Integrate our standard systems
We will work with you to build our standard motion control systems into your product, and support the application until it works.
Tempe, Arizona · since 1988
A small company that has done one thing for a long time.
Testra has specialised in the development of coordinated motion control electronics for rotary and linear stepper motors since 1988, and has delivered thousands of motion control systems to OEM customers.
Background
Built to be mass produced, and flexible in firmware.
The company works primarily with original equipment manufacturers — joint product development using our technology, and then manufacturing the product for the OEM. We operate from our own 3,000 sq. ft. building in the Apache Industrial Park.
The overriding philosophy in developing the SyncroStep system was to produce something state of the art that could be mass produced at low cost, and still answer a wide spectrum of OEM motion control requirements. That meant a totally standard hardware package — and making the flexibility the OEM needs available in software instead.
The result was the SS-4544, based on our patent for synchronous control of current in an inductive load, plus a number of company trade secrets. It is physically a third the size of the product that preceded it, with higher performance, more features, greater flexibility and a lower cost.
History
Four decades, four moments.
- 1988
Testra is founded
Thomas W. Hart, Jr. as President and John R. Hart as V.P. Engineering, in the Apache Industrial Park, Tempe, Arizona.
- 1997
The patent issues
US Patent 5,650,705 — synchronous control of current in an inductive load. It is the basis of everything we have built since.
- 1999
SyncroStep ships
The SS-xxxx series arrives after a two year development effort. A third the size of the product it replaced, faster, with more features and a lower cost.
- Since
Firmware, mostly
Minor hardware enhancements for performance and reliability. The major improvements have been firmware features, added to satisfy a widening range of customer requirements.
OEM & custom development
However far into your product you want us.
Custom solutions
We contract for development of software, firmware and special hardware features for your application. Complex drivers in DOS, every Windows release from 95 through 10, and a range of embedded environments.
Turnkey design & manufacture
We also design and manufacture a product in its entirety, up to and including ASIC development to put the whole thing on a chip.
Manufacturing
Our business model calls for manufacturing to be done by a contract manufacturer. The product contains two printed circuit assemblies: a switching power supply on a two-layer through-hole PCB, and the motion control electronics and drivers on a four-layer PCB using mixed surface mount and through-hole technology. The package uses a custom extrusion plus a few pieces of fabricated sheet metal.
We do the purchasing and kitting. Finished units come back to us, and we do the final test and ship the product.
Customer support
As far as we are concerned, this is our most important product. Our customers' success makes us successful, so we treat it as a partnership.
Our philosophy is to concentrate on a small number of OEMs and experienced distributor/system integrators, and to assist the customer in their application to ensure it succeeds — including contracting for the software, firmware and special hardware features that application needs.
Licensing & second sourcing
Sole source is a commitment. Here is the insurance.
We recognise the commitment an OEM makes when it decides to use a product in its system, especially a sole source item. We are committed to a continual product flow even in adverse circumstances, and there are two ways to guarantee it.
Conditional license
A conditional license may be granted under which the customer may manufacture the system itself, in the event that Testra is no longer able or willing to supply the product. A complete production documentation package is kept in escrow for exactly that event, and the OEM has the right to use our contract manufacturer to ease the changeover.
Manufacturing license
An OEM may simply purchase a manufacturing license for the product.
Get in touch
Working on something that has to move precisely?
Whether it is one machine or a production run, tell us what it has to do and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right supplier.