W H I T E PA P E R

Fast Thermal Characterization and

Testing of Your Electronic Devices
Save Time and Reduce Costs During Product Development

Why Do You Need Fast Thermal Characterization? Introducing the DAQ970A

Data Acquisition System
The thermal characterization process is often a rigorous and painstaking task. It
• Fast time to insight
involves wiring setups of multiple temperature points and measuring other types of measuring multiple signal
signals such as voltage, current, resistance, and more. To accurately characterize types and sensors. Data
acquisition that is easy to
the prototype product, you need to have sufficient test data to support the configure and run, with no
findings statistically. Very often, you must repeat the process many times until the programming.
product development stage is final. • System comes with a new
solid-state multiplexer with
faster switching speed
A fast thermal characterization process provides the following advantages: (up to 450 channels per
second).
• Quick initial quantitative insight into your product’s thermal characteristics
Learn more by downloading
• Fast turnaround time to troubleshoot your products
the DAQ970A Data Sheet:
• Flexibility for many iterations and comprehensive testing 5992-3168EN.

Importance of Thermal Characterization and Testing

The business impact of incomplete or inaccurate design characterization is higher
than many research and development (R&D) managers realize. For example, the
cost to fix errors after release is at least several times higher than during the design
cycle. A defect discovered during the product development cycle can cause a
schedule slip resulting in additional resource and material prototyping costs.

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Practical Steps You Can Take to Expedite the Process
Fast thermal characterization must align with accurate measurements. Follow the proper
procedures during thermal characterization, and use the right tools and test instruments
to ensure you get fast thermal characterization and reliable, accurate results.

1. Accurately predict the operating temperatures of your electronic components

When designing complex electronic products, it is advisable to perform CAD software
simulations to predict the operating temperatures of your electronic components
accurately. There are plenty of interactions of heat flow between components, and you
want to confirm there are sufficient heat outlets designed into your product.

Heat outlet solutions include conductive heat tubing, fans, or conductive fins to vent out the
heat.

There are computer tools that accurately simulate the dynamics of thermal flow of
your electronic product. Figure 1 shows an example of the thermal air flow within the
enclosure of a product.

Figure 1: Product enclosure with thermal air flow simulation

Understanding the overall dynamics of the thermal flow helps you design a better
product and avoid surprises during the development phase. Troublesome thermal
issues can sometimes lead to project delays or even push your project back to the
initial design stage.

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2. Preview electronic assembly under operation
In most cases, with precise software simulation tools and design knowledge, you know
which component to monitor over an extended period. It is useful to also perform
a quick thermography preview of the overall electronic assembly during operation.
You can quickly confirm the predicted hotspots, to see how they thermally affect the
surrounding area, and scan to determine the effectiveness of the thermal dissipating
solutions.

Figure 2 shows a photo of an electronic assembly (top left), a thermography photo of

the same assembly, and a zoom in thermograph picture of the main hotspot.

A thermograph preview helps save time before setting up a data acquisition (DAQ)
system to monitor temperature points over an extended period.

Thermal hotspot
while operating

Figure 2: Use thermography to quickly confirm hotspots

Thermography identifies hotspots quickly and even makes absolute temperature

measurements. However, in most cases, the accuracy of the thermography may not
be good enough for product thermal characterization. Let us now look at thermal data
logging using a DAQ.

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3. Quickly make data acquisition temperature measurements
Making data acquisition temperature measurements is a crucial step in the thermal
characterization process. You must concurrently capture all of the temperature points
and product performance measurements. You may have to:

• Capture multiple temperature points at various locations in your prototype

• Capture data from multiple prototypes for proper statistical sample size
• Run multiple prototype cycles until the product is fully characterized and the design
is finalized
• Measure other types of signals such as voltage, current, resistance, or frequency
• Collect data measurements over a specific period or a required environmental
temperature cycle

-- Choose the right DAQ input modules and sensors

Select the input module multiplexers that provide the scan rate speed that you
need. Solid state switch multiplexers are typically 2X faster than reed relay switch
multiplexers and about 10X faster than mechanical armature switch multiplexers.
However, there is a trade-off between switching speed and voltage handling
capability.

There are three types of temperature sensors to choose from: the thermocouple,
thermistor, and resistance temperature detector (RTD). In short, select a
thermocouple sensor for its ruggedness and a wide selection of temperature
ranges, a thermistor sensor for its high-sensitivity and fast response, and an RTD
sensor for its stability and high accuracy.

-- Optimize DAQ hardware settings

There are many ways to optimize your hardware for fast and efficient
measurements. In fact, your DAQ system can be configured to account for
several factors as you look to:

• Reduce system overhead; turn off unnecessary functions such as the display
and monitoring services
• Choose the appropriate measurement resolution; higher resolution requires
more processing time which impacts speed
• Select the appropriate measurement range that meets your requirements
rather than running auto-range
• Select the best measurement setting for averaging
• Find ways to reduce software code transactions

For more details, please refer to the white paper on How to Optimize the
Measurement Speed of your DAQ.

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 -- Practical steps to improve test efficiency and speed
When planning the thermal characterization tasks, you need to look at the
overall end-to-end process to ensure test efficiency and speed. It is essential to
automate repetitive work to get consistent test results.

• Choose and confirm the correct sensor type, measurement range, and
resolution. Make sure scaling such as gain and offset, and pass/fail limits are
in use. This process is made simple with a user-friendly software guide built
into modern DAQ or PC applications.
• Automate and record your tests. PC application software is available to help
automate the iterative test process.
• Simplify the post-analysis and report generation work with the built-in math
computation feature available in modern DAQs and PC application software.
• Setup close-loop control system by using practical features available in
modern DAQs such as real-time channel computation, digital I/O, and alarm
capabilities.

For more details, please refer to the white paper on Practical Steps on Design
Verification Using DAQ Data Logger.

Application Benefits
Fast thermal characterization helps provide quick initial quantitative analysis and
insight, faster turnaround time for troubleshooting, and more opportunity to perform
extra test iterations. Next, let us explore the application benefits of fast thermal
characterization and testing in specific areas.

1. Design verification
Design verification is an integral part of a process in the product development life cycle.
It is a rigorous process control to ensure product design is as intended. Design
verification checks your design inputs and determines whether they produce the design
outputs that reflect specific requirements.

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Here is an example of the need for fast characterization during the product development stage.

You need to meet your prototype characterization schedule. Typically, you must perform
iterative testing for multiple prototype cycles: troubleshoot design problems, tweak
performance, evaluate incremental features, and assess functions that are added at various
prototype cycles.

A new DAQ system such as the DAQ970A and its BenchVue DAQ application software
helps reduce test time with its copy and paste configuration settings, and save and recall
configuration settings.

Figure 3: Keysight’s BenchVue DAQ application software configuration panel

2. Developing error correction algorithm

Electronic component characteristics change
as their operating environment temperature
changes. Some products must function with
precision over their allowable operating range.
To ensure the product functions with accuracy,
product developers must integrate error
correction algorithms into their products.

Keysight’s DAQ970A has BenchVue test flow

software (see Figure 4) that can perform simple
test automation, loops and measures multiple
signals over time, gathers raw data, and exports
data to Excel or MATLAB for post-processing.
The export file can be used formulate and verify
the error-correction algorithm.
Figure 4: Keysight’s BenchVue Test Flow
software; test automation without complex
programming

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3. Design validation
Design validation is a test process to confirm the product under development conforms
to user requirements, or its ultimate intended usage requirements. The product DAQ970A Data
must be at a reasonable advanced stage during the design validation process. All the Acquisition System,
design concepts, initial gross design bugs, and obstacles have passed in the product is versatile and well-
suited for design
development life cycle. You are ready to test the products in the field or perform trial
validation:
tests with actual users, or by simulating its environmental operating situation.
• Built-in 6 ½ digit DMM &
signal conditioning circuits
4. Quality and reliability • Three slots with choice
of input multiplexers
The quality and reliability of a product is now a basic expectation from the users’ that measure up to 120
independent channels
perspective. High-field failures are costly not only to customers, but also to product
• Universal inputs where
manufacturers. The cost to fix errors after release is at least several times more than
each input channel can
during the design cycle. Imagine the cost of recalling products to the factory to replace measure multiple types of
parts due to quality or reliability problems. signals

The new DAQ970A has insightful features such as trend monitoring and statistical tools
for monitoring real-time during data capture. See Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 5: Trend chart displays statistical information while monitoring captured data

Figure 6: Histogram charting while measurements are in progress with the DAQ970A

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Conclusion
Fast thermal characterization and testing gives you the advantage of quick and
qualitative insight into your products’ characteristics, the ability to troubleshoot and
fine-tune the performance, and the opportunity to perform additional iterative testing.

Before making qualitative measurements, perform predictive modeling of temperature

dynamics in your product. Many product designers use thermal flow software
simulations to achieve this. Performing comprehensive thermal characterization
with 20 to 40 temperature points is time-consuming. You can use thermography to
confirm your hotspots before you make extensive wired temperature measurements.

When using the DAQ for your extensive wired temperature measurements, it
is important to select the correct input multiplexer module and sensors to
ensure measurement accuracy and speed requirements. Make sure all of your
measurement settings are optimal for fast and efficient testing.

Modern DAQ systems are now versatile enough to meet all your application needs
whether they involve design verification or validation, development of an error
correction algorithm, or improvement of product quality and reliability.

To learn more about Keysight’s new and modern DAQ970A and all its modules and
accessories, please visit our website at www.keysight.com/find/DAQ970A

Learn more at: www.keysight.com

For more information on Keysight Technologies’ products, applications or services,
please contact your local Keysight office. The complete list is available at:
www.keysight.com/find/contactus

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This information is subject to change without notice. © Keysight Technologies, 2018, Published in USA, December 11, 2018, 5992-3194EN