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Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: TheBadger on May 13, 2011, 04:37:23 PM

Title: Testing an entire microcontroller.
Post by: TheBadger 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.

Title: Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
Post by: Billy on May 13, 2011, 04:45:49 PM

Quote from: TheBadger on May 13, 2011, 04:37:23 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.

Title: Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
Post by: TheBadger 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

Title: Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
Post by: Billy on May 13, 2011, 05:32:12 PM

Quote from: TheBadger on May 13, 2011, 05:03:07 PM

I have no idea what your talking about, bed of nails?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-circuit_test (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-circuit_test)

Title: Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
Post by: Soeren on May 13, 2011, 09:36:01 PM

Hi,

Quote from: TheBadger on May 13, 2011, 04:37:23 PM

[...] 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.

Title: Re: Testing an entire microcontroller.
Post by: TheBadger 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.