Enhancing Test Productivity of Airfield Signs

Overview

Airfield safety is an important concern in the operation of an airport. Airfield signs, surface markings, and lighting are visual aids designed to provide direction and information to taxiing aircraft and assist in their safe and expedient movement around the airport, especially at night (Figure 1). Internally-illuminated airfield guidance signs denote entrances to runways, approach areas, and other critical areas. Such signs apprise pilots of their exact position on the runway to reduce errors that may lead to runway incursions or ground collisions. Airfield Guidance Sign Manufacturers (AGM), Inc., based in Manlius, New York, produces Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved guidance signage for airports in the United States and other parts of the world. This case study explains how the Keysight Technologies, Inc. U1177A wireless remote connectivity solutions is helping AGM engineers and technicians achieve higher work productivity (Figure 2).

Situation Analysis

AGM uses a large, constant current regulator (CCR) to power signs during their development and assembly cycles. On airport runways and taxiways, the CCR is designed to supply precise output current levels for series lighting circuits. On the shop floor, the CCR simulates the actual-use power feed, allowing testing for constant brightness throughout all regulated current steps. The output of the CCR is accurately regulated within ±1% of the adjustable nominal current levels.

Throughout the sign creation process, handheld multimeters are used to verify the voltage and current of the airfield guide signs to ensure their proper operation. This requires the frequent use of the regulator switch on the CCR. Due in part to its size, at AGM the CCR resides apart from the shop floor. Depending on shop floor activities, signs under production can be located as far as 30 meters (98 feet) from this power source.

To obtain performance data of signs under production, typically one technician controls the CCR (to step it up or down), while a second technician records performance data at the signs under production. However, there are occasions when a single technician performs this process. In these cases, the technician must make multiple trips between the signs and the CCR, which significantly hinders their productivity.

Solution

Today, AGM technicians use a Bluetooth-enabled digital multimeter equipped with a Keysight U1177A Bluetooth adapter, and free Android-based Keysight applications to perform remote monitoring (Figure 2).

Using the Keysight Mobile Meter application (which can monitor up to three meters and simultaneously display measurements), an AGM technician is able to monitor the sign data while operating the CCR from a distance (Figures 3 and 4). This has eliminated the need to use two technicians to perform testing when cycling CCR levels, and enhanced productivity by eliminating the walking required when the testing is performed by a single engineer. If any unusual behavior is observed during the testing, the technician uses the Keysight Mobile Logger application to monitor that particular component in the sign. When a performance issue is encountered, technicians are able to forward the captured data using the e-mail capability of the Keysight Mobile Logger application. This saves engineers and designers a great deal of time in addressing the issue.

This wireless communication test solution is now an integral component of AGM’s manufacturing and new technology development process.

Summary

In the product development and assembly of new airfield signs, technicians and engineers are constantly required to perform testing and verify products before installing them at the customer’s site. The AGM installation illustrates how a constant current regulator source can be operated remotely to increase productivity and streamline the testing of products developed and manufactured away from the CCR. For other production environments using a remote source to power products, the AGM installation has demonstrated some of the benefits achievable using the Keysight Wireless Remote Connectivity Solution, which consists of the U1177A Bluetooth adapter, Keysight digital multimeters, and complimentary Keysight Mobile Meter and Logger applications.