Integrated Technologies Fulfill the Potential of Parallel Mixed Signal Testing

Traditional Test Program Sets (TPS) developed and deployed on legacy Automated Test Systems (ATS) predominately operate within a serial architecture, statically collecting and analyzing UUT data one unit at a time. High performance ATS station instrumentation supporting parallel testing has been commercially available for some time and is now capable of being fully exploited. A new generation of ATS has been developed that employs an integrated combination of COTS parallel simultaneous data stimulus and acquisition, software simulated UUT circuit behavior, and advanced automated waveform analysis to dynamically match mixed-signal UUT acquired data with a catalog of defined UUT parallel circuit signatures. The result is a methodology that enables TPS developers to create and deploy TPSs with higher test quality, greater cost efficiency and highly reduced execution times. This paper will explore how the combination of PXI-based stimulus and acquisition instruments, commercial circuit simulation software, dynamic waveform verification, and other innovations led to the design of the compact TPS workstation, “PADS” (Parallel Automated Development System) as innovated by Advanced Testing Technologies, Inc.