Boundary Scan Testing / JTAG a glance
| Set Up Costs | Programming is normally £1K – £2K. Fixtures can be added if more complex. At NOTE’s facility in Windsor we have JTAG Tech, XJTAG, Goepel and Corelis systems. Some custom interfacing may be needed which may cost extra. |
| Speed | Good test speed. Minutes normally. |
| Coverage | Variable. Depends on your design and if you use fixtures. |
| Operator Level Required | Good. Some technical knowledge |
| Fault Finding | Good. Fault information is normally component or net level. Fault tables can be hard to interpret. |
| Running Cost | Excellent. Very low test and maintenance costs |
Overview
Boundary Scan Testing / JTAG is fast becoming a normal test platform for digital assemblies. It is essential that the JTAG test ports are designed into the board and thought is given to routing signals out and in via analogue/ interconnects to improve coverage.
Programming and interfaces are relatively inexpensive and the system is normally reasonably production friendly if fixtures are produced that can withstand plugging in and out on a continual basis.
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