NI Days Germany – NI’s flagship event in Europe – convened about 650(!) engineers, system architects, and industry professionals in Munich, delivering two days of practical insights, hands-on demonstrations, and strategic discussions about modern test and measurement, automation, and the role of AI in engineering workflows. A fantastic event, with HSE smack dab in the middle of it all!
A Two-Day Format with Strategic Focus and Practical Depth
Unlike the single-day format of 2025, the 2026 event expanded to two days of sessions and symposia, blending executive strategy with developer-level content:
- Day 1 – Partner Day and Symposia: A VIP-oriented half-day focused on both the NI Partners and a number of specific topics. For us, the AI Symposium revolving around the integration of AI with test engineering was the most interesting one. Presentations and keynotes covered AI opportunities and risks, technical architecture, security considerations, and a live demo of Nigel, NI’s AI advisor aimed at reducing barriers between engineers and intelligent tooling. The first highlight was the panel discussion that Joerg was happy to participate in (read more below). Networking in a relaxed demo area capped the day’s program.
- Day 2 – NI Days Germany: The core conference featured presentations, breakout sessions, product roadmaps, hands-on workshops, and multi-track discussions targeting automation, data acquisition, modular test systems, and domain-specific challenges across aerospace, defense, transportation, semiconductors, and electronics. Again, a highlight was presenting on the keynote stage (read more below).
Kudos and congratulations to Matteo Bax and his team for organising such an amazing event!
Themes and Highlights
Practical Innovation with NI Technology
NI showcased current and upcoming capabilities across its technology stack:
- LabVIEW, TestStand, and the broader LabVIEW+ Suite enhancements including improved workflows, debugging support, and AI-assisted development.
- PXI and modular DAQ systems, illustrating scalable approaches to complex measurement problems.
- Timing, synchronization, and phase coherence in RF systems, speaking directly to challenges in multi-channel and phased-array test setups.
- SystemLink use cases for scaling test labs, covering asset management, version alignment, and operational monitoring.
These sessions reflected a continued push by NI to meet practical engineering demands with both proven platforms and forward-looking toolchains.
Developer & Application Tracks
Breakout sessions spanned core development practices, toolchain integration, and domain-specific applications:
- Software Development: Best practices in debugging, collaborative workflows (including Git and CI/CD patterns), and hybrid LabVIEW/Python workflows for test system development.
- Automated Test & Measurement: Topics like accelerated test strategies with PXI, coherent measurement chains, and real-world automation concerns.
- Industry Application Tracks: Tailored content for sectors such as transportation systems, aerospace controllers, and semiconductor validation.
Our Highlights
Panel Discussion on AI: Balancing Innovation and Responsibility
A central highlight was the panel discussion on AI adoption in test and measurement environments.
The conversation moved beyond generic enthusiasm and addressed practical engineering concerns:
- Where AI provides measurable value today (documentation, code assistance, test data analysis)
- Governance and responsibility when integrating AI into production systems
- Risks around IP, security, and compliance (including regulatory considerations in Europe)
- Organizational change management and skill development
Jörg enjoyed his role as resident AI sceptic, helping paint a realistic, truthful and holistic picture of AI and its current and future role in the NI ecosystem.
The discussion reinforced a pragmatic takeaway: AI is a productivity multiplier when applied deliberately and transparently — but it does not replace engineering judgment, architectural discipline, or accountability.
Presentation: Collaborative Development in LabVIEW
The session on Collaborative Development in LabVIEW delivered by Leo Gärtner (NI) and Jörg focused on real-world patterns for scalable software engineering within the NI ecosystem.
Key themes included:
- Structuring LabVIEW projects for parallel development
- Git workflows that reduce friction instead of introducing it
- CI concepts and automated build strategies for LabVIEW applications
- Managing reuse across multiple products and variants
- Avoiding architectural bottlenecks as systems grow beyond their initial scope
A recurring theme from discussions with attendees: many teams begin with strong domain and hardware expertise but limited formal software engineering training. As systems scale and move into 24/7 production, architectural rigor, version control discipline, and issue tracking become critical.
The feedback and follow-up conversations showed strong demand for practical, engineering-first guidance — not abstract theory, but patterns that survive real production environments.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you are suffering from growing pains – we can help!
You can download the slides here:
Collaborative Development in LabVIEW (PDF, 7.0MB)
Community Booth: Meeting the Ecosystem
This year, NI sponsored a community booth with a clear focus on LabVIEW user groups and community engagement. Thank you, Eli Kerry and team, for making this possible. We spent the day speaking with engineers interested in:
- Starting or revitalizing regional LabVIEW user groups
- Strengthening participation and technical depth
- Connecting local communities with the broader ecosystem
Naturally, many conversations revolved around WUELUG and GDevCon: How WUELUG has grown into a technically strong and consistent regional group, how user groups can balance openness with technical rigor, and how GDevCon provides a developer-focused conference experience centered on real engineering depth
We brought along WUELUG stickers, which – as expected – found new homes quickly.
However, the unexpected highlight was our WUEBEER swag. Brewed by the brother of WUELUG member Oli Wachno, it turned into a genuine conversation starter. It created a relaxed atmosphere that made it easy to transition from casual chat to deeper discussions about community building, collaboration, and shared technical growth.
What stood out most: many engineers are not just looking for tools. They are looking for peer exchange, shared learning, and technical belonging. The booth confirmed once again that strong communities are a major structural advantage for any technical ecosystem, and the NI community is truly second to none!
Pre-Event Bouldering Session
Before the conference officially began, we hosted our now traditional and semi-official pre-event bouldering session.
Over the past years, it has become a small but consistent ritual: before any NI-related event, we meet at a local bouldering gym. What started informally has evolved into a recurring tradition that many now expect as part of the overall experience.
What might appear unrelated to engineering actually mirrors it closely:
- Problem solving under constraints
- Iterative refinement of approach
- Analytical thinking combined with physical execution
- Community support and shared learning
The workout provided a relaxed environment for early networking, deeper conversations, and strengthening connections before the formal program began. For us, this experience just reinforced that strong technical ecosystems are built on relationships — not just technology.
NI Days Germany 2026 Executive Summary
Compared to 2025, the expanded format and AI focus were the major shifts in 2026. A structured executive symposium highlighted AI strategy, risk management, and tooling adoption — a signal of how NI is positioning intelligent workflows within test engineering. Practical sessions retained emphasis on modularity, scalability, and integration across hardware and software domains.
NI Days Germany 2026 built on the momentum of the 2025 program, delivering a broader agenda, deeper technical content, and a clear spotlight on intelligent test integration. The two-day format strengthened both strategic context and developer-focused learning, making it a valuable forum for driving test innovation forward in 2026.
We had a blast contributing, and feedback to the panel discussion and the presentation was positive all across the board. Here’s to 2027 – we can’t wait!