Post by thread:[PIC]: Production programming device?

For the last few years, my ICD-1 (now ICD-2) and I have been the "production programmer" for all the PIC's that we use. But the numbers are increasing and we have a need to let the production techs program their own stock. I have hesitated handing this sort of thing over because the procedures involving the ICD-2 and MPLAB can get quite involved-- MPLAB is a development environment. I also suspect that an ICD-2 programming run does not exactly yield a production-quality part. What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX file--and any other necessry info and not change it (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit serial programming). Ideally it would be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe Microchip makes what we need. It doesn't have to be zero cost, either. It does have to be reliable and simple. Barry -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

> What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX > file--and any other necessry info and not change it > (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other > antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit > serial programming). Ideally it would > be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe > Microchip makes what we need. My Wisp628 is used for production work (a customer uses some 30 of them on one PC), but it is a one-voltage-only programmer, hence a prototype prograpper in Microchip speak. Wouter van Ooijen -- ------------------------------------------- Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: http://www.voti.nl consultancy, development, PICmicro products -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

> From: Barry Gershenfeld[SMTP:spam_OUTbarry_gTakeThisOuTZMICRO.COM] > Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 3:26 PM > To: .....PICLISTKILLspam@spam@MITVMA.MIT.EDU > Subject: [PIC]: Production programming device? > For the last few years, my ICD-1 (now ICD-2) and I > have been the "production programmer" for all the > PIC's that we use. But the numbers are increasing > and we have a need to let the production techs > program their own stock. I have hesitated handing . this sort of thing over because the procedures {Quote hidden}> involving the ICD-2 and MPLAB can get quite involved-- > MPLAB is a development environment. I also > suspect that an ICD-2 programming run does not exactly > yield a production-quality part. > What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX > file--and any other necessry info and not change it > (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other > antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit > serial programming). Ideally it would > be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe > Microchip makes what we need. > It doesn't have to be zero cost, either. It does > have to be reliable and simple. > Barry Microchip does make a programmer which does just program and nothing else. The current model is called the Picstart Plus and is available from most distributors who handle Microchip parts. The specifications can be found on the Microchip web site. The ICDs are really development tools with the debugging function as their main feature. There is also a large number of "do-it-yourself" programmers out there. These mainly consist of software which runs on a PC, accompanied by circuit diagrams for a minimal hardware interface. Even though they are free, they may have some limitations, such as not working with the later chip types. John Power -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

At 12:26 PM 4/12/2004 -0700, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>For the last few years, my ICD-1 (now ICD-2) and I >have been the "production programmer" for all the >PIC's that we use. But the numbers are increasing >and we have a need to let the production techs >program their own stock. I have hesitated handing >this sort of thing over because the procedures >involving the ICD-2 and MPLAB can get quite involved-- >MPLAB is a development environment. I also >suspect that an ICD-2 programming run does not exactly >yield a production-quality part. > >What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX >file--and any other necessry info and not change it >(MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other >antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit >serial programming). Ideally it would >be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe >Microchip makes what we need. > >It doesn't have to be zero cost, either. It does >have to be reliable and simple. > >Barry Here is Microchip's new programmer. I have not looked at it yet, don't know about availability either. http://www.microchip.com/1010/pline/tools/picmicro/code/pm3/index.htm Best regards, Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" speffKILLspaminterlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

I just got a blurb on this from the Microchip Consultants Group today. I'm not sure what it costs, but I do have a ProMate II and it can do "one keypress" standalone programming. http://www.microchip.com/1010/pline/tools/picmicro/code/pm3/ Matt Pobursky Maximum Performance Systems On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:26:14 -0700, Barry Gershenfeld wrote: {Quote hidden}> For the last few years, my ICD-1 (now ICD-2) and I > have been the "production programmer" for all the > PIC's that we use. But the numbers are increasing > and we have a need to let the production techs > program their own stock. I have hesitated handing > this sort of thing over because the procedures > involving the ICD-2 and MPLAB can get quite involved-- > MPLAB is a development environment. I also > suspect that an ICD-2 programming run does not exactly > yield a production-quality part. > > What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX > file--and any other necessry info and not change it > (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other > antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit > serial programming). Ideally it would > be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe > Microchip makes what we need. > > It doesn't have to be zero cost, either. It does > have to be reliable and simple. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Barry, I just put a prototype into use that does exactly what you are looking for. It uses 2 16f877a's. One for controlling the process and one for actually programming the PICs. It can program up to 16 pics with the press of one button. We build our circuit boards as panels (10 individual circuits in one panel) The programming PIC connects to one circuit board pic at a time using test probes ( a bed of nails) and dumps code to the chip. I use a clamp to apply pressure to the top of the board. This pushes it down onto the bed of nails. For my purpose, all of the code that goes in the production pics wil fit in the 16f877a's rom, so I just put it in upper memory and then read it one byte at a time and clock it out to the production pic. I also read it back and verify it at the extremes, and indicate success with an led for each circuit. All of this fits in a box and uses a 16 to 25 volt wall wart to power everything. Last week I programmed over 700 circuits in 50 minutes. In the near future it will be able to accept new code through a serial port. Right now, whenever I need to change the production code, I pull the programmer chip, and re-program it. Hope this helps, Jim Monteith > From: Barry Gershenfeld[SMTP:.....barry_gKILLspam.....ZMICRO.COM] > Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 3:26 PM > To: EraseMEPICLISTspam_OUTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU > Subject: [PIC]: Production programming device? > For the last few years, my ICD-1 (now ICD-2) and I > have been the "production programmer" for all the > PIC's that we use. But the numbers are increasing > and we have a need to let the production techs > program their own stock. I have hesitated handing . this sort of thing over because the procedures {Quote hidden}> involving the ICD-2 and MPLAB can get quite involved-- > MPLAB is a development environment. I also > suspect that an ICD-2 programming run does not exactly > yield a production-quality part. > What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX > file--and any other necessry info and not change it > (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other > antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit > serial programming). Ideally it would > be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe > Microchip makes what we need. > It doesn't have to be zero cost, either. It does > have to be reliable and simple. > Barry -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 15:48:21 -0400, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>> From: Barry Gershenfeld[SMTP:barry_gspam_OUTZMICRO.COM] >> Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 3:26 PM >> To: @spam@PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU >> Subject: [PIC]: Production programming device? > >> For the last few years, my ICD-1 (now ICD-2) and I >> have been the "production programmer" for all the >> PIC's that we use. But the numbers are increasing >> and we have a need to let the production techs >> program their own stock. I have hesitated handing >. this sort of thing over because the procedures >> involving the ICD-2 and MPLAB can get quite involved-- >> MPLAB is a development environment. I also >> suspect that an ICD-2 programming run does not exactly >> yield a production-quality part. > >> What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX >> file--and any other necessry info and not change it >> (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other >> antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit >> serial programming). Ideally it would >> be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe >> Microchip makes what we need. > >> It doesn't have to be zero cost, either. It does >> have to be reliable and simple. > >> Barry > >Microchip does make a programmer which does just program >and nothing else. The current model is called the Picstart Plus >and is available from most distributors who handle Microchip >parts. The specifications can be found on the Microchip web >site. The ICDs are really development tools with the debugging >function as their main feature. Picstart is not a production programmer. Microchip do a production unit called Promate, which is much more production oriented (don't know if they still do, but at one time it even came with DOS software for batch-file usage). It will do things like allow standalone programming from master devices or internally stored hex files, and can be 'locked down' after loading a hex file to avoid fiddling. It will also do serialisation. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

At 04:12 PM 4/12/2004 -0400, I wrote: >Here is Microchip's new programmer. I have not looked at it yet, >don't know about availability either. > >http://www.microchip.com/1010/pline/tools/picmicro/code/pm3/index.htm BTW, list price is $895. US/ CAN1214. and estimated lead time (not always reliable) is about a month. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" KILLspamspeffKILLspaminterlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Tag correction... I have asked a the last Microchip seminar: "Is the ICD2 considered as a production programming device? Is ICD2 provide a multiple voltage programming?" They answer me that Flash device do not need to be verified at multiple voltage... -----Message d'origine----- De : pic microcontroller discussion list [RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU] De la part de Wouter van Ooijen Envoyé : lundi 12 avril 2004 21:48 À : spamBeGonePICLISTspamBeGoneMITVMA.MIT.EDU Objet : Re: [PICLIST] [PIC]: Production programming device? > What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX file--and any > other necessry info and not change it (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode > back on and other > antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit > serial programming). Ideally it would > be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe Microchip makes > what we need. My Wisp628 is used for production work (a customer uses some 30 of them on one PC), but it is a one-voltage-only programmer, hence a prototype prograpper in Microchip speak. Wouter van Ooijen -- ------------------------------------------- Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: http://www.voti.nl consultancy, development, PICmicro products -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> > What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX > file--and any other necessry info and not change it > (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other > antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit > serial programming). Ideally it would > be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe > Microchip makes what we need. > > It doesn't have to be zero cost, either. It does > have to be reliable and simple. > Our Contract Manufacturer uses a LabTool 48XP Universal Programmer (http://www.labtool.com) for all our PICs. It will verify at multiple voltage levels, serialize, check IDs etc. etc. They sell gang programmers also. Carey --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.656 / Virus Database: 421 - Release Date: 4/9/2004 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

pic microcontroller discussion list wrote: > I just got a blurb on this from the Microchip Consultants Group today. > I'm not sure what it costs, but I do have a ProMate II and it can do > "one keypress" standalone programming. I'll second the ProMate II if you are looking for a production programmer. List price is $695 at DigiKey. What separates production from development programmers is that they verify at different voltages. There have been threads on having some types of PICs verify at one voltage but not others; If you are talking production, and it doesn't have to be zero cost, why take the risk of using something that might not work? There's usually a reason for the manufacturer's specifications... -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> There's usually a reason for the manufacturer's > specifications... As other answers have indicated this reason might be sheer lazyness from the side of the programming specification authors at Microchip. BTW there are a few cheap multi-voltage DIY proggers around, my old WISP (Wisp628 predecessor) is one. But its range of targets is severly limited. Wouter van Ooijen -- ------------------------------------------- Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: http://www.voti.nl consultancy, development, PICmicro products -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email TakeThisOuTlistservEraseMEspam_OUTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

Hello, look at http://www.elnec.com I use their SmartProg, it is excellent production quality programmer. More info/experience on request. Regards, Imre +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity | | to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or | | privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or | | other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this | | information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient | | is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the | | sender and delete the material from any computer. | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ On Mon, 12 Apr 2004, Barry Gershenfeld wrote: {Quote hidden}> For the last few years, my ICD-1 (now ICD-2) and I > have been the "production programmer" for all the > PIC's that we use. But the numbers are increasing > and we have a need to let the production techs > program their own stock. I have hesitated handing > this sort of thing over because the procedures > involving the ICD-2 and MPLAB can get quite involved-- > MPLAB is a development environment. I also > suspect that an ICD-2 programming run does not exactly > yield a production-quality part. > > What I'm looking for is something that will take a HEX > file--and any other necessry info and not change it > (MPLAB likes to turn Debug mode back on and other > antics) and program the device via ICSP (In-circuit > serial programming). Ideally it would > be upgradeable as Microchip invents new parts. Maybe > Microchip makes what we need. > > It doesn't have to be zero cost, either. It does > have to be reliable and simple. > > Barry > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics > (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics > -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email RemoveMElistservTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body