Engineers at Northrop Grumman Electronic Sensors and Systems in Baltimore needed a rugged test controller for a classified avionics application. So they used the ETC-8 8-bit embedded test controller from Micro Networks in Worcester, Mass.
The ETC has the small size, low weight, and resistance to high temperatures that Northrop Grumman engineers need for their project, says Stu Broadwater, fellow engineer at Northrop. Broadwater declined to comment on the Northrop avionics project due to its classified nature.
Northrop Grumman experts developed the device and licensed it to Micro Networks for commercialization. It has on-board memory, internal reference, and control and communications interfaces.
Using an industry-standard Motorola MC68HC11F1 microprocessor in a 46-pin surface-mount package measuring smaller than 0.70 square inches, the device acts as a data logger to time-tag system events or gather data from fielded devices.
When used with the appropriate sensors, the ETC-8`s analog and digital I/O can capture and store fault data such as vibration, temperature, and shock in onboard EEPROM for later download and analysis.
The device features an IEEE 1149.1 control bus interface for advanced fault detection and isolation, plus an RS-485 serial communications interface for ease of output. The ETC-8 is designed to operate in the military temperature range of -55 degrees Celsius to 125 C.
The device is designed for extremely rugged, harsh-environment electronics applications in avionics, industrial, military, transportation, marine engine, and oil/gas field instrumentation. -J.M.
For more information on the ETC-8 and Micro Networks, contact James Prelack by phone at 508-852-5400 ext. 3056, by fax at 508-853-8296, by mail at Micro Networks, 324 Clark Street, Worcester, Mass., 01606, by e-mail at [email protected], or on the World Wide Web at http://www.mnc.com.
The ETC-8 8-bit embedded test controller from Micro Networks in Worcester, Mass., is being used by Engineers at Northrop Grumman Electronic Sensors and Systems for a classified avionics application.
