Giordano Automation has established a strategic partnership with Hughes Technical Services Company aimed at providing highly integrated, intelligent, Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) products. Giordano Automation's "Class V" expansions to the Hughes AIMSS (Advanced Integrated Maintenance Support System) package include Model-Based Diagnostics, Intelligent Adaptive Training, Integrated Instrumentation and full data logging for feedback to a centralized Integrated Weapon System Database. With the integration of the Diagnostician, AIMSS classifies as a true Class V IETM.
Model-Based Diagnostics
Demo and Literature available!
Replacing traditional troubleshooting procedure fault trees with the Diagnostician's dynamic model-based reasoning provides many benefits for field level maintenance technicians. The technician is never left hanging without a solution when equipment is unavailable because the Diagnostician can accept test results in any order without a preset sequence. The Diagnostician simply suggests another test to perform. The Diagnostician can also detect multiple faults within a system easily and quickly. Only tests which have the most diagnostic significance are requested by the Diagnostician based on a snapshot of fault possibilities so that the quickest path to finding the fault is taken. This capability will dramatically change the nature of troubleshooting procedures inherent in field level maintenance. Dynamic diagnostic reasoning, and the ability to access any test data from any source and in any sequence, will eliminate cumbersome troubleshooting procedures that rely on static fault trees.
Intelligent Adaptive Training
Demo Presentation available for download!
Adaptive Training: Intelligent Adaptive Training brings the IETM to a higher level of support for technicians out in the field. In the Intelligent Training scenario, training is integrated into the IETM. Each technical procedure includes training on the skills required to perform that procedure and an assessment test which tests the user's comprehension of the technical material. Test results are correlated to a training model and a skill analysis is performed. The analysis is stored inside that user's personal profile. As the software learns the abilities of each user in specific skill areas, it begins to "adapt" the IETM to that user's skill level by triggering the presentation of the apropriate training inside the IETM. This ability to "adapt" greatly improves the sustainment training capability of an IETM. Each user receives individualized training which sustains his technical knowledge and capabilities easily and effectively.
Personnel Skill Assessment: Intelligent Adaptive Training also provides supervisors with a method for assessing the capabilities of personnel. A detailed skill assessment is performed using the same user profiles used to "adapt" the IETM to the user's skill level. In addition to the skill assessment software, supervisors can also design their own tests around the skills required to perform specific missions. By administering and collecting test results for analysis the supervisor can get a more detailed snapshot of his personnel.
Centralized Support Facility: All training information is logged and can be extracted and sent back to a centralized Integrated Weapon System Database facility for further analysis and feedback to the training facilities and IETM developers.
Integrated Instrumentation
Demo and Literature available!
All the "Class V" services have been seamlessly integrated using Dynamic Link Library (DLL) function. Templates describing each function are selected and added to AIMSS frames. These templates act as a gateway for any DLL function which may be required by the IETM. Dynamic Link Libraries can be instrumentation drivers or specialized user routines. This open architecture allows for the integration of any instrumentation!
Automatic conversion software captures troubleshooting logic and converts it to dynamic model-based diagnostics. Any format of legacy data can be captured using an intermediate SGML tagged format. Sources of data can be any digitized format including SGML, ASCII, or OCR generated text files.
This new break through in technology was a result of a research program sponsored by the Advanced Technology Office of the US Army TMDE Activity, Redstone Arsenal, working with the US Army Armament Research and Development Command (ARDEC) Logistics Engineering Directorate, and Giordano Automation. As a result of this project, MIL STD 2361 troubleshooting trees from the NBCRS Fox Vehicle re-formatted into dynamic model-based diagnostics.
Since the Diagnostician can interpret test result data from any source and in any order, and can interpret as many test results at once as the test source can provide, and can identify multiple independent faults, the resulting diagnostic capability will be dramatically improved over static, order-dependent, one-test-at-a-time diagnostic trees that are the norm for field level maintenance. This approach also allows for much better integration with a system's built-in test resources.
Giordano Automation has been awarded a Patent by the US Patent Office on the technology embodied in the Diagnostic Profiler and Diagnostician products.
The Diagnostician is implemented as collection of services contained in a function library that can be integrated into virtually any test environment. The Diagnostician acts as a true server, providing automatic fault isolation services to any client program which calls upon its function. These services can be used by any application to provide seamless diagnostic capability.
The Diagnostician function library has been implemented as a Dynamic Link Library for operating in LabVIEW, ATEasy, and Visual Basic Windows 3.x or Windows 95 / Windows NT environments. The Diagnostician is also available as an OLE/COM object for use in 32-bit Windows systems. It has also been implemented in many Unix environments, including HP Unix, Interactive Unix, SCO Unix, VAX VMS, and Sun Solaris. As a library of functions, the Diagnostician can be provided in any operating environment.
Under a contract with GEC Marconi, the Diagnostician has been seamlessly integrated into the Teradyne L353. The Diagnostician sits along side of LASAR, performing automated diagnostics call-out for analog boards and for the analog sections of mixed signal boards. Fourteen test programs have been written using the Diagnostician for fault isolation. The test system, test programs and Diagnostician are being transitioned to Warner Robins ALC for depot maintenance.
The Diagnostician will read test results and provide a diagnostic call-out. It does this by correlating test results to a diagnostic model of the item under test which is derived from CAD data (edif netlists) using the development system, the Diagnostic Profiler. The user identifies what tests will be performed in run-time and the diagnostic knowledge base is complete. Use of the Diagnostician will allow the writing of much less complicated test routines, because all of the diagnostic logic which is normally "hard-coded" into the test routine is contained in the diagnostic knowledge base. It is a simple process, and provides a comprehensive fault isolation capability without writing expensive diagnostic tests and flow charts.
In February 1997, Giordano Automation formally released Version 3.0 of the Diagnostic Profiler which operates under Windows 95 and Windows NT. The new Diagnostic Profiler has a windows-oriented graphical user interface and supports a wide range of new functions. Gerard Giordano, President of Giordano Automation said "The transition to Windows 95 / Windows NT enables our tools to fit a broader cross-section of the EDA marketplace. Our tools will be fully compatible with virtually every engineer's operating environment and CAD platform." Mr. Giordano went on to say that the last few year's applications of the tools by customers has resulted in so many enhancements and advanced tool set features, that re- packaging the features into a new User Interface made sense.The tools were restructured as a series of distinct functions. An overall roadmap now guides the user through implementation and monitors the status of individual projects as they proceed through the process.
The Diagnostic Profiler is a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) testability analysis and Diagnostician design tool. The Diagnostic Profiler consists of Import Design tools for design data capture from CAD systems (EDIF or VHDL), Test Specification tools, Testability Analysis tools, Run-Time Knowledge Base Generation tools and Diagnostic V&V tools, including the Maintenance Simulator, Reconfiguration Exerciser, and Test Data V&V tool.
Product Literature Available!
As a result of the ongoing applications of the Diagnostician several new software tools have been developed and included in the latest version of the Diagnostic Profiler development system.
The Diagnostics Verification & Validation tool provides the test programmer with a method for improving diagnostics resulting from test program changes off-line without tying up the test station.
The HP 3070/3075 import tool creates a model based on digital fault simulator data. This provides a method of improving the digital fault isolation capability provided by the HP 3070/3075. Both fault signature data and guided probe results are supported by this tool.
The Combine Designs Wizard links the models of separate laminas into one diagnostic unit. This supports the capture of a design from seperate CAD data schematics. GEC Marconi Hazeltene has used this tool successfully on several boards.
The Test Restriction Wizard provides a revolutionary approach for ensuring that only valid test sequences will be called for by the Diagnostician. For example, tests which require power on will be permitted only when safe to turn on tests have passed.
For your copy of either the new Maintenance Simulator or the latest Diagnostician for LabVIEW, please e-mail us at gainfo@giordano.premise.com or call 973-729-5888.