Open ATE architecture: key challenges

The drive to reduce overall cost of test has a long history. However, the possibility to reduce this overall cost of test by developing an open ATE architecture has only recently begun to be explored in much detail. It seems clear that opening up ATE system architecture to participation by a collection of suppliers is now feasible. Open architecture standards for test systems must embody several key features, the most challenging of these being fixturing, synchronization, software, data volume, power delivery, and system integration and verification.