including both customers and colleagues.

“We were in the NI booth, but we saw our partners at Siemens, Beckhoff, Pickering, and some[other] old friends and long time customers that we see every year,” Steven said.

DMC also spent some time exploring the Expo floor.

Steven said, “it was good to see a lot of different aspects of battery technology and to see how this technology has evolved.”

Building on our 20+ years of expertise in this industry, we are excited to see it grow, and to continue delivering best-in-class solutions for our customers.

Learn more about DMC’s Battery Pack and BMS Test Systems and contact us today for your next project!

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We are proud to partner with NI (National Instruments) on the Expo floor to showcase our best-in-class Battery Production Test solutions.

We will be available to meet with your team and accelerate your battery test solutions. Please reach out if you are attending The Battery Show and could benefit from meeting the DMC team.

Visit booth 2717 to learn more.

Conference Information

The Battery Show is America’s largest Battery and Electric Vehicle (EV) Technology conference. The conference features technical sessions, technology launches, product demos, and keynote presentations from the nation’s top battery and EV technology suppliers.

Learn more about DMC’s partnership with NI.

The post DMC and NI to Partner for The Battery Show 2023 appeared first on DMC, Inc..

We are excited to showcase demonstrations of the DMC Battery Production Test and Battery Cell Quality Test systems at the Expo Hall. We will also be participating in 4 presentations and panel discussions throughout the conference.

As an NI Preferred System Integrator, DMC will also be participating in the Leadership and Partner Forums.

Come visit us on the Expo floor with the Transportation and Portfolio Business Units! Click here to register for NI Connect 2023, and reach out to us if you’d like to connect with us in Austin!

Learn more about DMC’s partnership with NI, and contact us today for your next project.

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Three of our engineers attended the conference – Jesse Batsche, Senior Director of Test & Measurement, Steven Dusing, Senior Project Engineer, and Brent Hoerman, Project Manager – and all agree that it was cool to attend such a large conference and to see every different part of the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain in one place.

“It was quite impressive in terms of scale, the number of vendors, and the size of the audience,” Batsche said. “The EV industry has obviously been booming and booming at an increasing pace. There was just a massive increase in scale of this conference. It was a huge expo hall and a huge sea of demo booths with companies represented – from suppliers of low level materials and tiny subcomponents, all the way up to companies that are developing the whole power train and everything in between.”

We brought our Battery Production Tester (BPT) solution to the booth – showing off the capabilities and design of the BPT to everyone that came by.

“We had a full rack there showing our solutions; that was really cool to actually have a complete BPT system with all of the hardware there in addition to our software demo,” Dusing said. “That made it a really impactful event for us. A lot of people stopped by just to check out what this large rack was and to learn the purpose and capabilities of all the instrumentation within it.”

As one of the tallest demonstrations at the conference, the BPT stood over 8 feet tall.

We were one of two partners exhibiting at NI’s booth displaying our solution next to NI’s Battery Test Solution (BTS).

“It was really nice to be alongside NI to show that we’re a key part of the entire battery testing lifecycle,” Dusing said. “NI has their BTS solution for the validation test case, and DMC now provides NI’s recommended solution for the battery production test case. It was nice to get that elevated visibility alongside NI as a much bigger player in the test sphere.”

NI's booth at The Battery Show

This year, the solution we were highlighting fit well as the focus of the conference and the industries of the attendees evolved. 

“As everything is reaching a high volume production and delivery scale these days, there was conveniently an increased focus on the actual manufacturing side of battery packs, and that was great because the solution we were highlighting was our Battery Production Tester,” Batsche said. “I think DMC is well-poised to offer a very capable and compelling production test solution that meets market needs and demands, based on where the battery market is at and where it’s headed.”

Many attendees were starting to think even beyond production, according to Batsche.

“We had a lot of good conversations around that remanufacturing and warranty service and support test case.  Conveniently, while these tests do have some of their own unique requirements – it is a test case that is fundamentally quite aligned with DMC BPT capabilities in terms of test flow and measurements and diagnostics about the pack that we need to do,” Batsche said. “It’s fairly similar to what we do at the end of the production line – therefore well served by the capabilities the DMC BPT already provides.” 

With the number of EVs needing warranty servicing and remanufacturing growing, Batsche believes we are ahead of the largest need and growth in this sector. At the conference, both existing and new customers stopped by our booth to learn about these capabilities.

“I saw a number of existing customers come by and had some good conversations with them. This was actually the first time a lot of them were seeing the product that we’ll soon deliver to them,” Dusing said. “That was neat to get to connect with them and then meet a lot of new potential customers who had interest in the DMC BPT, and in NI’s BTS solution as well since DMC is NI’s Preferred Integration Partner for NI BTS deployment in the Americas. It was a win-win for us to be alongside NI so that we can start collaborating from day on one future potential future system deployments that originated through these Battery Show conversations.”

Our joint presence alongside NI and the market strategy discussions we had together while sharing a booth, specifically with the battery-focused individuals on the NI Transportation Business Unit team, was Batsche’s favorite part.

“We had a lot of good discussions about how we are teaming up and partnering,” Batsche said. “[We talked about] the strategies we’ll use to jointly develop all the right solutions across various battery test domains, and how to deliver those systems at scale to customers.  We put our heads together on emerging industry trends and evolving market needs and requirements, both within the battery production space as well as other complementary ones.”

DMC has been involved in the battery industry for over 15 years and has seen firsthand how things have changed over the years, according to Hoerman.

“We have been doing this for over 15 years, which makes us more experienced than most people when it comes to battery testing,” Hoerman said. “I think getting it out there and advertising the solutions that we have been developing over the years [is important] so people can take advantage of them. In most cases, we’ve got to be one of the top people competing for a test opportunity – especially for large scale battery tests.”

Learn more about DMC's partnership with NI and contact us today for your next project!

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