Original Date: 06/05/2006
Revision Date: / /

The implementation of Rockwell Collins’ Test Data Management System will provide thousands of test points to accurately detect failures and conduct effective analysis that will benefit engineering when conducting fault isolation and root cause analysis, resulting in overall operation cost reduction.

Rockwell Collins’ engineering and manufacturing services are located in 14 factory locations worldwide. Each location employs “stovepipe” systems to collect and manage test data on multiple product lines. The Test Data Management System (TDMS) allows Rockwell Collins to integrate these systems into one common data collection point while reducing troubleshooting, labor, test, and scrap rates. This unique system provides quick test yield and statistical process feedback to operations and manufacturing that can be used for insight into root cause analysis, fault isolation, and design margin limits. Operations can then take the appropriate actions to resolve potential trends that may adversely affect system performance and reliability.

Formidable engineering development model volumes prompted the need for Rockwell Collins to include data collection for multiple test points. The company’s former system collected data during premanufacturing, was not automated, and provided minimal test-point reporting. The implementation of TDMS supplies data for thousands of test points, supporting timely and accurate failure identification analysis. Each data point captured represents the potential for future monetary gains in cost-of-nonconformance savings for the company.

TDMS combines the Arendar test data management system and the internally developed Test Data Analysis Program (TDAP II) software suite to replace existing systems. Automated test procedures and environmental stress- screening procedures are removed from existing systems and captured in the TDMS, which uses normal probability and standard deviation calculations to determine upper- and lower-control limits that alert engineering to potential problems requiring immediate attention. Drop-down menus enable users to detail data searches and results, facilitating troubleshooting and analysis. Exposure to test yields prior to manufacturing reduces costs and alerts engineering to potential failure trends that provide operations the opportunity to address problems before they become costly rework or scrap. The inputs and outputs of the TDMS (Figure 2-2) are characterized in various stages within the test cycle when failures are captured (e.g., in-circuit, subassembly, module, top-level, and burn-in).

Approximately 27% of all test operations are currently incorporated into the new TDMS, and Rockwell Collins has already experienced significant savings in root cause analysis and resultant repairs. Implementation of the TDMS will cost approximately $200,000-$300,000 annually, with savings of approximately $14 million projected annually.

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