January 10, 2008

Credence achieves profitability and will shrink
in effort to maintain it
Credence Systems has announced that it has achieved profitability for its fourth quarter and fiscal year. In an effort to maintain profitability, the company announced a retrenchment that will shrink the company by about 30% as it focuses on the consumer semiconductor test market. Read More

The ATE industry's hybrid theory
If the first thing you think of when you hear "hybrid theory" is Linkin Park's debut album, then you may be missing the most important trend in automatic test equipment (ATE): the introduction of hybrid systems that employ combinations of GPIB, VXI, PXI, and LXI interfaces. 
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SOC ATE gains RF instrumentation
ATE companies have been responding to RF system-on-chip (SOC) vendors' calls for innovative test approaches with a variety of new test system architectures and instrumentation. Read More

Tests keep tracking shipments
When a customer needed to perform functional test and programming of GPS tracking modules, G Systems developed a system that programs the devices, simulates GPS signals, and performs power and RF measurements. Read More

NI introduces USB-controlled RMS RF power meter
The 6-GHz NI USB-5680 power meter features high measurement accuracy and wide dynamic range packaged in a size similar to a typical power head. Read More

Verigy completes Inovys acquisition
Verigy has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Inovys, which provides tools for design debug, failure analysis, and yield acceleration for complex semiconductor devices and processes. 
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Zwick noncontact extensometer measures strain
By using laser technology, the laserXtens extensometer determines two fingerprints on the specimen surface and by setting these as the gauge length, it is able to measure the strain directly as the specimen is subjected to stress. Read More

Faro enhances laser-based measurement arm
Version 3 of Faro Technologies' Laser ScanArm is 30% more accurate, 33% lighter, and offers better performance in scanning dark or reflective surfaces than the company's V2 model. Read More

Elma extends incremental encoder's life to 1 million rotations
The E33 features rugged construction, including an all-metal body, metal threaded bushing, and standard metal shaft. The encoder employs an indexing mechanism that creates tactile feedback that is evident even through gloves. Read More

January challenges include Environmental Test question
For January, we have added an environmental test question to our challenge line-up. Answer one of our challenge questions correctly, and you could win a prize, courtesy of the contest sponsor.

ENVIRONMENTAL TEST CHALLENGE
During vibration testing, most mechanical failures are blamed on which factor?
Prizes: Two $100 Best Buy gift certificates
Contest sponsor: Cincinnati Sub-Zero

OSCILLOSCOPE CHALLENGE
How can you minimize the effects of probe loading?
Prize: TomTom ONE navigation system
Contest sponsor: Yokogawa

Go to the Challenge page

Best in Test winners announced in December/January issue
Read our December/January issue to learn about the 12 winners of the 2008 Best in Test awards, and then cast your vote for the Test Product of the Year. Plus, the issue also describes new techniques in failure analysis that enable manufacturers to perform their own imaging and analysis tasks. Read it today!

Industry calendar of events
Upcoming events include OFC/NFOEC (February), Measurement Science Conference (March), and APEX/IPC Printed Circuits Expo (March). For more information about these and other test-related events, visit our online calendar.