LabVIEW Developer or Test Engineer

[9029930714]

In companies which engineers has more demand LabVIEW Developers or TestStand Test Engineer?

[~jiggawax~]

Depends on the company and the tools they use.  LabVIEW is a programming language and is useful for developing applications.  However, you can achieve just as much with .NET or C or C++ (it may not be as fun though).  TestStand is a test executive and works with any of those languages.  I've heard of orgs that use TestStand but not LabVIEW.  I've heard of orgs that use only LabVIEW. I think a mixture of both is the best.

I think people are crazy that write their own test executive in LabVIEW from scratch.  Seems ridiculous when it's all done for you.  Just learn TestStand.

In all reality I would say LabVIEW is a better tool to know because you can do more with it.  It is a raw programming language.  You can always build your own test exec in it.  However, TestStand is the best product that National Instruments makes.  I'm biased though.

[testengineer_com]

TestStand does seem powerful. The thing is, TestStand DIDN'T ALWAYS EXIST. At one time National Instruments had something called TestExecutive that would be a National Instruments product with some stuff rolled in by a customer. Quite honestly, please don't assume TestStand always existed. For some reason on one position I was recruited to work with a TestExecutive. Though quite honestly, I would have rather worked with TestStand. TestStand looks like a cool product. I agree with what you said, why not go with some standardized software. The danger with the customized Test Executives was the there might be more than one version floating around several departments. So, TestStand is good, supported by National Instruments and standardized. Test Engineer might be more of a job title. For example, someone might use DAQ and be more of a DAQ engineer. National Instruments products are very versatile and application areas vary widely. Good Luck!!!

[~jiggawax~]

You are correct.  TestStand used to be called Test Executive.  However, they are both test executives.  A test executive is an overlaying software that handles/manages certain aspects of the test.  Such as: what to happen when, reporting, detabase logging, user log in and management, sequencing, etc...  When I refer to a test executive I refer to a piece of software that does those things.  If I were referring to the actual product that National Instruments used to make then I would capitalize the first letters of Test and Executive.  Thus referring to a proper noun as opposed to a common noun, which does not have those letters capitalized. 

There are many companies which make thier own test executives (i.e. test manager softwer, not to be confused with the old NI product Test Executive).  They generally make them from scratch and start using a language such as C, C++, LabVIEW, .NET, etc...  However, my point was that- Why would you create one from the ground up, if you already have an off the shelf one (TestStand)?

You do make a good point-  an engineer that understands DAQ or DAQmx is probably even more powerful to a company than either LabVIEW or TestStand because they can actually get the test to work... 🙂  Assuming the company is using those to test with.  I would broaden it to include all hardware.  For example, if I were hiring someone that understood instrument control (DAQ, GPIB, Serial, CAN, IMAQ, etc..) and automation and only had C experience they may be more valuable than someone that had LabVIEW experience but no instrument control.  It's hard to believe anyone with LabVIEW experience but no instrument control experience though.

This is an interesting topic.

Cheers,