GOEPEL Electronic Combines Boundary Scan with FlexRIO from National Instruments
GOEPEL electronic has developed a Boundary Scan option for National Instruments' PXI/PXIe FlexRIO cards. The solution enables the utilization of the FPGA based FlexRIO hardware as Boundary scan I/O module. That provides users a wide range of supplementing test strategies for a significant increase in structural test depth for prototypes or in the production process.
"Our Boundary Scan solutions have been used by major primes for many years. Thanks to the extraordinary cooperation with SELEX Galileo we were able to implement the project for FlexRIO support within a few weeks," says Bettina Richter, GOEPEL electronic's Marketing Manager. "We understand such customer-specific development projects as integral part of our customer support, providing important information on perspective market requirements."
"Technologies such as Boundary Scan and FlexRIO are fundamentally important the testing of our products," says Antonio Cardinale, Senior Test Manager with SELEX Galileo. "The successful cooperation with GOEPEL electronic provides us a highly efficient utilization of the PXI Express FlexRIO modules. We are now in an excellent position to interlock structural and functional test strategies even deeper on one test platform."
"National Instruments' PXI and PXI Express based FlexRIO modules offer an unrivalled flexibility for numerous instruments and applications," adds Rahman Jamal, Technical & Marketing Director Europe with National Instruments. "In this sense, the newly developed Boundary Scan adaption is an important step towards this potential's practical implementation."
About the Boundary Scan option:
The new Boundary Scan option is based on the utilization of a customer-specific adapter module for the FlexRIO PXIe-7962R card combined with a specially developed Boundary Scan IP (Intellectual Property) for the onboard FPGA. The FlexRIO adapter MDK (Module Development Kit) was used to develop the adapter module. For the Boundary Scan IP integration an appropriate VHDL design was compiled as Component Level Intellectual Property (CLIP). The entire handling is executed via the LabVIEW FPGA software from National Instruments. GOEPEL electronic additionally provides a hardware support package incl. VHDL source code for individual Boundary Scan adaptions.
The configured module supports all Boundary Scan procedures such as automatic interconnection test with pin-failure diagnosis, automatic cluster test with pin-failure diagnosis or hardware debugging. A SYSTEM CASCON(TM) run-time version is utilized as Boundary Scan software, also controlled from LabVIEW via an API (Application Programming Interface).
About Boundary Scan:
Boundary Scan (IEEE Std. 1149.x) is a technology for embedded access of IC pins by integrated scan cells. They form a shift register controlled via the Test Access Port (TAP). The principle was developed as an alternative to the In-Circuit Test (ICT) to avoid the utilization of nail probe contacting.
Boundary Scan is part of the so called Embedded System Access (ESA) technologies, containing procedures such as Chip Embedded Instruments, Processor Emulation Test, In-System Programming or Core Assisted Programming. ESA technologies are the most modern strategies for validation, test, debugging as well as programming of complex boards and systems at the moment. They can be applied throughout the entire product life cycle, enabling an enhanced test coverage at reduced costs.
About FlexRIO:
The product range NI FlexRIO offers flexible, user-definable I/O for NI LabVIEW FPGA. The hardware consists of two elements: NI FlexRIO FPGA modules for PXI/PXIe and NI FlexRIO adapter modules. Together they present a powerful, re-configurable metering solution based on LabVIEW FPGA software.
About GOEPEL electronic:
GOEPEL electronic is a worldwide leading vendor of innovative electronic and optical test and inspection systems, being the market leader for professional JTAG/Boundary Scan solutions for Embedded System Access (ESA). A network of branch offices, distributors and service partners ensures the global availability of the products as well as the support of the more than 7,500 system installations. Founded 1991 and headquartered in Jena, Germany, GOEPEL electronic employs currently about 200 employees and generated a revenue of 26 Million Euro in 2011 (ca. $35 Mio). GOEPEL electronic has continuously been ISO9001 certified since 1996 and has been honoured with TOP-JOB and TOP-100 awards for being one of the best medium-sized companies in Germany. GOEPEL electronic's products won several awards in recent years and are used by the leading companies in telecommunication, automotive, space and avionics, industrial controls, medical technology, and other industries. Further information about the company and its products can be found on the internet at www.goepel.com.
Press Contact:
GOEPEL electronic GmbH
Stefan Meissner
Goeschwitzer Str. 58-60/66
D-07745 Jena
Tel: +49-3641-6896-739
Fax: +49-3641-6896-944
Email: press@goepel.com
URL: www.goepel.com
