Functional Testing in a Chamber

[walid]

Hello Robert,

In Lesson 5 of the Schematic & PCB Design Course you mentioned the functional testing in a Chamber. Does this test required for the prototype only or during mass production as well? Is there a standard or a specific procedure for this kind of tests? Do you set the testing humidity and temperature according to the environment characteristics where the PCB is expected to operate or according to component's operating temperature range? What if the components on PCB have different operating temperature range (e.g., some of them from -25C to +85C and others from -40C to +125C)? Another question, is HyperLynx from Mentor is the memory simulation tool you discussed in the video?

Thanks
WB

[robertferanec]

Hello Walid,

- normally we do it for number of prototypes + we do it on some boards from the first batch of mass production. However, some customers may require to test every unit - we used to do this in my previous job. In that case you really would like to have your own environmental chamber.

- I am not sure if there are some standards (there probably are), but we normally do the things which we think are important. We do quite extensive memory testing + we run functional testing of all the peripherals for different temperatures. Here you can see some of our procedures:
OpenRex Testing in an Environmental chamber http://www.imx6rex.com/open-rex/soft...ental-chamber/
iMX6 TinyRex Production Testing in Environmental Chamber http://www.imx6rex.com/imx6-tiny-rex...ental-chamber/

- we do not set any special parameters for humidity. We build the boards for Industrial temperature range and run the tests between -60 to +85C (or depends what is the top temperature, for some CPU boards we may go only up to 65C as heat from CPU will prevent us to go higher - board will stop working). If components have different temperature range, we still run the tests in a wide temperature range and we watch what peripherals will stop working and when.

- Yes, Hyperlynx from Mentor is the memory simulation tool which I found useful