The Best in Test: 2006

Staff -- Test & Measurement World, 12/1/2005

Each year, Test & Measurement World's editors present the Best in Test awards to products we think are particularly innovative or useful. Here, we present the 2006 Best in Test winners as well as 18 products worthy of honorable mention. T&MW's editors narrowed this year's field from scores of deserving products, nominated by vendors, that were introduced between November 1, 2004, and October 31, 2005.

We invited our readers to help determine which of the 12 Best in Test products will become the Test Product of the Year by using an online ballot to cast their votes. Voting ended on January 18, 2006. We will announce the winning product in February and publish a description of it in our March 2006 issue.www.tmworld.com/product_showcase.

In addition to the products described in this Best in Test section, keep in mind other worthy products identified by Test & Measurement World editors throughout the year in our Editors' Choice columns and Product Update features. You can read about these products at

CLICK ON A PRODUCT NAME FOR THE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION.

BOARD & SYSTEM TEST
ScanFlex boundary-scan platform, Goepel Electronic

SPECTRUM ANALYZER
RSA3408A real-time spectrum analyzer, Tektronix

X-RAY INSPECTION
XStation MX and ClearVue inspection system, Teradyne

SEMICONDUCTOR ATE
Sapphire D-10 test system, Credence Systems

OSCILLOSCOPES
DL9000 series oscilloscopes, Yokogawa

RF & WIRELESS TEST
ZVT 8 vector network analyzer, Rohde & Schwarz

SOFTWARE
Lab Manager 4.1 software, EdenTree Technologies

POWER
eLOAD series electronic loads, AMREL/American Reliance

WIRELINE
OBR reflectometer, Luna Technologies

FAILURE ANALYSIS
NC-1 noncontact probe system, Suss MicroTec Test Systems

ELECTRONIC DESIGN AUTOMATION
Encounter Test Architect software, Cadence Design Systems