Here, we present the winners of our annual Best in Test awards, which recognize important and innovative new products and services in the electronics test and measurement industry. We announced the finalists for the Best in Test awards in our December/January issue and asked readers to vote for their favorites. The 2009 Best in Test award winner in each of the 15 product categories is listed below. The overall top vote getter—Wi-Fi Data Acquisition Devices from National Instruments—has been named the Test Product of the Year.
The annual Test of Time award honors a product that continues to provide state-of-the-art service five years or more after its introduction. We named the six finalists for this award in our December/January issue; from those, our readers have chosen TestKompress ATPG Tool from Mentor Graphics as the 2009 Test of Time award recipient.
Test Product of the YearWi-Fi Data Acquisition DeviceNational Instruments
The Wi-Fi Data Acquisition (DAQ) devices are a family of wireless measurement devices that make it easy to set up and acquire wireless measurements without compromising on the security or performance of a cabled solution. The devices combine IEEE 802.11 wireless or Ethernet communication, direct sensor connectivity, and LabView software for remote real-time monitoring and instantaneous analysis of electrical, physical, mechanical, and acoustical dynamic signals.
Wi-Fi DAQ devices can stream data on each channel at rates of more than 50 ksamples/s with 24 bits of resolution. In addition, built-in NIST-approved 128-bit AES encryption and advanced network authentication methods offer the highest commercially available network security, according to NI.
With Wi-Fi DAQ, you can easily incorporate secure wireless connectivity into PC-based measurement or control systems as well as remote monitoring applications. Engineers can also leverage Wi-Fi DAQ C Series I/O modules interchangeably with NI’s CompactDAQ, CompactRIO, and single-module USB carriers.
The Wi-Fi DAQ product family comprises five wireless device models and numerous accessories.
Test of TimeATPG ToolMentor Graphics
The TestKompress ATPG (automatic test-pattern generation) tool includes embedded test compression for delivering high-quality scan test while lowering cost. As test requirements grow, compression is needed to keep high-quality testing of ICs feasible within a high-throughput production environment. It simply isn’t possible to apply test vectors to an advanced technology IC without it.
With TestKompress, test access I/O can be reduced to three pins, thereby facilitating multisite testing, increasing device packaging options, and streamlining modular design techniques. Its EDT (Embedded Deterministic Test) technology gives consistent results for design types ranging from microprocessors to automotive electronics, without any loss of fault coverage.
TestKompress was introduced by adding pattern compression capability to the FastScan ATPG engine in 2001. Initial compression levels of 10X have evolved to levels exceeding 100X. Added features include distributed processing for faster execution and direct failure diagnosis without the need for special patterns. Designs can employ multiple compression levels so testing is optimized for wafer test, package test, and burn-in. A vectorless test, LBIST (logic built-in self-test), can be added to enable a thorough system test while the device is in the end application.
2009 Best in Test Award WinnersAudio/video and multimedia
Multimedia Test SystemVI TechnologyBoard and system test and configuration
Cover-Extend TechnologyAgilent TechnologiesBoundary scan
JT 37x7 Rack-Mountable InstrumentJTAG TechnologiesEDA/DFx/Test data-analysis software
Global Test Operations SolutionOptimalTestGeneral-purpose instruments (non-oscilloscopes)
287 True-rms Electronics Logging Multimeter
Fluke
Machine vision and inspection
OptiCon TurboLine AOI System
GOEPEL electronic
Network physical-layer test
MW90010A Coherent OTDR
Anritsu Co.
Oscilloscopes
WavePro 7 Zi Series
LeCroy Corp.
Protocol analyzers
TestCenter 3000 Series Module
Spirent Communications
RF/microwave instruments: Application/standard specific
DigRF V4 Exerciser/Analyzer
Agilent Technologies
RF/microwave instruments: General purpose
6.6 GHz PXI Express RF Modular Instruments
National Instruments
Semiconductor test
EDGE Flicker Noise Measurement System
Cascade Microtech
Test accessories and interconnects
W2630A Series DDR2 and DDR3 BGA Probes
Agilent Technologies
Test-development and test-management software
VEE Pro 9.0
Agilent Technologies
