How does BEST TEST work?

How can I find out more?

How much can I expect to save, and in what area of test development?

What applications have used BEST TEST

BEST TEST is a test generation tool designed, developed and tested by the engineers at Integrated Test Solutions. BEST TEST in conjunction with Teradyne's LASAR simulation environment and LABEL behavioral modeling language, dramatically reduces development time for complex functional test programs.

The driving motive behind the development of BEST TEST was to produce a high-level simulation environment for test development. The BEST TEST software process integrates Teradyne's behavioral modeling language (LABEL) with the standard stimulus development language TESTCOM. The net effect of this process is an enhancement of the stimulus development abilities of LASAR. The BEST TEST process allows test engineers to generate conditional stimulus, create complex functions and have more visibility into their simulation environment. Using this behavioral test process, program developers are able to efficiently develop complex system level simulations. Stimulus development times for complex modules can be reduced by up to 65%!!. TPS's developed using BEST TEST are written at a higher level and represents a true functional testing environment. Recovery from last minute design changes is a major benefit of this high level process. Not only is the stimulus development time reduced, but stimulus development work is easily portable to other modules of similar architecture. This benefit can reduce stimulus development times by up to 80%!!. With module complexity increasing at an astounding rate, and as pressure to reduce internal costs rises, the BEST TEST simulation development process has become essential in maintaining schedules and meeting critical program requirements. This process has been adopted at several large TPS development organizations throughout the industry. The BEST TEST process has also been endorsed by Teradyne as an effective method for TPS development for high-speed complex digital systems.

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How does BEST TEST work?

Instead of programming directly in TESTCOM, the BEST TEST environment provides programmers with stimulus generation models called transactors. Transactors provide an interface between the UUT complex I/O and the programmer. The programmer communicates with the transactor using high level, English readable commands, thereby directing the transactor to perform different stimulus generation operations. The programmer provides the stimulus and the transactor commands, the transactors do the rest. Once the test programmer has obtained the desired simulation results, the stimulus generated by the transactors are captured by BEST TEST and converted into standard TESTCOM. The test vectors are then ready for post processing to the target ATE.

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How much can I expect to save, and in what area of test development?

A general rule of thumb is, the more complex the UUT, the greater the savings. BEST TEST was developed to address the problems associated with complex UUT test programming. Savings are distributed across the simulation process. Programming in a higher level environment allows the programmer more flexibility in generating stimulus. Manual pattern alignment, or synchronization with the UUT is virtually eliminated. The transactors can use conditional statement to determine the correct time to apply the vectors. Use of the Peruse utility is greatly reduced when trying to determine correct pattern application windows. When programming multiple boards in a system, each programmer must typically understand the intricacies of each UUT common interface. Using transactors, this redundancy is eliminated. Transactors can be used on all models with the same interface. Generic transactor models are provided to allow the user to attach custom interfaces. Internal ITS experience and those of our customers indicate that simulations costs and schedules typically can be reduced on average of 40% to 80%. Which translates to real savings in both dollars and time.

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What applications have used BEST TEST?

BEST TEST has been used on a wide variety of both commercial and military applications. BEST TEST is used to support design verification of highly complex designs and TPS development for the Navy's CASS tester at the Navy Depot, North Island, CA, the Navy Surface Warfare Center Crane, IN, the Navy N.U.W.C Norfolk VA, Tobyhanna Army Depot, and the Air Forces Advances Tactical Fighter. DSC Communications Corporation has selected BEST TEST as its standard simulation environment.

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How can I find out more?

Contact one of ITS Locations for additional information, or arrange a technical presentation for both engineers and managers at your location. On site demonstrations can also be arranged.

Please send us email about your application to see how ITS can help you.