Embedded software plays a crucial role in the development of new products. But software is invisible and intangible, like hardware, and is therefore often neglected. Completely unjustified, according to the members of the software cluster from FHI.
On Wednesday 27 September, the cluster will organize during the E&A fair a seminar where embedded software is in the spotlight. This is the first time that this seminar is organized at the E&A. FHI spoke with Gilbert Gadet, director at Logic Technology, cluster member and chairman of the new seminar, about the great importance of embedded software for product development in the industrial electronics industry.
“Traditionally, the Dutch manufacturing industry is mainly focused on the creation of tangible products, such as electronics. The importance of the invisible part, namely the software, is underestimated. This often leads to additional costs and delays in a later phase of product development. Costs that would not have been necessary if the software aspects of the innovation had been considered better from the start,” Gadet explains.
Brain and heart
“Without software, a device is an empty shell. Embedded software is actually the brain and the heart of a product,” the engineer continues. “That is why the costs of software development are so high. Consider that sometimes fifty, a hundred, or even five hundred software developers work on one innovation. In comparison, only a handful of hardware developers work on that same innovation.”
Future proof
“The great importance of software is especially evident when you design products with variable or flexible functions that future proof “We need to be able to do this,” Gadet continues. “You have to think about functionalities for the current and future market right from the start of the project. That is only possible if you sit down with the parties involved from the very beginning. We don’t just talk about the desired specifications, but also about the documentation, legal requirements, certification, testing and measurement options, and so on. The entire development process is set up from A to Z before the first program lines have been created. That takes time, but it also saves time, because you prevent errors in later phases. Ultimately, it pays off if you get it right from the start, because you don’t have to correct errors or go back to the drawing board.”
A major problem in the sector, according to Gadet, is the fact that electronics companies often 'muddle through' themselves first and only ask for help at a later stage: "Then the damage has already been done and you come to the conclusion that it was fundamentally wrong. That is frustrating, because you can prevent the problems so easily."
Fortune wasted
As an example, Gadet mentions a customer in the automotive-sector. “A small Dutch company that had come up with a fantastic innovation in a niche market. The employees were creative and had a solid mechanical background but no knowledge of electronics. They recognized this themselves and that is why an external party was hired to design an important part of the digitalization.
“This turned out to be not easy because the system to be realized had to meet the hardware requirements for the boundary conditions for the automotivesector and at the same time had to have sufficient capacity and flexibility for the functionalities implemented in the software. The software had developed more or less organically by gradually adding functions. As a result, it was increasingly difficult to test, expand and maintain. When they involved us in the project, this company had already been working for more than a year and had lost a small fortune in development costs. A great pity and unnecessary. If they had made immediate use of the right tools for example the requirements “If they had been able to map this out better, they would have developed a better product in a shorter time and perhaps with fewer people using project support tools and standard software components,” the engineer sighs.
Insight and awareness
“And that is exactly why we this seminar organize. We want to create insight and awareness in companies about the process of software development and the possibilities to approach this more efficiently. As a company, you actually have two choices: either you design everything yourself in-house, but then you have to have the right knowledge and tools). Or you outsource it, but then it is very important that you communicate well and make clear agreements with your contract partner," says Gadet.
The seminar program was drawn up by the members of the software cluster and has a logical structure. “We start with appealing and recognizable practical examples where things went wrong. Then we dive straight into the depths to talk about possible solutions and we conclude with an overview lecture in which we make the intangible software tangible again,” Gadet says enthusiastically.
The time is now
Because the seminar is making its debut at the E&A fair, Gadet expects it to be busy. “You can already tell from the number of registrations that the time is ripe. More and more companies are running into trouble, because the demand for embedded software is increasing rapidly, the product requirements are becoming more complex and at the same time there are too few developers to make software. As an entrepreneur, you have to work smarter and organize the development process more efficiently, especially in the areas of specification, testing and verification.”
In practice, Gadet regularly encounters resistance from the business community. “You often see that employees are not interested in change. They are used to a certain way of working and they are happy with that. Maybe you could get away with that ten years ago, but in today's market you will not make it with this mentality. You have to innovate if you want to keep up in the future.”
Register for the seminar
Are you curious about this seminar and would you like to deal with embedded software in a smarter and more cost-efficient way? Register for free for a visit to the fair and the seminar on the fair website.
If you would like to know more about the software cluster and the possibilities to join this inspiring network, please contact Melvin Brink. Or check the website for more information.
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