| PARIS
-- May 20, 2002 -- Teradyne's [NYSE: TER] Assembly
Test Division announced today the formation of a collaborative
partnership with Sony Corporation to develop a unique
functional test platform for Sony's range of cellular
mobile products. The new platform combines Teradyne's
production test system and software expertise with IFR
Systems' expertise in RF instrumentation and cellular
radio test. The resulting platform will ultimately provide
Sony with a flexible and modular platform to address
both current and future wireless products.
The platform is specifically designed and configured
to address the manufacturing test requirements for 2G,
2.5G, and eventually 3G cellular mobile products. Teradyne's
method of performing a "protocol-independent"
test allows the platform to adapt to changing cellular
technologies with minimal efforts and virtually no additional
hardware, reducing test costs and assuring the highest
quality standards.
The specific test requirements from Sony have been
incorporated into this test strategy and consist of
"in-process" (functional testing at the circuit
board level) RF and DC tests. In addition, up to 3 units
under test (UUTs) can be tested in parallel, reducing
standard time of many portions of the test by 30% or
more, thus and accelerating product to market.
"Our primary objectives are to reduce our test
times and increase the beat rate for production. The
Teradyne solution would enable us to test printed circuit
assemblies prior to final separation - a significant
advantage," said Sony GSM Test Manager, Jacques
Haenn. "However, within the scope of the project
we have also been able to incorporate a more comprehensive
range of RF tests and calibrations at no additional
cost per board, which gives a very versatile platform
for the future."
"Our efforts with Sony have shown that Teradyne
can dramatically accelerate products to market and reduce
the cost of test for cellular manufacturers," said
James Ficaro, business manager for Teradyne's Electrical
Manufacturing Test group. "With its flexible hardware,
and intuitive software libraries, the GR Versa test
platform provides fast and efficient testing that will
not be made obsolete by the onset of newer technologies."
About the Teradyne cellular mobile test solution
The Teradyne cellular mobile test solution consists
of the following major components:
- Teradyne GPX621 21-slot, 6U PXI Test Platform
- GRPX 1000 PXIscan Resource Control Module. The PRC
module provides control for the PXIscan switching
subsystem as well as providing DC source and measure
functions, which are available on a system-wide basis.
- PXIscan RF Combiner. The combiner is designed to
install directly within the GPX621 Test Platform,
enhancing the compact system footprint and greatly
simplifying instrumentation cabling.
- System controller (desktop PC with NT & CVI)
- Teradyne In-process cellular library
- Teradyne GR TestManager test executive
- IFR RF Instrumentation
Teradyne's PXI-based GR Versa functional test platform
provides the foundation for a continuing series of functional
test solutions that address the needs of the communications
industry. By integrating select instrumentation and
developing technology-specific libraries, Teradyne's
solutions can be implemented in a manufacturing strategy
quickly and easily.
About Teradyne
Teradyne (NYSE: TER) is the world's largest supplier
of automatic test equipment and is also a leading supplier
of high performance interconnection systems. Teradyne's
test products are used by manufacturers of semiconductors,
circuit assemblies, voice and broadband telephone networks.
Teradyne's backplane assemblies and high-density connectors
are used by manufacturers of communications and computing
systems central to building networking infrastructure.
The company had sales of $1.4 billion in 2001 and currently
employs about 8000 people worldwide. For more information
visit www.teradyne.com.
For more information contact:
Teradyne
Renate Fritz renate.fritz@teradyne.com
Marketing Communications Manager - Europe & Asia
Ismaning, Germany
Germany: 49.89.962.85.303
For more information contact:
Teradyne
Mark Stygles mark.stygles@teradyne.com
Marketing Communications - North America
Westford, MA 01886
USA: 978.589.7425 |