Aselsan’s engineers are experienced in boundary scan testing, and were about to extend their investment in familiar equipment when they were shown the XJTAG system. Features like the XJEase high-level test language, flexible licensing options, and independent schematic and layout viewers have quickly repaid their investment.
Aselsan, based in Ankara, Turkey, is a technology developer and system integrator serving an international customer base across sectors such as communication, IT, transportation, security, energy and automation, and defence.
The company’s engineers are experienced in boundary scan testing, and adept at combining it with techniques such as functional test to maximise coverage and minimise cycle times. After five years working with a chosen boundary scan supplier, Aselsan intended to buy more of the same equipment when the team discovered a better solution.
While attending a seminar in Ankara, they were introduced to XJTAG by CDT, XJTAG’s distributor for Turkey. “We saw how much easier to use and more flexible the XJTAG system is, compared to the equipment we had been using, and decided to switch to XJTAG straight away,” confirms Test Design Engineer Oğuz Şen.
Oğuz Şen explains that the XJTAG user interface is easy to understand, and new tests can be coded quickly and easily using the XJEase language. “XJEase syntax is intuitive, and the clear hierarchical structure saves a great deal of time.” He highlights easy debugging, such as setting break points in the code, and the ability to store tests written for individual components to be used in subsequent projects.
In addition, XJTAG’s independent schematic and layout viewers help create new tests quickly when working from ODB++ data. “Viewers for inspecting both the schematic and the layout help us categorise components easily. This is a big time-saver, especially during test development and debugging,” he comments.
Combining XJTAG boundary scan with functional test has enabled Aselsan to increase test coverage on boards that contain components such as FPGAs, high-speed transceivers, line drivers, buffers, memories, I2C devices and analogue components, as well as the MPU or DSP. “The XJRunner Integration API enables us to use C# / .NET to efficiently combine boundary scan tests with other types of testing in a unified sequence.”
Aselsan’s high-mix/low-volume manufacturing requires both speed and flexibility when setting up tests, and XJTAG’s licensing options help achieve these goals. The hardware license associated with the XJLink controller gives freedom to move the boundary scan test station to any PC simply by plugging-in the controller. A network license is also available, which enables groups of engineers to create their own tests and collaborate on projects.
Oğuz Şen also praises the quality of the technical support behind XJTAG. “CDT proactively helps us get the best from the system, and we always receive a fast turnaround when working directly with XJTAG to overcome technical challenges or create new component models.”
“In summary, we are consistently achieving better test coverage, within a shorter time, thanks to superior ease of use, flexibility and support. Overall, partnering with XJTAG has delivered a greater return on our investment in boundary scan, compared to our previous supplier.”
