Tech::Lab
You have been granted access to the NPD team's Tech::Lab!
Here's the place to come for updates on our latest projects, as well as insights from our team of Imagineers on their views of the latest technology for test and measurement applications.
You can also have your say on our products here - whether it’s an idea to innovate or to improve, all comments are welcome.
NPD roadmap
Our NPD team are currently working on several exciting new projects, some of which are still classified. Here are the ones we are allowed to talk about:
COMBINED FIBRE COPPER TESTING
More systems are making use of hybrid cables and connectors, where copper and fibre are combined in a single cable assembly. The requirement is therefore growing for a test system with both electrical and optical test capability.
Our NPD team are working on a system that truly combines the two functions in a single compact COTS test system, controlled by our MKAT test management software.
May 2023 update: Optical and Electrical test models are complete with prototypes being put through their paces in our lab. MK Test and our partners AV Optics are working together to bring the Electrical and Optical capabilities together into one complete solution.
Our new Universal Controller PCB is in and working nicely. The Embedded Software team are running integration tests on their code using our new production test bench.
NEW GENERATION HARDWARE
We’re excited to say the next generation of wire & cable harness test system is in development.
Drawing on 30 years of ATE experience, our next gen systems will be more compact, offer greater testing functionality, and will be modular and flexible to ensure the system can be configured to suit your specific testing demands.
May 2023 update: The activity in the MK Lab is very high with our engineers working on all sorts of new designs!! We have new Low Voltage and High Voltage measurement modules in test at the moment as well as a new Relay Card that will support one of our customer’s next generation systems.
Senior Electronics Engineer Pawel Wojcicki is shown here hard at work testing one of our latest prototypes.
mkat Software releases
The current version of MKAT is 10.22.0 (10.9.3 for BLTU and BLRT).
Want to be notified when the next release is available? Visit the MKAT page to sign up to the mailing list.
Please complete a ticket on the Service & Support page to request the latest software version.
NEW FEATURES IN LATEST RELEASE:
- 'Scan until passed' feature for continuity testing.
- Probe testing - adding the ability to include probe testing within a test program.
- Increased security for SQL connection.
- Calibration configuration - additional options to override measurement units and displayed text.
- DITMCO translation tool - various useability improvements including test point numbering.
- Gen 2 APG - test point mapping.
PROGRESS TO NEXT MAJOR RELEASE:
tech & npd insights
Have your say on npd
Whether it’s something for the wishlist (a brilliant new idea or concept) or for the hitlist (something that bugs you about our products) this is your chance to have your say.
This form goes straight to our NPD team and will help us plan our product roadmap.