Automatic Test Systems Dedicated or Integrated

An automatic test system is composed of parts that are basically refined versions of standard measurement and test instruments. The instruments used in the automatic test system must be automatically programmable to provide the stimulus or measurement range called for by the test program and they must be capable of receiving these programmed instructions from a computer or controller that serves as the test interpreter, director, and decision maker for the test system. Another characteristic of an automatic test system is that it requires its test instruments to be capable of being connected in any desirable electrical configuration by the test systems switching matrix. The final requirement of a test system is that it have some type of man-machine interface such as a printer or visual display to inform the operator of test results and/or provide him with instructions. The number of automatic test systems in use in Canada and the U. S. today has grown greatly over the last few years. These systems fall into two categories: they are either integrated systems, composed from building blocks of general-purpose programmable measurement and stimulus devices or they are dedicated systems, comprised of specially designed special-purpose stimulus and measurement devices aimed at a specific task. This paper will examine the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches to test system design. It will highlight factors that must be considered before choosing either and will illustrate subtle and intangible aspects of this decision, which can prove crucial over the long run.