“Combining JTAG test and microprocessor emulation technology gives ScanWorks the ability to reach places on a printed circuit board where boundary scan could not reach on its own, extending JTAG structural test coverage significantly and adding functional test to the same JTAG test platform. We believe this combination will really help customers increase test coverage, improve product quality and lower test costs for applications where traditional manufacturing defect analysis and in-circuit test (MDA/ICT) systems are not an option because of limited physical access on the board or because these test methods place too much strain on the board,” said Glenn Woppman, president and CEO of ASSET InterTech. “Our ScanWorks Extended JTAG Coverage product family brings a new realm of test techniques to microprocessor emulation that hasn’t been available.”
Based on the strategic relationship between ASSET and International Test Technologies, the two companies have agreed to work together on a family of ScanWorks microprocessor emulation products. The first such products support Freescale Semiconductor™/IBM® PowerPC™, Intel® Pentium® and Intel XScale® processors.
“Over the last few years we have worked with ASSET on several projects,” said Billy Fenton, CEO of International Test Technologies. “The mutual benefit that the two companies have gained from this has led us to formalize our relationship so we can pool our efforts on the ScanWorks Extended JTAG Coverage product family to deliver the benefits of higher test coverage while virtually eliminating the need for physical access.”
ScanWorks Extended JTAG Coverage takes advantage of the fact that many microprocessors feature JTAG ports for emulation testing. Emulation products such as µMaster from International Test Technologies use the processor’s JTAG port to control the processor and carry out various functional test routines. Now, with ScanWorks Extended JTAG Coverage, boundary scan tests can be executed on complex logic devices such as Ethernet controllers that may not have boundary-scan capabilities but which can be accessed by the system’s microprocessor.
Computer manufacturer reaps benefits
One of the first manufacturers to reap the benefits of combining boundary scan test with functional emulation testing has been SBS Technologies, Inc. of Albuquerque, NM.
“Our reputation rests on the high quality of the embedded single-board computers and other types of boards we manufacture,” said Wayne McGee, vice president and general manager of SBS Technologies Single Board Computer Group. “In the embedded world, reliability,  durability and ruggedness are very critical. Consequently, we take a lot of pride in the structural integrity of our boards. ScanWorks Extended JTAG Coverage lets us test more than we could otherwise have tested with either JTAG or emulation on their own. It’s a big win for our customers.”
About International Test Technologies
International Test Technologies (www.intertesttech.com) of Ireland is a leader in manufacturing test and hardware debug solutions for processor-based printed circuit boards. The company’s primary technology center is located in Ireland, while application support centers are located in Asia, Europe and North America. Additional support is provided by a network of worldwide partners.
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