Cimtek Collaborates with National Instruments for Xbox 360 Test Solution -- Posted by XanTium on June 6 10:16 EST
From the press release:
[QUOTE]
Burlington, Canada June 6, 2006 -- CIMTEK Ltd. announces National Instruments as a key collaborator in the development of the Xbox 360 test solution, enabling faster, more accurate and lower cost test for high volume production.

Microsoft selected CIMTEK as a test strategy design and development partner to devise a global solution to test the new Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. CIMTEK worked with National Instruments to meet critical time to market demands while keeping quality high and costs low. CIMTEK's experience in developing complex test solutions for global customers combined with National Instruments PC-based modular instrument and data acquisition technology was essential in the success of Xbox 360 global test strategy.

About the test solution strategy for the Xbox 360
CIMTEK utilized key test technologies together with their unique process of applied Professional Test Engineering in order to design systems for testability and to lower the cost of test services. CIMTEK recommended the creation of five (5) different test platforms with centralized control and reporting. These testers are being implemented throughout the manufacturing process in China where the Xbox is manufactured.
[/QUOTE]

Read the whole press release here.

I'm confused what exactly is this about?

Has MS just hired these people to test the console? or have they already been testing it?

If they have already tested it then they didn't do a good job of it with all the faults that have arisen.

If they are about to start testing it then shouldn't they have been hired before the thing was released?

This is a press release from Cimtek and National Instruments. It is retroactive, probably because of some sort of NDA, stating that they were the ones that did the testing for the x360.

As the defect level for the x360 was lower than average for this class of device they probably did their job okay. In addition to this most failures of the x360 have occured after a significant amount of usage.