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September 2015 • SMT Magazine 105 AutOmOtIve eLeCtrONICs DrIvING INNOvAtIONs IN test continues nels of positive voltages ranging from 1mV to 100V. Each channel comes with a concur- rent 5V and 100V measurement ranges, with every channel capable of acquiring very low and very high voltages without the need for switching ranges. Another solution is our new M9188A, a PXI-based, 16-channel single-slot unipolar dynamic digital/analog converter. Capable of supplying typical waveforms of up to +30V, it eliminates the need for engineers to design and develop signal conditioning circuits for applications requiring up to +30V—that's a huge saving in terms of test system application development and setup time. Las Marias: From your perspective as a t&m equipment provider, what are some of your tough - est challenges when it comes to providing solu- tions targeted at automotive electronics? Tan: One of the toughest challenges is being able to continuously drive cost of test lower, without compromising on the quality, reliabil- ity and coverage of the test. We are able to do this through close partnership with the auto- motive electronics companies, understanding exactly their test needs and developing solu- tions that are a right fit for them. For example, customers testing smaller, less complex devices can make use of our TS-8989 PXI Functional Test System, a switch and load system in a box that supports up to 104 test nodes and current loads of up to 40A. We de- signed it to be the ideal minimalistic one box solution for the automotive industry, provid- ing the best "Enough Test" while at the same time-saving invaluable rack and floor space. Customers who need more test capacity can rely on our TS-5400 PXI Series, which sup- ports up to 464 test nodes. It provides auto- motive manufacturers with an off-the-shelf PXI hardware and software platform with flex- ibility to support single or multiple DUT tests. Designed for testing electronics control mod- ules such as power train control, complex body electronics and industrial controllers, the TS- 5400 PXI Series helps manufacturers achieve higher throughput for their design validation and manufacturing functional test needs with the capacity to empower them to anticipate fu- ture functional test needs. Las Marias: how do you address the increasingly strict regulatory requirements in automotive elec- tronics manufacturing? Tan: Regulatory requirements differ in each re- gion, worldwide; we have a global team that is tightly connected to the needs of each region, and to each other, so that we are able to com- ply to the needs of each region and to custom- er needs as well. We work closely with our customers to un- derstand how critical the accuracy and repeat- ability of test results are to them in supporting their strict requirements. From a measurement perspective, Keysight is a leader when it comes to measurement calibration, our adherence to ISO 17025 and military Z540 standards has long been known in the industry. This coupled with our culture of quality, where we assist cus - tomers through thorough root cause analysis and investigations to understand where the failure in the measurement and test equip- ment are, and to identify if this has any impact to their products. Las Marias: what is your outlook for the automo- tive electronics industry? Tan: The next three to five years will continue to see positive growth for the global automo- tive electronics market. Market analysts are cit- ing consolidated average growth rates of more than 6%. We can expect to see growth for test and measurement equipment market trending similarly. This will be driven on the back of demands for better tests with faster speed and wider coverage to handle increasingly sophisti- cated ECUs for powertrain and body electron- ics. Beyond physical numbers, I think growth will be fueled by demands for advanced safety systems which form the building blocks of au- tonomous driving. Las Marias: thank you for speaking with me today. Tan: Thank you, Stephen. smt FeAture interview