Current and future manufacturing test solution strategies - iNEMI Boundary-scan and Built in Self Test (BIST) technology integration for future standardization

Abstract

Product cost and revenue trends are not consistent with the cost of Test, Inspection and Measurement (TIM) technologies. Specifically, while Moore's Law has applied to the silicon in the product, it does not apply to the overall cost of test of the resulting higher-functionality, desirably lower-cost product. Higher performance and lower cost test equipment, while also desirable, are not enough to solve the gap between the cost of increasing requirements for test/inspection coverage and price that customers are willing to pay for the product. Product design solutions (testability features) that facilitate lower cost test solutions while keeping adequate test coverage, must be explored. Test methodology and strategy need to be reconsidered. Increasing product complexity and reduced test point access are driving a desire to increase use of technologies such as Boundary-Scan and BIST (Built-In-Self-Test) to improve test coverage. The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) has two ongoing projects investigating the gaps and ultimately driving for industry changes in the deployment of those technologies. This paper presents the results from those two projects. The first portion of the paper introduces the outputs from the iNEMI Boundary-scan project team, which reviewed current available test methods and strategy for testing the external memory devices and analyzed the gaps and opportunities. The second portion of the paper discusses the opportunity of BIST technology for board level testing and the needs for standardization. The two projects clarify the requirements needed for the existing boundary-scan IEEE1149.1 standard and other industry standards to bridge the gap for lack of test point access and improved testability of products.