Fast Flash Programming for Microsemi FPGAs
October 31, 2019 | ASSET InterTechEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Newly released support for Microsemi FPGAs and SoCs on ASSET InterTech’s ScanWorks can dramatically decrease programming times for SPI flash memory devices to the point where inline programming on the assembly line will not disrupt the manufacturing beat rate. ASSET InterTech is a leading supplier of JTAG-based software and hardware debug, validation and test tools. ScanWorks, one of the company’s flagship product lines, is a fast test and programming platform.
The Microsemi product families now supported by ScanWorks’ FPGA-based Fast Flash Programming (FFP) tool include IGLOO2 and PolarFire FPGAs and the SmartFusion2 FPGA/SoCs.
“With our ScanWorks FFP tool, SPI programming speeds are limited only by the speed of the FPGA. Other techniques might be limited by the speed of the JTAG interface or the fastest device on the JTAG chain,” said Larry Osborn, product manager for ScanWorks. “We compared our FFP tool with using the JTAG chain to load a 100-megabyte file into flash and FFP was 91-times faster.”
Significantly faster flash programming times can eliminate some of the bottlenecks in system manufacturing and development environments. By programming flash devices on the assembly line, hard-to-manage inventories of pre-programmed flash memories can be eliminated and last-minute changes can be made to the programming data. Development engineers can load a new software image in a matter of seconds instead of sometimes waiting an hour or more.
Pricing and Availability
The FPGA-based FFP tool for ScanWorks is available now from ASSET InterTech and its distributors. Pricing for one-year subscriptions start at $8,485 for a manufacturing license and $15,000 for a development license. For more information, call 888-694-6250, fax 972-437-2826, e-mail ai-info@asset-intertech.com.
About ASSET InterTech
ASSET InterTech (www.asset-intertech.com) is a leading supplier of JTAG-based tools to debug, validate and test software and hardware. The company’s best-in-class SourcePoint and ScanWorks platforms work in tandem to give engineers real insight from code to silicon. SourcePoint is a powerful debugger with advanced trace tools for embedded software systems, such as those based on Intel and AMD x86 processors. The boundary-scan based ScanWorks adds control of instruments embedded in chips for at-speed test and design validation of circuit boards. The result is maximum test coverage of the circuit board. Together they empower engineers with tools and technology for the entire life-cycle of a system, beginning with software and hardware development, continuing through design validation and software/hardware integration, and eventually supporting the testing of the product in manufacturing and field service. ASSET InterTech is located at 2201 North Central Expressway, Suite 105, Richardson, Texas 75080.
Suggested Items
Magnalytix and Foresite to Host Technical Webinar on SIR Testing and Functional Reliability
06/26/2025 | MAGNALYTIXMagnalytix, in collaboration with Foresite Inc., is pleased to announce an upcoming one-hour Webinar Workshop titled “Comparing SIR IPC B-52 to Umpire 41 Functional & SIR Test Method.” This session will be held on July 24, 2025, and is open to professionals in electronics manufacturing, reliability engineering, and process development seeking insights into new testing standards for climatic reliability.
Defense Speak Interpreted: Is DARPA Still Around After CHIPS?
06/24/2025 | Dennis Fritz -- Column: Defense Speak InterpretedWhen I first published my Defense Speaks Interpreted column in January 2019 on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA ERI), the agency advocated for an expanded Defense emphasis on closing the growing technology gap in microelectronics. The emphasis was on “resurgence.”
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/13/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Today is Friday the 13th, and in much of Western folklore, this is a day when bad luck is lurking. But while Friday the 13th may top Western superstition charts, the global calendar is sprinkled with its own unlucky legends. In Spain and Greece, the bad juju lands on Tuesday the 13th—a day linked to Mars, the god of war, and naturally, chaos. In Italy, it’s Friday the 17th that is feared, thanks to the Roman numeral XVII, which can be rearranged to spell VIXI—Latin for “I have lived” (a poetic way of saying you’re dead).
TTCI Celebrates Melanie Rutkauskas’ 10-Year Anniversary and Her Leadership of New Training Division
06/12/2025 | TTCIThe Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a leading provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, is proud to celebrate Melanie Rutkauskas on her 10-year anniversary with the company.
Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Test: A Conversation with Bert Horner
06/11/2025 | Barry Matties, I-Connect007Bert Horner is a seasoned industry veteran and co-creator of The Test Connection, Inc. (TTCI), a test and inspection company spanning over 45 years. In this candid conversation, Bert reflects on the challenges our industry faces with the retirement of career professionals and the subsequent loss of critical tribal knowledge. As he unveils The Training Connection’s innovative training initiatives, Bert emphasizes the importance of evolving educational programs that align with industry needs, particularly in design for test (DFT), and sheds light on strategies being implemented to foster the next generation of engineers.