NLPreCom is a highly recommended tool for evaluating the network before the commissioning phase. It is used to verify the wiring of the network, the network topology consistency and the connection of the nodes. This tool is dedicated to technicians on job site who need to prepare the commissioning phase. Reporting functions help the technician to keep the overview at any time in the pre-commissioning phase.

NLPreCom goes without technical terminology and can be easily handled by non-experts due to its elementally designed user interface.

The pre-commissioning tool uses “test cases” designed by the system integrator for every device type. The entire testing and configuration actions are part of the cases. NLPreCom basically covers four procedures:

1. It scans the network for active nodes
2. It checks the network health by stressing the nodes, calculating errors, and proposing simple actions in case of found problems
3. It allows downloading a application and configuration to a node as well as sending commands and reading status or value information
4. It allows generating a detailed report

NLPreCom also includes a function to dramatically reduce commissioning time: PointAndName. By reading the node ID with a barcode reader, LNS® based commissioning of nodes can be performed.