DAYTON, Ohio, 25 Nov. 2008.ITCN Inc. has won the first contract of the new Commercialization Pilot Program (CPP) of the Department of the Air Force AFMC. The $70,000 award is an investment toward ruggedizing and transitioning prototype test equipment developed by ITCN to a final, commercial product that can be used for military avionics testing.
The Bus Characterization and Integrity Tester (BCIT) is an all-in-one test instrument for troubleshooting cables and wires, diagnosing bus health, and monitoring bus performance. The project was originally developed for the Air Force through a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract.
During beta testing, the need for a more rugged unit was identified in order to allow maintenance workers to troubleshoot and debug MIL-STD-1553 embedded avionics systems on the flightline without worrying about breakage or weather.
Bus Integrity testing provides electrical analysis of cable networks via a high-performance Time Domain Reflectometer, says a company representative. It enables cable testing for twisted pair MIL-STD-1553 cabling up to 1,000 feet long, to check for opens, shorts, and faulty shields.
The BCIT provides vital cable and bus maintenance features, and enables the user to do comparative analysis with data cataloging and capture faults that impact bus protocol, such as faulty stubs or terminals.
The BCIT is a rugged, self-contained unit, and test data can be easily programmed, monitored, recorded, and analyzed through its Microsoft Windows user interface.
"The BCIT is a great test tool for maintenance and troubleshooting of avionics systems. It can pinpoint wiring and cabling problems to within 6 inches, and is a versatile, programmable testing tool as well," says Roy Penwell, president of ITCN Inc. "Now with more rugged features added through the CPP award, it will also be a tough, weather-resistant piece of instrumentation, suitable for maintenance personnel on the flightline or in the field."
"With military cutbacks and fewer personnel available, this tool will prove to be even more valuable as time passes," adds Penwell. "The BCIT makes development, maintenance, and troubleshooting quick and accurate."
