Product category:
PCB Assembly Equipment and Tools
News Release from: EADS Test and Services | Subject: Mobile workshops
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 12 December 2005
Mobile workshops provide field
maintenance support
Racal Instruments Group has launched a range of mobile workshops to provide comprehensive field maintenance support for a wide range of electronic and optronic systems.
Racal Instruments Group (RIG) , an EADS Test and Services company, and pioneer of test technology for over 40 years has launched a range of mobile workshops to provide comprehensive field maintenance support for a wide range of electronic and optronic systems The standard workshop comprises comprehensive digital/analogue electronics and optronics test system, installed into an air-conditioned, EMC- and EMP-protected 14 or 20ft ISO container, an automated test station controlling both the electronics and optronics test, and incorporating IETM, embedded training and trend analysis (HUMS) facilities
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 3 Sep 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Typical systems within the workshops' support capability are communications, (including EW Commint and Elint) avionics, optronics, weapon systems, and vehicle electronics.
The facilities can be customised to suit the actual ranges of systems to be supported and their respective maintenance workloads.
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Housed in a shock-mounted rack on the forward bulkhead of the shelter, the multipurpose automated test equipment (ATE) uses high precision instrumentation, controlled by a ruggedised PC station running a range of software tools for the creation, control and operation of test programs.
The ATE system offers a concise and easy to understand interface for functional and diagnostic test applications, for rapid test and diagnosis.
The complete workshop provides: screen testing of line replaceable units (LRUs); fault finding diagnosis to whatever subassembly/PCB/component level; required interactive technical manuals (IETM) and embedded training facilities; trend analysis of test performance data for use in health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) exercises; and test program visibility and local modification (subject to authorised access).
The workshops together with their own trailer mounted power supplies can be deployed anywhere that has vehicle access.
They are also able to deploy subsets of the test system further forward in the form of dismounted test facilities transported either by smaller utility vehicles or by hand.
Like the main workshop these dismounted elements are fully ruggedised for use in a wide range of climatic zones.
First, Racal's Rapid Deployable Ruggedised Test System comprises a modular suite of test resources, for use in operational bases beyond the reach of the vehicle mounted workshop itself.
Secondly, Racal's Front Line Integrated Test Systems (FLITS and Mini-FLITS) are ruggedised laptop-based facilities that encapsulate test and diagnosis functions selected from the main ATE system for front line application.
There they interrogate the equipment's own built-in test facility and add extra tests to ensure suspect equipment is correctly identified as faulty before replacement.
These mobile workshops are the state-of-the-art general purpose field maintenance facilities that has given the British Army sterling service in remote operations over the past two decades.
Such service will be required in the foreseeable future for others also engaged in the growing expeditionary nature of today's military operations.
Peter Milmer, Racal Instruments Operational Business Manager, commented: "The compactness of modern test technology coupled with new smart system software enables flexible comprehensive resources to be built into a small space".
"Field support no longer needs truckloads of specialised test equipment dedicated to specific technology areas".
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