Test Engineers Resource

Initialize of Equipment and GUI

Posted on March 1, 2009 by LV_TS_Test_Engineer_3000_VI

When you are Initializing the Equipments and setting values to default it may take sometime.

Provide the operator of your application with a GUI presenting the success of the initialization process.

Provide a Pass/Fail or Green/Red indicator as the initialization process proceeds.

If the initialization process failed notify the operator that an Issue occurred which must be resolved and some suggestion.

If a failure occurred don’t forget to return instrument to a “Safe Default” which may be all Stimulus to off/disable/zero amplitude.

Also “Close instruments handle(reference used to each instrument).

It could be helpful to create a log file of the initialization process to help the person required to resolve the issue.

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Barcode Input, Output

Posted on February 26, 2009 by LV_TS_Test_Engineer_3000_VI

Some customers or in-house procedures will required that a barcode be decoded or outputted.

Products that need to get tested have a traveler (document which contain the history of the product) and related to the UUT serial number and or part number.

When a project requests that serial number or UUT identification be tie in to the testing consider a Barcode scanner (one that can read Linear and 2D type barcodes)

A barcode scanner can be tied in to the keyboard via a special cable or be USB device.

With a properly configured barcode scanner the data can be accepted as text which can be parsed with string functions to extract the needed information.

Use the parsed information you can then related the Testing of the UUT to the UUT’s identification information and create Text,spreadsheet(MS Excel), or a database(ex MS Access(small projects), MS SQL server(bigger projects).

At time the output document requires a barcode of it own or your testing must create document and labels for placing on a passed UUT.

Other departments can used the barcode for shipping or quality purpose, or returns for upgrade or reconditioning.

Some Barcode companies provide ActiveX barcode products which may simplify the tasks

Also dont forget about a barcode printer and label paper( for labels to be place on UUT and/or Documents.

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Providing Status to Manager and Supervisor

Posted on February 23, 2009 by LV_TS_Test_Engineer_3000_VI

You will be ask to provide status on the project you are working on by your supervisor and Manager.

One way to make it easier and accurate status as possible is to itemize the different task that must be accomplished to get to the final goal.

MS Excel is an excellent tool and is normally available in my companies as a standard application.

In MS Excel list all the task in the order it needs to be performed.

Provide Major (just for heading) and Minor task columns.

Make a column that indicates Status

Then make an excel equation that count a 1(TaskDone) if the “Status” for a particular row is Done or 0 if not.

Also make a (hidden or not) column with give a column a count of 1 if its a row that has a minor task(the task that must be completed) otherwise no number(part of Task Total).

Then in a last row provide a “Percent complete=” (TaskDone/Task Total) x 100percent

Also use color in the Status column so Done=Green, CurrentTask=Yellow, Something other then you is preventing completion=RED

In you email status the Manager want to know “percent completed” and any issue that my be preventing you from completing your task ON Time.

Attach a copy of your excel (image) incase the Manager or Supervisor need to see where you are in your task.

Another column should be dated started , dated completed. Manager can use this info for the next project.

If you make your task to coarse then it looks as if you are not completing tasks when in fact you have completed many sub task.

Prerequiste: Know how to make formula in MS Excel

“MS Excel” mentioned is a Microsoft product.

Don’t forget to include:

Kick off meeting
Spec (input document)
PDR (Preliminary Design Review
CDR (Critical Design Review)
Driver
Hardware section FPGA, DAQ, PLC, MAX detection(NI)
Major section (File handling, Data Acquisition, Limit Detection, GUIs,event loop, processing loops)
Input Specs and date you are given this documents
Place SW in Software Configuration.
Software Document released
Hardware Document released
Peer review
Test Station Review
Calibration
Quality Department Review.
Released to Production (Completed)

Use the different sheet tabs for “Issue that come up during the project”, Charge Number, Contacts for that project. etc.

This will make it easier on you and future upgrades to the same project.

This information should be kept in the company’s network drive. The reason is, the IT department Normally schedule backups of networked drives.

(make a backup also just incase).

Prerequisite: Know how to make formulas in MS Excel

“MS Excel” mentioned is a Microsoft product.

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MathCad,MatLab,OrCAD,AutoCAD tutorials sites

Posted on February 21, 2009 by LV_TS_Test_Engineer_3000_VI

Some sites of interest relating to MathCad, OrCAD, AutoCAD tutorial

MathCAD tutorial

LabVIEW and Thrid Party Math Packages

OrCAD Schematic tutorial

AutoCAD YouTube tutorial

OrCAD — Cadence

LabVIEW — National Instruments

AutoCAD — Autodesk

MathCAD — MathSoft — Parametric Technology Corp

MatLab –MathWorks Inc

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USB solutions for R and D or production testing

Posted on February 19, 2009 by LV_TS_Test_Engineer_3000_VI

Agilent has a complete USB module rack (cage) system for a large range of USB module.

The USB modules can be used as stand alone or used as part of a USB module rack solution.

This setup can be used for R and D lab or even production testing if it meets your requirements.

Here are some link to the Agilent’s related documents.

Agilent’s USB collection of Test and Measurement modules

Agilent’s U2781A USB Modular Product Chassis

Agilent’s U2701A USB Modular Oscilloscope, 100 MHz

The Modular Rack (Cage) can even be rack mounted.

Its USB!!! NO GPIB, NO Enet, NO RS232

Several software development package are supported. Check it out.

Agilent is a key play in the test and measurement sector.

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Enclosures Top Panel and integration checkout.

Posted on February 18, 2009 by LV_TS_Test_Engineer_3000_VI

Selection of top panel mounting configuration can help the test engineers in charge of checkout and integration.

Look at the following images and see how the slide out top panel will make the minimum pain in checkout and reinstalling.

Images are not to scale.

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Bandwidth and Rise/Fall Time concerns

Posted on February 16, 2009 by LV_TS_Test_Engineer_3000_VI

To be able to have a certain rise/fall time (10/90) perecent measurement a minimum bandwidth must be meet.

The general rules: T(second)=0.35/BW(Hz)

T=Rise / Fall Time

BW=Bandwidth

BW           T
MHz          ns
10             35.000
20             17.500
30             11.667
40            8.750
50             7.000
60             5.833
70             5.000
80             4.375
90             3.889
100           3.500
200           1.750
300           1.167
400           0.875
500           0.700
600          0.583
700           0.500
800          0.438
900          0.389

GHz        psec
1            350.00
2            175.00
3            116.67
4           87.50
5            70.00
6            58.33
7            50.00
8            43.75
9            38.89
10          35.000
20          17.500
30          11.667
40          8.750
50          7.000
60         5.833
70          5.000
80          4.375
90          3.889
100        3.500

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Design Team effort will give you a leg up on your project.

Posted on February 12, 2009 by LV_TS_Test_Engineer_3000_VI

Many time when you are assign a task in test equipment as the Test Engineer while the Design Team is working on the product that you will need to automate.

This is a great time to find out what instruments they are using and which instruments are not up to the task

Observe as they make measurement to see which section you can greatly improve when i comes time to create the production test Stations or test setup.

Additional:

Ask question.
Get any presentation of the setup used for design verification during the Design phase.
Often you will see that the Design Engineer has to change cables to another instrument for a different test. (This may be an area you can using Switching Matrix.)
Discoversetting that must be adjusted and automate them.
Discover wiring layout or interface issues and work on a solution.
If they are using multiple DMM for monitor parameters it possible a ADC can be used to set multiple measured under the same stimulus (check on required accuracy needed).
Listenclosely to the design engineer when they say I could do this test better if……… .
The product Design Engineer is a critical player in the success of your automated test solution.
Often the Design engineer has documents you may not get anywhere. For example the sequence of a command string required to cause an effect on a Command Module.