Software replacement of test module adapters for depot instrumentation due to obsolescence

Depot level automatic test equipment has been used over the years by various facets of both the government and commercial industry. Over time, the instrumentation used in the depot will need to be repaired or replaced and often the older instruments are no longer serviceable or manufactured. This paper discusses how to replace the obsolete instrument and its associated hardware test module adapter with a software module and driver that allows compatibility between the original test executive and the modern instrument without re-hosting existing test program sets. Systems & Electronics Inc. has implemented this procedure for a digitizer and precision DC power supply on a depot that utilizes the IEEE-488 General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) for communication between the control computer and instrumentation.