Realisation of ATE – LASAR Translator using PXI Architecture and TestStand
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Author(s):
R. Derrdji - EDA EQUIPMENT
L. Magni - EDA EQUIPMENT
F. Magnino - EDA EQUIPMENT
F. Arcangeli - EDA EQUIPMENT
Industry:
Aerospace/Avionics, Semiconductor, Electronics
Products:
LabWindows/CVI, LabVIEW, PXI/CompactPCI, TestStand
The Challenge:
Developing a low-cost digital test system with an open architecture that has the ability to leverage test procedures already created for traditional digital testers
The Solution:
Using PXI, high-speed digital, LabVIEW, and LabWindows/CVI, we created a flexible digital test system with LASAR import capabilities.
"The products by National Instruments offered the necessary tools to create a system competitive with the traditional suppliers of automated test equipment and resulted in a time savings of 30%."
Defense system end users having a growing requirement for more reliable and maintainable systems at the same time that they need guaranteed support and insurance of the system’s operation. These growing needs are a result of the rising prohibitive maintenance cost due to recent defense budget reductions, the long distances between a system’s manufacturer and the end-user, and the long expected life of defense systems. Manufactures recognize these challenges and supply special systems capable of debugging and repairing systems in the field – these repairing machines have become a critical component in many defense systems.
We were asked by Selex Sistemi Integrati (formerly known as AMS - Alenia Marconi Systems) to create a low-cost digital test system that could be deployed to help with the repair and debugging of existing radar systems. The key needs of the end-user and manufacturer that we addressed with our digital test system include:
End-user Needs (Radar Operators):
• Repair autonomy;
• Reduction in repair cost and reliance on 3rd party;
• Open hardware platform (COTS)
Manufacturer Needs (Selex Sistemi Integrati):
• Ability to use the same existing test information, coming from digital simulator tools (LASAR), already used by traditional digital testers.
• Low-cost test machine for the 3rd level of maintenance.
In order to create a complete digital test solution capable of solving the needs of our immediate customer, Selex Sistemi Integrati, as well as those of future customers, we created a system based on the PXI platform and custom application software. Virtual instrumentation enabled us to leverage low-cost, open hardware to design a system that met our immediate needs and offered the flexibility to expand the software and hardware in the future.
The system’s hardware includes the following key components:
• National Instruments PXI platform (18 slot chassis)
o Embedded controller (NI-8176)
o 15 NI PXI-655x high-speed digital boards for a total capacity of 300 channels
o Programmable power supply units controlled via GPIB
• Mechanical fixture and unit under test (UUT) adapter board
We created three powerful software modules to address all of the needs of this test system’s end user. The three software modules are as follows:
1. LASAR Translator module automatically translates output files from the LASAR simulation environment into the HWS standard, a format compatible with National Instruments hardware and software.
2. Go/No Go functional test module dynamically or step-by-step executes the test procedure for the device under test (DUT).
3. Reverse Probing module that, in presence of a failure, implement the fault search procedure assisted by the operator.
1. LASAR Translator Module
The LASAR translator module automatically converts existing test information (simulator outputs), used on other digital ATE, to a format suitable for our DTS-LASET system. The main objective of this module is to provide the manufacturer and end-user the ability to reuse the existing functionality of their traditional tester, particularly the reverse probing section, in order to minimize the cost of changing to a new digital test system.
The translation procedure contains the following key pieces:
• Source file selection from LASAR environment (*.tap file)
• Generation of the translator configuration files
• Generation of the test pattern (stimulus pattern and expected pattern) in HWS format
• Generation of the board under test database
2. Go/No Go Functional Test Module
This module controls the generation of the stimulus pattern and acquisition of the response data on the high-speed digital hardware, NI PXI-655x digital waveform generator/analyzers.
The Go/No Go sequence follows these basic steps:
• Select the Device Under Test (DUT)
• Test the DUT selected
• Execute the test procedure
• Display acquire response pattern and compare it to the expected response
3. Reverse Probing Module
When a failure is registered by the Go/No Go module, the reverse probing module guides the operator through the fault search and repair process. The module identifies the faulty component or wiring on the board under test.
Using information from the board database and the pattern data of the internal nodes (provided by the Translator module), the algorithm implemented in this module guides the operator through the fault search procedure. An iterative algorithm is implemented that traverses the electrical network of the DUT in order to identify the component or wiring that generated the failure.
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