Description

The TTM 2014 system consists of a Keithley instrument, custom embedded thermal transient measurement software, and a software driver (API) for Microsoft Windows. Each system comes with a complete set of firmware and driver source code. An optional source code package is built into a Virtual Machine and provided on a USB drive assuring that the customer has at any time in the future all the materials it might need to create the runtime packages from the source code..

Thermal Transient Instrument Systems

The TTM 2014 Next Generation comes in two flavors:
TTM 26xx
The TTM 26xx system uses a 26xx instrument (presently, 2601B) as its hardware platform. This system features fast sampling (up to 12 KHz).
TTM 24xx
The TTM 24xx system uses a 24xx instrument (presently, 2450) as its hardware platform. This system features a touch screen and lower noise with sampling rates of up to 2.2 KHz. This allows to collect 110 points during a 50ms current pulse.

New Features

The next generation system include the following new features:
Touch Screen Interface (TTM 24xx);
Storage of test results to instrument connected USB drive;
Pass criteria based on upper and lower transient traces;
Pass criteria based on negative inflection criteria (n consecutive declines of thermal transient curve);
Detection of thermal transient voltage based on best fit match of the entire thermal transient curve;
Estimation of the thermal transient curve parameters: Asymptote and Time Constant;
Pass criteria based on the thermal transient Asymptote and time constant level and standard errors.
Pass criteria are based on customer provides and six sigma procedures. Standard errors are estimated based on accepted statistical estimates using normal statistical distributions of the data..

Time line

New features of the next generation system will evolve according to the following time line:

Components

The TTM instruments include the following components:
1. An instrument from Keithley Instruments, a Tektronix company:
Includes the custom embedded TTM system and makes the physical measurements;
2. Embedded Thermal Transient Meter Firmware by Integrated Scientific Resources, Inc.;
2.1. Makes bridgewire and thermal transient voltage change measurements on digital, manual or message command with digital output of pass/fail outcomes and saves results to a storage device connected to the instrument.
2.2. Provides a user interface for setting the TTM test parameters;
2.3. Presents a graphical touch user interface (TTM 24xx only):
Fully controls the TTM setting; displays the thermal transient on screen along with test results and pass/fail indicators;
3. Windows-based Control program
Installs and tests new firmware;
4. Developer API for Windows-based control;
5. Packaging for the deployment (installation) of the software and runtime programs and source code.

Specifications

Instruments
The Keithley/Tektronix instruments measure bridgewire resistance and thermal transient using the TTM custom firmware and communicating over USB, Ethernet or GPIB interfaces.
Embedded Thermal Transient System
The embedded firmware measures bridge wire and estimates the thermal transient voltage from the measured thermal transient trace.
Bride Wire resistance:
Current Level: 0 – 10 mA
Accuracy: 0.001 Ohm
Range: 0 – 10 Ohms
Measurement Duration: 1 power line cycle (16.7ms @60Hz)
Pass Fail Detection: Low and high limits.
Thermal Transient:
Current Level: 0 – 999mA
Maximum sampling rate:
TTM 26xx: 12 KHz
TTM 24xx: 2.2 KHz
Number of samples: 20 to 1000.
Measurements:
Thermal Transient Voltage (0 – 200mV)
Thermal Time Constant (ms) mean and standard error;
Thermal Asymptote (mv) mean and standard error.
Thermal Transient Trace.
Pass Fail Detection:
Thermal Transient Voltage low and high limits
Thermal Time Constant low and high limits and maximum standard error;
Thermal Asymptote low and high limits and maximum standard error;
Thermal Transient Trace.range limit traces;
Maximum Thermal Transient trace negative inflection (number of points of decline)
Digital Output
Pass fail and strobe
Triggering
Digital; Software; and front panel.
Storage
Saves test results a USB device connected to the instrument.
Embedded Graphical User Interface (TTM 24xx)
Display the thermal transient graph, test results and pass/fail outcomes. Provides user access to settings.
Windows Console
Installs and tests new firmware.
Windows API
Developer access to the instrument using Windows-based tools.
Packaging
Installation packages for the run time components and a package for source code delivery.

Packaging

Runtime package
Each runtime package includes the following components:
An instrument;
Software embedded in the instrument;
Embedded software;
Software is embedded in the instrument. Also included is a Windows program to update and test the embedded software.
Source Code Package
Each source code package includes the following components:
Virtual Machine (e.g., VMWare file format);
Windows Operating System (Windows 7) and drivers (e.g., NI-488 + NI-VISA);
Development Environment for compiling run times from the source code (Visual Studio Express and Test Script Builder);
Source Code;
Test plan delineating the steps required to compile new releases and install them on new machines.
For acceptance of the source code package, customer will run the virtual machine at their facility and go through the test plan described above.
Source Code Updates
New source code packages will be prepared with each new release.
Support
Email support with FTP software and firmware updates.

Licence

Software and firmware come with a non-exclusive unlimited license for use the software and firmware on one system.