ED Decision 2020/011/R
Section 2.3 of CS-ETSO Subpart A requires environmental testing to be performed according to the appropriate release of EUROCAE ED-14/RTCA DO-160.
For ETSO-C153a, some particularities have to be addressed:
— the representativeness of the Test Software;
— the Applicable Test Procedures; and
— the parameters to be monitored during the Environmental Qualification Test.
Chapter 1 — The representativeness of the Test Software
If the IMA module is qualified without the functional software installed and operating, engineering analysis from the manufacturer must determine that the Test Software (not the target functional software) is representative of the usage domain stress envelope for the environmental tests (i.e. dissipated temperature, power consumption, field radiation, etc.).
Test Software shall be developed to exercise the hardware in performing the environmental tests in the worst-case conditions and/or most sensitive configurations in order to evaluate the robustness of the IMA module over the full Usage Domain. For example, the Test Software should exercise all the physical interfaces with a maximum number of applications or inputs, and with filter values set to the domain boundary which would be the most transparent to any input electrical interference.
Chapter 2 — Applicable Test Procedures
For an ETSO-C153a authorisation, the IMA module may be a single Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) platform or may be a Line Replaceable Module (LRM) located in a Rack.
Depending on the characteristics of the IMA module, the applicant should consider one of the two following cases as appropriate:
— Case 1: the IMA module is a single LRU platform; and
— Case 2: the IMA module is a module designed to be located in a Rack at installation.
Note: The Rack Housing module is not addressed in this generic Appendix but in the relevant Appendix 2.2 — Class RH: Rack Housing.
Chapter 2.1 — The IMA module is a single LRU platform
In this case, the environmental sections defined in the Table below (Figure ) are applicable to the IMA module.
The usage domain of the IMA module must be defined and maintained so that all the environmental qualification tests listed below produce a complete credit for all other functional ETSOs authorisations, or for the TC level.
Environmental Test |
ED-14/DO-160 Section |
Requirement for ETSO-C153a |
Temperature |
4.5 |
Mandatory |
Altitude |
4.6 |
Mandatory |
Temperature Variation |
5.0 |
Mandatory |
Humidity |
6.0 |
Mandatory |
Shock (operational) |
7.2 |
Mandatory |
Shock (Crash Safety) |
7.3 |
Optional |
Vibration |
8.0 |
Mandatory |
Explosion Atmosphere |
9.0 |
Optional |
Waterproof |
10.0 |
Optional |
Fluids Susceptibility |
11.0 |
Optional |
Sand and Dust |
12.0 |
Optional |
Fungus Resistance |
13.0 |
Optional |
Salt Fog |
14.0 |
Optional |
Magnetic Effect |
15.0 |
Mandatory |
Power Input |
16.0 |
Mandatory |
Voltage Spike |
17.0 |
Mandatory |
Audio Frequency Conducted Susceptibility — Power Input |
18.0 |
Mandatory |
Induced-Signal Susceptibility |
19.0 |
Mandatory |
Radio Frequency Susceptibility (radiated and conduced) |
20.0 |
Mandatory |
Emission of Radio Frequency Energy |
21.0 |
Mandatory |
Lightning-Induced Transient Susceptibility |
22.0 |
Mandatory |
Lightning Direct Effects |
23.0 |
Optional |
Icing |
24.0 |
Optional |
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) |
25.0 |
Mandatory |
Fire, Flammability |
26.0 |
Mandatory |
Figure 26 — Environmental Qualification for ETSO-C153a in the case of a single LRU platform
Chapter 2.2 — The IMA module is a module designed to be located in a Rack at installation or the rack itself.
In this type of envisioned installation, only a minimal subset of environmental conditions is applicable to the IMA module. This minimal subset is defined as mandatory in the table below (Figure 27).
Test sections identified as optional are not required for an ETSO-C153a application. Nevertheless, the IMA module can be subjected to these test conditions on a voluntary basis. When optional sections are not tested, they shall be marked with ‘X’.
The Environmental Qualification Testing (EQT) will be completed after cabinet integration in the frame of some other functional ETSOs authorisation, or of a TC level.
The usage domain of the IMA module must be defined and maintained so that at least this subset of qualification tests produces some credit for other ETSOs authorisations and for the TC level.
Note: It is acceptable to perform the environmental qualification on the intended rack installation equipped with (a) mounted IMA module(s). The ETSO-C153a IMA module should be set in worst-case configurations. By doing so, the set of Qualification documents (Qualification Test Plans, Procedures and Reports) may be common to both the rack and the module ETSO-C153a authorisations. These documents should demonstrate that the considered configurations (which may differ depending on the different sections of EUROCAE ED-14/RTCA DO-160) are the worst-cases for the set of authorised modules configurations within the rack. Whatever the qualification method used, the authorised configuration should be specified in the installation manual(s).
Such documented authorised configurations include any installation limitations that are taken as hypotheses for the EQT (rack part number(s), slot number(s), blade neighbourhood(s), and temperature to be guaranteed), and need to be specified in the Installation Manual and respected by the integrator so that he/she can take credit for the EQT performed at module level.
Environmental Test |
ED-14/O-160 Section |
Requirement for ETSO-C153a |
Temperature |
4.5 |
Mandatory When the module performance under environmental conditions is dependent on the host rack, it is the responsibility of the applicant to adapt the ED-14/DO-160 high and low temperature values and temperature variations cycles to the intended IMA module installation context. For example, in the case of temperature testing (Section 4.0 of EUROCAE ED-14/RTCA DO-160), the temperature environment of the module (inside a rack) may be much higher or lower than the equipment level condition expressed in the aforementioned Section 4.0. Therefore, the applicant may qualify their IMA module based on a chosen intended environment, and, finally, indicate in the installation manual the temperature range for which the correct operation of the IMA module is guaranteed. |
Altitude |
4.6 |
Mandatory |
Temperature Variation |
5.0 |
Mandatory As for Section 4.5, when module performance under environmental conditions is dependent on the host rack, it is the responsibility of the applicant to adapt the ED-14/DO-160 high and low temperature values and temperature variations cycles to the intended IMA module installation context. As for Section 4.5, for example, in the case of temperature testing (Section 4.0 of EUROCAE ED-14/RTCA DO-160), where the temperature environment of the module (inside a rack) may be much higher or lower than the equipment-level condition as expressed in Section 4.0 of EUROCAE ED-14/RTCA DO-160, the applicant can qualify their IMA module based on a chosen intended environment, and, finally, indicate in the installation manual the temperature range for which the correct operation of the IMA module is guaranteed. |
Humidity |
6.0 |
Mandatory |
Shock (operational) |
7.2 |
Optional |
Shock (Crash Safety) |
7.3 |
Optional |
Vibration |
8.0 |
Optional Note: The IMA module technology should be assessed for further vibration qualification (ED-14/DO-160). This preliminary assessment could consider the IMA technology diversity of the module components, as well as the integration density and number of layers of the circuit boards within the IMA module. The assessment could be confirmed by testing on a module representative of the IMA module technology used in the product under certification. This preliminary assessment of the IMA module technology under vibration conditions does not constitute a credit for the qualification testing of the module integrated into the rack. |
Explosion Atmosphere |
9.0 |
Optional |
Waterproof |
10.0 |
Optional |
Fluids Susceptibility |
11.0 |
Optional |
Sand and Dust |
12.0 |
Optional |
Fungus Resistance |
13.0 |
Optional |
Salt Fog |
14.0 |
Optional |
Magnetic Effect |
15.0 |
Optional |
Power Input |
16.0 |
Mandatory for IMA module interfaces directly connected to the aircraft power distribution. Note: IMA module interfaces not directly connected to the aircraft power distribution will be tested after the cabinet integration phase as part of another ETSO application or as part of a Type Certification programme. |
Voltage Spike |
17.0 |
Mandatory for IMA module interfaces directly connected to the aircraft power distribution. Note: IMA module interfaces not directly connected to the aircraft power distribution will be tested after the cabinet integration phase as part of another ETSO application or as part of a Type Certification programme. |
Audio Frequency Conducted Susceptibility — Power Input |
18.0 |
Mandatory for IMA module interfaces directly connected to the aircraft power distribution. Note: IMA module interfaces not directly connected to the aircraft power distribution will be tested after the cabinet integration phase as part of another ETSO application or as part of a Type Certification programme. |
Induced-Signal Susceptibility |
19.0 |
Mandatory for IMA module interfaces directly connected to the aircraft wiring. Note: IMA module interfaces not directly connected to the aircraft wiring will be tested after the cabinet integration phase as part of another ETSO application or as part of a Type Certification programme. |
Radio Frequency Susceptibility (radiated and conducted) |
20.0 |
Mandatory for the conducted susceptibility of IMA module interfaces directly connected to the aircraft wiring. Note: IMA module interfaces not directly connected to the aircraft wiring will be tested after the cabinet integration phase as part of another ETSO application or as part of a Type Certification programme. |
Emission of Radio Frequency Energy |
21.0 |
Mandatory for the conducted emission of IMA module interfaces directly connected to the aircraft wiring. Note: IMA module interfaces not directly connected to the aircraft wiring will be tested after the cabinet integration phase as part of another ETSO application or as part of a Type Certification programme. |
Lightning-Induced Transient Susceptibility |
22.0 |
Mandatory for IMA module interfaces directly connected to the aircraft wiring. Note: IMA module interfaces not directly connected to the aircraft wiring will be tested after the cabinet integration phase as part of another ETSO application or as part of a Type Certification programme. |
Lightning Direct Effects |
23.0 |
Optional |
Icing |
24.0 |
Optional |
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) |
25.0 |
Mandatory for all areas subject to human contact during IMA module operation. |
Fire, Flammability |
26.0 |
Mandatory |
Figure 27: Environmental Qualification Testing minimum subset for ETSO-C153a in for cabinet architectures
Chapter 3 — MPS compliance during EQT
When required by the test conditions and procedure (by the ‘DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH EQUIPEMENT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS’ statement), the IMA module manufacturer must determine compliance with the MPS as defined under the column ‘Test under environmental conditions’ of each individual class in Appendix 2:
MPS CLASS |
MPS paragraph under Environmental Qualification Testing |
All Classes (Common) |
Appendix 2.1, paragraph 5 |
RH (Rack) |
Appendix 4 is not applicable to this class. See Appendix 2.2, paragraph 3 under columns ‘Test under environmental conditions’ and ‘Applicable ED-14/DO-160 sections’. |
PR (Processing) |
Appendix 2.3, paragraph 0 |
GP (Graphical Processing) |
Appendix 2.4, paragraph 0 |
DS (Data Storage) |
Appendix 2.5, paragraph 0 |
IF (Interface) |
Appendix 2.6, paragraph 0 |
PS (Power Supply) |
Appendix 2.7, paragraph 0 |
DH (Display Head) |
Appendix 2.8, paragraph 0 |
Figure 28 — MPS verification under environmental conditions
[Amdt ETSO/10]
[Amdt ETSO/16]
Appendix 4 to ETSO-C153a specifies environmental qualification requirements for IMA modules, including Test Software representativeness, applicable ED-14/DO-160 test procedures, and MPS compliance during EQT.
* Summary by Aviation.Bot - Always consult the original document for the most accurate information.
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