TestGenie
TestGenie is a low-cost boundary-scan solution for those companies that have a genuine requirement for JTAG testing, but have difficulty absorbing the tool costs or assigning the resources required to implement the test technology into their development or production processes. TestGenie allows customers to use full-featured versions of Corelis ScanExpress products at a fraction of the cost.
Once you’ve selected boundary-scan as a practical solution, the second biggest decision is whether you want to do the test development yourself or have a third party do it. The decision should not be considered lightly as there are advantages and disadvantages to each.
Corelis understands that the traditional model of owning boundary-scan tools outright and having a resident expert to develop test procedures is not practical for a large number of companies. Those experienced in boundary-scan test know the true cost of testing does not lie in the cost of the automated test tools themselves, but rather the investment that must be made in the engineering hours to accommodate this testing capability successfully.
- How much time does it take to learn the technology
- How much time does it take to learn the tools?
- How much time does it take to become proficient in test procedure development?
- How does this time affect your project budget and schedule?
- How does this time affect your project budget and schedule?
Risk Reduction
TestGenie is designed to minimize risk for companies looking to integrate boundary-scan testing into their process. The major risks of boundary-scan testing are identified below:
- Cost – One thing that may not be clear is that although boundary-scan tools seem expensive, the tool cost is a small fraction of the overall cost of testing. The engineering costs required to integrate boundary-scan represent the larger bulk of the overall cost.
- Experience – Similar to ICT, JTAG requires well-trained and highly experienced personnel to do well. There is no substitute for experience. Lack of experience directly corresponds to longer schedules, more required resources, and higher costs as a result.
- Schedule – You are likely looking into JTAG to help solve your problems, not create new ones. To get the maximum benefit in terms of schedule and reduced time to market, boundary-scan needs to be integrated as early as possible in the design and development process. Waiting to deploy boundary-scan during test is a sure way to lengthen the schedule.
- Resources – Unless you are in a 100% slack environment, there is an opportunity cost for choosing to deploy boundary-scan yourself. Do you have the manpower to take on the job and does it represent the best use of their time?
The inability to accurately forecast the ramp up time required to achieve the necessary level of engineering expertise can cause companies to cast doubts on whether boundary-scan is a worthwhile investment. TestGenie directly addresses many of the reasons that companies choose not to invest in using boundary-scan including:
- Not being able to afford traditional boundary-scan tools
- Having a limited budget for testing
- Having limited experience with boundary-scan test
- Not having resources or not willing to allocate the resources to learn boundary-scan or write test procedures
- The opportunity costs are too high
- Having a limited number of design projects utilizing boundary-scan devices
- Uncertainty if the tool cost will ever be recovered
- Boundary-scan not being a priority
- Product schedules do not allow the luxury of investigating new test technologies
- The technical requirements for boundary-scan seem overwhelming
- Boundary-scan being perceived as a high-risk endeavor
- Not willing to take the risk of failing with boundary-scan
Even with other low cost solutions, the engineering costs and overall risks associated with boundary-scan still remain, and are often even more prevalent due to less tool automation. Only Corelis’ TestGenie provides you with fully automated versions of Corelis’ ScanExpress execution tools, specifically designed to run with your unit under test (UUT). Let TestGenie do the work for you!
System Specifications
TestGenie is designed to minimize risk for companies looking to integrate boundary-scan testing into their process. The major risks of boundary-scan testing are identified below:
The base TestGenie system includes:
- Board specific perpetual licenses for:
- USB JTAG controller
- 12 month hardware and software maintenance contract
- Test procedure development for one PCB design1
Flexible TestGenie packaging is also available in cases where:
- The PCB design is excessively large or complex
- Non-standard test steps are required: Standard boundary-scan test steps include infrastructure, interconnect, buswire, resistor, memory, Flash, and customer furnished programmable files such as SVF and JAM
- Board photographs are desired for the ScanExpress Viewer component
- An alternative JTAG controller is required (e.g. multi-TAP)
- Changes to the test procedure are required due to new UUT versions, revisions, or updates
1 Certain restrictions apply.
Questions & Answers
What is TestGenie?
TestGenie is a product-oriented solution. It is targeted at organizations producing a small number of different PCBs per year allowing them to implement boundary-scan testing at a significantly lower price point realizing the product value much sooner in the life cycle. TestGenie bundles both product and service into a turn-key test solution.
Who should use TestGenie?
TestGenie is primarily designed for companies that have limited experience, resources, and budget, or are looking to begin using boundary-scan for the first time.
Are there any limitations to the TestGenie solution?
The software is limited to executing only the bundled test procedure for a specific PCB revision (i.e. UUT).
What licensing schemes are available with TestGenie?
The software is available through a node-locked FlexNet license key. There is one license to allow execution of the software application and additional licenses to identify each test procedure that the system is allowed to execute.
Is a network license available with TestGenie?
No.
Do I have to buy a new TestGenie seat for an updated revision of the same PCB?
Yes.
Can I buy multiple run-time stations for a single test procedure?
Yes, a discount will be applied to each additional software seat that test procedure development is not required.
What are the advantages of purchasing a TestGenie solution?
Companies purchase TestGenie when they:
- Have a limited testing budget
- Have limited engineering resources
- Do not know boundary-scan technology well
- Do not have the in-house resources to learn boundary-scan or to prepare test procedures
- Have a real need to satisfy a boundary-scan requirement within budgetary constraints in terms of funds, labor, and schedule
- Are risk averse
What are the benefits of purchasing a TestGenie solution?
TestGenie offers many significant benefits:
- Lower entry cost
- Reduced resource requirements
- Reduced boundary-scan implementation time
- Reduced software & technology learning curves
- Included turn-key test procedure service
- Reduced risk
- Reduced time to market
- Removes opportunity costs
System Includes:
-
Board specific perpetual licenses for: ScanExpress Runner, ADO, and Viewer
-
USB JTAG Controller
-
Test procedure development for one PCB design
Boundary-Scan Solutions Comparison Chart
|
Item |
TestGenie Product Bundle |
Development
Station (Boundary-Scan & ISP Only) |
| ScanExpress TPG |
 |
|
| ScanExpress DFT Analyzer |
|
|
| ScanExpress Flash Generator |
|
|
| ScanExpress Programmer – JTAG |
|
|
| ScanExpress Merge |
|
|
| ScanExpress Debugger |
|
|
| ScanExpress Runner |
|
|
| JTAG Controller |
|
|
| ScanExpress ADO |
|
Optional |
| ScanExpress Viewer |
|
Optional |
|
|
Optional | |
|
Up Front Cost |
1X | Up to 5X |
Read how TestGenie facilitates boundary-scan test with minimal effort and helps mid-size organizations to meet increasing product demand while minimizing the impact on schedule and resources.