Desktop Test Automation for Power Plant Control Systems
Enhancing Test Automation for an Engineering Control Platform
A global leader in industrial automation aimed to improve test automation for its engineering application used in power and water plant control systems. The focus was to expand test coverage, stabilize scripts, and enable Azure-based CI/CD integration for faster, more reliable releases.
Test cases automated
Script stability achieved
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CI/CD pipeline integration ensured faster defect detection
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Custom HTML reporting improved test result transparency
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Reduced cost and manual effort in release validation
Tools we Used
Real-Time Data Validation &
CI/CD Integration
Advanced Automation for Real-Time Systems Validation
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Automated the live validation of real-time data across multiple control system interfaces
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Established stable connectivity between engineering tools and soft controllers
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Refactored keyword-driven scripts to enhance maintainability and accuracy
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Integrated test automation with Azure DevOps pipelines for regular CI/CD execution
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Developed a custom HTML reporting utility tailored for graphical validation results
What we did?
Real-Time Data Sync Validation
Controller Privilege Testing
CI/CD Pipeline & Test Stabilization
Custom Graphical Test Reporting
Real-Time Data Sync Validation
We automated the verification of live data flowing between the Graphics Sheet, the engineering system, and the Engineering Viewer. This required deep integration with system APIs and precise scripting to capture, compare, and validate real-time values, ensuring end-to-end system integrity. We also implemented automated alerts for critical data mismatches, reducing the need for manual supervision during test cycles.
Controller Privilege Testing
Multiple user roles were created and tested against controller privilege configurations. Our automation validated access controls and ensured that user-based operations were restricted or enabled as designed, strengthening system security. Edge cases involving temporary role escalation and de-escalation were also tested to ensure robust access control under dynamic scenarios.
CI/CD Pipeline & Test Stabilization
Legacy scripts were refactored for stability, and integrated into Azure DevOps. Twice-weekly test cycles across two builds helped detect regressions early, enabling better planning and faster turnarounds. Parallel test execution was enabled using Docker containers to optimize build times and resource usage.
Custom Graphical Test Reporting
We built a custom HTML utility to visualize not just pass/fail results, but also data sync mismatches and privilege validation snapshots. This enriched reporting significantly accelerated root cause analysis and stakeholder decision-making. Additionally, we addressed a design issue in the HTML layout that affected cross-browser compatibility, ensuring consistent rendering of test reports across environments.
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