Interface test adapters (ITA) "Design to Build" a primer on rapid availability, reduced cost, and improved maintainability

Interface test adapters (ITAs) are truly the place where the "rubber meets the road" in any automated test system (ATS). As the primary electrical interface between the ATS and the unit under test (UUT), the ITA occupies a critical juncture in the overall effectiveness of the ATS concept. For military applications where identical ITA configurations will be produced to support various field or depot installations, ITA reliability, repairability, and cost of production are valid considerations in evaluating design concepts. This paper outlines a "Design to Build" approach that applies to all ITA programs and that is currently being successfully applied to a DoD program that requires interface of a Teradyne Spectrum 9000 Series ATS (using a two-tier mass connection panel) with various units to be tested (line and shop repairable). The design approach described results in an ITA that can be: 1) easily and cost effectively produced (in various quantities to support deployment schedules); 2) electrically configured to replicate legacy system design in a rapid and accurate manner (for non-supportable legacy ATS replacement programs); 3) adapted to various configurations to support a range of UUTs at a field or depot facility; and 4) easily repaired as the removable case design allows full ITA electrical access for troubleshooting and repair. In illustrating the "Design to Build" concept, this paper addresses considerations affecting ITA electrical design, structural integrity, and subassembly concepts.