Test Cells + Nominal
Modernizing test infrastructure to accelerate hardware test
For decades, test cells have been the proving ground for the physical world. They sit at the intersection of design and reality – where theories are broken, where designs are validated, and where breakthroughs are born.
But their software stack, usually provided by hardware manufacturers, is stuck in the past. Test cells are ill-equipped to meet the increasing complexity and velocity of hardware test.
Nominal is here to change this reality: we help commercial, academic, and federal test cell operators shorten run-to-run cycle times, increase facility uptime, and accelerate report cycles. In response to growing demand in this space, we’re providing a high-level overview of how our products help teams make the most of their facilities.
The problem: Legacy software can’t keep up
Modern programs – hypersonic aircraft, fusion reactors, space systems – demand faster cycles and tighter tolerances. But test teams are forced to stitch together improvised, fragile solutions that can’t keep up:
Manually synchronized data from thermocouples, DAQ systems, high-speed cameras, etc., each with their own incompatible language (Ubin2, TDMS, HDF5).
Missed tests caused by unmonitored systems drawing excessive power, leaking fluids, or running uncalibrated equipment.
Corrupted data or missed test points discovered days later, triggering costly retests and blown schedules.
High-volume data streams overwhelming outdated instrumentation, requiring constant reruns.
These teams aren't just testing – they're constantly fighting their own tooling.
Test cells set the pace
You can’t iterate faster than your test environment allows.
At Nominal, we believe test infrastructure should be treated like launch infrastructure: critical path, investment-worthy, and a source of competitive edge.
As a company filled with former hardware engineers from SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Anduril, Pratt & Whitney, etc., we built the tools we always wish we had. To help our customers deliver capability – faster.
Nominal overview
Nominal is the modern test stack for hardware development. A single system that spans test automation, data collection, analysis, and collaboration.
Nominal Connect: Operator-facing control apps
Replace TestStand, LabVIEW, and homemade Python scripts
Run real-time command and control across DAQs, sensors, and PLCs
Build test sequences with conditional logic for smarter automation
Nominal Core: From chaos to clarity
Process, transform, and visualize 10,000+ channels of sensor data in real time
Align test logs, telemetry, and video to the picosecond
Author checks to flag violations before data leaves the stand
Instantly generate report-ready visuals with time-series plots, Fourier transforms, geoplots, 3D scatter, and more
Nominal Warehouse: Purpose-built data infrastructure
Store high-rate telemetry, 4K video, and environmental logs in one system
Access every run – whether last week or 2019 – instantly
Enable cross-run comparison, asset-based statistics, and predictive maintenance
How our test cell customers use Nominal
Configure operator interfaces and execute tests.
Create python-based intuitive interfaces designed for real-time, interactive workflows. Use applications as powerful as your CFD simulations.
Monitor data and alert anomalies – anywhere in the world.
Use multi-variate validation logic to detect anomalies & track infrastructure metrics like fluid levels, pump performance, and calibration drift. Set acceptable bounds and alert your team via Slack, OpsGenie, etc.
Use built-in engineering analysis to understand what happened & why.
Perform rapid transformations (e.g., derivatives, aggregates) without MATLAB or manual scripts.
Identify root causes with comparative analysis against historical datasets.
Access your data in the cloud across instruments, geographies, and test environments.
Accelerate multi-modal report generation
Build templates to automate report generation from test data. Collaborate on closing out issues, track supporting analysis, and maintain version control.
Nominal works where you work
Whether you’re managing a Mach 5 wind tunnel or a powertrain testbed in Detroit, Nominal offers:
Secure deployment: GovCloud, on-premises, or hybrid environments.
Engineering support: Our engineers become an extension of your team to get data streaming into Nominal and minimize time-to-value
Plug-and-play integration: We integrate with Python, MATLAB, Influx, LabVIEW, and more.
It’s time to invest in test cells
Test cells set the pace of hardware development. Modernized test cells are a competitive edge, not a cost center.
When test cell operators are equipped with the tools they need:
Test cadence accelerates
Data quality and reports improve
Downtime plummets
Operators prevent costly equipment breaks
Hardware teams ship faster, safer, and with more confidence
Nominal exists to make that possible.
Submit the interest form linked above to learn more about how Nominal’s software platform can accelerate your testing cadence and reduce your time-to-milestone.