ProTek Devices increases Surge Test Throughput by 5X

Electronic Supply Chain Solutions is the AS9120 Certified Franchised Distributor for ProTek Devices who Increased Surge Test Throughput by 5X with NI LabVIEW and NI hardware We increased throughput by 5X and reduced costs by 40 percent". says Prashanth Patil, of  ProTek Devices . Find out how... (Read more) 

The Challenge:                                                                        

increases Surge Test Throughput by 5X

Developing a surge tester to test transient voltage suppressor (TVS) and steering diode arrays using a custom field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based source measure unit (SMU) to increase throughput by decreasing test time.

The Solution:

Using NI LabVIEW software and the NI LabVIEW FPGA module to develop a custom automated surge tester for a broad range of TVS products.

Automating TVS Product Line Testing
ProTek Devices manufactures TVS and steering diode array products designed specifically to protect electronic systems from the destructive effects of lightning, electrostatic discharge, nuclear electromagnetic pulses, electromagnetic interference, radio-frequency interference, and inductive switching. We also offer application-specific protection solutions for any type of electronic equipment or system.
We needed an automated test solution to test different TVS product lines on the manufacturing floor. The test solution needed to support initial wafer qualifications and product acceptance during product life cycles. The TVS performance measurement system performs fundamental tests such as breakdown voltage, current leakage, forward voltage, surge test, capacitance measure, and other proprietary tests.
We considered many concepts during the equipment design and prototype development phases, and ultimately chose the LabVIEW FPGA Module because it offered the quickest test time and cost advantages. The final test system consists of ProTek proprietary hardware and a desktop computer with an R Series FPGA device installed.

We used LabVIEW to write the host application and LabVIEW FPGA to control the R Series FPGA target. The host program collects user information, controls the host FPGA program, and postprocesses data. Test software development with LabVIEW and operator training time was minimal.

We used an NI R Series multifunction RIO device with an FPGA to control the hardware digital I/O lines, which generate custom surge waveforms using internal FPGA lookup tables. The FPGA device also reads the measured values using its internal A/D converters, stores the data in memory, and controls the external semiconductor handler with custom triggering. The FPGA sets the forcing current or voltage limits in the circuitry to bias the device under test (DUT) and measure back the current through, or voltage across, the DUT. We also developed distribution analysis code, which tracks device performance during production runs, and failure analysis code to assess problem root cause and help us quickly and easily take corrective and preventive action.

The FPGA-based test system can generate 10 different waveforms, including double exponential, half sine, and square waveforms. For comparison, using the previous SMU test system, we could only generate a few waveforms, and each pair of waveforms required a separate printed circuit board (PCB). Now, we generate all 10 required waveforms without using any custom-built PCBs by using built-in FPGA memory while retaining sufficient memory for future additional waveforms.

We replaced the traditional box instrument SMU with custom-built source measure circuitry using LabVIEW and FPGA technology. As a result, we improved voltage, leakage, and surge test times by up to 10X. Furthermore, we compared hardware costs and found that the new system resulted in a 40 percent cost reduction over the previous box instrument solution.

Delivering Increased Production Throughput - Using LabVIEW and an R Series FPGA device, we developed a high-speed surge tester that delivered increased production throughput on the order of 5X. With LabVIEW and FPGA versatility, this custom solution is easy to mass-produce and provides report generation, failure analysis, and a sophisticated user interface.

Author Information: Prashanth Patil - ProTek Devices   Dick Gadberry - ProTek Devices 

Contact Sales@Electronicsupplychainsolutions.com to learn more.

Call the ProTek Devices Hotline @ 727-723-8255 x 105