Continuous Development of Test and Validation Lab

The Challenge

When demands for large volumes and new sensor variants exploded, the requirements on the validation process changed. More advanced sensors with more functionality, shorter development cycles and tightened requirements from customers, made it clear that the test platform must be taken to a new level.

The customer in this study is a market leading manufacturer of biometric sensors found in millions of phones all over the world. Before the breakthrough for their technology a couple of years ago, the client was a small company with few products. Testing and validation were performed in an ad hoc manner, as was the implementation of the test platform.

The Solution

In 2013 the client involved WireFlow in the work with their test platform. This was the start of a dedicated effort to future-proof the operation in the test-lab. The requirements could be summarized:

  • One hardware platform to support all products. One software development tool to ensure homogeneous code.
  •  High degree of parametrization of platforms, with respect to test objects.
  • Test-automation is a blessing
  • Platform maintained by few, used by many.
  • Increased and manageable traceability.

The work has since the beginning been a collaboration between the client’s employees and WireFlow’s consultants and has resulted in a test environment and a process that meets the requirements that were set up.

WireFlow has contributed with expertise in areas like:

  • Test system architecture design
  • Customized hardware development
  • LabVIEW programming
  • Test automation
  • Test planning
  • Mentoring testers and test developers with less experience
  • Hands-on troubleshooting support for product developers

From time to time WireFlow has been able to help the client with other tasks than those directly related to the validation test platform. One example would be executing HTOL stress tests (High-Temperature Operating Life) in a climate chamber that we have in our premises. This includes the development of test programs and customized test-boards.

 Figure 1. The ASIC validation platform

 

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