1. 542d Combat Sustainment Wing 2006 NCSL International Workshop & Symposium United States Air Force Metrology NextGen Calibration Automation System Presented By: Marc L. Monnin 562d Combat Sustainment Group (Metrology) Email: Marc.Monnin@AFMETCAL.af.mil

2. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING 562d CSG (Metrology) Overview  Who we are  Challenges in Automation Development  NextGen Overview Goals People required Layers – Sequencer – Measurement Module – HLL/HAL/Driver

3. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING 562d CSG (Metrology) Overview  Centralized Program for all AF Metrology  Manage over 9000 T.O.’s  Over 91,000 different part numbers  77 PMELS Users have different Calibration Equipment Calibration assets not owned/known by developers Many Calibrations with low item count Users want Automation for “Hard”/Long Calibrations

4. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Challenges in Automation Development 1.Lack of people 2.Lack of Expert knowledge when you need it 3.Rewrites every time hardware or OS changes 4.Programmers and Metrology area experts have different skill sets 5.Calibration standards keep changing

5. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING NEXTGEN Overview  Implement over time as a series of support packages for distinct types of equipment All support packages to share a common framework  Add functionality to implement features and goals over time Early packages may have simplified features, retrofit as full capability becomes available  Use State Machines as the instrument control engine Maximize efficiency of available development personnel Proven capabilities for standards substitution

6. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING State Machine  Device that stores the status of something at a given time  Can operate on input to change the status cause an action or output to take place

7. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Class Based Oscilloscope  Impedance As Impedance  VoltDivision As Double  TimeDivisionAs Double  Offset As Double  DelayTime As Double  DelayTriggerType As DelayTriggerType  TriggerCoupling As Coupling  TriggerLevel As Double  TriggerMode As TriggerMode  TriggerSlopeAs Slope  TriggerSourceAs TriggerSource  Position As Double

8. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING NextGen Goals  Faster Development Time Efficient Use of Engineers, TO Writers, Programmers  Ease of Use & Less Maintenance More Up Front Testing Common Framework “Intuitive” Common user interface  Reusable Software Common Measurement Modules Platform Independent  Substitution of Calibration Equipment State Machine & Instrument/Device Drivers  Spiral Implementation Series of support packages for equipment classes Early packages may have limited features – Retrofit as full capability becomes available or is necessary All support packages to share a common framework

9. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING People Required Automation NeedSkill Set Calibration Requirement Document Engineer Measurement Module Engineer Specific Instrument Values Technical Order Writer Measurement Module in a High Level Language Automation Team w Engineer Hardware Abstraction Level Automation Team Instrument/Drivers Automation Team

10. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Calibration Requirement Document  Engineer writes it  CRD must be up to date AF specific test for a parameter Common Vocabulary – DC Volts – DC Offset – Zero Gain Test

11. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Sequencer Measurement Module HLL/HAL/Drivers 1.XML File w values 2.Configuration 3.Test Logic 1.Technique 2.Connection Object 3.Timing 4.Takes the Measurement 1.Abstract procedure from instrument control 2.Manual or Automatic NextGen Structure

12. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Sequencer Measurement Module HLL/HAL/Drivers NextGen Sequencer  TO as XML File Test Points  Set up Equipment End Item Calibration Equipment  Control Calibration Order of Measurement – Calls Measurement Modules Monitor Pass/Fail

13. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Sequencer  Inputs a XML “TO” (Command Script)  Set up standards base on Measurement Module Allows for Equipment substitution Allows for Technique substitution  Abstracts to a high level language for calls

14. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING T.O. XML snippet 0.002 Imp.Hi 100 Test Name CRD Code Location Preset Table Header

15. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING T.O. XML snippet 0.002 -0.4000 0.4000 0.394680 0.405320 0.002 0.4000 -0.4000 -0.405320 -0.394680........... Action Script Table Row

16. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Sequencer Measurement Module HLL/HAL/Drivers NextGen Measurement Module  For each Parameter Cal Assets & Connections are known Measures “value(s)” for Performance/Results Table  Able to substitute Cal Equip  Engineer develops CRD method Modules derived from CRD Common Vocabulary TO Writer Implements  Automation team codes  Engineer Validates & Verifies

17. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Measurement Module  Parameterized measurement (AC volt, Freq, etc.)  Measurement Module Knows Setup and measurement time Accuracies Required equipment Connection Diagram – Picture – Connector types  Has it own Unit tests  Defines XML control scripts it needs

18. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Technique Substitution DMM TVC Measure Module “Technique 1” Oscilloscope Calibrator Measure Module “Technique 2 ” Both Measure DC Volts Oscilloscope

19. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Sequencer Measurement Module HLL/HAL/Drivers NextGen Measurement Module  HLL/HAL Separates TO Instructions from Instrument Commands Bus communication - Independent from Protocol – VISA, GPIB-488, USB, Ethernet, etc.  Drivers Talk to Instruments Translates HLL to vendor specific code Converts TO Instructions to Instrument Commands Using a Subset of the commands

20. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Summary 1.We work as a team. 2.Each member does what they are uniquely qualified to do (programmers program, Engineers do the science, TO writer’s put it altogether) 3.Abstract to layers to minimize rework. 4.Design measurement modules to take one measurement using a specific technique 5.Design to Interfaces and abstract out what changes 6.Test a lot.

21. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING NextGen

22. 542D COMBAT SUSTAINMENT WING Discussion/Questions