Modularity is a well-known keyword in engineering technology these days. You should engineer your (Test Platform) solution only ones and then, in such a way, you can re-use it as often as needed. fastATE can help here.
With fastATE test Platforms. the engineers from 6TL understood the advantages of modularity already 30 years ago. Since then they developed what they now call fastATE as a modular solution to build any type and size, base Test Platforms in record time. Using only quality products dedicated to test, ensuring a high flexible, modular, re-usable and reliable test platform.
6TL’s fastATE provides all the building blocks needed to turn your instrumentation into a reliable and efficient ATE system in any size or form for any desired speed and budget.
- Off-the-shelf modular approach for recurrent ATE Functions
- Standardize, while maintaining the flexibility for nonstandard tasks
- Build-in scalable and Modular technology
- Design with a proven architecture
- Reduce engineering costs and still add value
- Create ATE documentation instantly
- Shorten your time to market up to 70% using COTS components.
An example of what we call fastATE;
In many ATE’s, the engineer will face the need to automate certain things during functional test inside a fixture on the UUT, a simple example is pushing a button on the UUT. Typically, pneumatic actuation will be preferred, which will mean designing a pneumatic cabinet. Each engineer will typically design this cabinet in a different way, and using different bare materials (air tubing, air filter and manual valves, a bank of elektro valves, cable ducts,…). In addition, the location of the cabinet will vary on each ATE.
To control the valves, spare I/O in the PLC or ATE controller will be needed, and code will have to be implemented. This involves a lot of engineering work, and this is repeatable work, meaning that for every ATE designed, the same kind of solution must be developed again and again, wasting valuable engineering time and cost. And then we did not even talk about the ordering and buying process involved getting all these parts in house.
The above is non-recurring engineering, or an engineering task that is repeated on almost every project, and is typically solved in a different way each time.
The YAV90PNE Pneumatic subsystem is part of the 6TL fastATE technology and ends the above phenomenon, a 6TL fastATE module that fits directly inside the tester interface has been developed among many other modules that do exactly this, getting writ of recurring engineering. 6TL turned non-recurrent engineering into recurrent engineering, that will be used for every project.
• 10 three-way pneumatic valves to directly control 10 simple or 5 double-effect cylinders
• 12 inputs for position sensors to cover typical pneumatic I/O needs
• Pressure sensor to control the air inlet pressure level
• NI LabVIEW drivers and API for all modules
• Available NI TestStand custom step types
• Test system resources monitoring with Phi6 software.
Next to the YAV90PNE 6TL provides many other modules that fit this modular FastATE approach, like matrixes, general purpose switching, Power switching, RF Switching, Power supply control, LED detection, Boundary Scan, ICP Programming etc etc. Click on the above brochure image to see what is available.
Eliminate cabling using YAVBoards as part off you Test Platforms.
YAVBoards in a test system eliminate all cabling that you normally have beween a switch, matrix, mux or other instrument and the Mass Interconnect Interface. As a yav board is integrated directly inside the VPC receiver there is no cabling at all providing you with the following advantages
- no interference or crosstalk beween independent wires as there are no additional wires
- very short signal path as there is no wires between the instruments in the test rack and the interface.
- fast and easy integration directly inside the VPC interface and accessible from the front or easy top remove from the back.
- Large cost savings due to not having to add expensive cabling between your switch and the receiver
- Simplyfing you system wiring diagram as there are far less cables needed
- Software support for Labview and Teststand as also Canbus
- Communication only through CanBus making connecting multiple boards very quick and easy by just daisy chaining them.
- Due to the standard layout and simple Canbus connection of all YAVModules, selftest counter modules are available
All the Benefits of FastATE?
| FastATE, explained with the 6TL-33 handler. |
Thanks to this approach, test engineers and ATE integrators can:
- Design their ATEs with a proven architecture perfected by feedback from multiple customers in a variety of industries
- Significantly reduce engineering costs
- Provide simple yet highly powerful and scalable systems that can meet present and future needs
- Standardize the ATE while maintaining enough flexibility for addressing nonstandard needs
- Create their test bench documentation almost instantly
- Achieve shorter time to market due to the maximum reuse of COTS components
Test systems realised with fastATE technology, More test systems in action on our video page. List of the available fastATE modules.
