NI, SET GmbH, and Tech180 Inc., experts in aerospace and defense test systems, announced a strategic collaboration to disrupt the design, development, and maintenance of test systems. Together, the companies will deliver an innovative approach to test systems, including new products, hardware and software frameworks, open systems reference architecture, and a paradigm-shifting System-on-Demand methodology.

"Conventional approaches for aerospace and defense test are badly outdated and in need of disruption. Engineers and enterprises are looking for new ways to leverage test as a competitive advantage, using it to reduce costs and accelerate product introductions while maintaining agility and equipment utilisation," said Luke Schreier, Vice President and General Manager of NI's Aerospace, Defense and Government Business Unit and new board member for SET. "We are confident that NI's collaboration with SET and Tech180 will deliver the right approach and system-level capability necessary for our customers to meet test requirements at an accelerated rate."

Aerospace and defense companies face soaring development costs and complexities from embedded software, design, and integration challenges required in manned/unmanned aircraft, space launch vehicles, and new urban air mobility approaches. Simultaneously, the pressure to develop faster continues to rise while dated test approaches and equipment further exacerbate problems, making adaptability to changing requirements and early product life cycle tests difficult. The System-on-Demand and model-based test approach delivered through the new collaboration will shorten time-to-market schedules, reduce operational expenses, integrate labs, and optimise data and assets, resulting in more time spent ensuring the quality and safety of future products and less on building test systems.

"As both a developer and manufacturer for flight certified electronics and a specialist in aerospace electronics test systems, SET brings a deep understanding of the full development process," explains Frank Heidemann, founder and CEO of SET. "Customers can no longer afford long processes as they strive for a faster time to market. Through our collaboration, we expect to find answers and fill a critical gap in the industry."

"Incremental improvements to the status quo are not good enough," adds Chris Bakker, CEO of Tech180. "Currently, there's an enormous amount of duplicate engineering spent on test, consuming resources that should be going towards research and development. Achieving the velocity of innovation companies require means a fundamental shift in the approach to test. A streamlined test strategy is the key to a better product strategy, and this collaboration provides the path to this evolution at scale."