PXI functional test system increases ECU throughput

Agilent Technologies announced today that it will unveil its new modular PXI-based TS-8900 automotive functional test system at the IPC Apex Expo in Las Vegas next week. The test system provides a standard platform for manufacturers of medium- to high-pin-count ECUs (electronic control units).

The system includes a high-channel-count voltage-acquisition module; a large voltage-current range source; a high-voltage and high-channel digital-to-analog converter, enabling parallel test methodologies; and 200 automotive-applications-tuned libraries for faster deployment.

NK Chari, director of marketing for Agilent’s measurement systems division, said that the new PXI system provides up to 20% better throughput than previous VXI and LXI automotive functional test systems from Agilent. He noted that the new system includes three new automotive-focused PXI modules.

At the heart of the system, he said, is Agilent’s new 32-channel M9216A high-voltage data-acquisition module. The module can acquire dynamic voltage levels ranging from 1 mV to 100 V at 250 ksamples/s per channel simultaneously. The two other new automotive-focused modules include the M9186A voltage-current source and M9185A digital/analog converter, which provide direct connectivity to electronic control units without the need for external front-end signal conditioning circuitry.

Adrian Ababa, TS-8900 product manager, said the new system provides the last test before shipping for mid- to high-pin-count ECUs. It can test powertrain ECUs (including engine-control, fuel-injector-control, and emission-control modules), safety ECUs (including personal-occupancy-detection, lane-departure-warning, and collision-avoidance system modules) and body-control ECUs (including power-steering and adaptive-cruise control modules). The system generates analog, switch, and frequency inputs (representing, for example, oxygen-sensor output, battery status, ignition-key operation, PRINDL stick position, and crank- and cam-shaft rotation) and monitors ECU output to determine whether an ECU under test is responding correctly.

Ababa said the TS-8900’s throughput improvements stem from its parallel test operation, in contrast with the sequential operation of previous-generation VXI and LXI implementations. He noted that ECU test plans can require from 1500 to 3000 voltage measurements; benchmarks, he said, show that a sequential voltage measurement technique can require 0.0039 s, while a parallel approach shrinks that number to 0.0008 s. Similarly, he said, benchmarks show that a parallel scheme can test 24 pins within a 2.8-s measurement cycle, while a sequential scheme can test only one within the same period.

The TS-8900 comes with a suite of more than 200 built-in test libraries specific to automotive test. The TS-8900 will begin shipping May 31. Base price is $60,000. For more information see www.agilent.com/find/ts8900.

Agilent will also highlight these other key products and applications at Apex:

• The  Medalist i3070 Series 5 in-circuit test (ICT) system, which supports ICT inspection of LEDs and provides other high-power testing capabilities;

• The Agilent Test Coverage Consultant, an intelligent predictive tool that analyzes circuits with Agilent’s ICT technologies to help optimize the user’s test strategy; and

• New applications of Agilent’s low-cost Medalist i1000D ICT, with an integrated board handler for smart phone, LED, automotive fuse box, and limited access tests.

And if you’ll be attending Apex, join me Wednesday, April 13, from 10:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for a panel discussion titled “Cage Match: Design for Test (DFT) vs. Design for Manufacturing (DFM).”