Downloaded from https://www.everyspec.com AMCP 7M.IN I Ij CHAPTER 9: TEST EQUIPMENT 9-1 INTRODUCTION The success or failure of a test program tested, the measurement equipment de- often depends on how the test equipment is tecting the output, and the equipment pro. selected, designed, procured, and tested. viding the environment to which the hard- The test equipment determines the accuracy ware is exposed during the test. of the measurements, the repeatability and usability of the results, and the cost of the Ref. 2 is a good source of material on test program; and these factors in combin- this topic, ation frequently determine whether or not the test program is worthwhile.
It is very 9.2 COMPARATIVE FEATURES important that great care be taken in choosing the test equipment. Since test It is convenient to consider several equipment is frequently more complex than features of test equipment separately, the hardware being tested, the design of namely: purpose, type of control, call- the special equipment should be given to bration, and readout. experienced engineers. Test equipment can be classified as A test equipment program should receive either general or special purpose, depending the same level of management consideration upon whether the equipment Is usable on as the design Rnd production of the hard- one or more than one type of test article, ware.
Often, more management attention General purpose test equipment should be Is required on the scheduling aspects of the used whenever possible, unless some feature test equipment program than on any other of the test program mandates the use of part of the program because of the corn- special purpose equipment. Among the plex nature of the equipment. On complex factors which may dictate special pur- programs, a test equipment coordinating pose equipment are: committee, which functions from the earli- est phase of the project until production is firmly established with proo'ed and ap- proved test equipment, should be appointed, 1.
No general purpose equipment is com- This committee may be required to super- mercially available to make the test, vise the design and development of new and unique test equipments, to delineate 2. General purpose equipment error design requirements which ensure com- Is too large and consumes too much of patibility of test equipments and hardware, the product tolerance. and to establish schedules, 3. General purpose equipment set-up Test equipment include- the equipment time Is too long, considering the frequency providing inputs to the hardware being with which the proposed test will be per- e, • . , ' _ '......."......n..nn-... h'.v+,,,,g •m _