|
Original Date: 09/14/1998
Revision Date: 01/18/2007
Information : Test Equipment Design
In 1996, Raytheon Missile Systems Company (RMSC) created a development process for automated test equipment (ATE) in accordance with the company’s IPD process, but tailored to meet ATE characteristics. This process provides a structured approach for ATE development. The user can design and fabricate the ATE within a short cycle time to coincide with production requirements and best commercial practices.
RMSC’s ATE development process creates a vehicle for fabricating low cost, standardized ATE throughout the Corporate enterprise. Additionally, the process has provided the groundwork for deploying Corporate initiatives in a consistent manner over the Intranet, complete with detailed, easy-to-follow, how-to instructions for addressing various issues (e.g., design margins, testability, producibility, correlation, fixturing/cabling). The ATE process also gives RMSC an effective way of aligning the company’s goals to support the programs’ goals via metrics and customer feedback.
Since implementing the ATE process, RMSC realized a 30% savings in labor and material expenditure on selected programs, and projects a 10% savings on future programs. Other benefits include supplemental gains in the areas of employee communications, efficient distribution of organizational data, and corresponding facilitation of the company’s continuing ISO-9001 registration process.
For more information see the
Point of Contact for this survey.
|
