Using built-in-test to reduce TPS run times and improve TPS reliability

This paper addresses using information derived from Built-in-Test (BIT) to fault diagnose Units Under Test (UUTs), wherever possible. This philosophic approach to diagnostic testing is not new. It has been studied over and over again over the past 20 years under the visor of “Integrated Diagnostics”, but it has yet to be truly implemented in a “real life” military diagnostic test environment. The mindset of TPS design engineering, along with customer and contractor management alike, remains “complete diagnostic testing based upon single catastrophic component failure modes”. If we are to generate cost efficient TPSs under reduced military budget constraints, this will have to change. The test engineer must be encouraged to use methodologies to speed up development time and decrease TPS run times. Using present technology, this is possible now, and as the technology matures, will become a truly viable approach in the future. For the purpose of this paper, the author relies heavily on his extensive US Navy ATE and TPS experience, as well as on previous studies performed on using BIT to fault diagnose UUT failures on US Naval Air weapon systems