Teradyne brings inline board test to robot and edge AI hardware

Teradyne has introduced Omnyx Edge, an inline board tester aimed at the electronics inside robots, vehicles and other equipment that runs AI locally. It extends the Omnyx family beyond the data centre to production lines that assemble a much wider mix of boards. A compute module, for instance, presents a different set of test problems from a camera interface or motor drive, even when all three are going into the same machine.

On the compute side, a revised system controller supports boundary scan and device programming, including integration with third-party tools. Boundary scan can exercise supported digital interconnects through the devices themselves, which is useful when densely populated assemblies leave little room for probe access. Coverage still depends on the parts fitted to the board and on how the scan chain has been designed. Programming is a separate operation: loading a device successfully does not establish that all of its connections have passed an electrical test.

Teradyne’s PowerSense function takes a different approach to the power stages, picking up pulse-width modulation signals without direct electrical contact. A production test can use that signal to check whether a converter or motor drive is switching when commanded. Measuring its output regulation or behaviour under load would require other measurements, just as checking an onboard indicator calls for the platform’s separate optical LED test.

The company has also revised the programmable logic controller, operator interface and handler controls used to integrate the tester into a factory line. Teradyne plans to demonstrate contactless sensing, boundary scan and line automation at electronica in Munich, in Hall A4 at stand 431.

Sources: Teradyne product announcement.