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FAQ about QATS
Here, we gather the frequently asked questions about QATS. Feel free to reach out if you have any unanswered questions, we're happy to help!
What programming language is QATS built in?
QATS is built in LabVIEW.
Can I easily change limit requirements in my sequence?
QATS has XML and Python plugins. The test sequence is built in XML or Python, and requirements can be changed using a text editor like Notepad++ or equivalent.
If I want to add a measurement, does it have to be done by QESTIT Systems?
Since the sequence is built in XML or Python, it is easy to add or remove measurements.
Can I see who has run the test station?
In QATS, users can be added if desired. Information about which user ran the test is included in the test report.
As a production technician, I want to be able to run an individual test, but operators always have to run all tests. Is that possible?
When users are added, different permissions can be given to different users. This allows a production technician or similar to have more freedom in the platform than an operator.
I just want the test program to start if a correct serial number has been scanned. Is that possible?
QATS can be configured so that a scanned serial number must match a regular expression to start the test.
It's possible to run several different products on my test station. How do I ensure that the operator selects the right sequence?
If the test object has a label containing the product number, QATS can be configured to automatically select the correct sequence based on the product number.
My product is produced in a palette with 8 units. Can I run the entire palette at once, or do I have to separate the units and run them one by one?
QATS is designed to run tests in parallel. If you have a fixture to contact your entire palette, it's no problem to run all units simultaneously. If there are certain tests that cannot be run in parallel for one reason or another, it seamlessly allows running some tests sequentially and some in parallel.
We occasionally change firmware in our products. How much work is it to update the test program to program new firmware?
Typically, there is a folder on the computer where firmware and similar files are stored. The structure may look a bit different for different customers. Then you need to point to the new file to be programmed in your XML or Python.
We also have a support system called QTM (Quality Test Management). This support system can be used to automatically push firmware or other files to test stations, making it easy to switch between files on all test stations running a particular product and providing good version control.
Sometimes variants of products that are already in production emerge. How much work is it to start testing a similar product?
Introducing a new product to the platform requires some understanding of how the platform works but is not complicated. If it's a similar product with perhaps fewer measurements or other requirements, the easiest way is to copy files from the other product.
What needs to be copied is a structure with configuration files for the specific product and the sequence itself in XML or Python. Then you need to edit these files with new names and paths for the new product and the intended changes in the sequence.
I have duplicated a test station, but the new test station has a new model of PSU because the old one has been discontinued. How does it work?
QATS has an object-oriented plugin architecture. This means that all equipment, such as instruments in a test station, has a loose connection to the platform itself. If there are LabVIEW drivers for two different instrument models of the same type of instrument in your test program, you specify in configuration files which specific driver is used on a specific test station. So, you do not need to make changes in the code for that type of differences in equipment between different instances of test stations.
I want to print a label when a test has passed. Can QATS do that for me?
Yes QATS has functions to trigger label printing.
Do I need a license to run QATS?
QATS runs in LabVIEW, which in its basic form does not require a license. However, licenses may be needed for certain optional components in LabVIEW. For example, if you want to perform more advanced image analysis in your test program, it may require components that need to be paid for.
We have a database where we want to save test reports. How does that work?
QATS always saves a test report locally on the computer in XML format. This report can be saved in a database. You can also build a plugin that automatically posts reports to your own database. If QRM (Quality Result Manager) is used on the test station, Qestit's tool for managing result data, test reports will always be automatically saved in that database.
What happens to test reports if I lose internet connection?
Test reports are always saved locally. If you use QRM, reports will be buffered locally, and when the internet connection is restored, all reports will automatically be uploaded to QRM.