HBM has added a trend analysis module to its catman Enterprise software, which is used to identify mechanical structural changes at the earliest stages of a structural test programme. The module enables designers to react quickly to forecast problems and analyse potential weaknesses in detail without necessarily allowing the test piece to fail. Fatigue tests on large mechanical structures such as airframes, which may involve thousands of individual strain gauges to measure the effects of alternating loads, are key areas for the new module.