Schaffner adds ATLAS to power-supply ATE

Schaffner has developed a full suite of bridge software to allow military and avionics users of its power-supply ATE systems to program tests in ATLAS (Abbreviated Test Language for All Systems).

Schaffner has developed a full suite of bridge software to allow military and avionics users of its power-supply ATE systems to program tests in ATLAS (Abbreviated Test Language for All Systems).

Schaffner's ATE systems have proved popular and successful with both aircraft manufacturers and air forces around the world for testing the many power subassemblies found in today's military aircraft.

And in many cases, ATLAS is a popular, and sometimes mandatory, test description language.

The new ATLAS bridge software was developed for the Ministry of Defence by Schaffner to provide a generic link mechanism between the TYX PAWS (Professional ATLAS Work Station) software platform and the Schaffner PSU ATE system.

The bridge allows an ATLAS program to run on a Schaffner test system while providing full control of its hardware.

A subset of the ATLAS Verbs, Nouns and Modifiers appropriate to both power supply testing and the hardware in the target ATE systems has been implemented.

As well as supporting ATLAS programs, the bridge also allows an ATLAS programmer to run a complete PowerStar Test Object or a PowerStar test program using the NAM (Non ATLAS Module) feature provided in ATLAS.

In this way, programmers can take advantage of a vast library of existing PowerStar Test Objects which can be invoked and run within an overall ATLAS test plan.

ATLAS test application programs for testing avionic power supplies have been developed at RAF Sealand on Schaffner PSU ATEs using the ATLAS bridge.

Apsys Ltd carried out this work and also assisted Schaffner with the ATLAS bridge development programme.

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