NI Legacy System Case Study: Agilent Technologies

Introduction

Agilent Technologies is a global leader in life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets. Known for its innovative solutions and cutting-edge technology, Agilent provides essential tools and services that enhance the quality of life and ensure the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals and other chemical products.

Background

One of Agilent's key offerings is the "Rapidfire 365" mass spectrometer system, which has been a staple in high-throughput mass spectrometry analysis. However, the Rapidfire 365 is now in a mature life cycle, with hundreds of units deployed worldwide. As the business focus shifts towards newer generations of technology, maintaining these legacy systems has become increasingly challenging and tedious.  Despite the availability of new generation machines, Agilent is still responsible for fulfilling service contracts for these legacy machines for the next 5-10 years.

Challenge

A key component of the Rapidfire 365 is the NI PCI-7344 motion controller board. Unfortunately, this board has been designated EOL by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), who did not provide a suitable substitute. For Agilent, migrating to a third-party substitute was not a viable option due to the cost and effort involved.  The complexity of performing field upgrades to replace a PCI-7344 with a third-party solution was also significant.  Therefore, they needed a solution to service the obsolete PCI-7344s that was both cost-effective and simple.  A third-part solution was not going to solve their problems.

Solution

Agilent Technologies turned to Extend Test, a company specializing in sourcing NI legacy and discontinued parts. Extend Test provided replacement PCI-7344 motion controller boards, allowing Agilent to maintain their Rapidfire 365 systems without the need for costly migrations or system overhauls.

NI PCI-7344, available from Extend Test

Outcome

By sourcing the required replacement parts from Extend Test, Agilent Technologies was able to:

• Continue servicing their Rapidfire 365 systems efficiently.
• Avoid the significant costs associated with system migration to third-party substitutes.
• Ensure uninterrupted service for their customers, maintaining their reputation for reliability and high-quality service.

Conclusion

This case study highlights the importance of having access to reliable sources for legacy hardware components. Extend Test's ability to provide quality replacement parts ensured that Agilent Technologies could maintain their critical systems and continue to meet customer needs without disruption. This example underscores the value of Extend Test's services in the realm of global sourcing and system integration for legacy NI hardware.