Estimating the economic benefits of DFT

Economic analyses based on cost alone are not sufficient for determining whether to include design for testability in complex or high-volume products. Cost avoidance and benefit terms should also be considered. The article proposes cost model components (as opposed to a complete cost model) that quantify cost avoidance and benefits terms for straightforward applications of scan design. For a large volume, complex IC such as the Texas Instruments TMS320C80, also known as the MVP, these components show how testability features have resulted in large revenue returns, both recurring and nonrecurring. Furthermore, there are other benefit and cost avoidance components that could be added beyond those discussed here. So the actual revenue increase may be larger than this analysis suggests. Note that all calculations and model parameter values given throughout the article are examples only and are not related to actual calculations witnessed in manufacturing