Testing

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 ...

QuadSAT is productising its drone-based antenna and radio frequency test and measurement system, the Danish company has announced. Previously, available only as a managed service delivered by QuadSAT engineers, it says the system can now be also be acquired for third-party testing needs. Quadsat’s system consists of the drones integrated with a custom RF payload, together with automation and measurement ...

At Electronica 2022, we caught up with Jason Chonko, Marketing and Applications Specialist at SIGLENT Technologies, as part of our promotional coverage for the event. He talks about RF test and measurement and LIDAR and RADAR, new applications, K Band RF signal sources and spectrum analysers, enabling more than one engineer to have the product at their desk, and how ...

Leonardo is highlighting it has created an almost fully automated end-to-end fighter jet radar array test facility, which it describes as a world first. Described as “one button” solution to achieve a 24 to 30 hour radar antenna test, the test facility – called a Production Near-Field Range (PNFR) – is fully automated and located at the company’s Crewe Toll ...

Using Python to Automate NI DAQ Hardware. This is the title of a data acquisition webinar Digi-Key will be hosting with NI. Free to attend, it takes place on Thursday, August 23, at 11 a.m., and will highlight the benefits of using NI hardware with Python. Specifically, during the webinar, Austin Stanton – a senior solution marketer at NI – ...

Transaction-level modelling can help with certification-level verification if an FPGA application is safety-critical, says Krzysztof Szczur of Aldec. FPGA designs for avionics applications are increasingly employing high-speed interface buses to deliver greater performance and, if the application is safety-critical, verifying the design for certification purposes is challenging. Avionics buses use serial rather than parallel data transfer to reduce the number ...

When developing oscilloscopes, test and measurement trends drive innovation and new designs, says Lee Morgan of Tektronix Time Domain. Talking to end-users of oscilloscopes has proved that the only way for test and measurement vendors to develop products capable of meeting customers’ needs is to work closely with them, ask a lot of questions and listen to them to discover ...

In semiconductor and electronic equipment manufacture, the quality control (QC) process is essential to ensuring defect-free products that meet specifications and comply with international standards. Here, manufacturers rely heavily on industrial microscopes to ensure a thorough and reliable examination. While the visual inspection needed for QC can be costly and time-consuming, advances in microscope software are helping to optimize product ...