EAG Expands Microelectronic Test and Engineering Services to Include Industry’s Most Comprehensive Offering for Electronics System Failure Analysis

Evans Analytical Group (EAG), the world's leading, fully integrated, independent laboratory network providing high value expert analytical and testing services to a wide range of industries and end users, recently announced it has launched a comprehensive electronics system failure analysis service.  Extending its proven microelectronic test and engineering services portfolio, EAG is now one of the only companies to focus on the entire system, from electronics to materials, all the way down to failure mechanisms occurring at the IC transistor level.

“As electronics systems become smaller, more complex, and more deeply embedded in our daily lives, the cost of failure has risen exponentially,” said Aram Sarkissian, General Manager of the Microelectronics Test and Engineering Division of EAG.  “We offer the unique combination of extensive expertise, specialized tools, and a comprehensive methodology for identifying and resolving complex failure mechanisms in a digitally-dependent society where downtime and product recalls are increasingly costly.”

Agilent Technologies to Separate into Two Industry-Leading Public Companies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced plans to separate into two publicly traded companies: one in life sciences, diagnostics and applied markets (LDA) that will retain the Agilent name, and the other that will be comprised of Agilent's current portfolio of electronic measurement (EM) products. The separation is expected to occur through a tax-free pro rata spinoff of the EM company to Agilent shareholders.

"Agilent has evolved into two distinct investment and business opportunities, and we are creating two separate and strategically focused enterprises to allow each to maximize its growth and success," said William (Bill) Sullivan, Agilent president and CEO.

"Agilent's history is one of reinvention, starting with our own separation from HP and including four major spinoffs since 2005. We are once again making a bold move, as we have done many times in the past, to ensure a future of sustainable growth for both the LDA and EM companies," he said. "We are focused on making this transition seamless for our customers."

Introducing A Collection of Test and Measurement Video Channels!

Check out our new section called VIDEOS featuring a collection of Test & Measurement YouTube video channels. You can also access it by clicking on the top menu bar of measuremenTest.com. Hope you like them. Keep checking back for new channels!

Tektronix Adds Industry’s First Test Solution for New 10 Gbps SuperSpeed USB

Tektronix, Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of oscilloscopes, recently announced a series of enhancements to its USB 3.0 test solutions including an industry first transmitter test solution for the SuperSpeedPlus 10 Gb/s specification. Other enhancements include a new USB 3.0 oscilloscope-based layered decode capability and an enhanced automated solution for SuperSpeed USB transmitter testing that improves test throughput by up to 60%.

With the faster data rates for USB 3.0 come new test challenges, most notably major increases in channel loss and reduction in signal to noise ratio as well as more complex link training and timing requirements that must be verified. As design margins shrink, it's more important than ever to have an accurate and standard specific measurement system available. All of these needs are fully met by the Tektronix SuperSpeedPlus USB test solution (option SSP).

Anritsu Makes First LTE-Advanced Protocol Conformance Test Verification Submissions

Anritsu Corporation has announced its first LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) Carrier Aggregation (CA) test case submissions to RAN 5, demonstrating a strength in protocol conformance that extends across current 2G, 3G, and leading-edge LTE technology. This follows its recent world first in validating RF conformance test cases for CA in PTCRB. RAN 5 verification paves the way for protocol test validations and the inclusion of this technology in GCF and PTCRB certification.

Carrier Aggregation is the essential next-generation technology. It addresses a growing global demand for mobile data consumption by providing network operators with the ability to increase user data rates coupled with more efficient use of their spectrum allocation. Manufacturers supporting this technology use Protocol Conformance test cases to certify device behavior before network deployment.

Agilent Technologies Introduces FPGA Development Kit for High-Speed Digitizers Powered by Mentor Graphics

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) recently introduced the U5340A FPGA development kit, powered by a custom Mentor Graphics design engine, for high-speed digitizers.

The U5340A enables customers to deploy advanced real-time signal processing into the FPGAs on board Agilent high-speed digitizers. The development kit leverages the full density and speed of the FPGA while ensuring the digitizer's outstanding multi-gigasample-per-second performance.

The FPGA development kit enables original equipment manufacturers and researchers to easily design in high-speed signal acquisition and analysis. This software tool can help companies and research institutions protect their intellectual property and shorten time-to-market as they develop technologies for high-end applications such as medical imaging, environmental monitoring, time-of-flight spectroscopy and radar.

Tektronix to Adopt IBM’s 9HP SiGe Technology in Next Generation 70GHz Oscilloscopes

IBM Special Foundry Roadmap

Tektronix, Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of oscilloscopes, today announced that its next generation of high performance real-time oscilloscopes will incorporate IBM's latest 9HP silicon-germanium (SiGe) chip-making process. This fifth generation of IBM's semiconductor technology along with other advances such as patent pending Asynchronous Time Interleaving announced previously will result in oscilloscopes with bandwidth capability of 70 GHz and improvements in signal fidelity.

Operating at speeds up to 350 GHz, 9HP is the first SiGe technology in the industry featuring the density of 90nm BiCMOS and delivers higher performance, lower power and higher levels of integration than current 180nm or 130nm SiGe offerings. Tektronix has been a long-time adopter of SiGe, using it to consistently deliver the best performing and most accurate oscilloscopes in the industry.

Rohde & Schwarz Among The Winners of The 2013 Industrial Excellence Award Competition

The Teisnach plant of the Munich-based electronics company Rohde & Schwarz has won second place in Germany in the competition for the 2013 Industrial Excellence Award. The prize is awarded by the internationally renowned INSEAD Business School, the WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and the German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche and acknowledges the sustained competitiveness of an organization or operational unit.

The key factor in the jury’s decision was the entire process chain involved in production and logistics processes – from the supplier to the end customer. The jury judged contestants primarily on the criteria of customer focus, innovation, lean production processes, sustainability and employee involvement. According to Johann Kraus, Plant Manager in Teisnach, the last of these categories is one of the plant’s key success factors: "Only the dedication of our employees makes it possible to win this kind of prize in the first place." They optimally use their freedom to act and participate while contributing to ongoing technological innovation and speed. The jury was especially impressed by the efforts made to create ideal conditions throughout all parts of the production chain.