This year, the selection was divided into eight categories: ATE, Instrumentation, Data Acquisition, Software, EMC, ESD, Communications Test, and Environmental Test. The ballots were completed via the EE web site and e-mail solicitations, and the competition was keen. To see a photo and more information, click on the product names below.
AUTOMATED TEST EQUIPMENT
The winner in the ATE category is the Agilent Technologies’ HP 93000 SOC Series that performs volume production test on system-on-a-chip devices. It is available in pay-per-use and fixed configurations and both models support test heads with up to 448 or 960 digital pins and space for up to four analog modules.
INSTRUMENTATION
For instrumentation, the award goes to the TDS3000 family of two- and four-channel color digital phosphor oscilloscopes from Tektronix. Six DPO models with 10-kword memories are offered. Bandwidth and sample-rate combinations are 100 MHz, 1.25 GS/s; 300 MHz, 2.5 GS/s; and 500 MHz, 5 GS/s.
DATA ACQUISITION
IOtech’s DaqBoard/2000™ takes top honors in the Data Acquisition voting. This multifunction plug-and-play PCI board features 200-kHz A/D; 100% digital calibration; bus mastering; dual 16-bit, 100-kHz D/As; 40 digital I/O lines; four counters; and two timers. Software support includes drivers and tools for most programming environments under Windows 95/98/2000/NT.
SOFTWARE
When it comes to new software, the honors go to LabVIEW 5.1 from National Instruments. Version 5.1 with 3-D graph control to enhance modeling and visualization, streamlines the creation of web-enabled applications. Using new built-in tools, VI front panels can be published on web pages with no programming required.
EMC
Your choice for the best EMC product in 1999 is the CASSPER EMI Test System from EMC Test Systems. The modular and portable PC-based instrumentation system records and isolates EUT signals without the need for anechoic chambers. It also delivers true ambient cancellation.
ESD
The Model 960 Mini Air Ionizer from the 3M Electronic Handling and Protection Division is the winning ESD product. The Model 960 features steady-state DC ion emission and balanced shielded emitter points that do not require any adjustments. It is UL/C-UL/CE marked for global acceptance.
COMMUNICATIONS TEST
In Communications Test, the award goes to Tektronix for the Q7750 Optical Network Analyzer. The Q7750 provides amplitude, chromatic dispersion, and group-delay measurements for fiber-optic systems. It collects and presents 600 data points in 4 s and operates in the 1,530-nm to 1,600-nm wavelength range.
ENVIRONMENTAL TEST
Environmental Test honors are presented to JAGUAR, a workstation-based, distributed-process solution for structural, acoustic, and closed-loop vibration control from Spectral Dynamics. The JAGUAR controls the shaker tables that simulate vibration stress, takes measurements from the object under test, and displays results such as transfer functions and power spectral densities in real-time.
For all of our readers who took time from your very busy schedules to vote for the 1999 Readers’ Choice Awards, we thank you.
Published by EE-Evaluation Engineering
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March 2000