Production Testing

Production Test Mode

Production testing allows you to test a number of Keypads, logging the results for each part. In order to test Keypads you must be in the Production Test mode. Select "Production Test" from the "File" menu.

Starting A New Job

Testing of Keypads is performed as part of a "job". Each job has an associated job number, lot number, operator (the person doing the testing) and quantity of tested good Keypads required.

To begin a job, open a Keypad File while in Production Test mode. To open a file double click on the file name in the file browser on the left of the main window or select "Open..." from the "File" menu.

There is also an "Open Special..." item in the "File" menu. When using this you will have the option of opening a file with all of the LED items converted to switches. This allows the testing of membrane circuits before the LED's have been installed. Note the actual Keypad File is not changed. The values set in the Defaults tab of the Edit Info window will be used when creating the switches.

If a file is already open, be sure "Production Test" is checked in the "File" menu.

With a Keypad File open, click the "Begin Job" button. The Job Info window, where you enter information about the job you are about to begin, will open.

Job Number, Lot Number and Operator

These fields are saved as part of the job logs. The Job and Lot Numbers are also used as the default file names for job logs.

Quantity of Good Keypad Required

Entering a number will allow the Mistral to show you how many more good Keypads you need while testing. The number of passed and failed parts is always tracked, even if you don't enter a number in this field.

Comment Labels and Comments

These fields allow you to enter comments that will appear in the job logs. These fields are also saved in the Keypad File when a job is completed so they will be there the next time you open the file for testing. Use the label to identify what is in the comment field or to prompt the operator for information to enter in the comment before testing. If you leave both the label and the comment blank, these fields will not appear in the job logs.

Serial Numbers

This section allows you to specify serial numbers that will appear in the detailed job log. The serial number can also be used on a label if label printing is enabled (see Labels for more information).

Assign serial numbers to Keypad

Check this box if you would like to use serial numbers for logging or labeling. When checked, the fields below will be enabled.

Prompt operator for serial number during test

If this option is selected, the operator will be prompted to enter a serial number before each part is tested. Use this method if the parts being tested already have serial numbers and they are not being tested in sequential order. You can also use this option with a bar code reader to enter a keypad's bar coded serial number into the Mistral software. Note: The Prefix and Suffix fields apply to this option. You can use them to save typing if most of the serial number is the same for all Keypads. See below for more information.

Auto increment serial number by X

Select this option if you will be applying serial numbers to the Keypads while testing or if the Keypads already have serial numbers and they will be tested in sequential order. Enter the number the Starting Number should increment by each time.

Serial number failed Keypads: If failed Keypads will also have serial numbers, check this box.

Prefix, Starting Number and Suffix

Enter an optional Prefix and/or Suffix for the serial number sequence. These will be added to the auto incrementing or prompted Starting Number portion of the serial number. For example if you are testing parts with serial numbers starting at "800-0001-A", set the Prefix to "800-" and make the Suffix field "-A".

For auto incrementing serial numbers, set the Starting Number field to first value for the incrementing portion of the serial number. In the example above this would be "0001". Note that leading zeros in the Starting Number field can be used to give all serial numbers the same number of digits. Using the above example, the first serial number will be "800-0001-A" and the tenth auto generated serial number will be "800-0010-A".

When you have finished with the Job Info window click "OK" to begin the job or "Cancel" to stop.

Testing Keypads

To test a part, connect a Keypad to the pod. It must always be connected the same way as it was when the Keypad File was defined, either when it was learned automatically or created manually.

Click "Test First Keypad" (or "Test Next Keypad") to begin testing the connected keypad.

Each time a new keypad is tested the Mistral begins by scanning for shorts between all points used by the Keypad File, including any isolation points. The right LED on the front panel of the pod will turn red while this scan is being done. If a short is found the pod emits a warbling sound and the error is displayed.

After looking for shorts the Mistral checks the permanent connections. If a permanent connection is good, the connection's item turns green. If it is bad the item turns red and the pod emits a warbling sound.

If continuous electrical testing of permanent connections is enabled, the Mistral will continue to electrically the good connections until you click on one of the permanent connection items or press the space bar. If an permanent connection fails during this test the corresponding item will turn red.

Once the permanent connections have been tested the Mistral checks the LED's. If an LED is not found or installed backwards, the corresponding LED item will turn red.

The Mistral next measures the forward voltage across each LED and displays the result in the LED item. If the voltage is less than the minimum or greater than the maximum allowed, the LED item will turn red. LED reverse leakage is also checked at this time and if it is too high the corresponding item turns red. If any of the LED's are found to be bad the pod emits a warbling sound

If continuous electrical testing of LED's is enabled, the Mistral will continue to electrically test LED's until you click on one of the LED items or press the space bar. If an LED fails during this test the corresponding item will turn red.

If LED illumination is enabled, the LED's found are lit one at a time or in sequence depending on the "LED Test Mode" setting (see Testing tab in the Edit Info window for more information). You will be prompted to click on the LED item to confirm it is lit. Warning: If the file contains any series LED items, the operator MUST confirm that the LED's illuminate since the Mistral may not be able to test them electrically. After an LED has been illuminated the corresponding LED item will turn green. Tip: You can press the space bar to confirm an LED is on. To set the order that LED's are illuminated use the Set Test Sequence tool when editing the file.

If the keypad contains any light sensors, the operator will be prompted to cover each one to measure the dark current. When the current is below the maximum dark current the operator will be asked to uncover the sensor to measure the light current. If the sensor does not work properly the operator can press the "Esc" key to skip it or click the "Fail" button to end the test.

After completing any sensor tests, the right LED on the front panel of the pod will turn green (or orange on older pods) and the Mistral will begin scanning for switches. If "Switches must be pressed in sequence" was selected, you must press the switch corresponding to the item flashing on the screen otherwise you may press the switches in any order (see Edit Info window for more information). As you press each switch on the Keypad the pod will beep and the corresponding switch item on the PC screen will turn yellow (or red) and display the switch resistance, or the forward voltage for switched diodes and switched LED's. When the switch is released the corresponding switch item will turn green if the switch is good or red if there is a problem. You may press the switch to test it again if you are not required to press switches in sequence. If you are testing in sequence, you can press the "Esc" key to skip a switch and after all switches have been tested once, the sequence starts over. Tip: To set the test order when testing switches in sequence use the Set Test Sequence tool when editing the file.

To find out why an item is red, position the mouse pointer over it. A box will pop up telling you what the problem was.

Once all the items are tested and green click the "Pass" button. If any of the items are red or you find some other reason to fail the part even though it tested good (printing error, etc.), you have the option of either running the test again by clicking on "Retry Test" or failing the Keypad by clicking on "Fail". Tip: Once again you can choose "Pass" or "Fail" with the space bar depending on whether the Keypad is good or bad.

If you fail a part, you will be prompted to enter any additional information about what is wrong. This information will be saved in the Detailed Job Log (see below). You may see additional messages or be required to enter a password if Pass/Fail Options were set. Tip: If a password is not required, you can dismiss the comment window by pressing the space bar.

Once you have passed or failed the Keypad, disconnect it, connect the next Keypad to test and click "Test Next Keypad". If you would like to test the same part again, press "Retry Test". Tip: Again, hitting the space bar will select "Test Next Keypad".

Finishing The Job And Logging The Results

When you are finished testing the last Keypad ("Remaining" says "Done" if you entered the number to test when you started the job), click on "End Job" instead of "Test Next Keypad".

If you have not chosen to automatically save Job Logs (set in the Mistral Options window File Locations tab), you will be asked to select the Job Log File format. You can create a summary report or a detailed log that includes information on each part tested.

Summary Only (.txt)

This Job Log is a summary of the job and results for each item in the Keypad File. The file is standard text and can be opened with Notepad or Wordpad. An example is shown below.

Engineering Solutions Inc.

Job #: 1111111
Lot Number: 2
Customer: Smith Manufacturing Inc.
Customer ID: 008723
Internal P/N: 445682
Internal Rev:
Customer P/N: 98234
Customer Rev: C
Keypad File: F:\Program Files\Mistral\Keypad Files\Smith Manufacturing\demo.skf
Operator: J. Smith
Assign S/N's: Yes
Auto increment by: 1
S/N failed keypads: Yes
First S/N: 80900001-A
Last S/N: 80900102-A
Job Started: 10/25/01 8:07:44 AM
Job Ended: 10/25/01 9:08:01 AM

Results
  Tested: 100
  Passed: 98
  Failed: 2 (2.0%)

Results By Item

  Permanent Connections
			Average
	Name	Resistance	Failed
	Perm.1	12 Ohms	   None

  LED's
	Name	  Failed
	Fault	  None
	Low Batt  1 (1.0%)
	Test	  None

  Series LED's
	Name	   Failed
	Red Bar	   1 (1.0%)

  Switches
		   Average
	Name   Resistance  Failed
	Start  197 Ohms	   None
	Stop   143 Ohms	   None
	Pause  167 Ohms	   None

Detailed + Summary (.xls)

This Job Log format includes a summary of the job similar to the one above plus details for each Keypad tested. The information is saved in a tab delimited format for easy importing into a spreadsheet program such as Excel.

If you have measured the switch bounce at any time while testing and you select the detailed report, you also have the option of including the switch bounce values.

Select the format(s) you would like and click "OK" or click "Cancel" if you don't want to create a Job Log File at this time.

If you clicked "OK" and selected one of the file formats, you will be prompted to enter a name for each Job Log File. Enter a name and click "Ok" or click "Cancel" if you do not want a log file for the Job.

As long as the Keypad File used for the job has not been closed and a new Job has not been started, you can create a Job Log File for the last job. To do this select "Save Last Job Log As..." from the "File" menu. You will again be prompted for the Job Log File format and file name(s).

Even if you choose not to create a Jog Log file, a brief summary of the test is always added to the file LOG.TXT located in the directory where the program was installed.

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