I.MX6 Mass Production Programing ?

[nachodizz990]

Dear all, We need to start to Mass Produce a Custom I.MX6UL based board

We need to program the eMMC and Burning EFUSES

Suposing 20K Production Waves

What is the best method to proceed with?

[robertferanec]

nachodizz990, we do not do it in our office, but I believe VOIPAC (they manufacture our boards), they flash/burn everything by themselves during testing. I do not think they have some special methods for it, but I am not sure how many boards they sell every month. If you need to produce 20k in short time, then it may be challenging.

However, maybe eMMC may be flashed before assembly?

[nachodizz990]

Dear Robert, yes, eMMC can be pre-flashed (Good Idea) but, anyway we have a Bottleneck because we need to run MFGTOOL´s UBOOT in order to blow efuses

I have good news, the DIP switch to select to enter in Serial downloader [01] is not necessary to be fitted because the SoC when is crude will enter by default in Serial Downloader mode

The Dip Switch is expensive at large scale ...

[robertferanec]

SoC when is crude will enter by default in Serial Downloader mode

- yes, I think this is correct. New CPU may go into the serial downloader mode by default.

[ranaya]

nachodizz990 Depends on how many boards you have to commission simultaneously ! I remember reading mfgtool supports multiple boards u-booting through OTG. If yes you can write a bootscript which can be run from an SD card to automate fuse burning process and even to burn emmc using gzwrite utility in u-boot (the OS image should be in .gz format inside the boot partition of SD). Since this has to be done individually from each u-boot terminal, to commission 10 boards simultaneously you might need 10 SD card though !!!

Anuradha

[robertferanec]

ranaya nice tip! thanks

[nachodizz990]

Finally due to allocation, i have no time to order preprogramming eMMCs to Kingston

Solution

5 PCS programming fuses and downloading SW to eMMC, 6 minutes per board (fuse programming and flash in all in one MFGTool Go Process)

50000 Boards

60000 minutes per pec 1000 Hours 41 Days of programming stuff

What the Fuck!

[robertferanec]

wow. can the eMMC be programmed by a programmer before soldering on the board? i guess you have checked that option too ...

[nachodizz990]

I will try but i guess that the flash time will be the same

You mean to remove from tray and place into tray again

Emmc its slow for write , it doesn matter if SDR DDR or HS400, writting speed its a pitty

[robertferanec]

yes, maybe flashing through a programmer may take same time, however you can do it in parallel ... e.g. when they are manufacturing, they can also be flashing the parts at the same time .. once the board is manufactured it may be much faster for you to make a product from it (you do not have to flash it, just test the peripherals).

PS: also, I think NXP may be able to set the fuses, or not (I may be wrong, maybe it was a different chip)?

[nachodizz990]

Dear Robert

The problem is With Allocation

When I order to distributor (NXP Representative) they tell me that NXP Factory is Full, and distributor offers me SoCs

So i cant order it factory-fused unless i accept 3 months (impossible)

The same happens with Emmc, imposible to order flashed, because i order distributor stocked reels

For factory fused, You should order 25-50kpcs

[robertferanec]

For factory fused, You should order 25-50kpcs

Good to know. Usually they mention that they can do factory fuse, they just normally do not tell the 25-50kpcs number