Traditional Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) rarely detects intermittent failures due to the inherent timing and sensitivity issues. INTERMITTENTS OCCUR RANDOMLY, while ATE operation is based on a fixed timing window.

The probability that ATE will be measuring the right output at the right time is extremely low. Small or short duration intermittents may go undetected due to the pre filtering of the signal or measurement averaging to remove noise.

ATE and continuity testers test one point at one time to verify that continuity exists...for that one point at that time only. The IFD-2000 tests all of the lines simultaneously and continuously to verify that no 'discontinuity' exists...on any line at any time. It tests for problems that ATE cannot see.

Connection intermittents grow over time until they become a major cause of failure in older electronic systems. When they begin (STAGE-1), they are seen as small, short-duration electrical instabilities, voltage fluctuations, or electrical noise that generally do not cause problems. As the amplitude and duration of the fluctuations increase (STAGE-2), random system failures occur. Traditional ATE is not capable of catching these random events until they reach (STAGE-3). The IFD-2000 is effective in detecting intermittent connections as early as (STAGE-1), before they cause a 'No Fault Found' or system malfunction.

According to Defense Electronics Magazine*, the Department of Defense (DOD) has invested $40-$50 Billion in ATE. This investment has been effective id detecting HARD failures; however, hard failures account for only half of all problems.

In contrast, the other half of the problem...ITERMITTENT FAILURES...are more difficult to find and more costly to fix. Yet, technicians must rely on guesswork and ineffective tools in an attempt to solve these problems. * Defense Electronics Magazine February 1993