ASSET InterTech's Boundary-Scan Test, Processor-Controlled Test and Intel® IBIST are unique tools for access, automation and analysis of embedded instrumentation.

Where Problems Occur

How Can Boundary Scan Help Where Problems Occur?

Design engineers have to test not only their own designs, but also the early prototypes that come back from manufacturing. The project can't move forward until the prototypes coming out of both design and manufacturing are "known good."

In a new product's prototype design phase, engineers are typically confirming that the devices function as intended, and that the projected means of attaching devices to the board work as planned. Soon after, when the first few boards come back from manufacturing, it's critical to test for solder smears, bridges and gaps, plus misplaced and defective parts.

Under ideal circumstances, an in-circuit tester (ICT) can be used to perform the necessary tests (functional, structural, interconnect). But this becomes a problem if the fixtures for the ICT haven't been developed yet -- and typically this doesn't happen until a board is "known good." This leaves a design or test engineer only the options in his lab -- standard instruments and visual inspection. However, advanced packaging technologies are reducing the usefulness of these options, by limiting or removing physical access to the device, board or system.

SOLUTION

JTAG tools from ASSET solve this problem by giving prototype designers the ability to generate, conduct and evaluate a full range of tests. Tests can be done at any stage of the product's development, in any location, at any time of the day (or night). And the process is simplified because to run a test, all you have to do is hook the device, board or system to a PC.

Boundary scan aids in design verification by allowing an engineer to:

Program boot code in a flash device, to initialize the system
Put design configuration data into a CPLD
Gain access to internal structures of an ASIC
Initialize board state or capture the board state for analysis (in a PC file)

In these ways, ASSET boundary-scan tools help engineers find defects and verify designs.

To speak with an ASSET representative, click here.

Manufacturing Test

PROBLEM

Traditionally, engineers use in-circuit testers (ICT) for manufacturing assembly testing. However, with the move to advanced packaging technologies (such as BGAs), the ability of in- circuit testers to give full nodal access is greatly impaired.

In functional test, our customers are finding ICT escapes. For example, due to the vacuum pressure that ICTs use, some opens are closed, thus passing the ICT test, but failing a functional test.

In an environmental chamber, where there is limited space and large swings in temperature and voltage, ICTs are not easily hooked up to test a board or system. As a result, you can have problems identifying what caused a failure while the system was being stressed.

SOLUTION

ASSET boundary-scan tools solve these problems by giving engineers virtual access to the pins of the chip, so that they can easily perform necessary tests.

Using boundary scan in functional test can capture ICT escapes before a lot of time is spent in the functional test process. Boundary scan can also be used to test the assembly of boards and daughter cards to ensure correct construction before functional test begins.

Because running the tools only requires hooking the board or system to a PC with conventional data cables, engineers can easily monitor units in a test chamber. This allows you to capture information at the time of failure, to help you troubleshoot.

It is worth noting that many of our customers use boundary-scan tools in manufacturing to complement the functionality of an ICT. This becomes particularly helpful when the ICT is used not only for test, but also for other functions (such as ISP). This extra workload slows the ICT. At this point, it makes sense to consider offloading some of the work of the ICT to a PC-based boundary-scan manufacturing system. This increases manufacturing capacity with a smaller investment.

To speak with an ASSET representative, click here.

Field Test & Repair

PROBLEM

Our customers care about system up time, and you care about clear identification of field problems. But identifying the specific source of a problem is not easy in the field.

When problem parts, boards or systems are returned from the field to a central location for analysis, the process of hooking up an ICT quickly becomes more of a cost than the value of the faulty part.

SOLUTION

ASSET boundary-scan tools allow you to find the problem and get the system back online quickly, so you can help your customer faster. Boundary-scan technology enables field service technicians to quickly identify the problem, down to the replaceable unit.

Another key benefit is dramatically reducing the frequency of the "no fault found" problem -- where the board fails in the field, but works in the repair station environment.

That's because boundary scan gives you very specific data about the failure, and because boundary scan is environment independent -- removing the potential impact of the field location on your troubleshooting efforts.

To speak with an ASSET representative, click here.