EE-Evaluation Engineering articles from November 2006

EE-Evaluation Engineering archives from November 2006

Something new.(EDITORIAL)
November 1, 2006... This addition to Evaluation Engineering has been a long time coming. We looked at several digital magazine software packages over the last three or four years and, quite frankly, found none we felt would be acceptable to our readers or...

Platform features fast measurement speed.(Product Briefing)
November 1, 2006... The MXA Signal Analysis Platform integrates a range of standards-based measurements, such as WiMAX, with the company's 89601A vector signal analysis software. It features an open operating system and an enhanced signal-analysis user interface...

Generators produce waveforms with imperfections.(Product Briefing)
November 1, 2006... The AWG7000 Series of Arbitrary Waveform Generators features 5.8-GHz bandwidth, 10-b resolution, and sample rates up to 20 GS/s. It produces high-speed real-life waveforms with imperfections including noise, jitter, pre/de-emphasis, and...

Instrument calibrates electrical test tools.(Product Briefing)
November 1, 2006... The 5320A Multifunction Electrical Tester Calibrator incorporates the functionality required to calibrate and verify insulation resistance, continuity, and earth resistance testers; loop/line impedance and ground bond testers; RCD or GFCI...

Vector signal generator costs <$10,000.(Product Briefing)
November 1, 2006... The p 1411A Vector Signal Generator includes a spectrum analyzer display and an internal IQ waveform generator. The source covers the 800-MHz to 1,000-MHz and 1,700-MHz to 2,200-MHz cellular bands and produces EDGE, GSM, IS-95, NADC, PHS,...

Signal generator has simplified self-maintenance.(Product Briefing)
November 1, 2006... The MXG Signal Generators feature ACLR performance at -65 dBc for a four-carrier 3GPP W-CDMA signal and -71 dBc for a single-carrier signal. The LXI Class-C compliant units also have fast switching speeds. With SCPI programming, they make...

Scope solution addresses TDR test technology.(Product Briefing)
November 1, 2006... The new DSA8200 Digital Serial Analyzer Sampling Oscilloscope, remote sampling electrical modules, and enhanced IConnect[R] software address characterization, design validation, and compliance verification of time and frequency domain behavior...

RF measurement basics for non-RF test engineers.(WIRELESS TEST)
November 1, 2006... Wireless communications products that depend on RF principles are everywhere these days, and the growth rate is astonishing. From cell phones and wireless PDAs to Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, Bluetooth headsets, RFID tags, wireless medical devices,...

How to compete against the big guys: an industry expert outlines how small companies with generally fewer resources and less funding can successfully compete with big business.(MANAGER'S FORUM)
November 1, 2006... There must be some good reasons that venture-capital coffers are bursting at the seams with lots of money to invest. Why are investors placing high-risk bets on new fledgling start-ups? Also, why are engineers in their garages and basements...

Testing low-pass filters with digital pins: binary search, a decrease-and-conquer approach, plays an important role in testing today's low-pass filters.(SIGNAL SOURCES)
November 1, 2006... When testing a low-pass filter, generally you have to use an arbitrary waveform generator (Arb) to create test tones to pass through the filter to measure the relative gain or attenuation of each tone to find the cutoff frequency of the filter....

Fiber-optically isolated instrumentation application: when traditional instruments became too cumbersome, a compact high-bandwidth digitizer provided the solution.(DATA ACQUISITION)
November 1, 2006... Instrumentation of high-voltage pulsed power experiments can be problematic because of the strong electromagnetic (EM) fields present around the measurement location and the need to maintain isolation through the walls of shielded enclosures....

The art of measuring low resistance: don't heap all the blame for a wrong measurement on the DMM. There can be several less obvious sources of the errors.(SWITCHING PRINCIPLES)
November 1, 2006... Testing assemblies and components usually includes checking the continuity of connectors, wires, traces, and low-value resistive elements. Such applications typically require both a DMM and a switching system. Many users select a DMM and...

Environmental test takes too much time: simplify test definition and shorten test throughput times by using an instrument that has universal adoption and inexpensive test automation software.(ENVIRONMENTAL TEST)
November 1, 2006... The latest design is finished. But before the R & D manager will sign the shipment release, he wants to see the design verification test results, and the test department manager won't approve the release until he reviews the environmental...

Nonstandard time zones: EMC-aware designs eliminate objectionable interference at the source.(EMC TEST LABS)
November 1, 2006... Clock signals figure prominently in microprocessor-controlled systems. Regardless of their architecture, digital processing engines generally require a pacing signal to run internal counters that keep track of addresses and data values and...

ESD buyers guide.(Directory)
November 1, 2006... EE's 27th annual ESD Buyers Guide is a comprehensive, up-to-date listing of the companies that offer products or services to control or measure electrostatic discharges in the work environment. The guide is arranged in two sections. First is a...

Boundary Scan Controller Card.(ATE)
November 1, 2006... The PCIe-1149.1[TM] Boundary Scan Controller is used to test devices, boards, or systems compliant with IEEE 1149.1. It is composed of the PCIe-1149.1 Controller Card and the ScanTAP-4 Remote Pod. The PCIe-1149.1 interfaces with the host...

Boundary scan platform.(ATE)
November 1, 2006... The SFX-6216 16-Channel Bipolar Voltage Measurement Module features application-specific, in-system reconfigurable add-on resources based on the VarioCore[TM] technology. The number of channels can be expanded by using multiple SFX-6216...

300-mm Probe Station.(ATE)
November 1, 2006... The Model 9020 300-mm Manual Probe Station features motorized drives with interactive manual control of the probe station stage, theta, platen, and microscope via joystick or the company's MicroTouch[TM] controls. The 9020 provides a wide speed...

Onboard processing board.(DATA ACQUISITION)
November 1, 2006... The DAP 5000a/526 Data Acquisition Processor Board, powered by a Pentium 233-MHz CPU, includes 16 analog inputs, two analog outputs, 16 digital inputs, and 16 digital outputs. External rack-mounted hardware extends these channel counts to 512,...

Multifunction Module.(DATA ACQUISITION)
November 1, 2006... The Seal/O-470 Multifunction Module provides 16 single-ended or eight differential 12-b analog inputs, two 12-b D/A outputs, eight optically isolated digital inputs, and eight open collector digital outputs. The A/D inputs are independently...

Analog Input Board.(DATA ACQUISITION)
November 1, 2006... The PowerDNA Cube DNA-AI-207 Analog Input Board features 16 differential input channels with a maximum sampling rate of 1 kS/s per channel, 18-b resolution, and 11 input ranges from [+ or -]10 V to [+ or -]2.5 mV full scale. A 17th channel...

Pressure Strain and Force.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Omega's 8th Edition Pressure, Strain, and Force Handbook[TM] contains >1,200 pages of products for measurement, display, and control of pressure, differential pressure, barometric pressure, absolute pressure, and vacuum, including...

Ethernet switches.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... The EKI-6538 is a new category of industrial Ethernet switches occupying a space between an inexpensive unmanaged switch and an overly expensive managed switch. The EKI-6538 has many features of a fully managed switch at a price comparable to...

Horn Antenna.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... The AHA-118 Active Horn Antenna has an integrated preamplifier with a 25-dB nominal gain that improves noise performance for EMI emissions testing systems. The preamplifier is connected to antenna using an ng cable. The combination long cable,...

Semiconductor test systems.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Verigy designs, develops, manufactures, and sells advanced test systems and solutions for the semiconductor industry. Verigy comprises the semiconductor test business recently separated from Agilent Technologies. Building upon 65+ years of...

Peak Power Analyzer.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... The new 4500B Peak Power Analyzer, totally redesigned from the inside out, is changing the way the industry views and analyzes RF data. Some of the key features include an 8.4" TFT color LCD display; 100-ps time-base resolution; automatic...

Boundary scan.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Test Coach has been chosen as a Center of Expertise for Gopel in the United States. As a COE, Test Coach will work with customers to provide boundary scan solutions and integration using Gopel software. Services include design for test and...

Discrete Semiconductor Testers.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Starting under $23,000.00, S.T.I. 5000 Series Discrete Semiconductor Test Systems are loaded with features. All 5000 Series testers have the capability to test a wide range of devices including arrays. Ranges of 1.0 NA to 50 A, and 1 KV are...

4-megapixel camera.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Adimec announces the Adimec-4050m, a 4-megapixel camera for fast machine vision applications. The CMOS-based camera offers the superior image quality of Adimec's CCD cameras. With its burst capture mode, the Adimec-4050m operates at speeds up...

Finite conjugate objectives.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Edmund Optics' new 15x finite conjugate objectives with UV enhanced aluminum or protected gold coating feature a 160-mm back tube length, high numerical apertures, long working distance, and no chromatic aberration and may be used with common...

Leak Current TESTER.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... The 3156 Leak Current HiTESTER is a single unit capable of measuring leak current in compliance with the IEC, UL, and JIS standards. It includes built-in networks simulating human resistance according to the above specifications. One unit can...

802.11 WiFi Testing Systems.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... GaGe NEXUS 802.11 WiFi Testing Systems provide all signal generation/analysis hardware and software required for complete testing 802.11 a, b, g, j, and n wireless devices. NEXUS turnkey wireless testing systems generate 802.11 testing signals...

Antenna Kit.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... The new Model AK-571-4 Antenna Kit provides a convenient and accurate antenna solution for increased frequency requirements. It includes one SAS-571, one SAS-574, and low-loss cables and adapters in an antenna storage case with several extra...

RF glossary.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)(Glossary)
November 1, 2006... The furious pace of innovation in the semiconductor and wireless communications industries means the vocabulary of these industries is growing rapidly. Our free RF glossary, Speaking RF: Wireless Communication Terminology, can help you stay up...

I/O cards.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Digitizer, arbitrary waveform generator, digital I/O, pattern generator, PCI, PXI, and cPCI cards. More than 150 different models. Sampling rates to 500 MS/s and up to 4-Gsamples onboard memory. Up to eight channels per card. Drivers for...

Switch matrix modules.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Digalog[TM] introduces the DigESwitch. It provides you with five 46x8 switch matrix modules that, when combined, offer you a 230x8 switch matrix. The DigESwitch uses high-reliability ATE-grade relays all controlled through an Ethernet...

Power supplies.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... KLP replaces the need for multiple power supplies by expanding the operating region. The breakthrough of a hyperbolic power limit delivers full 1,200 W over an expanded operating range, not just a single point. Five models have 1,200-W...

EMI/environmental gasket.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Excellent EMI and environmental protection using a NEW patent-pending Connector-Seal gasket. Spira's unique design includes a rigid layer between either silicone or fluorosilicone sealing. This provides an extremely durable and reliable...

Refurbished Test Equipment.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... At Test Equipment Solutions Today, We Offer: Certificates of Calibration 12-Month Warranty 10-Day Acceptance Period. Excellence in Electronic Test and Measurement Test Equipment Solutions Today, 888-889-8378,...

Electrostatic discharge Gun.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... The new KES4021 ESD Gun generates accurate waveforms conforming to IEC 61000-4-2 and ISO10605 standards; discharge voltage is up to [+ or -]30 kV. The current waveform is only small ringing and correct first peak, second peak. Repeatable ESD...

Shielding Products.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... New Shielding Products Guide describes EMI/RFI shielding products in useful side-by-side comparison format. Colorful eight -page brochure compares mounting, composition, size range, effective compression range, type of seal, contact interface,...

Vibration test systems.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... Team Corporation's TENSOR family of multi-axis vibration test systems provides the most realistic representation of conditions in the field. Team Corporation has, with the introduction of the TENSOR design, extended both tri-axial and full...

USB data acquisition.(LITERATURE MARKETPLACE)
November 1, 2006... NI CompactDAQ provides the plug-and-play simplicity of USB to sensor, electrical, mechanical, and physical measurements plus fast, accurate data acquisition in a small, simple, affordable system. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Hi-Speed USB...