Agilent’s Cover-Extend technology eliminates need for physical test points for in-circuit test
-- Test & Measurement World, 3/21/2008 5:24:00 AM
Agilent Technologies has unveiled a limited-access technology for in-circuit test (ICT) users that eliminates the need for physical test points, offering benefits that Agilent’s traditional VTEP test cannot provide. Part of Agilent's VTEP v2.0 Powered test suite, the Agilent Cover-Extend technology is a hybrid between two established test methodologies in the electronic manufacturing industry: boundary scan and VTEP vectorless test.
Unlike traditional VTEP test, which requires physical test points on the printed-circuit-board assembly (PCBA) for the injection of test stimulus signals, Agilent's Cover-Extend relies on stimulus provided by boundary-scan cells, which do not require physical test points. The benefits of this technology include:
• improved test coverage, which preserves users' investment in in-circuit testers. Cover-Extend can recover up to 50% node access.
• savings on fixturing, a continuous operating cost that can easily exceed the price of the ICT system itself over time. A typical factory using Cover-Extend on 30 lines can potentially save up to $500,000 per year, Agilent reports.
• strain relief on solder joints, resulting from fewer test probes needed underneath high-density ICs (for instance, BGAs), greatly reduce potential solder-joint damage due to excessive strain.
"Cover-Extend addresses key concerns in today's manufacturing environment—cost, coverage, quality and speed," said Daniel Mak, VP and GM of Agilent's Measurement Systems Division. "The results we are getting from our customers' lines are very positive, and we will implement Cover-Extend in full-scale production environments with some of our key customers in April."
Agilent customers with valid software-upgrade contracts for the i3070 and VTEP-equipped fixtures can receive this new technology by purchasing an additional software license and a fully VTEP-compatible fixture hardware upgrade. Pricing for the license will include bundles for new and current Agilent boundary-scan customers. Pricing for the VTEP fixture hardware upgrade will be similar to existing Agilent VTEP fixture hardware products.
Limited shipments of the product have begun. Full availability will be in the second half of 2008. Agilent will conduct live demonstrations of Cover-Extend at two major test and inspection tradeshows: Apex 2008, April 1-3, in Las Vegas, NV, and Nepcon Shanghai 2008, April 8-11, in Shanghai, China.
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