www.inteprosystems.com AUTOMATED TEST EQUIPMENT 9 www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2025 Power Electronics Europe systems. “This approach not only ensures access to advanced testing capabilities but also allows internal engineering teams to concentrate on core innovations rather than system validation.” According to Engler, companies prefer to keep testing and development in-house for various reasons. “For most companies, the first instinct is to allocate internal engineering resources. This approach ensures direct control over the project but introduces inefficiencies,” he says. Engineers, whose expertise lies in other areas, must take on responsibilities outside their core competencies, requiring them to assemble a solution without in-depth knowledge of testing system design, component sourcing, or software integration. This not only diverts their focus from primary tasks but may also lead to suboptimal solutions and increased project timelines. Intepro creates the documentation including user manual, drawings, and schematics for the system which can be extensive and is extremely time consuming. The company also troubleshoots errors that may arise in the system to avoid having customers pull engineering resources away from their tasks. In some cases, security and proprietary concerns dictate the decision. Government contracts, for example, may explicitly restrict information sharing, requiring all work to be conducted internally to comply with security protocols. This is common in aerospace, defense, and other industries where confidentiality is critical. Cost perception is another major factor. Many companies assume that outsourcing is more expensive, reasoning that they are already paying their engineers and should maximize their utilization. However, this overlooks the hidden costs of time spent researching, troubleshooting, and developing automated test systems from scratch—efforts that an experienced external provider could streamline with proven solutions. “In reality, the cost of a DIY approach can be higher than expected. Engineers are valuable, and their salaries reflect it. When factoring in the hours spent sourcing, vetting, and troubleshooting components, the cost difference between handling it in-house and outsourcing to professional ATE system developers is negligible,” says Engler. There are numerous custom ATE providers that offer fully integrated automated solutions or, when required, specific hardware and software components to meet unique testing needs. A typical automated test solution consists of hardware, software, test instruments, signal sources, and test probes or handlers. Software also plays a critical role in test development and management of data collection, storage, reporting, and analysis. These components are usually consolidated into all-in-one test stations, which vary greatly in size and portability, from small, compact test stations on wheels, to large stationary test towers. Even when manufacturers seek to maintain control over the design of their Automated Test Equipment (ATE), they often turn to a hybrid approach that still involves bringing in outside experts, according to Engler. “A few of our customers choose to manage their own test stations using internal resources while relying on us for specific components and software. This allows them to maintain control over the design while integrating proven, highquality elements into their systems,” says Engler. A company like Intepro, which specializes in power electronics testing specifically, can offer many of the products used in test stations including AC and DC Automated Test Systems (ATS) are widely utilized for testing automotive electronics, batteries, and electronic drive systems in the EV market.
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