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Mil/Aero Solutions
For the last 20 years, we have been providing advanced test systems to the world’s major mil/ aerospace organizations for the testing of critical space and defense electronics. Our approach to design and implementation reflects our extensive experience and commitment to new-generation test system technology. As a National Instruments Gold Alliance Partner specializing in custom mil/aero systems, WinSoft has observed and implemented test systems that incorporate the following trends :
- Acquire large amounts of data with an emphasis on the lowest-possible cost/signal ratio
- Using newer instrument control technologies for new test systems
- Maintain test equipment with obsolescence issues and support systems for more than 20 years
Case Studies
Acquiring Large Amounts of Data with a Low Cost/Signal Ratio
A mil/aero company selected WinSoft to design and develop a thermal control and monitoring system for a spacecraft and satellite system manufacturer. It needed to design a system that could monitor up to 320 temperature sensors of various types; provide real-time, closed-loop control of up to 96 heaters based on any of those temperature readings; display and store (in an SQL database) all acquired temperature sensors, heaters, and control-loop status information; and perform self-test and validation functions.
WinSoft developed the ATE system around NI hardware and software. The system consists of a real-time NI PXI chassis for data acquisition and control and a host PC for the data storage, display, and user interface. The system uses an NI R Series multifunction RIO device along with the NI LabVIEW FPGA Module to provide individual PWM control of heater power. WinSoft used the LabVIEW Real-Time Module along with the LabVIEW PID Control Toolkit to implement the heater control algorithm. Several PXI multiplexer modules route the sensor inputs to a PXI digital multimeter (DMM) to deliver high-speed acquisition of all the various sensor types. NI M Series multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devices provide additional measurement and control functions. By using NI hardware and LabVIEW software, WinSoft created a high-channel-count system that fits in a compact space. Additionally, WinSoft used NI Requirements Gateway software to capture and trace the implementation of the requirements.
WinSoft developed the ATE system around NI hardware and software. The system consists of a real-time NI PXI chassis for data acquisition and control and a host PC for the data storage, display, and user interface. The system uses an NI R Series multifunction RIO device along with the NI LabVIEW FPGA Module to provide individual PWM control of heater power. WinSoft used the LabVIEW Real-Time Module along with the LabVIEW PID Control Toolkit to implement the heater control algorithm. Several PXI multiplexer modules route the sensor inputs to a PXI digital multimeter (DMM) to deliver high-speed acquisition of all the various sensor types. NI M Series multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devices provide additional measurement and control functions. By using NI hardware and LabVIEW software, WinSoft created a high-channel-count system that fits in a compact space. Additionally, WinSoft used NI Requirements Gateway software to capture and trace the implementation of the requirements.
Mega Data Acquisition System for Environmental Testing of Spacecraft and Satellite Systems
Another satellite manufacturer was tasked with designing, developing, and building a computerized acquisition and processing system for the environmental testing of spacecraft and satellite systems in a thermal vacuum chamber. The data needed to be recorded continuously every few seconds over a period of a few months. The challenge was designing a system that could monitor up to 1,900 temperature sensors plus 10,000 telemetry and command signals of various types; perform additional user-defined calculations; provide real-time control of up to 225 heaters based on any of those temperature readings or user calculations; store the acquired data and status information; and display the results in a highly configurable GUI. The manufacturer needed 225 PID loops to run in parallel, and the operator wanted to use up to 50 different windows with various graphical and image displays in real time. Several of these systems needed to run independently while acquiring and sending data to a central Oracle database.
WinSoft created a system featuring a real-time PXI terminal and several NI SCXI chassis for data acquisition and control; a host-server PC for data storage, communication, and user access management; and multiple client PCs for the display and UI. WinSoft used the LabVIEW Real-Time Module and the LabVIEW PID Control Toolkit to implement the heater control algorithm. Several SCXI multiplexer modules route the sensor inputs to PXI DMM modules to provide high-speed acquisition of all the various sensor types. Using NI hardware and software, WinSoft delivered a high-channel-count system with excellent measurement speed and accuracy. Again, WinSoft used NI Requirements Gateway software to capture and trace the requirements implementation.
NASA Structural Stress Test Data Acquisition System
NASA needed to design and develop a structural strength test branch to provide a mobile, self-contained structural strength test data acquisition system. The new system needed to measure hundreds of signals while providing a modular software and hardware test environment. More than 15 testers had to function as a huge data acquisition system to collect real-time data during structural stress tests of space shuttle components. The tester also needed to support the layout and shape of legacy I/O panels with more than 300 circular connectors.
WinSoft used a combination of NI PXI and SCXI modules and a WinSoft custom-design PCB for calibration and synchronization. The PCB is housed inside an NI SCXI-1181K Module Components Kit, a breadboard module used to integrate custom circuitry into an SCXI system.
WinSoft used a combination of NI PXI and SCXI modules and a WinSoft custom-design PCB for calibration and synchronization. The PCB is housed inside an NI SCXI-1181K Module Components Kit, a breadboard module used to integrate custom circuitry into an SCXI system.
Building New ATE around LabVIEW and PXI
The U.S. Navy needed to design and develop a generic radio tester as a replacement for a three-rack legacy system. It required a system that could provide RF signals to a variety of radios while offering a modular software and hardware test environment. The legacy system used old instruments and had a large footprint. The new system needed to reside in one rack and support future projects for the next 10 years.
WinSoft used NI hardware and software to write a new TPS in LabVIEW and created the ATE with interchangeable modules and space for future growth. The system consists of several PXI modules, including the PXI-4070 DMM, the PXI-5412 arbitrary waveform generator, and the PXI-5670 2.7 GHz RF vector signal generator.
WinSoft used NI hardware and software to write a new TPS in LabVIEW and created the ATE with interchangeable modules and space for future growth. The system consists of several PXI modules, including the PXI-4070 DMM, the PXI-5412 arbitrary waveform generator, and the PXI-5670 2.7 GHz RF vector signal generator.