PXI test systems bring time-to-market, test cost advantages

PCI extensions for instrumentation (PXI) appears to have hit the mainstream as increasing OEMs across industries adopt PXI-based instrumentation for time-to-market and test cost advantages brought about by the platform's measurement speed, small footprint, low power consumption, and flexibility, according to Frost & Sullivan.

Companies in the wireless communications space in particular are turning to PXI-based platforms to satisfy new test requirements for radio frequency (RF) wireless technologies. This partly drove the PXI market to earn $563.3 million in 2013, with revenues expected to reach $1.75 billion by 2020.

"Besides the uptake in RF wireless communications, the global PXI market will get a leg up from new programmes in aerospace and defence and integration of wireless technologies in the industrial and consumer electronics industries," said Frost & Sullivan Test & Measurement Industry Director Jessy Cavazos. "Additionally, it is finding opportunities in the semiconductor automatic test equipment market."

There is only one challenge that slows down the transition to PXI test systems: The test engineers that have put their trust in the traditional box instruments that have efficiently served them for decades. Frost & Sullivan believes that the emergence of a new generation of test engineers more comfortable with computers will mitigate this challenge.

"Meanwhile, the more complex process of integrating PXI test systems, in comparison to rack-and-stack test systems, can be a challenge for customers," pointed out Cavazos. "To ease the process of integration, market participants across the globe are offering different levels of integration services and tools that enable customers to assemble PXI test systems quickly with minimal effort."

Additionally, participants are offering sub-systems, hardware/software bundles, and box solutions that use PXI in their internal architecture to lessen the burden of integration on customers.

Via organic means and partnerships, PXI manufacturers deliver multiple options ranging from individual components to fully integrated test systems. Furthermore, they are looking to expand the total addressable market by rolling out new PXI instruments with enhanced capabilities and increasing customer awareness on the benefits of PXI-based instrumentation.