Engineering development is changing. Products are more complex, development cycles are shorter, and physical prototypes arrive later. Yet simulation and physical testing are still often treated as separate activities, forcing engineers to reconcile conflicting results late in the process.
Smart Testing is HBK’s approach to modern engineering development. It connects virtual testing and physical testing through shared data and continuous validation, enabling engineers to make confident decisions earlier — when changes are still possible.
Smart Testing is not virtual testing versus physical testing. It is virtual and physical testing combined, continuously connected by data.
Rather than running simulation first and testing later, Smart Testing creates a closed‑loop workflow. Simulation models and physical measurements validate, refine, and improve each other throughout the development lifecycle.
In practice, simulation explores design assumptions and variants early. Targeted physical tests then confirm what matters most, feeding real‑world data back into the models. The result is faster learning, higher confidence, and better engineering decisions.
The goal is not more data, but the right data — transformed into insight at the right time.
Engineering teams face three fundamental shifts in development:
Shift‑left testing, where validation must start earlier — often before hardware exists
Parallel engineering, where multiple domains evolve simultaneously
Continuous development, where software updates and in‑service data extend beyond start of production
Traditional, linear testing approaches struggle in this environment. When simulation and testing remain disconnected, assumptions go unchallenged and confidence is delayed until late physical validation.
Smart Testing aligns testing with how modern engineering actually works — supporting early validation, managing complexity across domains, and reducing late‑stage risk.
Smart Testing is built on three connected elements:
Smart Testing applies from early concept work through to validation — and beyond.
Early phases use historical and carry‑over test data to inform simulation
Development phases rely on continuous correlation through lab tests and XiL environments
Validation is focused and efficient, supported by trusted virtual models
In‑life data feeds back into future development and optimisation
The result is a development process where learning accumulates rather than being lost between programmes.
Smart Testing requires more than isolated tools. It demands an integrated ecosystem spanning sensors, data acquisition, simulation, test systems, and analytics.
HBK brings these technologies together, helping organisations move from disconnected testing activities to connected, data‑driven engineering development.
Explore how Smart Testing can support earlier confidence, reduced risk, and better engineering decisions across your development programmes
This will bring together HBM, Brüel & Kjær, nCode, ReliaSoft, and Discom brands, helping you innovate faster for a cleaner, healthier, and more productive world.
This will bring together HBM, Brüel & Kjær, nCode, ReliaSoft, and Discom brands, helping you innovate faster for a cleaner, healthier, and more productive world.
This will bring together HBM, Brüel & Kjær, nCode, ReliaSoft, and Discom brands, helping you innovate faster for a cleaner, healthier, and more productive world.
This will bring together HBM, Brüel & Kjær, nCode, ReliaSoft, and Discom brands, helping you innovate faster for a cleaner, healthier, and more productive world.
This will bring together HBM, Brüel & Kjær, nCode, ReliaSoft, and Discom brands, helping you innovate faster for a cleaner, healthier, and more productive world.
This will bring together HBM, Brüel & Kjær, nCode, ReliaSoft, MicroStrain and Discom brands, helping you innovate faster for a cleaner, healthier, and more productive world.
