On October 23, 2025, IRS Srl participated in the Test & Measurement Days 2025 in Padua, an event dedicated to innovation in the testing, measurement, and automation sectors. The event, organized by MeasureIT and NI (National Instruments), brought together professionals, engineers, companies, and industry stakeholders with the goal of sharing experiences, technologies, and practical applications to address the industry’s new challenges.
The event served as an important opportunity for the Italian Test & Measurement community to exchange ideas, offering participants the chance to learn about innovative solutions and explore methodologies applicable to various industrial contexts. In this context, IRS Srl shared its expertise through a presentation focused on the development of a LabVIEW-based digital test station, designed to support the testing of safety switches in accordance with the EN 60947-5-1 standard.
Giulio Bondani presented the project, discussing the topic “LabVIEW-Driven Test Bench: A Digital Test Station for Verifying Safety Switches in Accordance with EN 60947-5-1.” His presentation demonstrated how the integration of software, measurement hardware, and automation can transform a verification procedure into a more structured, repeatable, and traceable testing process.
In the industrial world, testing safety devices is of paramount importance. Safety switches must ensure reliable performance that complies with the applicable requirements, as their proper functioning can have a direct impact on the safety of machinery and equipment.
The EN 60947-5-1 standard defines specific requirements for control devices and components of low-voltage control circuits. Verifying the compliance of these devices therefore requires rigorous procedures and test systems capable of applying the specified conditions, measuring the relevant parameters, and documenting the results obtained.
It is precisely in this context that a digital test station can offer significant advantages. Automating the process reduces reliance on manual operations and makes testing more repeatable. An automated procedure can guide the execution of the test according to a defined sequence, control the test parameters, and automatically record the results.
Using LabVIEW as the core component of the platform allows you to create a customized software environment for managing the entire process. The system can interface with measurement instruments, control the equipment used during testing, and acquire data generated by the device under test.
This approach makes it possible to develop a fully-fledged digital infrastructure in which the various components of the test station work in a coordinated manner. The operator can interact with the system through an interface designed to make testing activities simpler and more intuitive, while the software automatically manages the various steps involved in the procedure.
One of the most important aspects of a solution of this type is repeatability. In validation and quality control processes, obtaining consistent results across different tests is essential for comparing data and identifying any anomalies. By reducing manual tasks and standardizing procedures, an automated test station helps improve the consistency of results.
Digitizing the process also offers advantages in terms of traceability. Each test can be linked to specific information regarding the device being tested, the test conditions, and the results obtained. The availability of a structured history thus makes it easier to access the data and allows for a more accurate reconstruction of a product’s validation process.
Digital data collection can also support analysis and reporting activities. The data collected during testing can be processed and presented in a structured manner, making it easier to identify any deviations from the defined acceptance criteria.
The approach presented by IRS Srl during the Test & Measurement Days thus highlights how the combination of LabVIEW, automation, and measurement systems can help improve industrial testing processes. The technology is not used merely to automate a single operation, but to build an integrated environment in which control, data acquisition, processing, and results management are all part of a single system.
This philosophy is particularly important in an industrial context where companies must simultaneously address the demands of quality, productivity, and regulatory compliance. A properly designed testing system can help reduce the time required for testing, improve the quality of the data collected, and simplify information management.
The digital test station also serves as a concrete example of how automation technologies can be applied to specific, regulated testing processes. Based on regulatory requirements and the customer’s operational needs, it is possible to design a customized solution capable of adapting to the characteristics of the product and the testing process.
For IRS Srl, participating in the Test & Measurement Days 2025 in Padua provided an opportunity to share practical experience and demonstrate the value of engineering applied to testing. Giulio Bondani’s presentation offered an in-depth look at a project in which software and hardware work together to create a solution focused on efficiency, quality, and traceability.
Events like this also provide an important opportunity for networking and exchange. The chance to meet other professionals and companies in the industry allows participants to share challenges, experiences, and different approaches, contributing to the growth of the Test & Measurement community.
The event in Padua thus confirmed the importance of continuing to invest in innovation in testing systems. The shift toward increasingly digital and automated platforms offers new opportunities to make industrial processes more efficient and reliable.
Through its participation in the Test & Measurement Days 2025, IRS Srl brought to the community’s attention a real-world example of LabVIEW’s application to the testing of safety devices, demonstrating how a digital test station can help companies improve their verification processes.
From regulatory compliance to data collection, and from automation to traceability, the integration of various technologies makes it possible to build test systems capable of meeting the needs of modern industry. This is a journey in which IRS Srl continues to provide engineering expertise and advanced technologies to develop customized, reliable Test & Measurement solutions that are ready to support the evolution of industrial processes.
