NI taps ACS as a Gold Partner as customers push for smarter, more scalable test systems

A quick read: what changed and why it matters

NI has elevated ACS to Gold Partner status, a formal nod that tightens the two companies’ technical and commercial links. The step recognises ACS’s Acselerant platform as a ready companion to NI’s LabVIEW toolset and instrument ecosystem. For engineering teams this aims to mean faster build times for automated tests, easier reuse of test logic across products, and clearer support when projects need to grow from lab prototypes to full production lines.

The announcement mostly affects engineers and test managers: it promises a smoother path to assemble hardware, software and procedures into repeatable test systems. It also gives ACS third-party credibility — a sign to buyers that its platform plays nicely with established NI hardware and software.

Why Gold Partner status changes the picture for both companies

Gold Partner is more than a badge. For ACS, it solidifies a technical relationship that buys practical benefits: access to NI’s developer resources, certification paths, joint marketing and often closer engineering support. That can shorten integration time because ACS can lean on NI’s tools, libraries and best practices when linking instruments and control software.

From a buyer’s point of view, the label reduces friction. When a test platform is certified or endorsed by a major instrument supplier, procurement teams face fewer unknowns. They can expect documented compatibility, clearer escalation routes when problems occur and a higher chance of predictable maintenance over time.

NI benefits too. The company gets more solutions built around its software and instruments, which can help LabVIEW and its hardware remain the backbone for customers moving to larger-scale, distributed or automated test setups. Partnering closely with firms that package lab work into repeatable production systems makes NI’s ecosystem stickier — customers who invest in NI tools and partner solutions face lower switching costs later.

How Acselerant works with LabVIEW to speed up real testing

Acselerant is a testing platform that sits on top of instrument control software like LabVIEW. Think of it as the layer that turns a set of instruments and scripts into a repeatable, managed test system. It handles orchestration — telling instruments what to do and in what order — plus logging, test sequencing, and basic result management.

Technically, the value comes from standardising the way instruments are driven and how results are recorded. That lets teams reuse test modules across different products or lines, instead of rebuilding test sequences from scratch. For typical use cases — factory acceptance tests, automated validation of electronic modules, or multi-instrument lab experiments — this cut down on the bespoke glue code that often slows projects.

Acselerant’s integration with LabVIEW means engineers can keep using familiar instrument drivers, while gaining higher-level controls for scaling and repeatability. The net result is shorter ramp-up for new tests, fewer surprises when tests move from R&D to production, and clearer test logs for troubleshooting or compliance needs.

Where this fits into broader testing and manufacturing trends

Demand for smarter testing has been rising for years, driven by more complex electronics, faster product cycles and tighter quality rules in sectors like automotive, aerospace and telecoms. Companies are under pressure to shrink test time, handle higher volumes and keep better traceability — all without hiring a truckload of new engineers.

That creates two clear buyer pain points. One is scale: a test that works in a lab often fails to scale cleanly to the factory floor. The other is maintenance: companies must keep tests working as products change, instruments are upgraded and software platforms evolve. Platforms that reduce custom wiring and bespoke scripting tackle both problems, which is why partnerships that codify those integrations are attractive now.

What the companies say and what customers can expect next

In the announcement, ACS framed the partnership as a step toward making its platform easier for NI users to adopt, while NI described it as widening the practical solutions available to its customers. Practically speaking, customers should expect joint pilots, reference architectures and stronger support paths where issues cross both companies’ domains.

That said, real gains depend on execution. Partners often promise fast rollouts, but companies still face work: migrating legacy tests, training staff, and validating that automated sequences meet production tolerances. Some buyers will see quick wins in new projects; others will find benefits only after a few months or a production ramp.

Overall, the move is a sensible, incremental step rather than a disruptive shift. It lowers friction for teams that already use NI tools and want a clearer route to scale testing. But for organisations locked into different platforms, or those with highly specialised instrument setups, the partnership will be a useful option rather than an instant fix.

Sources

• prnewswire.com