RF-Antenna Communication Links Functional Test
RF-Functional Test Cell with Rotary Indexing Table
Application Description
The application encompasses functional tests of very large quantities of automotive antenna amplifiers, plus parallelization of tests by implementing several test stations in a rotary indexing table. The DUTs are inserted manually and after final assembly, they are loaded into the rotary table; this requires manual triggering by the operator. Testing takes place at the following stations of the rotary table:
- Checks of connector colors and screw lengths
- Functional tests by means of RF transmission measurements, testing of diversity functions, et. al.
- Functional tests, including assessment of the 3-channel radio controlled central locking
- Laser labelling of the DUTs and readout of the labeled data matrix code
- Automatic extraction of DUTs that have failed the test by means of a pneumatic gripper, and disposal of these parts in a bad parts box
Special Features
LXinstruments serves as the general contractor for the entire automation technology. Currently, there are 4 identical rotary indexing tables in use at the customer site, plus a large number of individual test systems.
Customer-specific Software
The test stations were implemented as independent software instances with parallel processing. Communication between the test stations and the PLC controller takes place via serial communication, based on IEEE-1349. All tests are fully retraceable; the test data is stored on a central database server, based on the LXinstruments test database. The entire solution was developed based on the LXinstruments standard software architecture, with additional functions for communicating with the automation technology.
| LX-TSCOE4 Operator Interface... | |
| ✓ | LX-TSCOE Legacy OP |
| ✓ | LX-Test Database... |
| LX-Magpie Evaluation Software... | |
| LX-Woodcreeper Database API... | |
| NI TestStand... | |
| ✓ | Keysight TestExec SL... |
| Associated Research Autoware | |
| ✓ | LX-Test Step Library |
| C#... | |
| C++... | |
| NI LabVIEW... | |
| ✓ | Keysight VEE... |