LitePoint Streamlines Collaboration with Local Manufacturer to Get to Market Faster

FRITZ!Box Fon 4-in-1 VoIP, Phone, Modem, Router

“The LitePoint test solution gives us full control over test programs, and we can rely on our own engineers to implement any changes required by new products or product changes. We decided to introduce the complete test solution to our long-time manufacturing partner, which allows them to quickly and cost effectively deliver products. This in turn, enables us to get our innovative products on the market in the shortest possible time frame.”

The Customer

With the number one market position in Germany, AVM is a leading supplier of products connecting the PC to ADSL and ISDN to permit fast Internet connections and economical telephone service. Exploiting both Bluetooth and WLAN wireless technologies, AVM’s customers include major telecommunications companies, ISPs, and retail. AVM’s popular FRITZ! family of products regularly receives awards in the business press owing to its ease of use, high security standards, and continuous development.

The Need

One of the keys to AVM’s success is being able to get products to market in the shortest time frame possible and to react quickly to industry demands, whether it’s the need for DSLAM updates, satisfying special customer requests, or staying ahead of competitors. AVM achieves this status through a streamlined organization, company-owned research and development, and geographical proximity to product manufacturing.

Back in 2003, when AVM decided to enter the WLAN-enabled VoIP device market, it was not possible to partner with RAFI, their long-term, German-based manufacturer of 15+ years. While expert in developing and producing highly technical and customized products, including Bluetooth, at the time, RAFI was not experienced in WLAN manufacturing. Known for continuous development and product innovation, AVM had to act quickly to gain control over product specifications and testing of its new WLAN devices to ensure rapid time to market.

The Solution

Roderick Bell, head of hardware development for AVM, and his team of engineers are responsible for designing, testing, and debugging all AVM hardware, which includes traditional PCB design, RF design and ASIC design. As the provider of the hardware platforms on which most of their products run, they wanted to set up a test for their manufacturer. While Bell and his team had a fairly good idea of the type of test solution they needed, AVM’s long-term chipset partner, Texas Instruments, suggested they take a look at LitePoint testers.

After a careful evaluation of the testing technology, AVM selected LitePoint for four main reasons:

1. LitePoint delivered a proven test solution for Texas Instruments’ WLAN chipset
2. AVM had access to the LitePoint IQfact test program, which allowed them to modify it at will and to seamlessly integrate it into their standard test procedures and monitoring system
3. They determined they could achieve a significant return on investment from a drastic reduction of test times
4. LitePoint’s complete test solution would allow RAFI to quickly and cost effectively begin manufacturing AVM’s wireless devices

AVM’s test solution, which is used as a development tool for WLAN as well as for calibration of prototypes, includes LitePoint IQview® 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN R&D Test Solution, an all-in-one test instrument developed specifically for RF testing of 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN products, including MIMO and optional Bluetooth + EDR; LitePoint IQfact™ Manufacturing Test Software for Texas Instruments’ WLAN Chipsets, a test program developed in partnership with Texas Instruments that runs on IQview and IQflex WLAN one-box testers; and LitePoint IQsignal Analysis Software Suite, which is included with LitePoint IQview.

RAFI uses more than 50 LitePoint instruments, running dual-head test stations on multiple lines to calibrate and test hundreds of thousands of AVM access points each month at 100% utilization – 6 days per week, 24 hours per day. The RAFI test solution is LitePoint IQflex™ 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN Manufacturing Test Solution, an all-in-one test instrument developed specifically for production RF testing of 802.11a/b/g, 802/11n MIMO WLAN and optional Bluetooth products.

The Benefits

Flexibility to rapidly meet changing market demands: With AVM in control of the test programs, the company can rely on its own engineers to implement changes. This gives AVM the flexibility to introduce new products more rapidly, switch to new versions of chipsets and new standards, and respond promptly to customer orders. LitePoint testers can be easily adjusted to test new versions of products—or entirely new products. Additionally, LitePoint testers are “future-proof” since software upgrades support ongoing changes to the WLAN standards.

Quick and easy ramp-up of preferred partners’ manufacturing capability: LitePoint test solutions make it easy for manufacturers to quickly ramp up production capacity, even when they have little prior WLAN experience. The software contains a flexible operator interface, a test suite of recommended tests and test limits, and calibration and verification procedures needed for the manufacturing of WLAN solutions. The flexible operator interface makes for easy set-up, while a dual-head test option lets users share one tester between two stations.

Rapid time-to-market due to high level of support: AVM needs to be able to react quickly to market demands. When a major ISP places an order with AVM, for example, they expect fast delivery. AVM turns to RAFI for the manufacturing, and RAFI may need to turn to LitePoint for additional testers. All parties across the value chain require fast delivery. LitePoint understands these demands and is able to assure rapid delivery.

Rapid time-to-production thanks to responsive support and ease of installation: The support LitePoint provided to AVM in the initial stages of the ramp-up, including source code modifications, was appreciated by the entire team and ensured a smooth start for the project. The first LitePoint installation was completed in one day. RAFI’s development and test equipment department has handled subsequent installations in fifteen minutes.

Quality assured owing to ease of use and analysis: LitePoint allows AVM to closely monitor test times, pass rates, test repetition rates, and test result variations as well as to more easily optimize results on a weekly basis. Additionally, AVM cites LitePoint IQsignal as an excellent, easy to use tool – “exactly what one needs to analyze WLAN system,” as Bell puts it. This is in contrast to other testing systems, which may be self-contained but provide little choice on how to perform the testing. For example, the test data may be in fixed format, difficult to get to from an automated environment, or not meant to be manipulated by the user.