Test and measurement — then, now and the future

With electronic devices getting smaller and more powerful, the electronics equipment market has changed dramatically in recent years. In the article below, Scientific Devices' Mark Lotter shares his thoughts on the past, present and future of the test and measurement industry.

Thirty-five years is a long time to witness the extraordinary development in the electronic, computing and the test and measurement industry. In the early days you would enter the service department of a test equipment electronics repair centre filled with cigarette smoke, lined with multiple tables, geared with soldering iron, oscilloscope, generator, spectrum analyser and a multimeter… and disassembled was the state-of-the-art piece of test equipment weighing more than 20 to 30 kg. The equipment would be choked with PCB boards, some of which had wire wrap as the means of providing the signal routing for discrete components such as transistors, resistor, capacitors and ICs — gates, switches, flop flops and drivers.

The CSIR Mk1 was the first computer to be introduced in Australia. In the early 1960s, Olivetti introduced the first commercial personal computer and around the same time, the General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) was introduced to automate test equipment systems. With technological advancements, computers have become extremely economical to manufacture. Memory has become abundant and power requirement reduced to lower levels. Test equipment manufacturers have taken advantage of this powerful resource and have introduced computers as a tool for designing and manufacturing test equipment as well as using them as a basic building block for advanced equipment.

Electronic componentry, PCB boards and test equipment are produced by computer-assisted processes and robotics that minimise human intervention and therefore human-induced errors, resulting in remarkable improvement in reliability. In today’s disposable world there is less need for servicing equipment. There are less board-level repairs and more complete board replacements. With electronic devices getting smaller and more powerful, the electronics equipment market has changed dramatically in recent years.

The requirement for faster communication speeds to cope with enormous growth in data use; the ability to store mass data; the desire for wireless communications, power and mobility; and the need to store energy from natural resources for sustainability and the conservation of the environment will continue to create the need for new technologies and equipment to test these technologies. The fifth generation of wireless networks will demand the use of higher frequency bands. The 802.11ac standard has introduced many new technologies such as multiuser MIMO (multiple input multiple output) and beamforming, which will require technology advancements and a new wave of test equipment. This, together with the Internet of Things (IoT), will drive the demand for RF and wireless test equipment, general test equipment such as digital oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers and metrology equipment.

In the past 10-15 years, many US and European test and measurement manufacturers have relocated their manufacturing facilities to locations in Asia and South America with an aim of lowering costs. The American and European companies manufacturing in China have trained local engineers on the latest engineering, design and manufacturing techniques. Some of these engineers have moved jobs leading to transfer of knowledge and skills to local companies. Furthermore, there are more local start-ups that are manufacturing test equipment that rival the USA and European manufactured test equipment in functionality, quality and price.

Some test equipment companies have badged Asian brands and marketed the instruments under their own brand, benefiting from their own brand recognition and reputation. In recent times we have seen an increase in high-technology equipment introduced into Australia from Asia, specifically China. These include products such as smartphones, telecommunications infrastructure equipment and test and measurement equipment. The introduction of the English language in Chinese schools has significantly improved their language proficiency and marketing ability and this, along with the transfer of knowledge, has spawned aggressive competitors in the Australian high-technology marketplace.

Labour is expensive in Australia, and shopfront-type companies that supply test equipment with minimal customer service and support are becoming increasingly popular. For some types of test equipment, direct overseas purchases via catalogue companies and online services are convenient and economical. However, there are many factors to consider when purchasing high-technology test equipment directly from overseas suppliers.

Local test equipment companies such as Scientific Devices Australia, which has been in business for 45 years, invest in resources, engineering talent, calibration departments and technical experts that can assure the best instruments are selected and purchased for appropriate applications. Furthermore, they can offer a knowledge base that can assist customers in simple as well as complex measurement techniques, notify of equipment obsolescence, and offer application customisation and other auxiliary services that complement the purchase of equipment.

Mark Lotter is a Director, and National Sales and Marketing Manager at Scientific Devices Australia. This year, he will celebrate 35 years in the test and measurement industry, at Scientific Devices Australia. Mark has held several senior positions at the company and is instrumental in the management of international relations with principle suppliers across many technologies as well as having a customer-focused business ethic. Mark holds a Commerce Degree, majoring in Marketing and Human Resources, as well as a Diploma of Technology (Electronics).

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