March 27, 2008

Guest Commentary:
Metrology personnel shortage is real
With the US facing a shortfall of technical professionals, concerned individuals and professional metrology organizations are taking steps to increase metrology awareness with an emphasis on education and training. Read More

Evaluating printed-circuit-board test options
“For a printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer, testing presents a wide variety of both problems and opportunities,” states the article "Practice makes perfect" on the IPC Website. Or as Rick Nelson says, it “is all a matter of art.” Read More

Extending PXI
Channel capacity can be a limiting factor in many test setups, but when your PXI card cage is filled to capacity, you are not out of options. A PXI Express extension system will let you add even more instruments to your system, says Chris Ni, product manager for Adlink Technology. Read More

PXI and bench instruments evenly matched
When two approaches to the same problem exist in a market, they are bound to compete at some level. For PXI and bench instruments, that competition began in the area of automated testing—but improvements in both are blurring distinctions. Read More

Nomadic products put power sources to the test
Cellphones and other wireless communications devices can be difficult to test because of the dynamic requirements they place on their batteries. As a result, the power sources that substitute for batteries during test and evaluation need features that often aren't available in general-purpose supplies. Read More

Wires and heat
Martin Rowe challenged himself to connect a pre-flat-panel TV to his newer cable box, DVD/VHS unit, and stereo. He succeeded, but is left with one mystery cable. Read More

Guest Commentary:
New LXI products and capabilities unleash the power of Ethernet
With nearly 500 products certified as LXI-compliant, and a growing list of Class B and Class A products on the market and under development, a recent LXI PlugFest was alive with application stories demonstrating impressive systems results through the application of LXI. Read More

Hot swap your PCI Express boards
The PCIeExt16HOT "Smart" PCI Express live-insertion bus extender board from Furaxa lets you test and debug PCIe boards without powering down your computer. Read More

LXI switch matrices cover high current or high density
The 60-600 switch matrix from Pickering Interfaces can handle 10 A through any of its relays, and the 60-552 is a 4096 relay crosspoint matrix with a 2A rating capable of switching voltages up to 220 VDC or 250 VAC. Read More

Last chance to take a March challenge
Monday the 31st is the deadline for taking the March Oscilloscope Challenge.

Question: What is the quickest way to attempt to eliminate ringing on a measured signal?
Prize: TomTom ONE GPS
Sponsor: Yokogawa

Take the Oscilloscope Challenge

March issue covers component test
For our March cover story, we visited Littelfuse to learn how the company's engineers subject components to excessive current, lightning, ESD, overvoltage, and extreme temperatures. The issue also includes the PXI Test Report. Read it today!

Industry calendar of events
Upcoming events include SAE World Congress (April), ESTECH (May), and Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference (July). For more information about these and other test-related events, visit our
online calendar.