Using PXI and NI Software for Automated Test for Varying Configurations

Author(s):
Tero Leppänen - Espotel

Industry:
ATE/Instrumentation

Products:
TestStand, LabVIEW, PXI/CompactPCI

The Challenge:
Testing environment that can be set up rapidly for varying test configurations.

The Solution:
Building a PXI-based Procket ATE platform using NI LabVIEW and NI TestStand.

Espotel is a leading supplier of embedded systems research and development services in Finland. Founded in 1986, Espotel has more than 200 employees, the majority of them are engineers.

Shorter time-to-market created demand for organizations to optimize all phases of the product development life cycle, including manufacturing test design. In an ideal situation, the test equipment should be ready for use when the device is ready for manufacturing. Therefore, it is imperative that test design goes hand in hand with product design and the testability of the designed product should be the design engineer’s ultimate goal. This is why Espotel works in close co-operation with their customer design teams for optimized product testing.

To meet the requirements for rapid and reliable test equipment setup, Espotel has designed the Procket platform for functional test in medium to large size electronics production. On the hardware level, Procket uses modular PXI instruments and NI TestStand and NI LabVIEW software are the main tools of programming.

The Procket system comprises of a rack-mountable PXI chassis, for which Espotel selects the PXI instruments needed for the tests in question, as well as other cabled-in measurement equipment that the particular configuration may call for. Espotel designs separate test adapters with connection electronics, casing and a bed of nails required by the devices under test (DUT). The use of separate detachable adapters makes it possible to test several different product types by merely changing the adapter, which improves the usability of the test station.

Espotel has used NI TestStand and LabVIEW tools to program the test sequences for the DUTs using standard program components and driver libraries. Graphical LabVIEW code is in use in system configuration tasks, in measurement functions, and in a number of basic test management steps, such as string, file and time management functions. Espotel has created a number of custom NI TestStand step types to facilitate the building of the actual test sequence with the NI TestStand Sequence Editor. These step types, which call lower-level LabVIEW functions, enable the user to run a number of recurring test routines, such as setting the power supplies, reading the measured voltages, setting the digital patterns etc. NI TestStand is also used to manage the system global parameters.

The need for high production efficiency has been a main criterion in the choice of the hardware platform. Espotel prefers to use commercial off-the-shelf products wherever possible, since in most cases own production is not reasonable. The PXI platform has a wide support so the user has a variety of instruments and manufacturers to rely on for the choice of components as well as for support. Additionally, the synchronization and speed characteristics of the PXI platform had the best match for the requirements.

Espotel has delivered Procket systems to Europe and Asia, for example for contract manufacturers in printed circuit test and product parametrising and testing prior to shipping. The platform allows a variety of configurations and is suited for testing not only of consumer electronics and telecommunications devices but also for example of complex automation and medical instruments. In 2007, Espotel will deliver 40–50 Procket systems.

Author Information:
For more information on this Case Study, contact:
Tero Leppänen
Espotel

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