MK Test Systems has developed a hybrid automatic test system capable of testing both copper and fiber connections within a single harness, addressing aerospace industry requirements for improved traceability, safety, consistency and production efficiency.
The UK-based company’s latest system eliminates the need for the semi-automatic testing methods currently used for hybrid harnesses that combine electrical and optical components. These require operators to first connect an automatic electrical test system to run continuity, short circuit, capacitance and high voltage tests, then disconnect the system and manually probe fiber connections for insertion loss and return loss measurements.
In addition, the Hybrid CopperOptic Test System responds to three key industry drivers: enhanced safety requirements in aerospace applications, increased demand for production traceability, and production rate increases.
Safety-critical aerospace applications require comprehensive traceability that cannot be easily achieved through manual test methods, creating demand for fully automatic testing solutions.
The Hybrid CopperOptic Test System maintains the consistency, traceability and efficiency benefits that MK Test Systems has delivered in electrical testing while extending capabilities to fiber optic components. The system performs all electrical measurements including continuity, short circuit, capacitance and high voltage testing, followed by complete fiber optic insertion loss and return loss testing without operator intervention.
MK Test Systems’ proprietary MKAT (MK Automatic Test Software Management) suite controls all test functions through the same software platform used across the company’s product line. The software enables the creation of automatic test sequences without programming language requirements and delivers comprehensive test results and measurement data.
The hybrid system addresses aerospace industry specifications including AS50881 for electrical wire installation testing in aircraft and the EN 2591 standard for electrical wiring and fiber optics deployed in aerospace applications. MK Test can also meet the proprietary standards developed by major aerospace OEMs.
Modern aerospace manufacturing increasingly requires comprehensive measurement data beyond simple pass/fail results. The hybrid system captures measurement data that enables analysis of failure rates, failure modes and test sequence optimization to improve the efficiency of production processes. The data can also support predictive diagnostics and lean manufacturing initiatives.
MK Test Systems has deployed systems with OEMs such as Airbus, Lockheed Martin, The Boeing Company, and SAAB establishing collaborative relationships that extend to tier one and tier two suppliers. The company’s 30-year development history in automatic electrical and function test systems for aerospace and defense markets provides the foundation for hybrid system development.
The hybrid system emphasizes production shop floor requirements rather than laboratory applications with robust construction, simplified operation, consistent measurement accuracy and operator confidence features.
MK Test’s hybrid automatic test system addresses the aerospace industry’s technology evolution, where new solutions are typically designed for end-use performance rather than test accessibility. Through close technical collaboration with customers, the company ensures that test solutions are available when new technologies reach production readiness.
Manufacturing facilities using the hybrid system benefit from reduced operator training requirements, eliminated manual measurement errors, and comprehensive test documentation. The system’s automatic operation maintains consistent test procedures across multiple shifts and production lines while providing the traceability documentation required for aerospace quality systems.
MK Test Systems’ hybrid automatic test system represents the company’s next evolution in aerospace harness testing technology, delivering automatic operation, measurement accuracy and comprehensive documentation that modern aerospace production requires.
For more information about the Hybrid CopperOptic Test System and MK Test System’s other products.
