Airbus goes for National Instruments for wind-tunnel test data processing

It means that Airbus test engineers will be able to automate repetitive analysis procedures and streamline data reporting to reduce time and make engineering decisions faster. Airbus selected NI partner Serco Test Systems to refurbish its wind-tunnel facility at Filton, and to implement a new data acquisition and control system with an updated control room. That project involves DIAdem and National Instruments LabView software, as well as NI FieldPoint distributed I/O hardware. With the new system, Airbus wind-tunnel test engineers can simulate a variety of flight situations to measure the effects of multiple parameters, such as wind, temperature and force, on a model aeroplane. Airbus wind-tunnel test engineers can also use DataPlugin technology to read proprietary data exchange formats, developed to archive and share test data among facilities. That allows Airbus test engineers at sites around Europe to access test data much more quickly on desktop PCs, comparing historical and current data and collaborating better on, for example, performance and handling improvements for its airliners. Also, with the data-mining functions, engineers will be able to correlate data based on descriptive attributes. The software provides connectivity to a variety of industry-standard formats and gives engineers the ability to import custom-defined data files.