Interface test adapter development & maintenance using a Continuity/Insulation Automatic Test Station in large scale test systems

This abstract focuses on four key points with using the Continuity/Insulation Automatic Test Station (Cont/Insul ATE) set in a large scale system: (1) Setup of Cont/Insul ATE and software development for the Cont/Insul ATE; (2) Using the Cont/Insul ATE in prototype development; (3) Verification that multiple copies of Interface Test Adapters (ITAs) will be identical and wired correctly; and (4) Maintenance and repair of ITAs after delivery. A large scale system is defined as a system with multiple test stations at multiple locations and with multiple identical ITAs. This paper will review the advantages and disadvantages of a Cont/Insul ATE test station using cost and schedule impact during the various phases of designing new ITAs and maintaining the ITAs once they have been fielded. The Ground Minuteman Automatic Test System (GMATS) re-host project, completed by the 309th Software Maintenance Group (SMXG) at the Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC), will be used in this document as a test case. The GMATS project fielded 18 test stations at 8 separate locations, 332 total ITAs with 39 unique configurations. The ITA development work involved building 39 prototype ITAs, verifying the prototype ITAs against their master wire lists, running it through a series of self-tests, integrating the prototype ITAs with the Test Program Set (TPS), building production ITAs and then verifying each production ITA was built correctly. A successful program, such as GMATS, demonstrates that having an asset such as a Cont/Insul ATE test station can dramatically improve on-time deliverables and lower costs to the end customers.