Panel Test and Throughput Multiplier Advantage

Keysight Technologies

Panel Test and Throughput Multiplier Advantage 

Technical Overview

Stay Ahead of the Competition with the Keysight Panel Test and Throughput Multiplier

Keysight Technologies, Inc. holds the exclusive rights to patented technology that keeps our customers ahead of the competition. The Keysight Panel Test and Throughput Multiplier in the i3070 In-circuit Test System (ICT) speeds you through digital and in-circuit measurements, increases throughput, and accelerates your success.

Keysight i3070 In-circuit tester supports up to four test modules within a single system

Each self-contained module provides test capabilities with dedicated measurement and control circuitry for digital and analog in-circuit measurements. Each module in the i3070 ICT system tests boards in parallel, independently and simultaneously, as illustrated in Figure 1. Any i3070 family test system with at least two self-contained modules can run the Keysight Panel Test and Throughput Multiplier, however, the highest throughput can be achieved by a four-module system.

Advantage 1: Increased Throughput 

When you begin the automated test sequence, the test program for each board moves sequentially into the Process Manager and, ultimately, to the correct module. In Figure 3, line 4587, an analog test program intended for board R7, “analog/r7”, is sent to test module 0. The Module Control Card recognizes the analog test program and the system operates in Throughput Multiplier mode as indicated in the configuration file. The test system immediately starts to execute the analog test for board R7, which is indicated in Figure 3 as “4%r7”. By this time, the Process Manager would likely have completed the test download for the second board, “3%r7”, into Module 1. The Module Control Card recognizes the analog test program and immediately starts testing the second board. The same download and execution algorithm tests the third board “2%r7” and the fourth board “1%r7”.

How fast can the Process Manager download and execute test programs? Very fast. Typically, before testing is complete for the first board, “4%r7”, the other three modules would have downloaded and started analog testing on their boards. By the time the test for the fourth board “1%r7” is complete, the Process Manager would have moved to line 4588, “test “analog/r19” and downloaded the next test, “4%r19”, into Module 0. There is virtually no delay within the module from one board test to another and the process will continue automatically until it reaches the end of the list. How much time is actually spent (or saved!) during the testing process with the patented Keysight Panel Test and Throughput Multiplier? Figure 4 compares the test time necessary to complete four individual serial board tests versus four simultaneous parallel board tests.

Advantage 2:

Lower Total Cost of Ownership

Keysight Panel Test and Throughput Multiplier has a convenient modular architecture that allows simultaneous testing of up to four boards at virtually the same time. This 2x, 3x and 4x productivity only requires one personal computer (PC) and license. In fact, the same PC and license gives you the flexibility to combine test modules so you can test a larger board on the fly, as illustrated in Figure 2. This makes the Keysight i3070 ICT tester a truly scalable, cost-effective investment for PCBA manufacturing test environments. the Keysight i3070 ICT tester a truly scalable, cost-effective investment for PCBA manufacturing test environments.