Sustainment of legacy automatic test systems: lessons learned on TPS transportability

Sustainment of legacy automatic test systems (ATS) saves cost through the re-use of software and hardware. The ATS consists of the automatic test equipment (ATE), the test program sets (TPSs), and associated software. The associated software includes the architecture the TPSs run on, known as the control software or test station test executive. In some cases, to sustain the legacy ATS, it is more practical to develop a replacement ATE with the latest instrumentation, often in the form of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software. The existing TPSs, including their hardware and test programs, then need to be transported, or translated, to the new test station. In order to understand how to sustain a legacy ATS by translating TPSs, one must realize the full architecture of the legacy ATS to be replaced. It must be understood that TPS transportability does not only include translating the original TPS from an existing language (such as ATLAS) to a new language (such as "C") to run on a new test station, but includes transporting the run-time environment created by the legacy ATS. This paper examines the similarities and differences of legacy ATE and modern COTS ATE architectures, how the ATS testing philosophy impacts the ease of TPS transportability from legacy ATE to modern-day platforms, and what SEI has done to address the issues that arise out of TPS transportability.     

Software architecture requirements for DoD automatic test systems

The DoD has achieved success with recent automatic test equipment (ATE) families, as evidenced by the navy's consolidated automated support system (CASS) and the army's integrated family of test equipment (IFTE) programs. However, as these systems age, the increased requirements for technology insertion due to instrument obsolescence and the demands of advanced electronics are becoming evident. Recent advances in test technology promise to yield reduced total ownership costs (TOC) for ATE which can incorporate the new technology. The DoD automatic test system (ATS) executive agent office (EAO) objective is to significantly reduce total ownership cost. Several objectives have been identified including use of synthetic instruments, support for legacy test product sets (TPSs), and more efficient ways of developing TPSs. The NxTest software architecture will meet the objectives by providing an open systems approach to the system software. This will allow for the incorporation of commercial applications in the TPS development and execution environments and support current advances in test technology     

Successful deployment of commercial ATE to an Air Force I-level (back-shop) repair facility

In today's world of constrained budgets, one of the problems the military faces is the challenge of trying to maintain organic maintenance capabilities. Historically, the US Air Force has desired to achieve an autonomous capability to maintain the equipment it uses. This has been achieved, traditionally, by setting-up three levels of maintenance: organizational; intermediate (back-shop); and depot. The I-level back-shops often utilize militarized automatic test equipment (ATE) and test program sets (TPSs) to test today's complex aircraft line replaceable units (LRUs). And even though this is still a cost-effective maintenance philosophy, it has become costly to develop militarized ATE. The Department of Defense (DoD) has been very active in trying to reduce the total ownership cost of ATE in the government inventory. One approach is to utilize commercial, instead of Mil-Spec, ATE. However, utilizing commercial ATE at an USAF back-shop is not without its tradeoffs and challenges as it represents a significant deviation from the way the USAF maintenance squadrons are accustomed to "doing business." This paper documents the current success story of replacing the legacy C-17 I-level ATE with a commercial ATE.     

Reconfigurable COTS test systems

Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) systems are used to qualify, accept, and troubleshoot electronic products. ATE systems may be in the form of large general-purpose systems that can test a wide variety of products or the more commonly used custom, turnkey systems that are designed for specific test application(s) and requirements. Turnkey ATE systems are labor-intensive; as a result, even a relatively simple turnkey tester is costly and may take months (or even years) to develop, integrate, and deploy. The main reason for this aspect of turnkey ATE systems is that even though the instrumentation may be off-the-shelf components, most everything else is custom and requires design, development, extensive debug and integration. Time and again, systems integrators have tried to find a solution that would combine the cost effectiveness of COTS systems with the flexibility of custom ATE. This paper suggests a solution to this problem and that it is feasible to combine COTS testers with custom requirements. This solution, called CreATE, provides a flexible architecture using COTS components (including instruments, cabling and interfacing products)     

Generic training for ATE technicians

It is argued that the job of an automatic test equipment (ATE) technician is evolving toward that of a computer operator. The technician has automatic tools (test programs) written for every replaceable unit in his test set. The technician selects which test is run. During the test the technician is presented results and given options if a test fails. If the option called out by the test program does not fix the problem, the technician must go back into his tool box (his library of test programs) and select the right tool to do the job. This is true for a technician working on any piece of ATE. It is contended that training for these technicians should be centered around troubleshooting skills with initially less emphasis on the hardware implementation details. These skills could be developed with a genetic trainer     

Automated testing

Since the DoD was the leader in incorporating transistors, ICs and embedded processors, they also were on the forefront in developing automatic test equipment. The term automatic test equipment (ATE) encompasses all phases of computer controlled testing. It is based on the integration of instruments, computers and software. These systems generally include five basic elements: control, stimulus, measurement, switching and software. A special interface device or interface test adapter connects the unit under test (UUT) to the ATE. Test program software connects the ATE to the appropriate UUT test points, programs the input stimulus and monitors the output response     

Implementing reusable, instrument independent test programs in thefactory

Development of computer programs that control test sequences on Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) is costly and time consuming. Test Programs are usually written by specifying the instruments to be used in the ATE and the sequence of the setup and measurement parameters for these instruments. Reuse of test program software on other ATE is usually not possible without rewriting, revalidating and re-releasing the programs. This paper describes an implementation of a test program software development system and a standard of software runtime architecture used in our factories. The object-oriented development environment and its associated class libraries allow test programs to be written without knowledge of the ATE on which they will be run. Two main principles guided the design: the software architecture was based on recognized formal and industry standards; and our implementation used commercial off-the-shelf software products when possible. Emerging standards such as the IEEE-1226 (ABBET) as well as defacto industry standards including VXI Plug and Play have made our implementation possible. The current draft of the ABBET and P&P standards do not promote this instrument independence, but it is hoped that this will be added as the standards mature. Three immediate benefits are: cost savings that result from reusing validated test programs; cycle time reductions that result from concurrently developing test program software and ATE; and software defect reductions that result from using proven software     

NxTest augments legacy military ATE

Typical military automatic test equipment (ATE) usually consists of a number of single channel stimulus and measurement devices connected to the UUT with a switch matrix, providing; traditional serial, parametric test with its lengthy test times. Functional test methodology tests a unit by simulating its environment and verifying that the unit operates correctly in that environment. This requires simultaneous stimulus and measurement capability not usually found in traditional military ATE. Boeing Support Systems is currently in the process of augmenting an existing military test station to provide functional test capability through the use of NxTest technology. This paper will discuss our approach to adding functional test capability to an existing piece of equipment.     

BIT和ATE组合测试技术及其应用

详细介绍了BIT和ATE组合测试技术及其在机载电子设备测试与故障诊断的具体应用。应用表明BIT和ATE组合测试技术可有效提高设备的测试性。     

ATE综合校准系统的软件设计及实现

通用自动测试设备（ATE）的测量准确性、可靠性会直接影响飞机综合保障的质量,因此,对此检测设备进行全面有效的测试校准,是确保测试系统完成任务的关键。为了保障测试数据准确可靠和量值传递统一及实现现场的系统性校准工作,本课题以通用自动测试设备为对象,建立了一套基于虚拟仪器技术基础上的综合校准系统。本文对系统的软件结构设计进行了分析和设计,以LCOD原型生命周期为基础,使用了面对组件的设计模式,设计和实现了软件功能,使得该系统具有一定的兼容性和可移植性,并且为扩展留下了接口,同时保证了校准数据的可靠性和精确性。     

无线电高度表信号模拟器射频信号延时/衰减模块设计

无线电高度表程控信号模拟器是无线电高度表自动测试系统（ATE,ATS）的重要组成部分,而射频信号延时/衰减模块则是无线电高度表程控信号模拟器3个功能模块组件中的核心模块。研制了一种采用声表面波（SAW）延迟线作为射频信号延时器件、射频衰减器作为射频信号功率衰减器件,通过程控射频开关控制不同声表面波延迟线的切换,包含射频信号变频、放大等结构电路的无线电高度表信号模拟器射频信号延时/衰减模块。经无线电高度表自动测试系统的实际工程应用表明,该无线电高度表射频信号延时/衰减模块对C波段（4.2～4.4 GHz）射频调制信号的延时精度高、衰减范围大,体小、质轻,适合置于无线电高度表测试适配器内部使用,具有较高的工程应用价值。     

便携式发动机参数模拟器的研制

利用PC104总线系统的特点,以某型航空发动机参数模拟器的研究为工程应用背景,解决适应现代测试技术特点的测试设备的研制问题。该模拟器具有抗恶劣环境、小型轻便、集成化程度高等优点,在实际应用的过程中取得了良好效果。     

Analysis tools for the evaluation of maintenance software

Test packages written for built-in test (BIT) and mobile automatic test equipment (ATE) systems for the forward support of electronic and thermal imaging equipment used by the British Army are currently scrutinized and subjected to objective tests by test package evaluation and acceptance teams (TPEATs) before being accepted for field use. This is a time-consuming and costly exercise that can result in the rejection of unsuitable software. The result of such rejection on equipment logistics is for reaching, since the hardware will enter service without adequate maintenance support. In an attempt to address this problem a suite of programs aimed at assisting the verification and validation activities of the TPEAT at every stage of the software life cycle from requirements analysis through to testing and acceptance is being devised. The development of these tools is discussed     

CASS: design for supportability

An Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) system that is supportable provides all of the operational requirements necessary to support fleet weapon systems, from installation, to operation and maintenance, to disposal. To be supportable, ATE must then minimize facility, personnel, training, supply support and support equipment impacts. Furthermore, should the ATE fail to operate, impacts to the systems which it supports must also be minimized     

自动测试设备的效率方程

效率是各项指标的综合度量。首先提出度量自动测试设备(ATE)效率的8项技术指标:故障检测率FDR、故障隔离率FIR、检测准确度FDA、测试时间t_d、故障检测概率P_d、故障漏报概率P_m、虚警概率P_f和故障分辨率δ。重点是建立ATE的效率方程,包括建立和求解ATE的工作状态方程,导出故障检测效率方程,无模糊故障隔离的效率方程和模糊故障隔离的效率方程,即ATE的效率方程,从而为ATE指标的分析与综合提供一种理论依据。     

Using built-in-test to reduce TPS run times and improve TPSreliability

This paper addresses using information derived from Built-in-Test (BIT) to fault diagnose Units Under Test (UUTs), wherever possible. This philosophic approach to diagnostic testing is not new. It has been studied over the past 20 years under the visor of “Integrated Diagnostics”, but it has yet to be truly implemented in a “real life” military diagnostic test environment. The mindset of Test Program Set design engineering, along with customer and contractor management alike, remains “complete diagnostic testing based upon single catastrophic component failure modes”. If we are to generate cost efficient Test Program Sets (TPSs) under reduced military budget constraints, this will have to change! The test engineer must be encouraged to use methodologies to speed up development time and decrease TPS run times. Using present technology, this is possible now, and as the technology matures, will become a truly viable approach in the future. For the purpose of this paper, the author relies heavily on his extensive US Navy Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) and Test Program Set (TPS) experience, as well as on previous studies performed on using BIT to fault diagnose Unit Under Test failures on US Naval Air weapon systems     

基于虚拟仪器的机载模块性能测试系统

针对传统机载设备侧重于功能测试的技术缺陷,提出了一种机载模块性能测试系统。阐述了测试系统的架构设计和基于LabVIEW的算法实现,使用虚拟仪器技术,实现了航空电子总线ARINC429模块中信号性能的自动测试和故障报告。实验结果表明,该系统能有效完成模块信号性能的自动测试与故障报告,提高了航空电子自动测试设备的通用性与可靠性,对未来两级维修体制下的航空电子设备ATE的发展具有一定的现实意义。     

基于ATE与BIT组合的NAMP自动测试与故障诊断系统设计

在对机械电气系统状态监控处理机(NAMP)功能、组成、BIT和ATE测试接口等进行测试需求分析基础上,基于ATE系统平台完成了NAMP的自动测试原理和测试流程设计,采用BIT和ATE组合测试技术完成了NAMP的自动测试,采用故障树法完成了NAMP的故障诊断功能。经故障注入实验和使用验证表明,该系统具有测试内容全面,故障定位准确,故障隔离率高等特点。     

自动测试系统通用性的实现技术

文章分析了与开发通用ATS密切相关的标准/规范,从软、硬件两方面讨论了ATS通用性的实现途径,包括硬件配置及接口技术、IVI技术以及面向信号方法。ATS通用性的实现可以实现被测对象的跨平台测试以及测试程序的可移植,能带来显著的军事及经济效益。     

Peripheral emulation extends equipment life [ATE]

The ATE industry can benefit greatly by becoming better informed about the availability, functionality, and reliability of emulated peripheral solutions. Emulated peripherals provide the ability to dramatically extend the life of aging ATE equipment, while making that equipment more reliable, more functional, much easier to use, and much simpler to support. The use of emulated disk drives and tape drives can completely eliminate persistent maintenance headaches, increase ATE station availability and reliability, and provide a reasonably priced technology refresh without costly software modifications or system recertification.