1. Michael ForteMY TECH PROJECT(S)
A CASE STUDY ON AUTOMATION AT HUGHES SPACE AND COMM
2. ¡ Gained insight to streamline and automate processes
through software and data management
¡ A few of the major implementations:
§ Automated Tube Bending Drawings (B-1B)
§ Automated Risk Management Process (AEHF)
§ Web-based Requirements Traceability and Verification (GPS III)
§ Airport Guide CD and AirportGuide.com (Personal)
§ Automated Harness Continuity and Leak Check (FACT 2) (Hughes)
INFORMATION & AUTOMATION
Eliminated inefficiencies and automated processes in nearly every assignment
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3. ¡ Assigned Task: Manually generate a FACT
2 test file to verify (continuity and leak
check) an installed spacecraft harness of
over 9000 pin-to-pin connections
¡ Time for task: 1 month
¡ Pitfalls: Manual process prone to human
error
¡ Process:
§ Match every wire in the electrical circuit
diagram (ECD) to the harness spreadsheet
§ Identify the wire gauge and resistance
§ Manually create continuity and leak data
records to go in FACT 2 file.
HARNESS CONTINUITY & LEAK OVERVIEW
Entrepreneurial mindset allowed improvement of the traditional task
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4. ¡ Goal: Take existing ECD and harness databases,
import them into FileMaker Pro, and have the
software ‘slice and dice’ the data to automatically
generate the FACT 2 harness test file.
THERE HAD TO BE A BETTER WAY
ECD
DB
Harness
DB
FileMaker Pro
Scripting
FACT 2 File
Airport Guide knowledge leveraged for spacecraft harness verification
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6. ¡ Sample data identifies connector-pin from and to with
resistance tolerances for continuity checks
4251P001-011 4251P001-018 14±2 REST
4251P001-040 4251P001-041 14±2 REST
4251P001-001 4251P001-005 14±2 REST
4251P001-026 4251P001-033 14±2 REST
4231P007-005 GROUND 60±6 REST
4232P007-005 GROUND 60±6 REST
HARNESS DATA
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7. HEADER (STL ODIN BUS MODULE CONTINUITY AND LEAK TESTS, ,B5.PAR,STD.FMT,)
WRITE(WHEN=ALWAYS,DEST=CRT,LPT;ACTION=WAIT
;TEXT=
STL ODIN BUS MODULE HARNESS SHAKEDOWN
RESISTANCE AND DIODE TEST PROGRAM
TEST SPEC NO. TP 80615-H04-651 REV. -
WRITE(WHEN=ALWAYS; DEST=CRT
HARNESS ASSY. NO. 8026900-100 / 8027313
WIRE LIST NO. 8026900-300 REV. (-) EO'S: NONE
8027314 REV. (-) EO'S: EO-01
DATABASE DATE: 10-12-01
(321) DATABASE DATE: 09-28-01
TEST SPEC. NO. TP
CREATED BY: SEAN PHANG ON 11-25-01
;)
CONT(IDC;F00000[GROUND]T36944[4001P004-035]T36945[4001P004-036])
CONT(T36946[4001P004-037]T37850[4003P004-035]T37851[4003P004-036])
CONT(T37852[4003P004-037]T37944[4002P004-035]T37945[4002P004-036])
CONT(T37946[4002P004-037]T38619[1000J001-010]T38643[1000J001-034])
CONT(T38662[1000J001-053]T38663[1000J001-054]T38664[1000J001-055])
CONT(T38665[1000J001-056]T38666[1000J001-057]T38667[1000J001-058])
CONT(T38668[1000J001-059]T38669[1000J001-060]T43442[4003P001-033])
CONT(T43443[4003P001-034]T43444[4003P001-035]T43445[4003P001-036])
LEAK(VDC;F36011[9031P001-00B])
LEAK(VDC;F36012[9031P001-00C])
LEAK(VDC;F36015[9031P001-00F])
LEAK(VDC;F36017[9042P001-00B])
LEAK(VDC;F36018[9042P001-00C])
LEAK(VDC;F36021[9042P001-00F])
SAMPLE FACT 2 FILE
Sample final output of FACT 2 File for harness shakedown
FACT 2 file generated with 20k lines , 0 errors, 10 minutes
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8. ¡ Reduction in task from 1 man month with data errors to 10
minutes with 0 errors
¡ Savings of $250K annually to test operations
¡ Four awards from Hughes (group, department, division, and
corporate levels)
¡ Expanded this effort to include T&C signals and test
procedures to identify what signals are tested and which test
phase they are tested in for verification purposes.
HARNESS CONTINUITY & LEAK RESULTS
Faster, Better, and Cheaper
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9. ¡ Be ready to change direction
§ Change is the only constant. Don’t be too set in your ways if
someone has a different, and possibly better approach
¡ Trust your gut
§ The FACT 2 test automation faced much resistance the first few
weeks by senior staff that couldn’t comprehend what I was trying to
do and had always done this task manually.
§ If you know it’s the right thing to do then you need to push on and
get buy-in.
LESSONS LEARNED
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