EE-Evaluation Engineering articles from March 2004

EE-Evaluation Engineering archives from March 2004

Still around and working very nicely.(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... Has the whole world gone digital? I'm referring to the digital displays found in all sorts of gadgets and products from CD players and watches to test equipment such as multimeters and function generators. Even my refrigerator has two digital...

Amplifier Research changes name.(In the News)
March 1, 2004... Amplifier Research, a company that has provided amplifiers, antennas, transient generators, and complete test systems for the automotive, medical, military, aerospace, and telecom industries for 35 years, has changed its name to AR Worldwide....

Consortium releases VXI specification revision.(In the News)
March 1, 2004... The VXIbus Consortium has released Revision 3.0 of the VXIbus specification that incorporates the VME64 and 2eVME protocols. It provides 64-b addressing and permits data to be transferred on both the rising and falling edges, increasing data...

Measurement Computing acquires LABTECH.(In the News)
March 1, 2004... Measurement Computing has acquired LABTECH of Andover, MA. LABTECH was founded in 1981, and its Notebook Software is sold and supported by many hardware vendors such as Data Translation and Keithley Instruments. www.mccdaq.com and...

Automated Test Summit.(Dates)
March 1, 2004... The 2004 Automated Test Summit hosted by National Instruments and industry partners Flextronics Test, JTAG Technologies, SigmaQuest, Tektronix, Thermotron, and Virginia Panel will be held April 20 in Golden, CO; April 27 in Laurel, MD; and...

HALT/HASS.(Dates)
March 1, 2004... Hobbs Engineering will hold six HALT/HASS-related seminars during April. Mastering HALT and HASS and Physics of Failure will be presented on April 19-20 in San Jose, CA. Reliant Labs in Santa Clara, CA, will be the site for the HALT and HASS...

EMC Seminar/Workshop.(Dates)
March 1, 2004... The EMC Practical Applications Seminar/Workshop will be conducted by D.L.S. Electronic Systems on April 29-30 and May 3-4 at the Hilton Hotel in Northbrook, IL. Using a real-life product example, participants will learn how to determine a...

RF instrument analyzes multiport devices.(Product Briefing)
March 1, 2004... The R3860A RF Component Analyzer features a four-port receiver architecture covering a frequency range of 300 kHz to 20 GHz with a sweep speed of 5 ms/point. It incorporates proprietary analog technology and high-speed operation algorithms that...

LCR meter features RS-232 interface.(Product Briefing)
March 1, 2004... The 1715 LCR Digibridge[R] Meter for benchtop and automated test addresses 11 parameters with a basic accuracy of 0.2%. It provides four different test frequencies, 100 Hz, 120 Hz, 1 kHz, and 10 kHz, and two test voltages, 0.25 V and 1.0 V. ...

Option tests next-generation RF devices.(Product Briefing)
March 1, 2004... An RF SOC test solution that verifies devices in wireless applications including 3G and 4G standards now offers the RFIC IQ Analog Option. The 93000 SOC Series configured with the option includes the digital, analog, and RF functionality...

DIO and AO boards offer multithreading streaming.(Product Briefing)
March 1, 2004... Five new digital input/output (DIO) and analog output (AO) boards deliver NI-DAQmx software technology with automatic code generation for creating applications in LabVIEW, C, Visual Basic .NET, and C#. The software offers multithreading...

Analyzer cards perform Sequential Recording.(Product Briefing)
March 1, 2004... The Model AP240 and AP235 Dual-Channel Reconfigurable Analyzer platforms now offer Sustained Sequential Recording (SSR) firmware capability. The SSR option uses FPGA technology and enables the data-processing units in the platforms to store...

It's all in the noise: spectrally uniform noise is the ticket to accurate and repeatable filter testing if you know a few simple tricks.(Communications Test)
March 1, 2004... Often a mixed-signal test engineer is asked to test a filter, sometimes a discrete unit, but more commonly a filter embedded in a more complex mixed-signal device. To properly perform the task, he needs a thorough understanding of the various...

Getting on-board ATE test fixtures: loaded board testing pays for itself by reducing field returns and bone-pile scrap.(Board ATE)
March 1, 2004... You seldom read an article about PCBs or semiconductors without encountering test-related phrases and acronyms. Cost of test, multisite testing, functional test (FT), in-circuit test (ICT), built-in self-test (BIST), low-cost test, boundary...

Product guide.(Instrumentation Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... Accessories, Instrumentation Absolute Analysis ADLINK Technology Aeroflex/Weinschel Agilent Technologies Alligator Technologies Amprobe Advanced Test Products Analog & Digital Peripherals Anritsu AR...

Company guide.(Instrumentation Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2004... Absolute Analysis CA 805-376-6048; fax: 805-376-6041 www.absoluteanalysis.com ACCES I/O Products CA 800-326-1649; fax: 858-550-7322 www.accesio.com Acculogic Canada 905-475-5907; fax: 905-475-5415 ...

Applying advanced fault models: the current shift in the test methodologies is away from the ubiquitous single stuck-at fault model.(Design for Test)
March 1, 2004... The best test for any device is to exhaustively test the device. The quality of such a test would be perfect since any defective IC would be identified, and all the shipped ICs would be defect free. However, test resources are limited by...

Automotive EMC immunity specs strike a chord; the Big Three automakers are working together to develop a single document that will reduce the test burden on suppliers.(Automotive Electronics Test)
March 1, 2004... Automakers in the United States have not yet achieved harmony in their standards for radiated and conducted EMC immunity testing, but the latest revisions to specifications from Ford Motor Co. and General Motors are a big leap in that...

Transients? What transients?(EMC Product Showcase)
March 1, 2004... The products in EE's annual spring show case represent most of today's practical approaches for dealing with interference, including measuring and simulating it. For example, heavy metal enclosures constrain internally generated electrical...

Memory Test System.(ATE)
March 1, 2004... The T5377 Memory Test System features a new architecture that improves failure identification and supports simultaneous testing of up to 256 memory devices at speeds of 143 MHz or 286 MHz for DDR memories. The 131-GB memory-failure recording...

Programming Controller.(ATE)
March 1, 2004... The CPXI-1149.1/Turbo Controller offers boundary scan testing and in-system programming of CPLDs, FPGAs, and flash memories. Up to 1,024 boards compliant with IEEE 1149.1 can be tested and programmed concurrently. It delivers test vectors at a...

Automated Tray Feeder.(ATE)
March 1, 2004... The self-adjusting TF30 Automated Feeder features the Batch Plus[TM] process to replenish devices in and out of JEDEC and semiconductor-specific matrix trays during programming. The side-mounted, multitray feeder integrates with PP and PS...

Vector Network Analyzers.(Communications Test)
March 1, 2004... The ENA-L and PNA-L Vector Network Analyzers for production-line applications feature a modern Windows interface. The ENA-L provides the basic capabilities needed for characterization of active and passive components such as filters,...

Two-path signal generator.(Communications Test)
March 1, 2004... The SMU200A Vector Signal Generator features a two-path design and a new type of GUI on an 800 x 600 pixel SVGA display that presents the signal flow more clearly. The generator can be equipped with two separate RF signal sources and two...

Eight-channel module.(Data Acquisition)
March 1, 2004... The VX2805 VXI Module has built-in signal conditioning suitable for strain gauge bridge-type transducers and voltage signals. Each channel incorporates a bridge signal conditioner, a low pass filter, a 16-b 5-MS/s/channel ADC, and 16 MS of DRAM...

Analog I/O Board.(Data Acquisition)
March 1, 2004... The PCI-DAS6033 Analog I/O Board provides 64 single-ended/32 differential channels of 16-b analog input. Measurements on any of 14 input ranges may be taken at rates up to 100 kS/s. Eight digital bidirectional I/O lines control relays and...

DSP-based PXI boards.(Data Acquisition)
March 1, 2004... The XH Series high-speed data acquisition boards and the XM Series multifunction analog I/O boards use a local 143-MHz, 32-b DSP; 16 MB of on-board memory; and PCI bus mastering to capture and playback analog signals. The XH Series, consisting...

Dual-Display LCR Meter.(Instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... The battery-powered, hand-held Model 879 Dual-Display Auto Ranging LCR Meter measures capacitance, resistance of noninductive components, and inductance at four test frequencies (100 and 120 Hz and 1 and 10 kHz). The 4 1/2-digit backlit LCD...

Probe with actuator pin.(Instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... The Model CT3133RA is a 350-MHz, fixed x 10 attenuation oscilloscope probe with a readout actuator pin. The slim-bodied probe meets IEC 61010-031 600-V CAT-I and has a 1.0-ns rise time, a snaplocking sprung-hook adapter, a 10- to 35-pF...

Power Monitoring Instrument.(Instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... The PowerGuide[R] 4400 Power Monitoring Instrument with eight independent channels incorporates a color touch screen into its lightweight design. Automated setups detect circuit types and configurations. The length and mode of data collection,...

DSO options.(Instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... New options providing serial bus and power supply analysis functions are available for the DL7440/DL7480 Digital Oscilloscopes. The serial bus option offers [I.sup.2]C, CAN, and SPI bus trigger and analysis. Evaluations from such analyses are...

Hipot Safety Tester.(Instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... The benchtop Sentinel Hipot Tester combines AC and DC high-voltage testing up to 5 kV AC and 6.0 kV DC and can act as a stand-alone instrument or part of a production system. A large LCD indicates test parameters and results. The compact unit...

Programmable Power Supply.(Instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... The Model P6000 DC Power Supply features an RS-232/485 interface for PC or front-panel keyboard program entry. It has a [+ or -]36 V at 3-A output and stores 10 voltage-current settings. Program setting time is 10 ms for voltage increase and 10...

High-voltage Amplifiers.(Instrumentation)
March 1, 2004... The single-channel Model 2340 and the dual-channel Model 2350 Amplifiers provide outputs up to 400 Vpkpk, a DC to 2-MHz small signal bandwidth, and a full power bandwidth from DC to 200 kHz. Safety features include grounded BNC outputs and...

Shaker-system software.(ESS)
March 1, 2004... Coolit![TM] is a simulation spreadsheet for Excel that analyzes shaker cooling requirements. By entering 15 basic system specifications, the software determines the cooling load on air conditioning and the operating temperature of the shaker...