9 October 2010 Posted by Fred Beckhusen History

Casablanca Fan Company’s production line needed high speed, automatic test equipment for their innovative fan control module.     The test system we delivered consists of  a microprocessor controlled  bed-of-nails fixture and a custom hardware platform.      With technical support from MTSI, within four months the production rate was over 1,000 units per month. .

The operator inserts the fan module into the test head, and lowers the lid.   A magnetic switch detects the closure of the test head, energizing a latch and a test start sequence.    The test is completely automatic, with failure codes and reports logged to a printer.    The computer control is a custom microprocessor-based system developed by MTSI for use in dedicated testers.

 

Due to the high volume production rate, five additional testers were quickly manufactured and delivered by MTSI.   

The test equipment requirements were complicated by the 110 volt operation of the fan module.  All tests had to be run at line voltage, requiring  hazardous line voltages to be isolated from the operator.  The resulting test takes only a few seconds to completely check the board and 4-bit computer.