Modern Battery Management Systems / BMS testing requires test equipment capable of executing safe, fast, and reproducible validation procedures. As electric vehicle battery architectures evolve across module and pack levels, engineering labs must deploy flexible test setups that combine high-power battery emulation with reliable signal routing and automated test hardware. By integrating NI / NHR power platforms with Pickering Automated Test Equipment (ATE) hardware, engineering teams can build scalable software-defined test environments tailored for modern BMS validation.
High-Power Cycling & Emulation with NI / NHR
The cornerstone of comprehensive BMS testing is the ability to emulate real-world battery behavior across varying operational conditions. NI / NHR battery cyclers and emulators provide the power capacity and software control required to handle diverse battery evaluation requirements:
- Module vs. Pack-Level Testing: NI testing solutions support battery validation across both module-level and full pack-level configurations.
- Scalable Power Capacity: These battery cyclers cover power ranges spanning from 80 kW up to 2.4 MW, allowing laboratories to test low-voltage modules as well as high-voltage packs.
- Software-Defined Lab Architectures: Built on software-defined lab architectures, NI platforms allow test engineers to adapt test routines, automate cycles, and update validation procedures as battery specifications change.
Automated Test Hardware & Signal Routing with Pickering
To complement high-power emulation, BMS Automated Test Equipment (ATE) requires structured signal routing, high-density switching, and reliable physical interfaces. Pickering provides hardware architectures designed specifically for automated test environments:
- PXI-Based Hardware Architectures: Pickering BMS test hardware is built on modular PXI-based hardware architectures, allowing customizable hardware setups for fast and reproducible test runs.
- Mass Interconnect Interfaces & MAC Panel: To ensure reliable connections between the test instrumentation and the BMS unit under test, Pickering incorporates Mass Interconnect interfaces and MAC Panel hardware.
- SCOUT ITAs (Interconnect Test Assemblies): Utilizing SCOUT ITAs for BMS testing ensures organized signal path management and repeatable connectivity across multiple test cycles.
Achieving Safe, Fast, and Reproducible BMS Validation
Combining NI’s high-power software-defined architectures with Pickering’s PXI-based switching hardware creates an integrated testing ecosystem. This combined approach directly addresses core BMS simulation and test environment requirements:
- Safety: Managing high power (80 kW to 2.4 MW) within controlled software-defined parameters ensures safe testing across module and pack levels.
- Speed & Efficiency: Automated PXI hardware and standardized SCOUT ITAs streamline signal routing and reduce setup reconfiguration time between test runs.
- Reproducibility: Precision Mass Interconnect interfaces and modular hardware architectures ensure reliable, repeatable test results for thorough BMS verification.
Conclusion
Building an efficient BMS test environment requires aligning high-power battery cyclers with robust automated switching hardware. By pairing NI / NHR software-defined power emulation with Pickering PXI hardware, MAC Panels, and SCOUT ITAs, test laboratories can achieve safe, fast, and highly reproducible BMS validation from 80 kW up to 2.4 MW
