Space-grade IC validation device design and support

THE SCENARIO:

Being sure that the equipment, machines, and tools work correctly and are without failures or defects is of fundamental importance in any field of application, both industrial and domestic. Each product must be fully functional and performing, especially in areas of development where safety and risk are critical factors to consider, both from an economic and a social point of view.
The role of tests and trials, therefore, is crucial and indispensable and there are consequently platforms solely built for this task: these are devices capable of subjecting the systems for which they are created to extremely advanced checks.
The importance and difficulty of this task are directly proportional to the complexity of what is being tested and, accordingly, to verify the correct operation of compound machines, other equally complex, if not more, instruments are needed. The study around these systems is, therefore, enormous and in-depth, dedicated to understanding every single piece of the tested product in its design.

THE CONTEXT:

Considering this scenario, it is immediately understandable how each testing machinery is unique for every type of product that it will have to verify: the businesses that deal with the creation of these systems must design a new and particular device each time, regardless of the type of past production they had. The costs and resources involved in research and development are consequently numerous and extremely diversified.
In this project, in particular, the customer company needed to build a system to test components of satellites before they are ready to be launched to their scientific missions. Process optimization and performances are the keywords and this is the reason why DAVE Embedded Systems was called to generate a solution suitable for this critical application: the product used as processor card is BORA, a system on module on the shelf equipped with SOC which integrates together FPGA and CPUs. The powerfulness of this solution is its flexibility: the cooperation of these components allows multitasking and massive data processing, which guarantees better testing in shorter times. For more information about the BORA System On Module, please check the link https://www.dave.eu/products/som/xilinx/zynq-XC7Z010-XC7Z020_bora

DAVE Embedded Systems' KEY ROLE:

For this project, DAVE Embedded Systems provided a precise and efficient module and furnished to the customer a complete service, by accompanying it during the development process. BORA SOM is one of the DAVE Embedded Systems' satisfaction, due to the recognized experience in this innovative programming field. The broad know-how of this software allowed the design of a carrier board both hardware and software of the top-quality.

ABOUT THE CUSTOMER:

The Company builds machines for in-depth and detailed testing of aeronautical, electronic and defense-related systems.
Its skills cover the entire production flow, from concept to the turnkey creation of the outcome. Given the large number of heterogeneous assets they design, they needed easily configurable and high-speed technologies that would allow them to make the supply chain more efficient. They found all of this and even more in DAVE Embedded Systems.

APPLICATION BLOCK DIAGRAM:

For a better comprehension of this project, please refer to the following application block diagram: