Test of Time Finalists, 2009
-- Test & Measurement World, 12/22/2008 2:00:00 AM
|
|
Awards overview Voting deadline: February 6, 2009 |
Inaugurated in 2005, the annual Test of Time award honors a test, measurement, or inspection product that has provided state-of-the-art service for at least five years after its introduction.
In previous years, the editors of Test & Measurement World selected the award winner from the nominations we received from vendors. This year, we are inviting readers to help us select the winner.
→ATEasy Test Executive and Development Environment, Geotest—Marvin Test Systems
→Medalist 5DX Automated X-Ray Inspection System, Agilent Technologies
→Pad ROL 100 Series Test Contactor, Johnstech International
→PhaseFlex Microwave/RF Test Assemblies, W.L. Gore & Associates
→TDS3000 Series Oscilloscopes, Tektronix
→TestKompress ATPG Tool, Mentor Graphics
ATEasy Test Executive and Development Environment
Geotest—Marvin Test Systems
www.geotestinc.com
Introduced in 1991, ATEasy was designed to help users develop and maintain functional test applications. The software offers the capabilities of both a test executive and test-development tool set within a single, integrated environment. ATEasy provides a rapid application-development environment by employing JIT (just in time) compilation methods (similar to Java implementation), a feature that Geotest says was innovative when the product was introduced. Its open architecture supports a broad range of software and hardware tools and standards including .NET, ActiveX/COM, .DLL, IVI, function panel drivers, and LabView.
The software permits the development of programs that are self-documenting in a format that is similar to a test requirements document (TRD), so users can focus on the application, rather than on the tools needed to develop the application. In addition, ATEasy offers an integrated debug environment, allowing users to easily debug code at the application level or at the test step level.
Now in its 7th generation, the product started out running under Windows 3.0 and has been continually enhanced. It currently operates with Vista, XP, Me, and Windows 98 operating systems.
Medalist 5DX Automated X-Ray Inspection System
Agilent Technologies
www.agilent.com
Agilent says that, for over a decade, the Medalist 5DX has been the de facto standard for 3-D x-ray inspection, as it detects defects that no other test or inspection technique can find. In a study of more than 3 billion solder joints, the 5DX was able to detect 90% of all manufacturing-process-related defects. Without the use of the 5DX for medium-to-high-complexity boards, Agilent says, 50% of all defects are shipped to the end customer, in some cases turning into field failures and warranty returns. Additionally, the 5DX with its and 3-D automated x-ray inspection is able to automatically detect obscured solder-joint defects in electronics manufacturing.
Since the introduction of the 5DX Series I in 1996, the 5DX series has undergone constant evolution. As electronics technology continues to change through miniaturization, increasing density, and limited visual and electrical access for traditional test techniques, the 5DX product line has similarly advanced. Three primary areas of innovation have been the focus: increasing defect detection capabilities, improving throughput, and reducing cost and ease of implementation.
Pad ROL 100 Series Test Contactor
Johnstech International
www.johnstech.com
The Pad ROL100 Series has consistently offered high electrical performance for the testing of QFN, DFN, and other pad-style devices. In many high-frequency devices, it is important to have the lowest inductance possible between the device and the load board to avoid degrading the device’s electrical performance. The Pad ROL 100 delivers 40+ GHz of bandwidth with an exceptionally low ground inductance, and it permits users to test at significantly higher bandwidths then other products, according to Johnstech.
Using Johnstech’s patented technology, the Pad ROL 100 Series provides optimized electrical performance and proven mechanical reliability on both exposed and recessed pads. The contacts were designed to create a “rolling” motion on the load board, minimizing load board wear for customers, and they have a self-cleaning wipe action that reduces oxides as the contact scrubs across the device pad.
With this contactor, a user can obtain repeatable results during the characterization phase that can be repeated once the product moves to production test. Since its introduction in 2003, the contactor has evolved from testing only lead-based devices to testing lead-free devices, which has allowed customers to test both matte tin and NiPdAu device types.
PhaseFlex Microwave/RF Test Assemblies
W.L. Gore & Associates
www.gore.com
Available with performance through 110 GHz, the PhaseFlex Microwave/RF Test Assemblies provide superior phase and amplitude stability with flexure over a wide temperature range. They offer phase matching with the capability to performance match two or more cable assemblies to less than 1 ps. As an example, when an assembly was bent 90 degrees around a 1-in. radius mandrel, the change was only 4.3 degrees and 0.05 dB at 110 GHz. When the assembly returned to its original configuration, phase and amplitude returned to their original values. As a result, repeatable measurements are achieved without needing to repeat time-consuming calibrations between measurements.
The rugged PhaseFlex assemblies, which were introduced in 2003, are crush and torque resistant, while still offering a flexible outer diameter of only 0.165-in. (nominal). Even with this small size, the assemblies are very low loss. Typical insertion loss for a 16 cm assembly at 110 GHz is 2.1 dB.
With virtually no springback, the PhaseFlex assemblies allow for easy test setup, and they minimize stresses on devices under test, probe tips, and adapters. They can be flexed, reformed, or repositioned while minimizing the chance of damaging the assembly or test components.
TDS3000 Series Oscilloscopes
Tektronix
www.tektronix.com
With the introduction of the TDS3000 Series of oscilloscopes in 1994, powerful signal processing moved from the lab to the individual engineer’s bench. An analog bandwidth up to 500 MHz and sampling rates of up to 5 Gsamples/s still provide excellent fidelity for most applications. Its optional battery power and 7-lb weight make the instrument also suitable for the field.
This series brought Tektronix’ DPO (digital phosphor oscilloscope) technology into a small, portable instrument for the first time. DPO technology acquires thousands of waveforms per second and uses intensity grading to indicate how often a waveform occurs. Frequently occurring waveforms appear brighter than infrequent ones, making it easy to distinguish glitches, transients, and modulation. Once users see an anomaly, they can easily take a closer look with advanced glitch, runt pulse, or slew-rate triggers.
Optional software modules provide a scalable solution and support applications like limit testing, advanced channel math, telecom mask testing, and HDTV video. The TDS3000 Series has evolved and is currently known as TDS3000C. Improvements include the e*Scope built-in Web page server, WaveAlert automatic anomaly detection, and USB memory stick support.
TestKompress ATPG Tool
Mentor Graphics
www.mentor.com
The TestKompress ATPG (automatic test pattern generation) tool includes embedded test compression for delivering high-quality scan test while lowering cost. As test requirements grow, compression is needed to keep high-quality testing of ICs feasible within a high-throughput production environment. It simply isn't possible to apply tests vectors to an advanced technology IC without it.
With TestKompress, test access I/O can be reduced to three pins, thereby facilitating multisite testing, increasing device packaging options, and streamlining modular design techniques. Its EDT (Embedded Deterministic Test) technology gives consistent results for design types ranging from microprocessors to automotive electronics, without any loss of fault coverage.
TestKompress was introduced by adding pattern compression capability to the FastScan ATPG engine in 2001. Initial compression levels of 10X have evolved to levels exceeding 100X. Added features include distributed processing for faster execution and direct failure diagnosis without the need of special patterns. Designs can employ multiple compression levels so testing is optimized for wafer test, package test, and burn-in. A vectorless test, LBIST (logic built-in self-test), can be added to enable a thorough system test while the device is in the end-application.
Also:
Read about the finalists for the 2009 Best in Test awards
Read more about our awards program and about past winners
Read our entire December/January issue
No related content found.
- 0 rated items found.
Featured Company
Most Recent Resources
- Load, Pressure and Torque: Sensor Selection, Technology and...
- Mass Flow Versus Volume Flow
- Aries’ New Fine Pitch Bump Adapters Adapt BGA Devices of Any Pitch...
- New BGA Switch-A-Pitch Adapters from Aries Now Adapt 0.50 mm Devices...
- The DataFlex-1000A Flight-Capable High-Speed, High-Capacity Data...
View All Webcasts
