Michael Forte automated several processes at Hughes Space and Communications to streamline workflows and eliminate inefficiencies. This included automating the generation of continuity and leak check files for spacecraft harnesses, which reduced the task time from one month to just ten minutes while eliminating errors. The automation saved $250,000 annually and earned Forte several awards. He leveraged his problem-solving skills and an entrepreneurial mindset to find technological solutions that were faster, better, and cheaper than traditional manual processes.

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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5. ¡ Sample data identifies unique id of each connector/
pin on the spacecraft
CONN ( 36346 ,6147P005 ,6147P005 ,001 ,009 ,36354 )
CONN ( 36355 ,6148P005 ,6148P005 ,001 ,009 ,36363 )
CONN ( 36410 ,6034P001 ,6034P001 ,001 ,037 ,36446 )
CONN ( 36447 ,6035P001 ,6035P001 ,001 ,009 ,36455 )
CONN ( 36524 ,6036P001 ,6036P001 ,001 ,037 ,36560 )
CONN ( 36653 ,4241P015 ,4241P015 ,001 ,013 ,36665 )
ECD DATA
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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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10. The End
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