Flexible Test Automation : A Software Framework for Easily Developing Measurement Applications

In laboratory management of an industrial test division, a test laboratory, or a research center, one of the main activities is producing suitable software for automatic benches by satisfying a given set of requirements. This activity is particularly costly and burdensome when test requirements are variable over time. If the batches of objects under test have small size and frequent occurrence, the activity of measurement automation becomes predominating with respect to the execution.

In Flexible Test Automation, the development of a software framework is shown to be as a useful solution to satisfy this exigency. The framework supports the user in producing measurement applications for a wide range of requirements with low effort and development time. Furthermore, the software quality, in terms of flexibility, usability, and maintainability, is maximized.

After a background on software for measurement automation and the related programming techniques, the structure and the main components of a software framework for measurement applications are illustrated. Their design and implementation are highlighted by referring to a practical application: the Flexible Framework for Magnetic Measurements (FFMM) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Finally, an experimental approach to the software flexibility assessment of measurement frameworks is presented by highlighting its application to FFMM.

Pasquale Arpaia holds an MS and PhD in electrical engineering from University of Naples Federico II, where he is professor of instrumentation and measurements. He is team leader at European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). He is associate editor of the Elsevier Journal Computer Standards & Interfaces and is an invited speaker in several scientific conferences.

Ernesto De Matteis received his bachelor's and master's degrees in telecommunications engineering at University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy. He interned, for his MS thesis on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), at European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), collaborating with "Flexible Framework for Magnetic Measurements" (FFMM) Project. Currently he is a PhD student on Information Engineering at University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy.

Vitaliano Inglese received his master's degree in automation engineering at the University of Sannio in 2006, and his PhD in electrical engineering at University of Naples Federico II in 2010. During his PhD, he worked on measurement techniques for particle accelerator magnets, ADC testing, digital instrumentation and software for magnetic measurements. He published scientific papers both in journals and in conference proceedings. He is currently working at CERN as engineer in the domain of electricity and controls applied to cryogenics.