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any aspects of the test and
measurement business are
different from the way they were
relatively few years ago. Perhaps the
most obvious example is the people
who are using test and measurement
instrumentation. A recent industry
study shows that 20 percent of
electrical engineers now in the global
workforce started their careers within
the last decade.
There have also been other significant
changes in the industry; for
example, manufacturing companies
once typically had large staffs of
dedicated test engineers; today, these
companies are often outsourcing
test system development and have
drastically cut the size of their test
engineering departments. Shrinking
in-house staffs and shortened test
design schedules mean that engineers
have far less time available to focus
on becoming instrumentation experts.
A Look Back
Test instrument design is undergoing
some striking changes as instrument
user expectations have evolved right
along with the users themselves. For
perspective on how instruments and
users interactions have changed, it
may be useful to look back at how
instrument interface designs have
evolved over the last six decades.
In the 1950s, interacting with
instruments was often a laborious
process. Configuring a measurement
typically required twisting dials to
select the desired functions and set
ranges. “Taking data” often involved
transcribing readings from an analog
dial manually or measuring traces
from a printout from a strip chart
recorder with a ruler.
When digital instrumentation began
to replace analog designs, the new
user interface designs began to
employ LED and LCD digital readouts
(Figure 2). Function and range setting
knobs were increasingly replaced
with push-button controls. Engineers
no longer needed a clipboard or
notebook to record data when early
communications interfaces like RS-232
and GPIB were added to instruments
to support system integration and
triggering, remote programming and
control, as well as transfer of data
to an external PC for analysis and
display.
By the 1990s, users had begun
to demand increasingly detailed
information on their measurements,
which eventually led instrument
makers to begin developing brighter,
easier-to-read, vacuum fluorescent
displays that could display multiple
measurements simultaneously from
a single measurement connection. To
allow users to configure the display
settings and performance options,
M
The Changing Face of Test
Jerry Janesch
,
Keithley Instruments, Inc.
any aspects of t
t and
measurement b s are
different from the way
ere
relatively few years ago.
s the
most bvious example is
eople
who are using test and
ent
instrumentation. A rece
ustry
study shows that 20
t of
electrical engi eers now i
lobal
workf ce started their car
ithin
the last decade.
There have also be n oth
ificant
changes in the in ; for
example, manufacturing
anies
once typically had larg
fs of
dedicated test engine rs; t
, these
companies are often
rcing
test system dev lopment
have
drastically cut he size f
ir test
engineering departments.
rinking
in-house staffs and shor
test
design schedules mean th in ers
have far less time availa l
focus
on becoming instrumentati
erts.
A Look Back
Test instrument de ig is u dergoi g
some striking changes as ins rument
us r xpectations have evolved right
along with th us rs th mselves. F r
perspective n how instruments and
u ers interactions have changed, it
may be sefu to loo back at h w
instrument int rface designs have
e olved ov r the last six decades.
In the 1950s, interacting with
instruments was often a laborious
process. Confi uring a measurement
typically required twisting dials to
select th desired function and set
ranges. “Taking da a” often involved
transcribing readings from an analog
dial m nually or measuring traces
from a printout from a st ip chart
reco der with a ruler.
When dig tal instrume tatio began
to replace analog designs, the new
user interfac designs began o
employ LED and LCD digital
(Figure 2). Function a d ran
knobs were incre singly
with push-button cont ols.
no longer needed a clip
n teb ok to record data w
ommunic tions interfaces li
and GPIB were added to ins
to support sys em i tegra
triggering, re ote program
control, as well as tr nsfer
o n exte nal PC for ana
display.
By the 1990s, users ha
to dem nd incre singly
i f rmation on their meas
which ev ntually l d in
makers to begin developing
easier-to-read, vacuum fl
displays that could display
measureme ts imultaneou
a single measur me t conn
allow users to configure th
settings and performance
M
anging Face of Test
Jerry Janesc
,
it ley Instruments, Inc.
30 l New-Tech Magazine Europe