Leveraging COTS in an open system ATS architecture

The 1990s represent a time of accelerating growth in test requirements for Weapon Systems. This is coupled with a decrease in new weapon system starts. The Department of Defense (DoD) is driving toward open system architectures and maximum use of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) technology in its prime mission equipment and Automated Test Systems (ATS) designs. This presentation will discuss the evolution of the CASTE ATS design from a DOS platform using Sanders developed instrument drivers to a Microsoft Windows based implementation which leverages COTS toolset environments through industry standard software such as DLLs, Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE), and Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA). Lessons learned related to COTS based software in the ATE industry will also be discussed.