Last week I designed a test circuit board for a part that I'll hopefully be testing (surprise) soon. I just received the board today, and I have to admit that it's pretty neat seeing something that I custom-designed actually be professionally fabricated.
Other than that, I'm rather frustrated with my job at the moment. Don't get me wrong - what goes on around here is cool. Unfortunately, the fascinating things are peppered about a main course of drudgery and monotony. Let's take my test board as an example.
Without going into too much detail (for fear of either boring you or my getting shot - yay government job!), the board will hold a certain number of devices as they are subjected to a particular environment, and has the purpose of keeping the devices operating as intended while they are being subjected to said particular environment. Now, you (and I) would think that acquiring the board would be as simple as designing and then ordering the board (granted the ordering part would involve some hoop-through-jumping, as acquisitions at any company is ever far from simple). Allow me to expound upon the process by which I have finally come to physically hold my test board...
The group I'm a part of has a database that they work off of, which contains various documents and files relating to the devices that are tested - component data sheets, test plans, etc. Since the board I designed falls into the category of "various documents and files relating to the devices that are tested", it must be added to the database. To initiate this, I must first request a catalog number under which my board will be posted. I then wait for my request to be approved. Following the catalog number request approval, I must then submit a change request form which states my intent to upload the test board to the database. I then wait for my request form to be reviewed by a board whose sole intent is to scrutinize everything that makes its way onto the database. Following the change request form review, I make any amendments to the change request form as directed by the review board, and re-submit the amended change request form for re-review. Following the amended change request form re-review, I make any further amendments to the amended change request form as directed by the review board, and re-re-submit the doubly amended request form for re-re-review. I think you can see where this is headed...
Now, don't get me wrong, such a device as this review board is necessary. I'll also contest that such a duty would not be one that I would enjoy in the least. However, they can sure make life a pain if they so choose. To clarify, some of the amendments I had to make to my fixture document (see next paragraph) included re-titling some figure captions to something less specific, changing the formatting style on some particular text, and adjusting the alignment on another figure. I'll also add that the review, re-review, re-re-review, etc. process generally only involves one amendment phase (I only had to add one thing to my change request form), but I have been assured by co-workers that the seemingly endless loop has occurred.
Okay, where was I... Alright, my change request form (in whatever stage of amendment it might be) has finally been approved by the review board. I can now upload my fixture (test board) document. I'll give you two guesses as to who looks at it next. This can similarly take a few rounds with the review board, but I lucked out here again in that it only took one pass for me to get things acceptable.
The process of merely getting those two forms submitted and approved took almost two weeks. I was, of course, finally able to order the board, and I have it now in my hands. The fun doesn't stop here, though. No no... I have yet to finish a test plan which documents exactly what will be occuring in my tests of this device, and it, too, will have to make its rounds with the review board. *sigh* I can't wait...