Firecron LTD is a world leader in the design and development of IEEE1149.1 infrastructure products, providing "Design For Test” D.F.T solutions for the communications, military and Industrial systems markets.
Firecron produce a range of Gateways, Controller and Sequencer products, which allow our Market leading OEM partners to develop highly integrated IEEE1149.1 test strategies, both at the board and system level. Our customers have benefited from an Integrated test strategy where all factory designed tests can be used in Design, Manufacturing and in the field.
In fact it has been proven by several O.E.M customer that adopting an integrated Firecron test solution saves money and significantly reduces the “No Fault found” dilemma in the field.
IEEE 1149.1 gateways
Firecron gateway's support the IEEE1149.1 protocol and allows JTAG Chain partitioning at the board and/or system level under software control.
This s/w control allows our users to access a board/system with only a low cost single port JTAG controller and dynamically select a different scan-path on the board depending on the action they require.
Such action can be as simple as programming a flash-device or CPLD on a daughter card with a Boundary-scan pod, connect a BDM /JTAG emulation probe for software debugging on their PowerPC , Coldfire or ARM based processor.
Even the connection of an FPGA probe for configuration purposes during prototype debug is possible without any additional modifications on the DUT , simply plug-and-test.
The gateways range from 3 to 11 Local Scan Path's (LSP's) with multi-voltage I/O sor extremely efficient and ad functionality used during the development and test of IEE1149.1 enabled systems.
Also can they reduce the Bill of Material (BOM ) by replacing all but one \JTAG connector in your system , buffer each chain to achieve maximum TCK performance and remove any level shifters and test-jumpers or serialization PROM's while increasing the overall Test coverage.
IEEE 1149.1 Test Sequencers
The sequencer device allows the execution of full factory tests without processor control.
A sequencer acts like a B.I.S.T engine and will report a Pass or Fail condition for any card independent of any Host process being active.
The device enable IEEE1149.1 JTAG factory tests to be executed without the need for third party
test hardware ie Asset-Intertech, Goepel Electronic, Jtag Technologies. There is also no need for a microprocessor on the PCB or indeed in the system to be active.
The sequencer simply executes all the JTAG fastory tests on your board /system during startup or in maintenance mode . The benefit for you ?
It's like shipping your manufacturing test facility with your product to your end-user. In case anything goes wrong you can remotely perform an interconnect test or flash programming action on the system. This eliminates the No Fault Found problems of customers shipping defect boards back and in board repair no-one can reproduce the problem. As a result our customers can save significant deployment costs.
IEEE 1149.1 Test Controllers
Firecron Controller devices, Executes the manufacturing tests or indeed any test defined by the user, which is stored in Flash.
In conjunction with the system processor the Test controller can execute any and all factory derived tests. From the Factory to the field it can analyse the results and report back the failing condition, again via the main host processor. The Controller can also be used to update FPGA's, PLD's Flash or indeed any Memory in the field via Boundary scan without the need to connect an external test controller.
Flash IP
Today In-system or On-Board flash programming is widely adopted in the industry .
To only name a few advantages , no stocking of new or pre-programmed devices , less error's due to products shipped with wrong s/w and easy upgrades when new s/w releases become available.
However one challenge that all production facilities share is how can we speed up the programming to reduce the time in the manufacturing line and thereby reduce manufacturing costs?
Most engineers are well aware that good Design For Test ( DFT) helps to reduce the programming time , actually Logic Technology offers DFT services to it's customers , but what if the board design is finished and production is slow because of programming times ?
Firecron has developed Flash IP that can boost the programming without modifying your board design.
To read more on this download the Flash IP Whitepaper below.
Digital I/O Cards
To help increase the test coverage when using boundary-scan Firecroin developped this multi-voltage digital I/O card which can be used with your Boundary-scan tool . It allows to test connectors and I/O signals with boundary-scan .
Contact us to receive the board data so you can implement it in your ASSET-INTERTECH , Goepel or JTAG-Technologies ATPG software.