Testing

Pulsar Fusion, UK aerospace company, has successfully tested its large-scale plasma engine designed for propelling larger satellites. The work was partly funded by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) and the engine, which is 10 times larger than conventional engines of its kind, was fired at the University of Southampton at the end of last month, Pulsar has announced. The project ...

One judge described the Rhinoe DRAM tester as a “big advancement in DRAM testing. I spot a Raspberry Pi in there too!” Another commented on the evidence of innovation for this “attention grabbing product”. Another judge spotted its potential to solve the critical problem of how to test small batch memory production and undertake a root cause analysis for smaller ...

A compact wireless data acquisition system can investigate, monitor and optimise electric rotor motor operation, say Rolf Spellmeyer and Diego Llopis. In modern electric vehicles, different types of electric motors are available. Automobile manufacturers may select asynchronous or synchronous motors, and in some cases, they combine both motor types in one vehicle. In this context, synchronous motors are considered more ...

The race for 5G from space is speeding up. Lockheed Martin has completed a final demo of what it describes as its first regenerative non-terrestrial network 5G Satellite Base Station (gNodeB). Basically, where a satellite provides signal regeneration, for bridging comms between Earth and a satellite network. It was the final demo prior to a self-funded space mission. The plan ...

Delvitech is proud to announce and show a new generation of Automated Optical Inspection systems for the electronic and mechanical manufacturing. Electronic assembly process is moving towards more and more hidden complexity. Varied shaped parts increasing difficulties related to shadows, large components with small pins, high components with short pins, continuous changeover in production due to parts availability, mix of ...

We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Lee Harrison, Director of Product Marketing for Siemens EDA, to talk about Streaming Scan Network (SSN) buses and the next-generation of design-for-test technology. In the interview, for example, he discusses the significant changes involved with SSN, de-coupling complexity and dependencies, and delivering test-pattern content in a packetised format. Watch the interview ...

Software testing is essential to space exploration, says Gareth Smith of Keysight Technologies. One of the biggest changes in space exploration in the past decade is that it is being driven not by governments but by private businesses and billionaire entrepreneurs. This is fuelling explosive growth, with space missions now commonplace. For example, SpaceX carried out more than one voyage ...

Astrobotic, the lunar logistics specialist, has begun work on what it describes as a high-fidelity 3D test field mimicking the topography and optical properties of the lunar surface. Basically, it will provide a realistic lunar topography for testing spacecraft and rover sensors and systems, for both the company and third-parties. It’s based on a specific region of the Moon’s South ...

Inertial measurement unit sensors are the automotive sensing devices that enable safety for advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous vehicle operation, says James Fennelly of Aceinna. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors may not attract the same amount of attention as other sensors, such as lidar, radar and cameras, but in many ways IMUs are the critical safety sensor component required ...

A novel approach from Siemens and PDF Solutions improves yield ramp on advanced nodes and solves yield limiters through volume manufacturing. Improving yield is key to reducing manufacturing cost and maximizing profits in a highly competitive semiconductor market. While large yield limiters are addressed early in the process during yield ramp, subtle systematic layout patterns continue to cause physical defects ...