Electronic Test Equipment News

Every emergent technology requires establishing specifications that determine how manufacturers will test the resulting products to verify that they will work properly when they reach customers. Ideally, a recognized authority such as the IEEE will adopt those specifications as standard. But such standards often don't anticipate all of the concerns of OEM customers. Those customers ask for clarifications that will allow them to generate test programs or hardware to guarantee compliance and engage additional suppliers without risking incompatibility. This article describes the IEEE Conformity Assessment Program, which serves as an unbiased third party, considering the needs of all constituents.

Accuracy and versatility makes the HF LCR Meters the ideal choice for many different tasks and applications in manufacturing and test. The wide range of frequency specifications means that a model can be selected that best meets application requirements and within budget. Learn more...

A.H. Systems' Preamplifier line is an excellent choice with a rugged design, no hassles with soldering your own power leads and they improve overall system sensitivity by at least 20 dB. Eight models are available ranging from 20 MHz - 40 GHz and with next-day, on-time delivery. Visit us here for more details.

Even the best oscilloscope has to sense a signal before it can display it. The inexpensive passive probes that come with most scopes offer wide dynamic range and high input resistance, along with disadvantages that include low bandwidth and high input capacitance. This application note introduces alternatives that overcome those drawbacks, providing higher performance and lowering the instrument's overall cost of ownership.

Turning your PC into a data-acquisition system isn't exactly rocket science, but understanding both its advantages and its limitations will ensure that you get the best results. This series of short videos covers a variety of topics, including built-in counters and digital I/O on multifunction devices, how to synchronize several DAQ devices, triggering, signal processing and analysis, and automatic code generation.

Aimed at protocol analysis for silicon, systems, and embedded PC connectors using PCI Express 3.0, these new flying-lead, solder-down probes provide simplicity, flexibility, and reduced cost. The matching protocol analyzer module can accommodate up to 4 probes, supporting as many as 16 channels. Other probes come with extra leads that increase the price but serve no purpose for the most common channel tests.

The original boundary-scan architecture could not cope with many of today's complex printed-circuit boards. A single test-access port (TAP) doesn't allow enough speed or flexibility to perform a comprehensive test. This multi-TAP system can add up to 4 TAPs to a conventional in-circuit tester, permitting additional functionality while reducing the number of test points in the fixture, thereby reducing fixture costs.

The climatics department of E-Labs offers a wide range of chamber sizes from 2 to 3,500 cu ft. All chambers are equipped with digital controllers that allow for safe and accurate operation at any temperature or humidity level. Review the features...

Measure surface temperature of objects which are difficult to reach or unsafe to contact and measure hot spots in electrical panels and equipment. Visit us at www.Testequipmentdepot.com.

• Measure from -54 F to 1000 F without contact.
• Large LCD display with backlighting.
• Built-in laser pointer to improve aim.

New materials, structures, and design rules for wafer fabrication produce previously unseen defects that require new techniques to find them effectively. These new wafer inspection systems interface directly with their manufacturer's e-beam defect review equipment. More powerful lighting and electron guns and other innovations increase defect resolution and reduce ambient noise, revealing defects as small as 10 nm.

For situations where computed tomography (CT) offers advantages over x-ray inspection, a dearth of fully automated systems has always produced a process bottleneck. This specialist in CT technology has introduced such a system. Its modular architecture accepts several different x-ray tubes and features state-of-the-art detectors, providing inspection configurations customized for each specific application.

Despite the likelihood of causing additional defects, most device manufacturers prefer to test wafers at the front end of the line (FEOL) rather than risk an entire bad wafer by testing only at the back end (BEOL). This piece touts the advantages of a compromise approach. It recommends high-particle removal using cryogenic aerosols after the first or second in-line tests.

Testing a piece of hardware intended for 4G network speeds — either communication equipment or end-user handsets — always means shooting at a moving target. The technology changes constantly and rapidly. Here, Stephen Hire of Aeroflex Asia-India makes a case for adopting modular test techniques, such as using PXI instrument modules, to provide the necessary test flexibility.

The JDSU Encore certified pre-owned test equipment program delivers the same high-quality specifications as new JDSU products. Equipment is refurbished and calibrated to meet factory specifications, includes a JDSU warranty, standard accessories, and access to technical support and customer services. Support plans and options/upgrades can be bundled at purchase.

Used as a standard for assessing board assemblies failure due to corrosion with ionic contamination, Thermotron's SIR test system uses accurate and reliable designs to measure up to 256 test coupons on standard test circuit boards. The Thermotron SIR test system has the capacity to test from 8-24 test sites up to 25-256 test sites.

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