Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) components are not new to the defence and aerospace industries, but the momentum behind using them rather than highly specialised military equipment has intensified in recent years.
There are several reasons for this approach, including cost reduction in military programmes, good availability of parts and the realisation that the dependence on specialised hardware and software hampers the military’s ability to be more efficient, agile, and adaptive.
The technology used to produce modern industrial oscillators has improved dramatically over the last ten years, with products made in sterile cleanroom facilities and improvements in manufacturing techniques.
In order to select the right oscillators, there are a number of issues to take into account, such as regular reliability testing, batch traceability, access to the production facility if required and stability of supply over a long period of time.
Euroquartz have addressed this issue with a range of oscillators suitable for COT’s designs, regular routine reliability testing (HASS testing and thermal shock) full qualification data and factory access for QA assessment if required.
The newly introduced XON extended operating temperature range clock oscillator series is a typical example. Designed to operate over the -55°C to 125°C military operating temperature range and manufactured in a TS16949 automotive approved facility, it offers the temperature performance of a full military qualified oscillator.
All the industrial oscillators in the Euroquartz portfolio are suitable for COT’s programmes, with full technical support and access to full documentation. In addition to this the products are marked with both a date code and batch traceability code offering a comprehensive traceability required by military and aerospace companies.
We are able to offer customer agreed test profiles for specific requirements. The defence acquisition community and its prime contractors will need to make many adjustments to procurement practices in order to gain the benefits of COTS. This begins with the identification of viable COTS vendors for long-term partnership and in this respect, Euroquartz are well placed to be of assistance.