If you are reading this article, then you’re probably already familiar with RTCA DO-160G Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment. But for those of you who are new to the aviation and aerospace industry, you may be noticing that there is one standard that always seems to be required or referenced, DO-160.
Aircraft component suppliers need to provide proof of compliance with these or other regulations. They provide that proof by relying on outside testing services. Outside test services can be very costly in both money and development time.
In this article we will discuss the benefits of bringing your DO-160 testing in-house and explore the technology and equipment required.
Why is RTCA/DO-160 Testing Important?
The first thing to note is that RTCA DO-160 is a test procedure, not a requirement. It is also not a handbook, but it does provide guidance on what testing is applicable and helps companies to standardize testing categories, methods, and procedures. With this standardization, aviation manufacturers and suppliers can produce products that more easily get certified on multiple aircraft.
With the collaborative adoption of RTCA/DO-160, and related standard aircraft manufacturers and component suppliers both benefit from the standardization of testing:
- Aircraft manufacturers recognize test pedigrees from a common standard
- Suppliers can produce products that comply with multiple aircraft platforms
Are There Savings to Bringing Testing In-house?
Having a lab in-house with easy access and quality equipment makes it easier and more desirable to test a design earlier in development. There is an engineering concept that a $0.01 part during development can turn into a $1.00 part during engineering testing, a $100 part during qualification testing, a $10,000 part in the field if retrofitting is needed, and can cost a company $1 million if it has to be pulled out of service.
There are other benefits to in-house testing as well:
- travel time is greatly reduced
- time out-of-house for the engineer doing the testing is eliminated
- No more lost time if a change needs to be made once the equipment is at testing lab
- the ease of access to documents, drawings and standards
- the availability of fellow engineers to share ideas
- troubleshooting and problem resolution time is reduced
But What Are the Costs Involved?
Obviously there is the cost of the equipment necessary to perform the testing standards. But this expense is more than offset by the long-term costs of using a testing lab.
There is also training of staff involved, but you have probably already been doing some testing internally to avoid failures at the testing lab. So having an understanding and familiarity with the required test standards is vital for accurate testing.
So are equipment and training the only things stopping you from doing your own in-house testing? Well you are in luck! AE Techron has created the solution to your testing problem.
The Right Tool for the Job
As you can imagine all of the DO-160 standards are important, but Section 16 Power Input, Section 18 Audio Frequency Conducted Susceptibility (Power Inputs) and Section 19 Induced Signal Susceptibility are critical to providing safe equipment for the aviation industry. Selecting the right tool makes the testing accurate and efficient.
That is why AE Techron developed the CIS-25 aviation test kit. The all-in-one kit includes everything needed for DO-160 Sections 16, 18, and 19 testing, including:
- an EMC test system containing over 1,500 industry standards
- three coupling transformers
- a chattering relay
- all necessary cables
- and a secure storage box to keep the equipment safe
The CIS-25 kit also has testing requirements for Airbus ABD0100.1.8 and MIL STD 461 (CS101). And as an added feature, you receive two hours of expert consulting provided by EMC Specialist Patrick G André. So why wait to start your own in-house testing? The value is clear and the right tools and training are available from AE Techron.
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