Drafting Standard Engineering Statement of Work Test Requirements
Draft engineering test requirements by binding parametric limits to specific fixture loss compensations, statistical sampling schemes, and clear failure remedies.
Insertion Loss Compensation
Meaning
Software adjustment of measured radio frequency power levels offsets the signal attenuation caused by test cables and connectors. This software-based correction, known as insertion loss compensation, adds the known loss of the signal path back to the measured value to recover the true output power of the device. It ensures that the test results accurately reflect the performance of the board rather than the test fixture.
Correction Process
Automation software reads pre-measured trace and cable loss values from a configuration file before starting the test run. During insertion loss compensation, these offset values are added to the transmitter measurements and subtracted from the receiver sensitivity thresholds. This adjustment runs in real time within the test executive software.
Measurement Accuracy
Accurately calibrated offsets prevent the system from reporting incorrect transmitter power levels or artificially low receiver sensitivities. Without insertion loss compensation, the reported metrics would change whenever a cable is replaced or a different test fixture is used. Standardizing these offsets across all test stations ensures that results remain consistent across the factory.
In high-frequency designs, even a fraction of a decibel of uncompensated loss can lead to false failures of high-value modules. Correcting these values dynamically prevents this error.
Operational Yield
Product yield increases when false failures caused by test setup losses are systematically eliminated. By applying these corrections, manufacturers avoid the cost of manual board re-testing and diagnostic triage. This process ensures that high-quality wireless modules pass on the first run, optimizing production throughput.