Testing

A suite of Tests have been designed to help the User detect, isolate and investigate faults on wiring, harnesses, looms, connections and circuit boards.  These faults can range from nanosecond intermittent faults to dry solder joints, and from shorts to open circuits, to changes in LCR characteristics.  The tests have been designed to build on the results obtained from the previous tests and thus diagnosis faults to the root cause.  It is recommended that the User performs a Continuity Test from the outset and review the results for basic connectivity.  If the continuity passes, then a Shorts test should be conducted to ensure fully sense and connectivity of the ITA and the UUT.  Once these baseline point2point tests are carried, then various Intermittence Testing can be performed using different settings to find intermittent faults.   Should intermittent events be detected, then other instrumentation and functions, such as the Click&Test™ functions can be used, eg LogScope™, to establish/confirm the fault and help determine the possible fault mechanism.

 

 

While none of the tests have been purposely designed to find a break down in cable insulation, ie like Hi-Pot and cable insulation testing, using some of the testing regimes can help the User find faults in cable insulation.  These functions include Shorts, Intermittency, LogScope™, SSTDR and Tracker testing.

 

Applying careful mechanical stimulation is often required to precipitate intermittency, by simulating the dynamic conditions the UUT experiences when it is operating.  The stimulation applied should be tailored to the UUT size.  It can range from tapping gently on a circuit card edge with a small plastic screwdriver handle to lightly manipulating cables, to tapping/vibrating the system casing, to use of a full environmental chamber.  Whatever mechanisms employed, use discretion and do not over stress the UUT thermally or mechanically.  The suite of tests, especially the Intermittency test, are designed to detect the smallest changes down to nanosecond events, and so there is not really any need to over stress the system.  If there is an intermittent fault, the IFD™ TE will find it.

 

 

  Copernicus Technology Ltd does not accept any responsibility for damage which may occur to the UUT during the process of environmental exercise from thermal or mechanical stress/es as determined by the test engineer.