Acculogic's  latest test solutions

Acculogic's FLS 980Dxi Flying Scorpion™, is the only patented double-sided, multi-probe (22) flying probe system with 3-D probing, analog, digital and boundary scan test capability on all probes (top- and bottom-side).

Shrinking component sizes and denser packaging technologies are posing new challenges to test. FLS980Dxi™ uses highly repeatable closed-loop linear motor drives and joystick-like variable angle probe modules (0 to 6°) to maximize physical access and guarantee repeatable probing of fine-pitch devices and small components such as 0201 and 01005s.

Using the patented vectorless test suite, PinScan™, the FLS900 series detects open-pin and orientation faults on digital devices, polarized caps and connectors.

New features and enhancements to the system include: 1) Fixed angle probe modules (BPM700). 2) ThermoScan™. 3) TraceScan™. 4) High-resolution camera. 5) NanoScan™. 6) REScan™ ― Reverse Engineering.

The latest version of Acculogic's ScanNavigator™ powered by Victory™ software offers full support for IEEE1149.6, an extension to the IEEE1149.1 standard. The ScanNavigator software is a leading suite of powerful tools for boundary scan testing and programming based on the original JTAG standard, IEEE 1149.1. The new version of ScanNavigator has been extended to support the latest boundary scan technology for the testing of high-speed buses and interfaces such as LVDS, Fiber Channel, Gigabit Ethernet and more.

The latest version of Acculogic's ScanNavigator™ powered by Victory™ software is pictured on the left.  Pictured on the right, the FLS900 series.

Acculogic's ScanNavigator Integrated Boundary Scan Test and Programming Environment consists of test, programming and run-time modules that use Microsoft's .NET technology and XML to simplify test generation, increase productivity and allow full integration of test data, programming information and diagnostic databases with Acculogic's testability, and coverage analysis tools. Based on the premise that all boundary scan test and onboard programming activities rely on numerous common data preparation steps, the ScanNavigator architecture is optimized for data sharing and portability to reduce development time and increase data reuse.

ScanNavigator-dot6 supports IEEE1149.6 as an optional feature that can be incorporated into any ScanNavigator Virtual Interconnect Test (VIT), making the implementation of 1149.6 tests practically transparent to the user.

InCircuit Scorpion FiS640^TM
InCircuit Scorpion FiS640^TM from Acculogic is a small footprint MDA tester that can be configured with up to 1024 all-real (non-multiplexed) channels, a high-accuracy analog measurement instrument and patented vectorless test techniques for detection of open pins on digital devices. It is available with a number of industry-standard fixture interfaces for preserving current investments and minimizing transition costs.

The system's hardware is controlled by Acculogic's Integrator^TM worksheet-based software. The software is simple to learn and use and can save days of program development and debug time. The FiS640 also is fully supported by Acculogic's XMATIC^TM software suite.

Acculogic's XMatic™ software package features a venerable host of updated functionality and usability improvements. Version 9 adds many new features designed to help the user achieve maximum efficiency through ease of use and practical enhancements. This latest XMatic™ Version adds a direct database editing functionality, which allows data to be edited within a wider variety of ways, thus accommodating more personal work styles. Dynamic part and package linking keeps both project and libraries up-to-date, automatically allowing for the update of the stored information with minimal effort and time.

Acculogic in profile
Acculogic is a global supplier of automatic test equipment and application support services. Acculogic's test products include the Flying Scorpion - world's only double sided Flying Probe with 3-D joy-stick-like probe motion and 22 probes , an extensive line of bed-of-nails In-Circuit Test Systems, a powerful suite of Boundary Scan test and programming tools, and Application Specific PXI/LXI based Functional Test Systems. Acculogic systems are used by manufacturers of electronic devices and circuit assemblies. Acculogic is a private, growing and profitable company with operations in United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Japan and an extensive network of sales and supports centers around the world.

For further information, view website: www.acculogic.com

Techne Industrial Fluidised Baths clean up for the plastics industry

Techne offers the fastest and lowest cost plastic extrusion cleaning systems on the market. The company's Industrial Fluidised Baths (IFB) remove almost all polymers and hydrocarbon-based products from tooling, components and parts. Cleaning time is dramatically faster than with oven methods, while the risk of tool damage and metal fatigue is greatly reduced.

All seven Techne IFB models contain a bath of tiny, loosely packed aluminium oxide particles. When heated to high temperature (up to 600ºC) and fluidised with a stream of compressed air or inert gas, these quickly degrade plastics to carbon, which then leaves the bath as CO2. Heaters on the outside wall of the bath radiate heat into the inner container of aluminium oxide. Fluidisation acts as the stirring mechanism, distributing heat throughout the bath resulting in very high thermal stability and uniformity.

For manufacturers of plastic extrusions - tubes, pipes, rods, sheets, films, fibres, electrical cables and wires - cleaning plastic residues from tooling is typically a difficult and labour-intensive process. Use of scrapers, brushes or blow torches risks causing damage to expensive tooling.

However, with typical cleaning times of as little as 20-30 minutes, Techne Industrial Fluidised Baths provide a fast alternative to oil, salt, ultrasonic and molten metal baths, ovens and furnaces with processing times of 4 to 8 hours. Additionally, IFB methods are safe, non-abrasive and environmentally friendly.

Techne Industrial Fluidised Baths vary in capacity from 5 to 64 litres. In addition to cleaning applications, their excellent thermal performance makes them ideal for tempering, shape setting, annealing, Nitriding, distillation, curing, and thermal analysis of devices, components and materials.

Designed for maximum cost-effectiveness, Techne IFB systems are modular. If required by customers, Techne also supplies an Afterburner to reduce smoke emission from the exhaust flue, a Fume Scrubber for removal of hydrogen chloride from exhaust gases, and a Cyclone to collect for recycling any aluminium oxide carried over into the IFB exhaust system.

For further information, e-mail: info@bibby-scientific.com or view website: www.bibby-scientific.com   Refer to page 219

ALR Services set to help customers reach market more quickly and cost

Thame based electronics firm ALR Services has launched a Panel Sharing Prototype (PSP) service that allows customers to share the cost of developing boards. The service provides OEMs with a true working prototype of their PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) at an extremely competitive rate with a lead time of just five working days.

The PSP service allows ALR's customers to share the development panel with other users of the service, thus providing a small quantity of PCBs or a PCB prototype more cost effectively. Normally the inherent overheads mean that small quantities of PCBs are very expensive, with the price reducing per board as the quantity ordered goes up. By sharing the costs of a panel using ALR's PSP service the price to each customer is dramatically reduced and delivery speed can be increased. Furthermore, unlike many of its competitors, ALR Services doesn't apply a tooling charge on PSP projects, further reducing the customer's investment in development.

One feature of the service that sets it apart from its competitors is the complimentary design rule checking, which means that, unlike many other prototyping services, the customer's PCB data will be fully assessed using cutting edge front end software. If this process reveals any design issues, an ALR customer service manager will contact the OEM and help them resolve the problem.

"We believe that our PSP service will help raise developmental standards and speeds in the electronics industry and help customers who otherwise might have experienced delays and found development costs prohibitive, reach their market," explained Jo Saltman, sales manager for ALR Services. "It's all about peace of mind for the client. For example, all PSP prototypes are bare board tested to the original manufacturing data using flying probe test machines. This gives our clients an assurance that the PCB is fault free," she concluded.

The PSP service also offers a semi matt green, photoimageable solder resist. Moreover, options include white component ident which can be applied on either or both sides and the choice between a lead free hot air level and an electroless nickel gold surface finish is also available at no extra charge.

ALR Services in profile
ALR Services was formed in July of 1995. The company specialises in helping electronics companies reduce their costs and time spent on the purchasing of printed circuits, without compromising on the quality or delivery of the product. It has continued to grow and recently moved premises to a larger facility in Thame, Oxfordshire. Through its network of manufacturing facilities both in the UK and offshore, it is able to ensure that each particular PCB type is placed at the production site that is most suited to that technology, quantity and delivery. One of the largest PCB brokers in Europe, ALR is BS EN ISO 9001: 2000 certificate no: 14516.

For further information, view website: www: www.alrpcbs.co.uk or e-mail: Jim@alrpcbs.co.uk

Also follow: Twitter: http://twitter.com/ALRServices and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PrintedCircuitBoards

Mueller Electric Company named authorized supplier for RS Components

Mueller Electric Company, Inc. a global manufacturer and distributor of test leads, cable assemblies, clips, connectors, custom cable assemblies and accessories for electronic component, factory automation, and test & measurement markets, has announced that it has been named as an authorized supplier for RS Components. Under the terms of the agreement, all Mueller Electric Company product lines will be sold and marketed through RS Components and available for same-day delivery to customers in 32 countries.

RS Components is the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products. Through its operations, the Group serves 1.6 million customers worldwide, shipping more than 46,000 parcels on the same day the orders are received. The product and service portfolio supports the entire product lifecycle from R&D through pre-production to maintenance and repair. The Group distributes 550,000 products from 2,500 leading suppliers, ranging from semiconductors and optoelectronics to power tools and protective clothing.

With more than 100 years of successful market innovation, Mueller Electric Company has its industry origins as the inventor of the "Alligator Clip", a must-have for testing requirements. The company has since expanded its product portfolio, both organically and via acquisition (i.e., J.S. Popper, Crane Connectors) into additional types of electrical testing clips, test leads, test accessories, board-to-board connectors and custom cable assemblies. All product technologies are sold either directly to qualifying manufacturers, or through some of the industry's leading authorized distributors.

Notes Mueller Electric Company General Manager, Cliff Prosek, "Mueller Electric is pleased to announce our partnership with RS Components. Our role as an authorized supplier allows us to truly expand the global reach of our product technologies into a variety of new markets. We look forward to offering RS Components customers high-quality products and service via our new channel partner."

For further information about Mueller Electric Company and its available product lines, view website: www.muellerelectric.com  Refer to page 114