JTAG extends test capabilities
05 June 2007
Bedford-based contract electronics manufacturer MRP has added boundary-scan test to its portfolio of test capabilities following its selection of JTAG Technologies and its range of well-proven application development and runtime solutions.
Not only will boundary-scan complement MRP's existing test solutions (AOI, ICT and functional) but it is also due to play a crucial role in the testing of a range of PCI cards and backplanes MRP will manufacture for a UK-based designer of computer graphics and wall display drivers. Notably the JTAG test standard is employed for more than just basic, 'traditional' single scan chain, interconnect and infrastructure testing.
Dave Jenkins, MRP's Engineering Manager, comments: "JTAG/Boundary-scan testing is an increasing requirement in our industry and, as a CEM offering additional design-for-test support, we need to be able to harness the technology in new and innovative ways."
For example, by working closely with its customers, MRP has devised a number of strategies for testing plug-in card and backplane combinations. Whilst both cards and backplanes may have their own boundary-scan chains (for testing in isolation) to test through to edge connectors one of MRP's novel techniques is to have the two chains exchanging data between bus bridges. "From a manufacturing point of view this makes far more sense than creating a single test chain," continues Jenkins.
To control the two [boundary-scan] chains, MRP is using JTAG Technologies' DataBlaster controller fitted with a QuadPOD(tm) signal conditioning interface which can manage up to four such chains.
MRP, again working with its customer, is also devising a series of functional-based 'cluster' tests, for memory banks and communications ports etc... Deji Fayoyin, MRP's Senior Test Engineer, states: "I have been working with JTAG tools for several years and have been pleased with the flexibility of the software and how easy it is to get both structural interconnect tests and functional cluster tests to the production floor. "
"We initially evaluated a number of boundary-scan tool providers," recalls Jenkins, "assessing not only the capabilities of their hardware, i.e. the ability to control more than one test chain, but also the capabilities of the software and the levels of technical support."
MRP also deemed it important to be using (and promoting their use of) the industry's longest established provider of boundary-scan solutions. Nick Fairhead, Sales Director of MRP, says: "By selecting JTAG Technologies we've access to a much wider customer base, as their products are seen as the industry de facto."
MRP has eight SMT pick and place machines configured in four lines, two of which are based around Assembleon's high speed AX5 machines. This investment, plus other "lean manufacturing" initiatives implemented in partnership with the Manufacturing Advisory Service (a group sponsored by the DTI), means MRP is very competitive on medium to high volume SMT PCB assembly. It has also provided sufficient additional capacity to enable MRP to dedicate one complete SMT line to 'fast track' prototype assembly, which is now offered as a stand-alone service. This means MRP's customers can deal with a single supplier for most of any given product's life cycle.
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