Public Funding for M.K. Test Systems LTD.

FLIHHTS is a UK collaborative programme between AVoptics and MK Test and supported by Airbus. The goal is to develop an automated fault locating system for testing aerospace hybrid wiring and fibre optic harnesses. The current process of fault detection, path integrity and loss testing on aircraft harnessing is laborious and involved. Often requiring several pieces of test equipment and involving subjective interpretation of results, the situation needs development of a new innovative test solution. FLIHHTS will develop electrical and optical TDR (time domain reflectometry) technology that can sense the location of faults for problem paths on the harness and present clear information to the operator. It will provide the capability to map to wiring models, thus providing access information to allow repair of the fault. This will provide massive time and cost savings, removing the need for full replacement of a harnesses as well as increasing platform availability, reducing environmental waste and improving record keeping. The system will augment the capabilities being developed on the OEFHTS programme which is developing single-ended path loss and integrity testing. The system will be designed for use in a manufacturing environment, for final assembly/test and will also be field-portable for in-situ, on-platform diagnostics and aftermarket maintenance, repair and overhaul use. Collectively, these optical and electrical test attributes will provide an unrivalled and highly attractive test system for the aerospace market and also other emerging markets where hybrid harnessing is now being installed.

An integrated cable harness test system that will test electrical and optical channels in a single field-portable solution. This innovative system saves time and cost in the network test process.