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The article addresses production test development effort of the ATLAS FE-I4 integrated circuit. This particular production test targets manufacturing faults in the ICs and has been taken as a supplementary approach, besides standard functional test, to further decrease the risk of potential application failures. The Design-for-Test structures inside the digital part of the chip, together with the specially devised top-level simulations enabled straightforward test development and debug in the production test environment. The production test itself has been commissioned to the external test company, with the supervision of the FE-I4 team at the test floor.

Second-generation technology production and development testing must be performed by equipment and processes that are capable of handling the tasks in an economically efficient manner. As such, data acquisition and reduction times, configuration change complexity, and test set recurring costs must be kept at a minimum to meet the needs of the second-generation IR factory. The maximum test throughput must be achieved, while meeting all technical requirements, using a minimum of program or capital assets. SBRC's method to accomplish this includes the design of the next generation of infrared test station, with a defined interface architecture, that allows great flexibility in the use of optical tables, warm and cryoprobers, and other test equipment. The paper will present a comparison of relative cost and capability between this most recent generation of test stations and the past generations. Benchmarks of key data acquisition and reduction speeds will be discussed. Also, benchmarks of configuration change time and performance may be included. The design of the interface architecture that allows flexible use of all supplemental test equipment (such as optical tables) is addressed. A general comparison of pre- and post-test equipment changes, as they relate to test throughput on a macro level, is included. There will also be a discussion of the increased capabilities of IR development and production test at this facility.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Summary form only given. The rapid growth of electronics technology has led to the use of electronics hardware in all walks of life involving a wide spectrum of applications. With the large scale proliferation of electrical and electronic equipment in today's world and the advent of such state-of-the-art technologies like satellite communication, computer networking, E-mail, paging systems, space programs and advanced missile technology, the need to have electromagnetic compatibility assumes paramount importance. The EMI standards though applicable to all equipment emitting electromagnetic radiation are more stringently followed in case of military equipment. The measurement of emission susceptibility requirements are stipulated in MILSTD-461C and Indian Std JSG 0261. The following are the essential test facilities required to carry out EMI/EMC test as per the prescribed standard: RF shielded anechoic enclosure; emission test system; susceptibility test system; EMP test system; GTEM cell for special susceptibility test; Helmoltz coil for magnetic susceptibility testing; and antennas, current probes and other accessories.

This chapter discusses the types of electronic test equipment commonly used in EMC emission and immunity testing over the frequency range from a few hertz to tens of gigahertz.

Experimental testing of the Downhill Simplex optimization algorithm is described in application to alignment of optical systems. A bench top experiment was designed to test the algorithm in the presence of real noise effects. A methodology of optimum design of merit functions for the algorithm is described and test data presented.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses various measurands and the measurement equipment. Where more than one method may be used to measure the measurand, these are then listed alphabetically, too, according to the equipment. In many cases measurement of a measurand is undertaken simply by using a transducer, which converts the measurand into an electrical quantity, for instance, voltage, current and so on, which is measured using fairly basic equipment. Electronic test equipment is used to measure a number of aerial parameters, such as, directivity, gain, impedance, radiation resistance, resonant frequency, and transmitted power. There are two main types of untuned amplifier: audio and video. Audio amplifiers and circuits operate to amplify or adjust signals within the audio hearing range. Video amplifiers and circuits do similar with signals over a wider band of frequencies. Furthermore, increasing use of optical fibers in communications systems has prompted a surge in the usage of associated test equipment. Most of the measurands which need to be measured, however, remain similar and analogous to those of non-optical fiber communications.

Design of digital equipment must include development of tests for checking the absence of faults in the manufactured or utilized equipment and for locating faults in equipment being repaired. The efficiency of diagnostic data processing depends not only on the number of check points and on the complexity of mathematical descriptions used in diagnosis, but also on the properties of diagnostic facilities proper, their operating speed, memory capacity, and data processing algorithms employed. Thus, besides devising new and improving known diagnostic data processing methods, it is important to develop computing architectures, software, and organization methods for increasing the speed of real-time data processing [2].

Most electronic equipment is sensitive to electromagnetic signals. Often electronic equipment also radiates electromagnetic signals causing in‐ terference to other electronic equipment. To insure that the electrical equipment can work without influence from the electromagnetic environment and also can operate without disturbing the environment, all electric equipment including acoustical measuring instruments sold within the European Community must fulfill the requirements per EU50082‐1 and ‐2, starting 1 January 1996. To achieve this goal a new special test laboratory has been established at Bruel & Kjaer in Denmark. Here, all existing and new measuring instrumentation are tested for conformance to EU50082‐1 and ‐2. The results have shown that a number of the existent instrumentation will have to be modified or redesigned. The new Bruel & Kjaer FalconTM range of measuring microphones, preamplifiers, and power supplies has been designed in accordance with the new requirements of EU50082‐1 and ‐2. This pap...

Describes the use of computers to automate physical design and testing of computers and other electronic equipment.

The development of measuring equipment in modular form with digital readout is described. This equipment is adapted to the measurement of many physical quantities such as velocity, frequency, temperature, resistance, capacitance, etc. It is easier to use, faster, and more precise than conventional equipment and forms a firm basis for more advanced work.

Failure and circuit upset of electronic equipment due to transients is a problem now and is one which has promise of becoming more of a problem in the future as trends continue toward miniaturization and circuit complexity. Protection methods are used more or less extensively and often haphazardly. At present, there does not appear to be a clear approach toward achieving compatibility between the transient withstand capability of devices and the transients to which such devices are exposed. A more scientific approach is needed to guide manufacturers and users of equipment. The purpose of this paper is to promote a concept of transient coordination for electronic and other low-voltage equipment through the establishment of a system of Transient Control Levels, similar to the concept of Basic Insulation Levels so successfully used for many years in the electric power industry. Specific suggestions for possible Transient Control Levels and standard test wave shapes are made, in order to promote wide discussion as to whether these waveforms and levels are the best that can be developed toward good transient coordination for the electronic industry.

The present approach to testing and aligning complex avionic information display systems such as those in the F-14A, E-2C, and S-3A aircraft has been highly specialized, and military experience with this approach reveals that it is complicated, time-consuming, and often seriously compromises test effectiveness. Attempts to use general-purpose automatic test equipment (ATE) for display testing also have not been entirely successful because of the need for highly complex, externally situated equipment and adapters. Based on this premise, PRD Electronics has undertaken the development of a unique display test unit which under program control meets the test needs of many display systems, such as those in the A-7E and F-18 aircraft, without proliferation of hardware and without the need for "reengineering" the unit for each new application. Program control provides Electronic Industries Association (EIA) standard video formats as well as various test patterns for performance evaluation. This paper addresses the overall system considerations as well as some of the unique techniques employed.

New generations of electronic chips bring with them the promise of more capacity, storage, and speed. They also bring new challenges to design, test and manufacturing. A look at a series of advanced test systems, how they were designed and why, sheds new light on this practical side of advanced technology. These test systems are the ATS series from IBM. >

As printed-circuit boards become harder to test due to VLSI components, automated systems and new design techniques are coming to the rescue. The author outlines the use of automatic test equipment (ATE).

An automatic test system supporting high volume production testing of diverse state-of-the-art electronic assemblies is described. The test complex consists of a centralized computer system communicating to a network of satellite stations, each structured as "Intelligent Test Centers" dedicated to a particular family of assemblies (e.g., analog, digital, microwave). Allocation of resources and tasks have been distributed for optimum efficiency of production testing. This paper describes the organization and characteristics of the test system. Test center operation is explained with emphasis given to unique man-machine interactive features designed for on-line generation, examination, and maintenance of Unit-Under-Test (UUT) programs. Details are presented of the test language, RATEL, used for UUT programming. Other aspects that are discussed include test data and UUT program characteristics.

Automatic and automated test equipment in mechanical engineering often are problem-dependent. The amount of required investments, the lack of integration into production as well as the rigid programming of the test task have prevented a spread use of such equipment. Increasing demands for the quality of products and the necessary rationalization even in quality control can only be satisfied when using automated test equipment to support the test personal. Fully automated test systems are only helpful in special cases. This paper lists the fundamental requirements and aspects of such automated equipment and explains them by example. The resulting functions can be implemented on standard microcomputer systems by minimum operating systems. One main point of view is the trouble-free interfacing to different measurement aids, another the problem- and not machine-oriented programming of the test task. These are major aspects to achieve a maximum acceptance by the test personal which in turn will increase the affect of rationalization when using these systems.

The authors consider the seven basic elements: data base of circuit descriptions; means of circuit simulation; method of test generation; a language with which to command a piece of automatic test equipment to carry out tests and a library of programs in this language; automatic test equipment; a diagnostic method; and some scheme for managing the mass of data. The application to design verification, testing during manufacture, and diagnosis by a repair organization is discussed.

The NOPAL system automatically generates programs in the ATLAS test programming language to test and diagnose malfunctions in analog electronic circuit boards. The system consists of two parts: a top part which analyzes the circuit diagram and determines the necessary tests, and a bottom part which analyzes the required tests and produces a program in the RCA EQUATE ATLAS test language for use with the RCA AN/USM-410 automatic test equipment. The top part, the NOPAL language, and the bottom part are described in respective sections of the article. The operation and advantages of NOPAL are also illustrated with an example of a voltage regulator circuit board. The article concludes with a discussion of features of NOPAL for generating programs in other test programming languages and for other automatic test equipment.

Long distance customer dialing imposes an increase in the preventive maintenance to safeguard transmission quality. The resulting need to minimize manpower requirements and its direct influence on the design concepts of transmission test equipment are reviewed. Specific examples are given of equipment that simplify existing standard tests, reduce local exchange testing to a one-man operation, and eliminate the necessity of sending testing personnel to remote offices.

The success of a complex airborne electronic equipment is highly dependent upon a well-planned and timely implemented field support program. The design engineer, however, plays a very fundamental and basic role and the fulfilment of his responsibilities is of major importance. In following good engineering design practice he must consider the requirements imposed by the field. Among these are packaging, the incorporation of self-testing circuitry and test points, and accessibility of adjustments and components, all of which contribute to ease of maintenance, thus reducing the turn around time of nonoperating equipment. Of equal importance is his analysis of field failure reports, reflecting where necessary any improvements into the design of the equipment.

Reliability of military electronic equipment is an increasingly important factor, especially as it is becoming more complex. A long-range program has been started to increase reliability through the use of functional subassemblies as standard building blocks for equipment.

The past decade has seen a tremendous increase in the complexity and capability of aerospace and weapons systems. However maintenance philosophy and checkout procedures have not kept pace. The maintenance procedures have been evolving slowly through three major phases: a. Manual Maintenance Procedures b. Serially Programmed Automatic Test Equipment c. Computer-Controlled Automatic Test Equipment In the latter case a small but highly capable general-purpose digital computer is used as the controller for the Automatic Test Equipment. Once a general standardized programmed set of stimuli and measuring instruments is incorporated in a computer-controlled automatic test system, one need only modify the program in the Automatic Test Equipment system memory rather than develop a new set of test equipment for each new system under test. Much of the basic feasibility work has already been completed for such computer controlled Automatic Test Equipment. This is summarized along with discussion of remaining problem areas. Of especial importance is the dependence of program details on the level of tests to be performed; e.g. overall system checkout or isolation of fault to subsystem, assembly, chassis, module, or component. It is shown that while the program details differ, the same test philosophy can be applied.

Need and justification for automatic, in-flight, thorough built-in test capabilities in advanced avionics systems is discussed and the need for a systems design approach is stressed. The role of an airborne digital computer for sequencing, conducting and evaluating the built-in test and the great flexibility of this computer, its characteristics, program and interface are developed and applicable test methods and design techniques are illustrated by typical examples. Short comings of methods used to continuously monitor all functions in flight and alternate builtin test methods are covered; evaluation logic and time-sharing of tests are discussed.

A discussion is presented of the principles, criteria, and techniques employed to carry out successfully an investigation into the practicability of multipurpose missile system test equipment. The prototype system subsequently built has demonstrated its operational flexibility, simplified testing procedures, and greater ease of maintenance.

Over nearly a decade the British Post Office has been operating normal production electronic equipment for the control and routing of calls through the long distance switching network. More recently the first normal production installation of a fully electronically controlled exchange has been cut into service and is the beginning of a regular program for the installation of such exchanges throughout Britain. It is appropriate at this time to review the performance record of the various types of electronic switching equipment, first to confirm that the direction of development is leading toward greater reliability in service, and second to determine whether changes in maintenance organization may be necessary to take advantage of the greater penetration of the more reliable electronic equipment. This paper deals mainly with the lessons to be learned from the performance of the various types of register-transistor equipment used in the long-distance switching network, but also gives some reference to the performance of the TXE 2 electronic exchange.

Electronic tubes are being applied in rapidly increasing numbers in the solution of industrial control problems. A review of several of the most frequently encountered types of problems to which these tubes are being applied is presented herewith. These include photo-electric control applications, electronic relays, electronic regulators, and a welding timer for seam welding.

Careful and diligent failure analysis is necessary to obtain maximum benefit from life tests of electronic equipments. The importance of good failure analysis is often underrated in a test program, to the detriment of the program. This paper discusses the role and the significance of correct attitudes, advance indoctrination, thorough planning, skills, facilities, and effective supervision in adequately diagnosing each failure incident, in recording its details, and in preserving the lesson learned.

This paper presents a source language based upon decision tables for applications involving automatic test equipment systems. The method described allows the engineer to state his test requirements in an extremely convenient fashion, and permits him to program any test specification directly using engineering terminology. Only a minimum of knowledge about the specific test equipment system and particular programming techniques is required as a background. This method enhances the ability of the engineer to program any automatic test equipment system and reduces long-term programming expenses.

Automatic testing can be economically applied in the military electronic equipment business even though it is characterized by small production quantities, complexity of product, and rapid evolution of design changes. It has been the experience of the Light Military Electronic Equipment Department (LMEED) of General Electric that it is possible to determine an automatic test program of long range significance and still see immediate benefits, if the program is tailored to a sound understanding of the needs of the particular business involved. This article discusses the approach to automatic testing at LMEED, some of the equipment concepts involved, and the plans to further the program toward the goal of full automation of the test operation.

This paper describes the transmitter-receiver test set and the FM termina test panel, designed for maintaining the TD-3 radio equipment, and discusses the instrumentation and measuring techniques used to achieve accuracy consistent with the high performance of the TD-3 system. Circuits of special interest are covered in some detail.

This paper describes the progress at Rome Air Development Center (RADC) in converting reliability from a black art to a science. A brief history of and the need for a reliability program for Air Force ground electronic equipment are described. Also described are the results to date and future efforts and expected results. The RADC reliability program has had as its aim the development of techniques for quantitatively specifying; measuring and predicting the reliability of Air Force ground electronic equipment. Concurrently with these efforts, RADC has been pursuing a program of improved design techniques in such areas as cooling, reliable circuit design, redundancy and preferred circuits. The following achievements are described: a reliability design handbook; a cooling techniques handbook; reliability specifications for development and production equipments which quantitatively specify the reliability to be achieved and outline the test procedure to determine whether the specified figure has been met; a reliability design procedure which permits an engineer to design electronic equipment to meet a specified reliability figure; and a prediction technique which permits a designer to predict, within limits, the quantitative reliability that an equipment will achieve in the field.

ELECTRICAL and electronic equipment in the field has always needed some form of test rig (itself usually electrical) to demonstrate correct operation, or, alternatively, to show where a failure has occurred and to indicate what part to replace or repair. This is fundamental; the effective operation of electrical or electronic systems cannot be measured in terms of visible wear, as in the case of mechanical devices. Early test rigs matched the unsophisticated equipment they were required to test — a dry battery was the earliest stimulus and a small filament lamp the earliest measuring device. From then on the increasing complexity of the tests necessary to validate systems and components required an increasing number of more sophisticated stimuli and measuring devices.

An automatic test system is composed of parts that are basically refined versions of standard measurement and test instruments. The instruments used in the automatic test system must be automatically programmable to provide the stimulus or measurement range called for by the test program and they must be capable of receiving these programmed instructions from a computer or controller that serves as the test interpreter, director, and decision maker for the test system. Another characteristic of an automatic test system is that it requires its test instruments to be capable of being connected in any desirable electrical configuration by the test systems switching matrix. The final requirement of a test system is that it have some type of man-machine interface such as a printer or visual display to inform the operator of test results and/or provide him with instructions. The number of automatic test systems in use in Canada and the U. S. today has grown greatly over the last few years. These systems fall into two categories: they are either integrated systems, composed from building blocks of general-purpose programmable measurement and stimulus devices or they are dedicated systems, comprised of specially designed special-purpose stimulus and measurement devices aimed at a specific task. This paper will examine the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches to test system design. It will highlight factors that must be considered before choosing either and will illustrate subtle and intangible aspects of this decision, which can prove crucial over the long run.

The advent of large-scale, complex electronics systems utilizing integrated, semiautomatic test equipment and integrated, semiautomatic maintenance support equipment, can cause the determination and definition of the exact configuration of the system to be extremely difficult, if even possible. By extending the concept of compatibility to include not only the interrelationship of equipment to equipment, but also to test equipment, support equipment, and the associated programming devices (tapes, cards, etc.), a sound basis for the definition of configurations can be formed. This paper discusses these concepts in terms of a system composed of modular line replaceable units (LRU's), a test programming tape, a maintenance programming tape, and the maintenance equipment. By assigning an ordered set of numbers to each LRU, and deriving other ordered sets from these LRU numbers, LRU compatibility and interchange-ability can be positively and quickly determined by inspection at all levels of the system. An example is discussed in detail. A mathematical foundation for the techniques is presented in the Appendix.

This paper describes a method-system for assembly of precision electronic test equipment. It is pointed out, when considering all segments of the electronics industry, that assembly methods vary from one extreme to the other. On the one hand, simple bench methods are used for single and limited-unit production; while at the 1000-per-day end of the production spectrum, highly mechanized power-driven conveyor assembly is in order. It is emphasized, although the precision electronic test equipment manufacturer has the same general assembly problems, that his specific assembly requirements lie midway between the two assembly method extreme s. The production requirements of this typical test equipment manufacturer are summarized as varying from 10 per year to several hundred per month, with 30 per month as an average for their 280 different instruments. Two previous method-systems are discussed from which has evolved the present "Roller-Skate" Conveyor System. The earlier "walkaround" system was used for large instruments and small-quantity production runs, while its companion "push-along" system was favored for smaller units especially if the production quantity was 50 or more. A 10% assembly-time saving is indicated when using the "push-along" method as compared to the "walk-around" method. The present "Roller-Skate" Conveyor System is described as built in 50-foot-bench units, at a total cost of $80.00 per lO-foot length. It is reported that assembly time was further reduced by 15 to 25%. Several other unanticipated benefits are listed, such as taking advantage of the "flow" of: sub-assemblies, inspection, testing calibrating, and shipping -- to provide the required day-to-day output. A discussion of the 1-minute versus 8-minute time cycle is given. The conclusion is reached that assembly time was reduced, while using semi-skilled workers and with an improved quality of the product.

In extensive electronic systems, reliability of operation is difficult to attain by diagnostic methods of fault finding, because the greater probability of a component fault in large equipment leads to an increase in shut-down time. Operational time can be increased enormously if proper test devices are built into the equipment and continuously centrally monitored, to enable faulty units to be found quickly and replaced. This is also the case where redundant circuits are used, so that loss of redundancy due to a fault may be made good as soon as possible. Location of faults is greatly facilitated if all the equipment, including the fault indicator display, is decimalized in arrangement. It is essential that equipment should be designed for such monitoring from the beginning, as it is costly and inefficient to do otherwise. A broad approach to the problem is described, mainly in relation to low-power equipment, but also applicable to high-power apparatus.

The installation of automatic test equipment can result in substantial savings in fault diagnosis costs if the equipment is able to identify faults down to component level. Types and causes of faults together with techniques to identify them are discussed in the article together with financial justification for the equipment in various typical situations.

Over the past years, a considerable number of electronic test facilities have been converted to automatic test systems (ATE).

Compiler programs are used to convert engineering test specifications to a digital code which can be interpreted by the automatic test equipment system. A programming language based upon decisiontable techniques allows the test engineer to write his test statements in an extremely convenient fashion and permits him to program any test specification with only a minimum of knowledge about the specific test equipment system and particular programming techniques.