IEEE AUTOTESTCON is the United States’ largest conference focused on automatic test systems for U.S. military systems, and has been held annually since 1965. The conference is held in Baltimore, Maryland this fall, all themes focused precisely on the current issues facing military automated test.
Amongst a variety of products, these latest models deserve attention and will be presented by the leading Boundary-scan provider:
Combining the Benefits of Flying Probe and Boundary-scan
Huntron, Inc., a leader in PCB diagnosis and troubleshooting equipment for over 30 years, is presenting together with JTAG Technologies the integration of their test methods within Huntron’s range of prober enhanced analog signature analysis products.
‘Huntron Tracker’ is synonymous with PCB fault detection using the technique known as analog signature analysis. From today users of this technology can now take advantage of advancements made in the digital world that allow PCBs to be tested using built in logic circuits known as Boundary-scan or JTAG present in ICs such as FPGAs, CPLDs DSPs, and microprocessors. The JTAG technology is now commonplace on many of today’s digital and mixed signal designs.
‘By equipping a Huntron system that utilizes their robotic probe technology with boundary-scan capability you can further enhance the test coverage achieved with these iconic test systems’, says Peter van den Eijnden, President of JTAG Technologies.
It works by synchronizing the stimulus/measurement probe of the Huntron with a boundary-scan test vector that is generated by JTAG Technologies equipment. An example of this would be in testing the continuity of a PCB track from a JTAG/boundary-scan compliant part to an edge connector. Without a sense probe on the edge connector you would be unable to detect an open circuit condition. The Huntron Robotic prober adds this facility in a low-cost and flexible manner.
ProVision Designer Station offers complete JTAG development package – low entry price
JTAG Technologies is also showcasing a new economically-priced software and hardware system for board-level and system designers looking to benefit from a boundary-scan test and programming strategy. Boundary-scan, or JTAG, testing has remained a powerful tool for identifying assembly faults such as open- and short-circuits, missing components and damaged devices since its introduction (as IEEE Std 1149.1) in 1990. However, while boundary-scan tools have been in use for almost 20 years, the relatively high cost of ‘professional’ systems has meant that they largely remain in the domain of test and production engineers.
JTAG Technologies’ ProVision Designer Station offers now a low entry price yet retains key features such as automatic test program generation (ATPG) for interconnections and in-system programming (ISP) for devices. It is ideal for the preparation of all boundary-scan test routines that might be used in the design environment and beyond. The tool incorporates a highly automated test program generator for interconnects that takes advantage of a library of thousands of non-boundary-scan (cluster) device models to create a safe [to execute], high-quality core test.
The Rapid generation and execution of this so-called ‘Interconnect Test’ using the handy JT 3705/USB controller, that is included with the system, allows the user to gain quickly confidence that the core boundary-scan to boundary-scan pin connections of a design are defect-free.
For more information please visit, www.jtag.com
Filed Under: Industrial automation