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Author Topic: Testing an entire microcontroller.  (Read 1307 times)

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Offline TheBadgerTopic starter

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Testing an entire microcontroller.
« on: May 13, 2011, 04:37:23 PM »
Okay so I have a new task coming up at work, design a way to quickly test an entire PIC board all 80 inputs and outputs from a PC screen. Were going to be making hundreds of the same PIC board.

I am going to program in VisualC# I think but I just thought I would put it out there for other peoples ideas.

How would you test an 80pin Microcontroller via serial port.

Offline Billy

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Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2011, 04:45:49 PM »
Were going to be making hundreds of the same PIC board.
How would you test an 80pin Microcontroller via serial port.

I would use the ICT tester with bed of nails at the PCB assembly house. That is what they are for. I certainly wouldn't try to design something myself. 

If you really want to make it yourself, use an FPGA and send it test vectors.

Offline TheBadgerTopic starter

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Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2011, 05:03:07 PM »
I have no idea what your talking about, bed of nails?

sounds interesting please could you elaborate.

Please note that we also are the PCB assembly house. Were R&D we have a small scale PCB lab and such.

So just turning out a couple hundred boards and need some way to test them
« Last Edit: May 13, 2011, 05:05:47 PM by TheBadger »

Offline Billy

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Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2011, 05:32:12 PM »

Offline Soeren

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Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2011, 09:36:01 PM »
Hi,

[...] design a way to quickly test an entire PIC board all 80 inputs and outputs from a PC screen.
I'd use a controller with JTAG, which is made for the exact purpose (the one you use may or may not have it - check the datasheet). If it doesn't, I'd find the nearest substitute that does.
Regards,
Søren

A rather fast and fairly heavy robot with quite large wheels needs what? A lot of power?
Please remember...
Engineering is based on numbers - not adjectives

Offline TheBadgerTopic starter

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Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2011, 03:29:56 AM »
Okay so what if I can't use JTAG as the PIC used doesn't have JTAG and there is no option to change.

The PIC being used is an 18LF8722 surface mount.

By the way I don't know about much of these things like JTAG as I am only an apprentice, The guys in my workshop could easily make some test software/hardware but I have never done it and want to impress them.

 


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