Saelig Offers Reverse-Engineering Tool For Recreating Schematics
August 30, 2013. The RevEng System is a reverse-engineering hardware tool for creating professional-quality circuit schematic diagrams from a sample PCB that lacks documentation. The RevEng System consists of a PC-controlled continuity-detecting hardware system, RevWin control software, and EdWin, a fully featured CAD package. RevEng learns the connectivity of the sample circuit, producing a netlist of the components and connections for importing into EdWin software.
RevEng's learning process is achieved through clips, connectors, and probes that are attached to clusters of components. RevWin guides the operator to place and walk the clips around the device under test. RevWin generates the most efficient sequence of clip combinations and movements to learn all possible connections, but the operator can override the automatic placement of the clips if necessary.
To minimize operator errors, the system applies an orientation check and pin check to confirm clip contact and position. RevEng learns without the need for applying power to the board and limits the applied voltage and current so that semiconductor gates are not affected, which also makes it safe to use on low power technologies.
The EdWin professional drawing capability includes features such as importing netlist place components, autorouting signals, multi-page schematics, bus structure support, an extensive library of over 12,000 devices, rubber-band and rats'-nest functions, and block move and rotate.
RevWin is the software that controls the system hardware and provides links with the CAD software. Its key features include icon-driven operation, context-sensitive help, unlimited number of clips and connectors, partial circuit learn and draw, repeat learn and verify, optimized clip movement, digital or analog circuits, guided probe for non-standard components, and suspend/restart/terminated at any stage.
The RevEng System is available as an entry-level system with 256 measurement channels for low budgets or small to medium circuits. For larger, more complex circuit needs, a high pin-count system equipped with up to 2,048 measurement channels is also available.
Made by ABI Electronics Ltd., a European embedded test equipment manufacturer, the RevEng System is available now from Saelig Company Inc.