SPI Interface: The Essential Guide for Hardware Engineers
Bottom Line Up Front The Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) is a high-speed, synchronous protocol that enables efficient communication between a master device and multiple peripherals. For hardware engineers, SPI is important for programming memory devices. It helps reduce board handling and allows for updates in the field. SPI also supports advanced protocols like dual, quad, […]
Rethinking Embedded Test Strategies: Why Non-Intrusive Board Testing Is the Way Forward
Old test equipment is becoming difficult to maintain and upgrade. Engineering teams want better ways to improve test coverage. They also want to enhance diagnostics and speed up test cycles. But one factor continues to dominate decision-making: cost. Are modern test technologies more cost-effective than traditional solutions like In-Circuit Test (ICT)? As embedded systems grow […]
No Blind Spots: How ScanWorks Delivers Pin-Level Diagnostic Precision
In the world of medical device manufacturing, there is no margin for error. The electronic systems at the heart of diagnostic imagers, patient monitors, and life-support equipment are governed by a mandate for perfection. A single faulty solder joint or a microscopic flaw in a circuit is not merely a quality issue; it is a […]
Improving and Removing Blind Spots in Medical Device Testing
Improving and Removing Bling Spots in Medical Device Testing In the realm of medical devices, precision isn’t optional—it’s imperative. Every circuit, sensor, and embedded system must perform flawlessly, because lives depend on it. Aligning ISO 13485, which is key for medical device quality systems, with IEEE 1149.1 (JTAG) is essential. IEEE 1149.1 is the standard […]
Everything You Need to Know About ScanWorks Interconnect Part 12: Working with a Netlist (Cont’d.)
ScanWorks strives to create safe tests, meaning that it will not drive a net to a logic-1 or logic-0 unless it knows it is safe to do so. Driving nets to incorrect logic levels can cause bus conflicts and could even damage devices (ex. back-driving an output pin as though it was an input). We […]
Everything You Need to Know About ScanWorks Interconnect Part 11: Working with a Netlist
Before we can test our device-to-device interconnects with an Interconnect action, we need to complete the Describe Design step. The time has come to work with a netlist! In previous blog posts, we’ve discussed importing the BSDLs for ScanLite2, building them to check for syntax and semantics errors, and designing the Scan Path using ScanWorks’ […]
Everything You Need to Know About ScanWorks Interconnect Part 8: BSDL Syntax and Semantics Errors and Scan Path Verify Failures
This blog post will take a deeper look at BSDL syntax and semantics errors and Scan Path Verify failures. But before we dive in, if you missed part 7 of this series – where we covered the process of describing a Scan Path and creating a Scan Path Verify action in ScanWorks – here’s a […]
Everything You Need to Know About ScanWorks Interconnect Part 7: Building the Scan Path Verify Action
To commence Boundary Scan testing on a UUT, the first step is to ensure that all the Boundary Scan devices on our PCB are operating correctly. The Boundary Scan devices must be capable of executing all Boundary Scan instructions specified by the IEEE 1149.1 standard. Mandatory instructions such as EXTEST and BYPASS are important instructions […]
Everything You Need to Know About ScanWorks Interconnect Part 5: Operations of the TAP and the BC_1 Cell
In the Part 4 blog, I described the process of loading the instruction register with an OPCODE. Once the instruction register is loaded with an OPCODE, an Update-IR takes place, which sends the OPCODE to the 2nd rank of the instruction register. The OPCODE is then decoded, and the instruction is executed. When the instruction […]
Everything You Need to Know About ScanWorks Interconnect Part 4: The Test Access Port (TAP) State Machine
In my previous blog, I discussed about the mandatory and optional Boundary Scan Device instructions. Now, let’s dig a bit deeper into how the TAP works. The TAP provides 4 major operations within a boundary scan device. These operations are: • Test-Logic-Reset: At the Test-Logic-Reset controller state, the test logic is disabled to allow […]