Week in Brief: Lightning Test, Licensing, Blades, More…

March 24, 2012. MET Labs, Anritsu, ADLINK, Signal Transformer, Digi-Key, and Leader Tech were all in the news this week, complementing breaking news highlights from Giga-tronics, Keithley, NI, AR, LTX-Credence, IDI, the MOST Cooperation, Geotest, Saelig, McBain, and Magna-Power.

MET Labs said it has acquired a lightning surge tester from Thermo Fisher Scientific and is offering lightning susceptibility testing for RTCA/DO-160, MIL-STD-461 and MIL-STD-464. Military and airborne equipment suppliers are primarily engaging MET Labs for lightning testing to RTCA/DO-160 Sections 22 and 23. Lightning testing for MIL-STD-461 and MIL-STD-464 will pick up later, when lightning requirements are incorporated into the next revision (Revision G) of these military standards. The company said lightning testing of airborne equipment is largely being driven by the use of composite materials in airframe construction, including that used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380. Many composites don’t conduct lightning currents the way metal airframes do, leading to the possibility of higher voltages and currents affecting aircraft equipment. www.metlabs.com.

Anritsu said that it has entered into a Factory Test Technology Licensing Agreement with Qualcomm for Qualcomm’s factory test solutions. Under terms of the agreement, Anritsu can provide turnkey factory test software solutions for all cellular and connectivity standards. “This license agreement enables Anritsu to help speed time-to-market of a customer’s devices and deliver exceptional support to Qualcomm licensees, with the overall objective of protecting a customer’s investment for existing and future production test solutions,” said Wade Hulon, vice president and general manager of Anritsu. www.anritsu.com.

ADLINK Technology Inc. has introduced the PICMG 2.0 compliant cPCI-6210 Series, a 6U CompactPCI processor blade based on quad- and dual-core second-generation Intel Core i7 and Intel Core i5 processors and up to 16 GB DDR3-1600 memory support. The cPCI-6210 features PICMG 2.9 compliant IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface), remote management based on Intel vPro technology, and optional Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for security management. It targets applications in military, communications, and industrial-control segments. www.adlinktech.com/cPCI/.

Signal Transformer and Digi-Key have entered into an agreement under which Digi-Key will distribute Signal's new series of SMD wire-wound inductors to customers worldwide. Signal's RoHS-compliant, Pb-free, SMD wire-wound series of inductors are engineered for an array of consumer and industrial power applications including test and measurement, automotive electronics, and industrial process control. Encompassing 2,700 standard part numbers, the shielded and unshielded devices are used in DC/DC converters, switch-mode and regulated power supplies, telecommunications equipment, mobile phones, computers, LCDs, printers, and other peripherals. These inductors are also appropriate in audio and video applications, and in LC resonant circuits such as oscillators and signal generators. In addition, these parts are used in impedance matching, circuit isolation, and RF filters.

To reduce unwanted RFI/EMI emissions and cross-talk between components, Leader Tech is offering its Multi-Cavity Slot-Lok Pro Shield, a proprietary board-level shielding product that uses standardized manufacturing methods to create near custom multi-cavity solutions with minimal nonrecurring engineering charges (NRE). The shield is constructed from a solid, RoHS-compliant frame and a removable high-retention cover, allowing engineers to effectively combine multiple shields under the same footprint. The two-piece frame and removable cover construction also facilitates easy rework and inspection processes. In addition to offering up to 60 dB of shielding effectiveness (SE), the shields are quickly installed using through-hole or surface mount soldering. www.leadertechinc.com.

If you missed any of this week's “Breaking News” highlights, visit the links below:

Giga-tronics Introduces Microwave Switching Platform

Saelig Offers DIP Oscilloscope Module

Keithley Debuts High Voltage SourceMeter Instrument

AR Introduces Multi-Tone RF Test System

Semiconductor ATE targets ASSPs

PXI Express Controller Features Intel Core i5 Processor

Product Completes Medical Device RFID Susceptibility Testing

IDI Launches Two Semiconductor Test Offerings

In-car Ethernet Enters the Road

Geotest Introduces CalEasy Software for PXI Products

Saelig Offers Digital Data Logger