DRS-TEM has manufactured and deployed Embedded Diagnostic (ED) solutions for nearly 1000 of the Army's Abrams and Bradley platforms. We have taken steps to provide prognostics for these same platforms through the use of our ED data collection hardware. The current state of the art seems to be addressing and making progress for mechanical equipment and the prediction (prognostics) of associated failure.
This paper provides an overview of several initiatives leading to the next generation of ATE and notes that the single biggest problem in ATE today is not the incorporation of advancing technology to achieve ever higher test capabilities in newly fielded ATE, rather it is the management of legacy and new ATE over a twenty year or more life cycle. This paper discusses the benefit of creation of logistically compatible testers. Logistics compatibility is obtained by identifying common test capabilities of current unique testers and consolidating those test requirements into common test resources. Adding to the common test resources is the savings/benefits through the implementation of an evolving Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1 standard which allows multiple sized Interface Test Adapters (ITAs) to work with different ATE. The IEEE-P1505 Receiver-Fixture Interface 2 directly supports a compatible family of testers concept.The paper notes there are several enabling technologies evolving in the industry that facilitate the common instrument approach such as Virtual or Synthetic Instruments (SI), Programmable Bus Emulators or Bus Simulators.These have the flexibility to consolidate large numbers of obsolete, unique communications cards into a single test equipment asset. This paper also discusses the advances in Software Technology that will become prevalent in future ATE. Maintenance of test programs can be complicated and costly when using multiple operating systems and multiple test languages. Consolidation of the test language and operating system into an easyto-use, COTS-based software development environment reduces recurring maintenance and training costs.Network-centric ATE approaches are also considered in this paper with the benefits provided. The use of Network and web-based management of tester software and TPSs is noted as a great benefit in the reduction of software maintenance costs. Use of a network connection and even the Internet allows software and on-line manuals to be managed in one location and provides for automatic updates, guaranteeing the use of the latest official versions of manuals and software. The paper also discusses that Network and Webbased testers allow for information flow in the other direction, thus facilitating a centralized database to collect UUT failure data for tracking repair piece parts and for determining high failure rate issues and/or UUT repair history.The final factor noted in this paper is the use of standards that provide for interfaces that are common and inter-operable across the industry.All the concepts presented form the anatomy of viable future ATE systems.If these concepts are not implemented in ATE designs, we as tax payers will continue to foot the bill for costly band-aid solutions in support of the war fighter. 560 0-7803-9101
Equivalent test results across maintenance levels have long been an elusive target for both military and commercial users. The fundamental reason for this is that it has been impractical to deploy the same ATE forward at the operations level as well as in support locations and/or depots. Forward deployed ATE tends to be based on requirements for ruggedness, transportability and a small footprint. In addition, it is usually targeted to support a small number of weapon system components. The other extreme is depot or factory ATE, with requirements for support of more weapon system components, and tending to have wider overall capability and a larger footprint. Because of the diverse size and packaging issues associated with the different environments, invariably, different ATE backplanes and instrument packaging formats are selected for each environment. Use of different instruments at each of the maintenance levels may lead to Can-Not-Duplicates (CNDs) at the depot test for electronic components pulled out of service based on test results of forward-deployed ATE. The goal of having test equivalence (eliminating CNDs) at the various levels is referred to as "Vertical Testability".Previous attempts at achieving vertical testability have mainly relied on a software approach. The desire is that Test Programs developed/hosted on different ATE units will operate in the same manner and with the same test results. This has met with limited success in achieving vertical testability. A major roadblock to success is dealing with very low-level, fundamental characteristic differences of instruments beyond the normal functional definition. This paper proposes a hardware-based solution for achieving vertical testability. Technology can now support a versatile mezzanine approach that can target a multitude of system backplanes and architectures. DRS TEM and C&H Technologies are working together to finalize a design, that provides a multitude of common analog stimulus and measurement functions in a double-wide M-module format. This M-module Analog Versatile Instrument Series (MAVIS) is based on repackaging and enhancing a DRS TEM design. This approach allows for several target backplanes, including PXI, VXI and LXI, depending on the carrier selected. The MAVIS is therefore scalable in a range of ATE. The paper will outline the functional capabilities of the MAVIS and how it applies in a variety maintenance and test environments.
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