How to Optimize ATE Strategies for RF and Microwave Products: Tips for Efficient Resource Utilization and Repeatability. (Bild: Pickering Interfaces Ltd.)
For the OEMs of RF and microwave products, verification through test is a crucial part of their quality assurance. However, the design and construction of automated test equipment (ATE) is a considerable drain on engineering resources, taking engineers away from their core product development duties. It is the responsibility of the business owners, directors, and other stakeholders to employ a strategy that minimizes that drain on resources while ensuring the ATE produced is fit-for-purpose and that tests are highly repeatable. Also, in the event of an increase in production, it may be necessary to produce an identical ATE later. Again, this must have minimal impact on day-today product development tasks.
In this white paper, we consider the three ways in which an RF/microwave ATE might be designed and built , specifically focusing on the signal switching and distribution subsystem.
RF & Microwave Objectives and Challenges
Products that employ radio frequency (RF) or microwave signals (MW) for the transmission of data (sometimes at high power) need to be tested as part of their quality assurance. Moreover, for some products their performance characteristics must be recorded at the final production stage for inclusion in datasheets, certificates and other paperwork that accompanies them when shipped.
In a production scenario where manual verification methods can be time consuming and error-prone, the use of ATE makes sense. The test equipment will typically include expensive RF/microwave stimulus and measurement instrumentation such as spectrum analyzers and signal generators at a minimum. It may also include more specialized equipment, such as a vector network analyzer (VNA) or, in rare circumstances, instrumentation for confirming phase matching and controlled signal lengths.
There will also be a control system (typically PC-based) and a variety of switchgear. In many cases, the instrumentation I/O needs to be shared or distributed across many test points on the device being tested. To manage size, complexity, and cost of the ATE system in these instances, a signal switching and distribution system is often considered. Depending on the complexity of the tests, the engineering team has one of three options for building their ATE: Once a decision is made to utilize a signal switching/distribution system in the ATE, the engineering team has a few options to consider for the base architecture of this system:
● Use an industry standard/COTS modular chassis/rack system and additional (external) interconnect cabling to construct the subsystem
● Use a COTS chassis/box product and additional (external) interconnect cabling to construct the subsystem
● A turnkey solution that includes (internal) interconnect cabling between the RF/microwave components.
Before discussing each in detail it is worth stressing that any ATE platform is a means to an end. It is the platform’s capabilities that are of paramount importance. They govern how thoroughly and how quickly the design under test (DUT) can be tested, which in turn supports the OEM’s business growth and reputation for delivering quality products. Importantly, test accuracy must not degrade over time, even after many millions of operations. And if there is ever a need for a second ATE – to support an increase in production, for example - for any given DUT, the test results must be the same irrespective of which ATE is used.
In Summary
The design, construction, and verification of an ATE is a drain on engineering resources. The extent of that drain will depend on the complexity of the ATE. Signal routing subsystems in particular are often afterthoughts in a system design even though they are a critical component of a test system. Companies might be able to take the extremely flexible COTS chassis and module option, in which case it becomes a relatively simple plug-and-play exercise (particularly using PXI or LXI). They can buy standard products that, where Pickering’s products are concerned, are supplied with datasheets and warranties and are subject to rigorous obsolescence management. Or the company may need one or more modified modules – to avoid the performance hit that comes with too much external wiring – in which case Pickering is able to supply these. They are treated as standard parts (i.e., given part numbers, obsolescence management etc.), so if additional units are needed later, that is not a problem.
Importantly, Pickering even treats turnkey solutions as standard products, and as illustrated above, they can be supplied within 12 to 14 weeks. Here, particularly, the questions business owners and directors of companies making RF or MW products must ask themselves are:
1. Could an ATE be designed and built in-house in such a short timeframe?
2. Even if it can, how many engineers will we need to divert from their core duties?
3. Is it the best use of their time? And, if we were to outsource the build to a systems house that promises a fast turnaround, do they have processes such as obsolescence management in place to give us peace of mind that we could return to them at a later date for an identical system?
In summary, partnering with Pickering de-risks any ATE project. Whether the project can be satisfied with standard COTS products, modified COTS products or needs something as complex as a turnkey solution, Pickering can help. The company is platform agnostic and delivers the test capabilities that are of most importance to any OEM or RF and MW products that want to make efficient use of their in-house resources.
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