Original Date: 04/28/1995
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Lockheed Martin uses Process Validation to meet the requirements of test environments, customer demands, concept and design review baselines, and design standards. Process Validation ensures the accuracy, repeatability, and reliability of the process through analysis and independent verification.

Process Validation includes simulation and modeling, a test station validation plan, and a production readiness assessment. Simulation and modeling encompasses circuit simulation and analysis, mechanical simulation and dynamic analysis, verification of tests performed, input power and signal verification, test station and UUT damage protection, software walkthrough of critical modules, correlation and repeatability, UUT failure mode analysis, and self test capability. Production Readiness Assessment is under development and will ultimately be conducted by an independent team consisting of Quality Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Industrial Engineer and Customer. Production Readiness Assessment consists of assessing the Factory and Depot Test Equipment, Production Tooling, Test Procedures, Calibration Procedures, Preventive Maintenance Plans, Equipment Operating Instructions, UUT Testability and Producibility, and Production Flow.

This Process Validation approach presents benefits such as a reduction in test station debug time, faster ramp-up to full rate production, lower production support costs, verification of production line readiness, early availability of process variability data, efficient production test flow, verification of product testability and producibility and achievement of test equipment accuracy levels of ten to one.

Because all process validation methods are integrated, unnecessary tests are eliminated, numbers of test equipments required are reduced, production bottlenecks are identified early in the manufacturing cycle, and production costs are minimized.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.