MASS INTERCONNECT, A PRIMER
In simple terms, Mass Interconnect provides a means of connecting a unit requiring testing to a piece of automated test equipment. The brilliance of Mass Interconnect is its' concise repeatability, speed and ease of use.
Mass Interconnect consist of two sub units. The receiver and the ITA (interchangeable test adapter).
On the test equipment side is the receiver interface. The receiver provides the socket side of the interface. It can be mounted onto the test equipment using a variety of mounting hardware specifically designed for a particular model or manufacturer. The receiver is the heart of the connection system. The complexity of this unit is quite amazing. Its' purpose is to properly align the connections in the "modules" of both the receiver and ITA and mate them with the proper force to ensure proper signal/current flow. This requires a sophisticated engagement system. The importance of proper engagement is to ensure a complete electrical connection between the mating pin/socket contacts. Alignment is also a crucial factor. Variants of a thousandths of an inch are critical at the sizes required for these connections.
The receiver holds an assortment of "modules" that house a variety of electrical contacts. Modules can be made from varying materials depending on the desired electrical characteristics. Most common is NEMA Grade Epoxy Glass G10. This substance's characteristics offer greater electrical isolation values and can be readily milled using the proper equipment. With cost and consistency being the motivating factors, G10 is a material of choice.
The connection. There are a myriad of connections that need to be considered. The type of signal can be either digital of analog. The frequency range can be DC up to 40 gigahertz. Currents can be up to 50 amps. Then there are the instances where the use of thermocouple, vacuum and pneumatic are required. All these connections are completed in the modules. There can be several thousand connections made in a single engagement between the receiver and the ITA.
The interface between the modules and the test fixtures is achieved by using either PC boards, pre-configured patch-cords or Flex Connectors. The determining factors being the platform of the test unit and system build cost considerations.
On the unit under test side is the ITA and supporting hardware.
The ITA is the plug to the receiver's socket. The ITA holds the mirroring connections to the receiver. The same criteria holds true for both the ITA and receiver. Proper alignment is critical as well as connection engagement. At this point we need to get all the test points from the ITA to the UUT (unit under test). An aluminum enclosure is attached to the ITA. The enclosure can have a hinged door or have a removable face. This versatility of the enclosure is limitless. There are a multitude of connectors, barrier strips and strain relief that can be utilized to connect the ITA contacts to the final device to be tested.
Mass Interconnect will save you time, money and can bring your products online with a quicker turnaround than conventionally wired test systems. It can be configured to test one or test many devices concurrently. Mass Interconnect is the future of system analysis.
