Bench services from the Springville floor
Six stations, one loom, every build measured
GTO MPSX LLC runs prototype builds from its bench at 1028 N 200 W, Springville - 84663-4214, United States (US). Each station below can be booked on its own, but most engagements draw on three or four of them in sequence. Call +13317161528 to check availability before you send a schematic.
Breadboard Rig Bays
A breadboard rig bay is a dedicated table with a solderless board, a rail mounted bench supply, a labelled jumper set and a component drawer within reach. We use it to raise the portion of a design whose behaviour is least certain, so that the first real measurements happen before any printed circuit board is ordered. A bay can hold a mixed circuit of microcontrollers, sensors, analogue front ends and power stages, which makes it useful for integrated systems that cross several domains.
When a rig is raised, we produce a net list that shows every connection and every power rail by name. The list is handed over with the bay, so the wiring can be rebuilt in another location or by another engineer. Most clients spend one or two sessions in a bay before deciding what should be frozen into hardware.
Firmware Flash Runs
Programming is treated as an experiment, not a chore. A flash run begins with a known good image and a recorded boot sequence, then steps forward one configuration at a time while the bench supply watches current draw. If a device fails to enumerate or returns to a bad state after a power cycle, the run stops and the condition is written down. That discipline catches bootloader and watchdog problems that would otherwise surface in a client enclosure where access is difficult.
We keep recovery paths for every platform we program, including a plain serial loader and a fallback image. A client receives the images and the flash log, so the same device can be restored on their own desk. Long term support of a particular toolchain is always discussed before the run, never assumed.
Test Bench Desks
A test bench desk is a fixed arrangement of scope, logic analyser, thermal probe and bench supply that does not move between sessions. Because the arrangement is stable, a measurement taken in March can be compared with a measurement taken in September without wondering whether the probe ground moved. Desks are booked by the half day and include a printed measurement sheet and a copy of every capture.
The desk is also where endurance questions get answered. We run repeated power cycles, monitor rail stability under load steps and look for drift as the bench warms up. Findings are summarised in plain English at the end of the session, with the raw captures attached.
Signal Probe Windows
Some faults only appear for a moment, or only when a particular combination of inputs arrives. A probe window is a short block of time reserved for exactly that situation. We set up triggering, watch the trace with the client present and explain what the signal is doing as it happens. The output is a capture plus a short written explanation of the mechanism behind the fault.
Windows are usually one to two hours. They are a good fit for clients who already have a system and need a specific misbehaviour identified, rather than a full redesign. If the window reveals a deeper problem, we say what the next step should be rather than stretching the booking.
BOM Sourcing Reviews
A bill of materials can look complete and still carry several quiet risks. Our sourcing review reads the list against the bench, checking that each part exists in a package that can be placed, that critical parts have a second source, and that no line sits near end of life. We also look at the cost curve at volume, because a part that is cheap in single units can become the most expensive decision on the board.
The review ends with a replacement list, a risk note and a short list of questions for the client purchasing team. We do not place orders on behalf of clients, but we do check that a suggested replacement behaves on the rig before recommending it.
Design Review Sittings
A design review sitting happens at the bench with the rig powered and the schematic open. We walk the design against its own requirements, one line at a time, and record where the rig agrees and where it does not. Because the hardware is live, a disagreement turns into a measurement on the spot rather than a debate that runs for a week.
Sittings are held on Thursday afternoons by default, though clients with travel constraints can request another slot. Notes are issued within two working days. The sitting is not an audit and not a scoring exercise; it is a working conversation whose purpose is to leave the design clearer than it arrived.
How the bench process runs
- Intake and schematic read. We collect the drawing, the intended parts and the behaviour that matters most, then pick the slice that should be rigged first.
- Rig build in a bay. The chosen slice is wired on a solderless board with named rails and a printed net list, then brought to a stable state on the supply.
- Flash and boot check. Firmware is installed, logged and exercised through a full power cycle before the session is called complete.
- Desk measurement. Captures are taken on the test desk under a fixed arrangement, so they can be compared with later sessions.
- Parts review. The bill of materials is checked for second sources, package fit and lifecycle risk, with replacements tested on the rig where it matters.
- Review sitting and handover. The design is walked against its requirements, questions are recorded and the full folder is handed to the client.
Sessions can be booked by email at tech@gtompsx.buzz or by phone on +13317161528. Bench hours are Monday to Friday, with design review sittings on Thursday afternoons. Bring your own parts if you prefer; we will tell you in advance if the bench can supply the rest.