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S-MATRIX	THE NEXT GENERATION SYSTEMS
Technology Consulting, Contracting, Systems Integration, Project Management, Research & Development (R&D)
Operating Paradigm: General Contracting Applied to Technology Projects
Disciplines: Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Computer Science, Engineering Science, Industrial Design
Expertise: Quality (QC /QA) , Computers, Software, Electronics Automation, Calibration, Control, Data Acquisition & Analysis, Instrumentation, Test & Measurement
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Clients- Projects-Systems: Aerospace, Alternate Energy, Avionics, Biotech, Defense, Computer Networking, Desalination, Efficient Energy Use, GPS, Manufacturing, Mineral Exploration, Ocean Engineering,  Photonics, Submersibles, Sustainability, Telecommunications, VoIP
31+ Years in Business

Welcome to the S-MATRIX Group Web Site where

"Client Satisfaction is SRS#1 (System Requirement Specification #1)"

Reference 1:

Client / Project Profile

S-MATRIX Builds Avionics Test Bench for Allied Signal Aerospace

Testing the Sikorsky S-76 Helicopter

Automatic Flight Control and Heading Hold Electronics

S-MATRIX Enterprises Inc., a Technology Consulting, Contracting, Systems Integration, Project Management and R&D Company founded in 1978, has completed many innovative projects in diverse fields, including projects for Fortune 100 clients.

Recently, S-MATRIX built an Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Avionics Test Bench in Vancouver for a Fortune 100 client, Allied Signal Aerospace (ASA). The S-MATRIX ATE (see photograph above) was ASA's first ever, custom built system that was totally configured by the software. Subsequently, ASA moved the ATE to Montreal as the showpiece for its latest efforts to secure contracts and support from the Federal Government. S-MATRIX has supported this ATE, including its Graphical User Interface (GUI), via modem. We have also done remote troubleshooting, training and programming from our Vancouver office.

The ATE has the following key characteristics and specs:

• Designed, built, programmed & tested in close collaboration with the client

• PC controlled instrumentation via GPIB (General Purpose Interface Bus) & VXI crate

• Rackmount PC & stand-alone off-the-shelf instrumentation

• Graphical User Interface (GUI)

• Field tested during construction and programming

• For a specific Unit Under Test (UUT): modular instruments and an Interface Test Adapter (ITA) define the hardware configuration; the actual test procedures are fully configurable in software

• Manual testing ~ 25-30 man-hours; using the S-MATRIX ATE for the test procedures ~20-25 minutes

• Unique innovative proprietary S-MATRIX Quality procedures introduced, developed and approved by Quality experts

• S-MATRIX reusable software: instrument drivers, tools and utilities, test procedures

• Reusable hardware: modular test bench for other automated or manual testing. Whatever the instrumentation specs permit manually can be automated, repeated and extended

• ASA payback period less than 1 year

The ATE was initially configured and programmed to test the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter AFC (Automatic Flight Control) and HH (Heading Hold) autopilot amplifiers. They are probably the most difficult cockpit electronics to test. Other ASA avionics operations in Canada and the USA, and the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) predicted that S-MATRIX would be fortunate indeed if it automated more than 30-40% of the certified test procedures using the proposed technology. Actually, the S-MATRIX ATE automated 100% of the test procedures. The original total R&O (Repair & Overhaul) time was approximately 2 weeks with a turnaround time of ~6 weeks. The S-MATRIX ATE reduces the autopilot troubleshooting time from about 25-30 hours to ~20-25 minutes and the turnaround time to as little as 24 hours. The S-76 operators pay the same price for the new R&O because of the improved service, reduced downtime and reduced need for spares (a critical industry parameter). The payback period for this ATE application is less than 1 year.

One of the very challenging and innovative features of the S-MATRIX ATE design is the solution to the Quality and Certification problems of the hardware, software and particularly the system. The ATE hardware components can each be separately calibrated and individually certified as was done for manual testing. The ATE software is written, documented and tested according to well established industry standards. Consequently, all of the test specification procedures can be easily identified and compared with corresponding software procedures.

The problem of the certification of the current system remains. The solution to this problem is found in the answer to the key question: How is the electronics technician, nicknamed Rudy1, certified to perform the required procedures? The answer is, of course, to have an authorized inspector audit and verify Rudy1 while performing all, or a statistically significant sample, of the tests.

The S-MATRIX ATE, nicknamed Rudy2, can be certified in exactly the same way. In certification mode, Rudy2 stops at every auditable verification point in the test procedure. The same authorized inspector can then verify testing performance in exactly the same way as with the human Rudy.

Some key factors determining the commercial viability of ATE for any application are lengthy and elaborate test procedures, repetitive setups of numerous instruments, elaborate measurements and complicated analysis. S-MATRIX designed ISCP (Instrument Setup, Capture & Playback) software tools to make it convenient for anyone doing electronic testing & measurement to benefit from the use of computer controlled instrumentation. The foundation of S-MATRIX ATE software is the ISCP tool, which can be adapted to all Plug-in, Serial, GPIB & VXI instrumentation. This software allows technicians to set up any group of instruments and capture the setups in a computer file. They can then playback the file with a detailed on-screen description of the setup, perform the measurements for which the setups were made, capture, analyze and store the results; and produce the required documentation and reports.

S-MATRIX has additional generic tools for all phases of the ATE software design, development and testing process which substantially reduce the time it takes to build an ATE system for any application.

Let S-MATRIX Contracting and Consulting Personnel help you with some of your most technically and financially challenging hardware / software / instrumentation applications.

At S-MATRIX, "Client Satisfaction is SRS#1"

For any Comments, Suggestions or Requests for Information, please use the Contact Information at the bottom of all S-MATRIX web pages or the convenient

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*****  Summary | Our Mission | Company Profile | Clients-Projects | Contact Information  *****

Home | Contents | Products & Services | News | Feedback | Search | References

Instrumentation Systems | Multi-User Computer Systems | Efficient Energy Use Systems

Avionics Test Bench | Instrumentation Systems Documentation | Software Documentation