smarT – A Flexible Tester Concept for the Production of Multimedia Consumer Products
Initial situation and project task
Growing demands towards testing times, interfaces, protocols and data volume force manufacturers of multimedia consumer products to search for powerful replacements for their VXI-based tester systems.
Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices GmbH, located in Bocholt, (today: Gigaset Communications GmbH) changed their functional testing systems to a scalable hybrid system, based on modern and reliable technologies such as PXI, open interfaces (GPIB, USB, TCP/IP), TestStand and .net.
Implementation and challenge
The basic idea of the new tester system was the integration of different hardware components into a single hybrid system providing a consistent tester concept. Among those components, which had to be integrated into the tester system, there were PXI measurement cards and multi-meters, a PXI-6259 M-DAQ, switch cards and box instruments such as R&S SMIQ, TS-CSP or NOFFZ developments like a custom switch box.
smarT allows for the construction of a distributed tester system consisting of testing computers including different configurable and parallel operating measurement hardware. In such as system, TestStand is applied as a sequencer, operating on one testing computer, which is able to control several other measurement computers.
Within a smarT system, measurement computers consist of a PXI chassis, which comprises its own controller and can be connected to computers via PCI-PXI bridge. Those PXI chassis operate software applications for the initialization, administration and preparation of access methods. For optimum hardware utilization, several testing devices are able to share measurement devices.
Measurement equipment is integrated into the tester environment by means of a 3-layer software concept. The lower layer consists of customized instrument drivers, open interfaces (RS232, GPBI) and DAQmx (instrument layer).
A configurable and scalable connection layer is responsible for the administration of the instrument layer and for the communication with the device under test. Connection layers of measurement PCs can be contacted by a testing PC. For each type of instrument, there is an administrative software component. Parallel TestStand applications allow for ideal utilization of all instruments. Parameters and interface addresses can be adjusted by means of XML files, that they can easily be changed.
smarT is primarily based on a parallel sequence model. In order to achieve an ideal utilization of all measurement devices and for shortest testing times, a complex auto-scheduler has been developed, which is able to control the testing cycle by means of rules and priorities.
ComControl controls the process model, all sockets and communications between operator interface and process model. Messages can be sent from the sockets to the operator interface and commands can be received by the operator interface. The interface has been exactly tailored according to Siemens’/Gigaset’s demands and offers simple handling for the smart architecture for general and parallel operation.
Integrated user-controlled administration allows for an overview of all testing adapters (sockets). The user can send commands to the sockets or receive commands from the sockets. A history chart for each socket can be displayed, as well. A tip strip presents date, time and error messages for each socket. A pareto-chart allows for the detection of problems regarding the tester system or the batch.
Growing demands towards testing times, interfaces, protocols and data volume force manufacturers of multimedia consumer products to search for powerful replacements for their VXI-based tester systems.
Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices GmbH, located in Bocholt, (today: Gigaset Communications GmbH) changed their functional testing systems to a scalable hybrid system, based on modern and reliable technologies such as PXI, open interfaces (GPIB, USB, TCP/IP), TestStand and .net.
Implementation and challenge
The basic idea of the new tester system was the integration of different hardware components into a single hybrid system providing a consistent tester concept. Among those components, which had to be integrated into the tester system, there were PXI measurement cards and multi-meters, a PXI-6259 M-DAQ, switch cards and box instruments such as R&S SMIQ, TS-CSP or NOFFZ developments like a custom switch box.
smarT allows for the construction of a distributed tester system consisting of testing computers including different configurable and parallel operating measurement hardware. In such as system, TestStand is applied as a sequencer, operating on one testing computer, which is able to control several other measurement computers.
Within a smarT system, measurement computers consist of a PXI chassis, which comprises its own controller and can be connected to computers via PCI-PXI bridge. Those PXI chassis operate software applications for the initialization, administration and preparation of access methods. For optimum hardware utilization, several testing devices are able to share measurement devices.
Measurement equipment is integrated into the tester environment by means of a 3-layer software concept. The lower layer consists of customized instrument drivers, open interfaces (RS232, GPBI) and DAQmx (instrument layer).
A configurable and scalable connection layer is responsible for the administration of the instrument layer and for the communication with the device under test. Connection layers of measurement PCs can be contacted by a testing PC. For each type of instrument, there is an administrative software component. Parallel TestStand applications allow for ideal utilization of all instruments. Parameters and interface addresses can be adjusted by means of XML files, that they can easily be changed.
smarT is primarily based on a parallel sequence model. In order to achieve an ideal utilization of all measurement devices and for shortest testing times, a complex auto-scheduler has been developed, which is able to control the testing cycle by means of rules and priorities.
ComControl controls the process model, all sockets and communications between operator interface and process model. Messages can be sent from the sockets to the operator interface and commands can be received by the operator interface. The interface has been exactly tailored according to Siemens’/Gigaset’s demands and offers simple handling for the smart architecture for general and parallel operation.
Integrated user-controlled administration allows for an overview of all testing adapters (sockets). The user can send commands to the sockets or receive commands from the sockets. A history chart for each socket can be displayed, as well. A tip strip presents date, time and error messages for each socket. A pareto-chart allows for the detection of problems regarding the tester system or the batch.
The integrated LimitLoader is based on an object-oriented SQL-database. Project properties, such as parameters, limits and sequence data, can be transmitted from one project to the other, so that it is not necessary to generate completely new sequences files for each variant. Additionally, the amount of data inside the database is kept small und only slight and required changes have to be carried out.
Gigaset Communications forwards many products and numerous product variants to countries all over the world, so that about 1000 variants have to be administrated. For complete integration of the new tester system into the production process, comprehensive database-driven reporting has been implemented, using existing structures and being smoothly integrated.
At Gigaset, cordless voice and broadband products are produced for different frequency ranges. For the communications test, the current product variant is connected to a suitable basis by means of the NOFFZ switch box. This box includes RF-relays being controlled via a cascadable I/O interface (NOFFZ GPIO). For this GPIO, a software component has been integrated into the connection layer, which allows for setting of the I/O ports. Each GPIO consists of one master and several slaves and is regarded as an instrument.
Within a test sequence, the GPIO is acquired after the variant has been chosen. The connection layer assigns exclusive GPIO access to the test execution unit. Subsequently, this execution unit can set I/O ports, so that the required basis is connected via RF relays. Afterwards, the GIO is released, again.
Conclusion and future prospects
Several product launches have been supported with smarT, successfully. Scalability and flexibility of the hardware and software framework allow for fast modifications of functional in-line testers and repair shops. By means of simple modifications of suitable TestStand sequences and by convenient parameter adjustments, individual system configuration is possible.
An extension of the smart tester as a multi-panel tester system is under development and is going to be applied for the production of DECT telephones. For this multi-panel system it is possible to inherit directly any sequences having been developed for double or quadruple panels.
The smarT PXI concept will be extended by analysis testers, service testers and printed circuit board testers and will support all production lines.
Gigaset Communications forwards many products and numerous product variants to countries all over the world, so that about 1000 variants have to be administrated. For complete integration of the new tester system into the production process, comprehensive database-driven reporting has been implemented, using existing structures and being smoothly integrated.
At Gigaset, cordless voice and broadband products are produced for different frequency ranges. For the communications test, the current product variant is connected to a suitable basis by means of the NOFFZ switch box. This box includes RF-relays being controlled via a cascadable I/O interface (NOFFZ GPIO). For this GPIO, a software component has been integrated into the connection layer, which allows for setting of the I/O ports. Each GPIO consists of one master and several slaves and is regarded as an instrument.
Within a test sequence, the GPIO is acquired after the variant has been chosen. The connection layer assigns exclusive GPIO access to the test execution unit. Subsequently, this execution unit can set I/O ports, so that the required basis is connected via RF relays. Afterwards, the GIO is released, again.
Conclusion and future prospects
Several product launches have been supported with smarT, successfully. Scalability and flexibility of the hardware and software framework allow for fast modifications of functional in-line testers and repair shops. By means of simple modifications of suitable TestStand sequences and by convenient parameter adjustments, individual system configuration is possible.
An extension of the smart tester as a multi-panel tester system is under development and is going to be applied for the production of DECT telephones. For this multi-panel system it is possible to inherit directly any sequences having been developed for double or quadruple panels.
The smarT PXI concept will be extended by analysis testers, service testers and printed circuit board testers and will support all production lines.