Next Generation Automatic Test System (NGATS) Update

The development of various parts of DoD Automatic Test Systems (ATSs), follows a costly process starting with the description of the products to be tested through fielding and operation of the ATS items. Insufficient implementation of standards in the ATS process is, to a large part, the reason for the high cost and risk. The IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 20 (SCC20) is endeavoring to provide standards that address concerns of developing ATS and reducing associated costs. Two IEEE test standards are currently used by the Integrated Family of Test Equipment (IFTE). This paper investigates the potential benefits of greater use of IEEE standards during the development and maintenance cycles of IFTE and the associated Test Program Sets.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

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.

The Versatile Automated Depot Test Station (VDATS) is a major component in solving the U.S. Air Forcepsilas Automatic Test System (ATS) proliferation concerns. VDATS addresses the proliferation issue by providing the capability to replace an estimated 260 depot-level test systems that assume 150 different configurations, as well as a large number of intermediate-level test systems.The Department of Defense (DoD) has invested billions of dollars in aging and increasingly obsolete ATS used to troubleshoot and diagnose components of military aircraft and weapon systems. The issues of increased downtimes, test system obsolescence, and nonportable Test Program Sets (TPS) further contributes to the DoD's continued reporting of spare parts shortages and the increasing impacts that ATS obsolescence has on the readiness of military aircraft and weapon systems. The VDATS provides a viable approach to resolving these issues. VDATS has an extensible designed-in expansion capability intended to support present and future Air Force workloads by providing an organically-developed ATS platform with a modular, open-systems architecture that is Flexible, Capable, Tailorable, and Sustainable. VDATS makes it technically feasible to now realize the laudable 1994 DoD policy goal stated in: Military Readiness: DoD Needs to Better Manage Automatic Test Equipment Modernization," GAO-03-451, March 2003.[1] VDATS meets this stated DoD policy goal of producing an ATS capable of supporting multiple weapon systems, aircraft, and eventually being interoperable between DoD services. In 2007 the Air Force's VDATS was officially designated as a DoD Standard Family of Testers, supporting the 2005 ATS Master Plan requirement meant to reduce ATS proliferation and life-cycle operations and support costs. This paper briefly examines the present-day issues and how the U.S. Air Force is resolving these with the VDATS program. It also explains the strategy to preserve present-day and near-future TPS re- host investments, while enhancing system capabilities to meet the Air Force's depot and intermediate-level ATS requirements for the foreseeable future.

The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual approach and to make practical recommendations on how to improve the current Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) testing and maintenance capabilities by utilizing the existing cloud computing model to build a globally linked ATE maintenance system. The basic tenet of the ATE community is to support a multi-tiered maintenance concept which, in general, is a three tiered system that is composed of organizational maintenance (O-level), intermediate maintenance (I-level), and depot maintenance (D-level) organizations. The goal of the ATE is to (1) quickly and accurately detect and isolate each fault, (2) provide software tools for analyzing historical data, and (3) gather, manage, and distribute accurate and reliable maintenance information for the failed Unit Under Test (UUT). The ATE system should provide services that will (1) maintain a repository of information that will improve fault detection and isolation, allow for off-platform assessments, document failures, and help quantify corrective actions, (2) reduce false UUT pulls, and (3) reduce repair time by prompting repair procedures. Furthermore, the ATE system should provide additional services that will help optimize the time to diagnose problems by using collected failure information and by recommending entry points into the Test Program Set (TPS) software. It should also present information to the ATE maintainer to aid in informed repair decisions which could be in the form of pilot debrief results, platform Built In Test (BIT) results, O-level test outcomes and corrective actions, and maintenance and usage history of the platform and UUT. So, based on this definition of ATE maintenance the use of cloud computing can be used to provide services to improve the overall ATE testing throughput which will result in bottom line improvements to ATE life cycle costs. By using cloud computing, which is defined to be “a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction”, users can develop cloud computing models that will provide access to application software and databases that can be used to build a globally linked ATE maintenance system. This paper will discuss the essential characteristics of the cloud computing models and define the various flavors of cloud offerings available to designers today. This paper will also analyze the cloud computing model to arrive at a conceptual approach that can be used to enhance the current ATE Testing and Maintenance capabilities. Practical recommendations will be discussed on how to transform the current ATE Testing and Maintenance capabilities into the specific cloud computing model offerings in order to help configure a globally linked ATE maintenance system.

The complexity of electronic-device testing varies widely, ranging from the simplest type manual testing to the most complex Automatic Test Equipment (ATE). Presently power controllers for electrostatic precipitator at industry are tested using simulators at the E-shop and controller development lab. The simulated inputs and outputs are generated manually through mechanical keys and push button switches. The verification process and documentation are also done manually and hence time consuming. To overcome these disadvantages, an intelligent, multipurpose simulator cum test equipment was proposed. ATE was developed using LPC2378 ARM processor with required input and output channels. The ATE has multiple communication interfaces like RS485, RS 232, CAN and Ethernet. It is also provided with Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), keypad and Local Area Network (LAN) communication. ATE completes the testing of controller without any manual intervention. Upon completion of testing, ATE sends out test reports to any computer connected to its LAN Port. The test report is generated in the form of Hyper Text Markup Language(HTML) pages with time stamping and controller particulars.

To get better anti-jamming ability, the emission signal and array calibration signal of the Frequency Synthesizer need to work in pulse mode. To achieve miniaturization and function integration, the ability to generate FSK signals and PSK signals is also needed. To realize the real-time control, the network interface is selected as the medium. The features above make it impossible to measure the Frequency Synthesizer relying on test equipments at this stage. An automatic test system (ATS) based on PXI & LXI hybrid architecture is designed as a solution. Trigger distribution module is created to establish the synchronous measurement mechanism between the ATS and the Frequency Synthesizer. Network communication module is produced, which could send control commands to the Frequency Synthesizer and store fault monitoring information. The test methods of transmission power, spur rejection and harmonic rejection are realized based on zero-span mode and time-gate mode respectively. The FSK signal is demodulated by the sliding FFT method, and the PSK signal is demodulated by the Costas loop method. The accuracy and effectiveness of the test methods are verified through practical application. Besides, on the premise that temperature changes and response nonuniformity are included in the test results, the maximum deviation of transmission power is ±0.175dB within 100 discrete measurements, which could demonstrate the stability of the ATS.

This paper details research performed towards the development of software to rehost test programs. Our research has been specifically targeted to support the rehost of legacy U.S. Army TPSs from the AN/USM-410, Electronic Quality Assurance Test Equipment (EQUATE) station to the AN/TSM-191, Integrated Family of Test Equipment (IFTE). This software has been designed to significantly reduce the effort required to reprogram a TPS to account for hardware and interface differences between the source and target ATS. More importantly, with this system, TPS developers will have a viable method of automating the rehosting of TPSs instead of the time-consuming re-engineering common today.

A 1994 study identified that between 1980 and 1992, the services spent approximately $50 billion on automatic test systems (ATS). Controlling proliferation of ATS became the DoD's goal and led to policy which stated that DoD programs shall select ATS families to meet all ATS acquisition needs, and that introduction of unique ATS must be minimized. Beginning in 1996, DoD and industry together began work toward an open architecture for ATS by identifying the set of critical interfaces or key elements for which standards needed to be defined. Shortly afterward, the Joint Service Nxtest integrated program team began efforts toward evolving test technologies for insertion into DoD ATS. The original architecture has evolved into the DoD ATS framework which is published in the defense information technology standards registry. The joint service ATS framework working group, under the NxTest IPT, is accelerating efforts toward completing the framework. Cooperation between the services and industry has reached new levels with active participation in working groups and standards development bodies. In addition to demonstrating emerging test technologies, the agile rapid global combat support (ARGCS) advance concept technology demonstration project is helping to mature the ATS framework. When the ATS framework is completed and DoD has a truly open architecture for ATS, it is anticipated that DoD's ATS policy may shift from a hardware (families and COTS) perspective to a situation wherein any tester that fully implements the ATS framework must satisfy DoD's ATS-related goals, and the actual hardware used becomes less important.

Testing FPGA switching characteristics on general purpose electronic test equipment(GPETE) test platform has much lower financial cost and more accessibility than testing on Automatic Test Equipment(ATE). However, when testing on GPETE platform, test accuracy is more easily influenced by device under test(DUT) board and test equipment, and some kinds of stimuli such as maximum frequency stimulus is difficult to impose. This paper presents several test methods aiming to ensure the test accuracy and solve maximum frequency stimulus imposing problem of GPETE test platform. Our methods are: 1) Time-to-Digital Converter(TDC) method to reduce test equipment's impact on test accuracy; 2) Comparing technique to eliminate delay interference from DUT board and extra delay path inside the chip; and 3) Digital Clock Manager(DCM) method to solve maximum stimulus imposing problem. Test results of XC4VLX200 FPGA shows that our methods have a relatively good accuracy and the stimulus imposing problem has been solved to some extent.

The Automatic Test System (ATS) Executive Directorate (ED) is charged with developing objectives for the Department of Defense (DoD) ATS modernization. The DoD ATS Framework Working Group (FWG) was established by the ATS ED to create a Framework addressing these objectives. The FWG consists of two sub-groups; Management, that includes members from all of the DoD Services, and Technical. The Framework is made up of key elements and associated specifications and standards that form the open system architecture approach for DoD ATSs. In addition to creating and updating key element definitions, the FWG focuses on identifying commercial ATS related specifications that might satisfy the elements in the Framework. The standards specified in the DoD ATS Framework are documented in the DoD's Information Technology Standards Repository (DISR) and thereby become a mandatory requirement for all DoD ATS acquisitions. The Framework is also being specifically called out in DoD ATS requirements documents so that its standards are incorporated in future DoD ATS acquisitions, such as the Navy's eCASS. Although the ATS Framework was originally defined more than 10 years ago, it continues to evolve as test technology evolves. A function of the FWG is to continually assess the Framework and plan the development and demonstration of specifications and standards to satisfy ATS Framework requirements. The FWG is currently participating in the standards development process via standards organizations, consortia, and working groups. The FWG is evaluating these standards in terms of applicability to the twenty plus key elements defined in the Framework. The FWG is also continually evaluating new test and information technologies to further refine and add new key elements. When necessary, the FWG provides requirements and potential solutions to standards development teams so that the resulting standard will fit within the Framework. When these standards are published and proven to meet the requirements of a particular Framework element, the FWG makes recommendations to the DoD's ATS Management Board (AMB) regarding how these standards should be represented in the DISR. Standards which are mandated will be required by the acquisition process, and vendors' products acquired by the DoD must conform to them. This paper will provide a summary of the current activities and issues impacting the ATS Framework with a discussion of the near term plans of the FWG. It will provide status on the key elements that the FWG members are currently working on. These elements include the Adapter Functional and Parametric Data (AFP), Diagnostic Data (DIAD), Diagnostic Services (DIAS), Instrument Functional and Parametric Data (IFP), Master Conformance Index (MCI), Maintenance Test Data (MTD), Resource Adapter Interface (RAI), Run Time Services (RTS), Prognostics and Health Management (PHM), and Test Station Functional and Parametric Data (TSFP). The standards that satisfy or partially satisfy these key elements, and the current status of these standards are discussed. The paper also describes the purpose of, and the FWG's role in, several industry working groups; including LAN extensions for Instrumentation (LXI), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standards Coordinating Committee 20 (SCC20), Interchangeable Virtual Instruments (IVI), and Synthetic Instruments Working Group (SIWG). Finally, current issues, such as how signal modeling is to be incorporated within the Framework, the relationship to the DoD's efforts with those of the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD), the use of the DISR mandated elements in upcoming DoD ATS acquisitions, and how O-level test capabilities could be incorporated in the Framework are discussed.

For modern Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) one of the most daunting tasks is now Information Assurance (IA). What was once at most a secondary item consisting mainly of installing an Anti-Virus suite is now becoming one of the most important aspects of ATE. Given the current climate of IA it has become important to ensure ATE is kept safe from any breaches of security or loss of information. Even though most ATE are not on the Internet (or even on a network for many) they are still vulnerable to some of the same attack vectors plaguing common computers and other electronic devices. This paper will discuss some of the processes and procedures which must be used to ensure that modern ATE can continue to be used to test and detect faults in the systems they are designed to test. The common items that must be considered for ATE are as follows: The ATE system must have some form of Anti-Virus (as should all computers). The ATE system should have a minimum software footprint only providing the software needed to perform the task. The ATE system should be verified to have all the Operating System (OS) settings configured pursuant to the task it is intended to perform. The ATE OS settings should include password and password expiration settings to prevent access by anyone not expected to be on the system. The ATE system software should be written and constructed such that it in itself is not readily open to attack. The ATE system should be designed in a manner such that none of the instruments in the system can easily be attacked. The ATE system should insure any paths to the outside world (such as Ethernet or USB devices) are limited to only those required to perform the task it was designed for. These and many other common configuration concerns will be discussed in the paper.

Test system consolidation has been going on in the U.S. Department of Defense for quite some time for multiple pieces of support equipment ranging from Automatic Test Stations to Common O-Level Test Sets to Common pieces of Mechanical Support Equipment. With regards to Automatic Test Equipment / Stations, each branch does have a standard family of test equipment. This is a big shift from the days when each weapon system had its own family. As test equipment and instrumentation have become more capable and more flexible, it seems likely that there really should be even fewer types of test systems. Yet each branch of the DoD has its own family of test equipment and they have to constantly work to enforce usage of the standard equipment versus proliferation of new types of test equipment. Still, the same item will have different test equipment for each stage of development and production. Each will have a different test approach, strategy, and implementation. This leads to issues with test repeatability, verticality, and compatibility which drive up life cycle costs and impede system readiness. This paper will describe the efforts to study the problem and provide results of the findings from a system integrator's point of view. In addition to the analysis of the instrumentation typically found in a test system, the paper will discuss some of the features of system architectures that can enable consolidation such as translation tools. It will also discuss some of the impediments to test system consolidation such as legacy system emulation and compatibility. Finally, it will discuss the some of the system requirements that have typically driven systems to different solutions and provide recommendations to test equipment standardization.

The Automatic Test System (ATS) Executive Directorate (ED) is charged with developing objectives for the Department of Defense (DoD) ATS modernization. The DoD ATS Framework Working Group (FWG) was established by the ATS ED to create a Framework addressing these objectives. The FWG consists of two sub-groups: Management, that includes members from all of the DoD Services, and Technical. The Framework is made up of key elements and associated specifications and standards that form the open system architecture approach for DoD ATSs. In addition to creating and updating key element definitions, the FWG focuses on identifying commercial ATS related specifications that might satisfy the elements in the Framework. The standards specified in the DoD ATS Framework are documented in the DoD's Information Technology Standards Repository (DISR) and thereby become a mandatory requirement for all DoD ATS acquisitions. The Framework is also being specifically called out in DoD ATS requirements documents so that its standards are incorporated in future DoD ATS acquisitions, such as the Navy's eCASS.

Load board verification is normally performed by IC manufacturers on an automatic test equipment (ATE) as per of the standard test procedure prior to final test. Since test load boards are used as an interface between the automatic test equipment (ATE) and integrated circuit (IC), it is thus important to ensure that a particular load board is functioning otherwise the test integrity of all IC tested using the board will be questionable. As load boards become increasingly complex and difficult to verify accurately, IC manufacturers may need to use in-circuit testing as an addition to load board verification. Traditional in-circuit test platforms are expensive to implement due to cost in the bed-of-nails fixture. With the introduction of flying-probe in-circuit test platforms, this option is now a cost-viable solution. This paper discusses the issues that surround the combined test strategy of flying-probe in-circuit test and load board verification on an ATE. It goes on to propose a structure test strategy to combine both test platforms. Finally, the results and discussion are presented.

Weapon systems are typically developed and upgraded in phases, where support system definition and implementation are completed after air vehicle deliveries commence. It can be several years before the automatic test system (ATS) is fully operational and self-supporting. C-17 Globemaster III deployment requirements however, dictated that the support system be delivered in a fully operational state to provide avionics repair capability concurrent with the first aircraft delivery. This demanding requirement necessitated innovations in program management, support system design, deployment, field operations, and support. This paper discusses the deployment and field operation. Strategies implemented and lessons learned by the MDA/USAF integrated product team to achieve an industry first in integrated weapon system activation.