Glossary · Engineering, integration and validation
Test bench
Also known as: Test rig, Test stand
German: Prüfstand
In engineering, a test bench is a setup of equipment, fixtures, measuring devices and control systems used to test components, assemblies or software under defined and reproducible conditions. In automation, test benches range from controller racks with simulated I/O to full functional rigs for drives or machine modules.
- Validation
In one sentence
A test bench is a setup of equipment, fixtures and measuring devices used to test components, assemblies or software under reproducible conditions.
Example
The team uses a test bench with the real safety PLC, drive and a load motor to test the safe stop function before installing it on the machine.
How it applies
- Engineering: Test benches allow tests before the complete machine exists and tests of conditions that are hard to create in production, such as overloads or faults.
- Testing: Measurements must be traceable; instruments on the bench need Calibration. Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) setups are a common form of test bench for control software.
- Safety: Test benches have their own hazards, such as moving parts, energy and pressure. They need their own risk assessment and operating instructions.
- Documentation: The documentation team records the test bench configuration in each Test protocol, because results depend on it, and may need to write instructions for the bench itself.
Test bench vs. test environment
A test bench is a physical setup. A test environment can be purely software-based, such as a virtual controller with a simulated plant. Many projects combine both.