*Celebrating Over 30 Years of Support to the Warfighter*
*TQS is the only authorized provider of IFDIS products and services to the DoD*

Advanced Systems

Total Quality Systems, Inc. consistently provides award winning innovation in design, integration, manufacturing, and sustainment of advanced test systems development for the Department of Defense and private industry. Please contact us to learn how we can provide an innovative solution to your advanced test needs.

Intermittent Fault Detection and Isolation System (IFDIS)

IFDIS System

  • U.S. Air Force Commercialization Readiness Program (CRP) award
  • Two-time Department of Defense (DoD) Great Maintenance Idea Winner
  • Small Business Administration (SBA) Tibbetts Award Winner
  • SBIR | STTR Program Office Certificate of Recognition
  • Air Force Material Command (AFMC) Best Practice

IFDIS is a multi-award winning product that is designed to detect and isolate intermittent electronic circuit paths in high value avionics and electronics chassis assemblies. IFDIS is able to simulate in-use conditions such as temperature and vibration while simultaneously and continuously monitoring thousands of electronic circuit paths. No other tool is as effective as IFDIS at isolating intermittent failures.

TQS and the 309th Maintenance Wing (MXW) F-16 depot repair facility at Hill AFB Utah have been using the IFDIS to improve the availability of the Modular Low Power Radio Frequency (MLPRF) unit. IFDIS has enabled the U.S. Air Force to return over $42M of MLPRF inventory to service that was previously deemed uneconomical to repair. IFDIS tested units returned to service are delivering over three times the mean time between depot repair (MTDR). The Air Force has already realized over $56 million in cost avoidance as a result.

TQS Avionics Failure Research Bibliography

TQS IFDIS Development and Fielding with the DoD

TQS has also delivered IFDIS capabilities for the RADAR Antenna, the Central Air Data Computer (CADC), and the Programmable Signal Processor (PSP). In 2016, we delivered our first IFDIS to the U.S. Navy to support the Generator Converter Unit (GCU) on the F/A-18 Hornet.

IFDIS Used Successfully by U.S. Navy in Engineering Investigation of F/A-18:

(Click the image below to read the article)
IFDISElectronics integrated systems mechanic Moses Simms readies the Intermittent Fault Detection and Isolation System

IFDIS Intermittent Fault Detection Incorporated into F/A-18 Engineering Specifications:

(Click the image below to read the article)
Intermittent Fault Detection and Isolation System

TQS Seeding the Future:

(Click the image below to watch the video)

 

Ultra IFDIS (Powered by the IFA™)

TQS, the creator of the IFDIS, has taken its innovation to the ultimate level of capability.  Now our IFDIS is powered by the Intermittent Failure Analyzer (IFA™).  Built with the maintainer in mind, the Ultra IFDIS leverages over 17 years of TQS’s unique development and fielding of the IFDIS for the USAF and the USN to advance it to the next level.  The maintainer needs to know more about the actual failure.  The Ultra IFDIS better supports the DoD’s and other countries’ military avionics repair and sustainment activities.

The IFA™ (pending patent) is a more powerful test measurement system that provides the capability of thousands of individual digital signal analyzers with additional automated data capture, correlation and analysis features at the maintainer’s fingertips.  Now instead of just detecting faults, the IFA™-powered Ultra IFDIS can characterize and analyze physical connectivity failures in magnitude, duration and shape.  The IFA™ is not an antiquated analog subsystem, rather it has been designed with the latest in ultra-high-speed digital processing.

Ultra IFDIS Capabilities:

- Scalability: Can be sized to easily fit your testing needs.
-- Expandable to any size Unit Under Test in the DoD’s inventory
- Provides operationally relevant environmental stimulation during testing
-- Vibration, Gs, Temperature, Humidity
- Detection of intermittent connectivity failures of less than 10 nanoseconds
-- Detects and isolates Shorts, Opens and Intermittent failures
-- Meets the Type 1 specification requirements of MIL-PRF-32516
- Measures each intermittent connectivity duration, magnitude and shape
- Tags failure data with recorded environmental information
-- Millions of data points per second
- Detects presence and condition of resistors, inductors, capacitors, and diodes
- Isolation of an intermittent failure down to an ambiguity group of 1 or 2
- User focused graphical display supports simplified operations

Diagnostics data can be made available to the maintainers, engineers and supply chain managers to evaluate and track LRU/WRA Ultra IFDIS findings over time to aid in identifying and repairing the highest priority assets first.

The IFA™ is backward compatible to all existing DoD IFDIS delivered systems, and all of TQS’s custom built Interface Test Adaptors (ITAs).

 

“Don’t just detect a fault, analyze intermittent failures with the Ultra IFDIS”©

 

The Intermittent Fault Detection and Isolation System (IFDISifdis®) is a registered trademark of Total Quality Systems, Inc. of Roy, Utah.  The IFDIS technology is protected by the U.S. Government under the SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

TQS is the only authorized IFDIS provider to the DoD.

F-16 Fire Control Radar Antenna Test System (FCRATS)

TQS modernized four obsolescent and highly-complex F-16 FCRATS ranges that support the requirements of the 309th Electronics Maintenance Group (EMXG) at Hill AFB to sustain F-16 fire control radars. The FCRATS test stations provide the final performance test for depot repaired F-16 antenna fire control function. When they pass the required tests, the antennas are then shipped to supply to be used by F-16 and depot lines squadrons around the world.

In 2002, TQS reduced the footprint of the original test equipment from four equipment cabinets down to two using modern commercial-off-the-shelf technologies. Improved graphical representation of test results enables the depot technicians to more accurately test and tune the radar antenna assembly in 25-50% less time than using the original system. TQS continues to provide on-going support for the system today.

Nose Radome Electrical Test System (NRETS)

TQS also modernized a pair of aging and highly-complex and compact F-16 NRETS ranges that support the requirements of the 309th EMXG at Hill AFB to provide depot testing and tuning of F-16 radar nose radomes. The NRETS test stations provide the final performance test for depot repaired F-16 nose radomes and when they pass the required tests, the radomes are then shipped to be used by F-16 squadrons and depots around the world.

TQS used commercial-off-the-shelf technologies to reduce the NRETS footprint from four cabinets to just two. TQS also increased the effectiveness of test item positioning, which reduced the typical test cycle time for radomes by 50%. This provided a net effect of increasing the NRETS test throughput capacity, reducing production bottlenecks.

Noise Suppression Enclosures

NAC Enclosure

Total Quality Systems has partnered with Guardian Modular out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL for the purpose of selling Guardian Modular products to the U.S. Government.

Guardian Modular offers the highest quality Prefabricated Modular Inplant Offices in the industry. Their One or Two Story Modular Inplant Office configurations will suit any need. Their Prefabricated Modular Wall System offers unlimited design potential and flexibility to produce the layout you want. Some of the many features and benefits include:

• Superior Wall Panels using gypsum board for superior sound and fire resistance
• Universal and interchangeable wall panel connecting posts provide flexibility for changing wall panels as needed
• Heavy duty oversized doors provide years of service without problems
• Steel Roof Deck and Acoustical Drop Ceiling protect against noise and dust
• Modular quick connect WirePak electrical system

For additional information about Guardian Modular products for the DoD, contact us.