2008 Best in Test Award Winners
Each year, Test & Measurement World’s editors present the Best in Test awards to honor important and innovative new products in electronics test, measurement, and inspection.
Here, are the winners of the 2008 Best in Test Awards.
They selected the winners from scores of deserving products, nominated by vendors, that were introduced between November 1, 2006, and October 31, 2007.
RF/WIRELESS TEST
CMW270 WiMAX Tester
ROHDE & SCHWARZ, www.rohde-schwarz.comThe R&S CMW270 WiMAX tester ensures maximum throughput in the production of WiMAX chipsets and mobile stations. It combines signal generation and signal analysis in a single box. Three calibrated RF connectors inthe RF front end reduce test setup complexity. It generates
continuous wave (CW) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) signals in line with the WiMAX IEEE 802.16e standard for frequency and level calibration.It measures RF power, error-vector magnitude (EVM), adjacent-channel power (ACP), and spectrum flatness; it also includes
spectrum mask and I/Q constellation functions.The tester‘s nonsignaling mode makes it possible tocalibrate the transmitters and receivers of WiMAX mobile stations and to measure the received signal characteristics. A forthcoming signaling mode will support basestation emulation.
MILITARY AND AEROSPACE TEST
SMART^E Synthetic Test Environment
AEROFLEX, www.aeroflex.com
The Synthetic Multifunction Adaptable Reconfigurable Test Environment (SMART^E) includes hardware, software, test practices, and support; SMART^E meets the requirements for testing radar, satellite payloads, and T/R (transmit/receive) modules and subsystems for phasedarray radar antennas. In this
fifth generation, the Aeroflex proprietary synthetic chassis has evolved to accommodate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) LXI modules; it now supports multiple vendors and multiple industry-standard platforms (including LXI, PXI, cPCI, and GPIB). SMART^E works with industry-standard software and
also features a test library with built-in test-personality customization via user-settable/exposed parameters. It embodies system-level calibration, verification, diagnostics, and test practices without the need to remove and calibrate each individual
synthetic module or each separate subsystem.
MULTIMETER
8808A Digital Multimeter
FLUKE, www.fluke.comThe Fluke 8808A 51⁄2-digit multimeter (DMM) provides both the performance and the flexibility required for R&D, development, and service applications. With basic DC accuracy of 0.01%, the 8808A features a dedicated DC low-current leakage measurement capability.
Its high-impedance input lets users take current measurements of less than 2000
A with a resolution of 100 nA without loading the circuit under test. The meter also lets users perform four-wire measurements using only two leads. The six dedicated setup buttons let you call a completetest procedure. The meter lets you set high/low limits, and it can run pass/fail tests. Setup buttons with the pass/fail test mode provide measurement consistency for manufacturing test applications