Hardware-independent solutions for Automated Test Equipment

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) and Automated Test Systems (ATS) serve the critical purpose of ensuring electronic devices operate to specifications in the field, and therefore avert the introduction of flawed products to the market.

For this reason, the aerospace and defense sectors make substantial investments in ATE due to the criticality of lifesaving electronics used in aircraft, naval vessels, ground vehicles, and wireless communications systems.

Unfortunately, the one constant in ATE is change. In time, the system’s hardware components deteriorate or become outdated, test projects and change of scope parameters are altered. Test specifications can be modified, sometimes necessitating a complete reconfiguration of the test.

To implement such changes in most systems, extensive reprogramming of the test software is required, often at a substantial cost. Frequently, test engineers must implement the programming code.

Declaring hardware independence

To address the changes, many engineers are advocating for hardware independence using flexible test program software to streamline and adapt to changes without extensive new programming.

These hardware-independent solutions simplify the programming of complex test procedures by using fill-in-the-blank test routines to slash development time.

This strategy frees engineers from the constraints of a single equipment brand, granting them flexibility to select cost-effective or specialized equipment. ATE stations can be modified or even repurposed, leading to significant reductions in equipment maintenance costs.

“Hardware independence is important for several reasons. Although the test equipment hardware requires a significant investment of hundreds of thousands to three-to-four million dollars or more, writing test programs costs multitudes more,” says Andrew Engler of Intepro Systems. Founded in 1981, Intepro has supplied ATE systems that test power electronics in various applications.

“With more flexible software, ATE stations can essentially be future proofed to ensure that as hardware requirements change and evolve, the test programs can adapt accordingly to ensure long-term usability,” Engler adds.

Although ATE systems can be used for different types of tests, Intepro specializes in power electronic testing, which includes testing power converters, inverters, chargers, batteries, adapters, and other power components.

For this type of testing, ATE stations are specifically engineered to produce and disperse substantial energy to validate the functionality of the units being tested.

“A typical automated test solution consists of hardware, software, test instruments, signal sources, and test harnesses, probes or handlers,” Engler explains. “However, not all automated test solutions use the same components. The configurations vary widely depending on the device being tested by the customer and the parameters requiring measurement.”

The hardware components are typically consolidated into all-in-one test stations, which vary in size and portability from compact test stations on wheels to large stationary test towers. Each system also includes test program software, which plays a critical role in test development and the management of data collection, storage, reporting, and analysis.

Software can be adapted

Engler says the heart of the ATE station is its software. However, when the test parameters change, or hardware must be replaced, the software must be reprogrammed.

“Many of our customers are project-based. So, if they’re involved in aerospace testing and they have a multi-year project that gets reassigned, now the test station must change. They can either throw it all away or they can refurbish it and adapt it to the requirements of a new program,” Engler says, adding that if the test requirements change dramatically, entire stations can end up as “500 lb paperweights collecting dust in a test lab.”

Engler notes this contradicts the core objective of ATE, which is to automate and streamline repetitive testing to save time, reduce errors, and provide a repeatable process.

“Even if you’re an expert C+ or Python programmer, it’s going to take a lot of time to get through lines and lines of code. We simplify that process and cut development time in half, or more,” Engler adds.

Simplified software

Companies such as Intepro have developed hardware-independent test software with simplified drag-and-drop test routines designed to dramatically reduce development of test programs.

Intepro’s PowerStar provides hundreds of fill-in-the-blank test routines offering a range of control, from single instrument function to full test procedures with easy-to-use parameter entries. Engineers can customize their programs without writing code or assembling graphs.

PowerStar can be integrated to operate across various hardware configurations and platforms. “Even if there’s already an incumbent software, our solution can be implemented and call on the other software when applicable,” Engler says.

Automated testing’s benefits

Interchanging hardware without significant software reprogramming offers substantial advantages to sectors bound by stringent regulations and federally mandated approvals, including aerospace, defense, and medical equipment manufacturing. Once test programs and procedures are established and approved, obtaining a re-approval after programming changes can be expensive. Tools such as PowerStar enable engineers to document their progress, thereby decreasing the time required to certify test programs.

Even in the absence of explicit regulations, any company manufacturing products for critical applications may be legally liable if the product malfunctions. This underscores the hidden costs associated with inadequate testing.

Today, more advanced software options can deliver unprecedented levels of flexibility for ATE engineers and operators, simplifying intricate testing procedures and saving time and resources. This only strengthens the potential of automated testing as a valuable data acquisition and diagnostic tool for testing electronics across industries.

Intepro Systems
https://inteprosystems.com