National Technical Systems, Agilent Technologies Team Up on New, Super Speed USB 3.0 Testing

CALABASAS. Calif. and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- National Technical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTSC) (NTS), a leading provider of engineering services, and Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced today that NTS has selected Agilent's USB 3.0 test suite for the new Super Speed Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0 testing. USB 3.0 is the newest industry standard interface used for data transmission between system boards, hubs and peripherals on personal computers, laptops and server systems.

Among its many testing capabilities, NTS is an authorized USB-IF test lab and provides companies and government organizations worldwide with process and product compliance services, technical resources, design engineering services and program management support. NTS integrated engineering services include product testing and evaluation, design engineering and managed services.

"When developers are working on cutting-edge designs, having advance access to measurements helps them address potential issues early in the design cycle and get certified products to market faster," said Jim Choate, Agilent program manager for USB applications. "Agilent offers a complete solution for USB 2.0 and 3.0 electrical testing to help customers achieve USB-IF certification. We are excited to work with NTS as its USB test solution provider."

According to industry reports, the USB specification shipped in more than 3 billion devices in 2009, including the PC, PC peripheral, consumer electronics, communications, and automotive segments. By 2012, the number of wired USB-enabled devices shipped is expected to exceed 4 billion.

The first new super speed USB 3.0 devices, which can transfer data at speeds up to 5 Gbps with throughout put rates up to 10 times faster than High Speed USB (USB 2.0), were shipped in late 2009 and found in PCs and PC peripherals, such as external hard drives and flash drives. As more USB 3.0 products are developed they will include portable devices requiring increasing amounts of storage, including digital cameras, portable media players, and high-end mobile phones.

"Agilent's USB 3.0 test suite is the most complete solution that fully automates receiver test calibration and execution with seamless integration of transmitter and receiver testing to meet the compliance requirements for Super Speed USB," said Raymond Chung, NTS program development manager. "Additionally, Agilent's industry-first, fully automated USB 3.0 cable and connector test solution will save us valuable test time. Agilent's industry-leading automation and equipment accuracy are critical requirements for us and for our customers."

Agilent's Digital Test Equipment

Agilent's equipment for USB 3.0 PHY electrical test includes the DSA91304A or DSAX91604A Infiniium oscilloscope, the U7243A USB 3.0 transmitter test application software, the J-BERT N4903B high-performance serial BERT, the U7242A USB 3.0 electrical test fixture, and the N5990A test automation software platform from Agilent's partner BitifEye Digital Test Solutions.  Agilent's equipment for USB 3.0 cable and connector certification testing includes the E5071C TDR-TDT one-box solution for high-speed serial interconnect analysis.

Additional information about Agilent's USB test solutions is available at www.agilent.com/find/usb. High-resolution images are available at www.agilent.com/find/usb_images. A backgrounder about USB technology and Agilent's USB test solutions is available at www.agilent.com/find/usb_backgrounder.

Agilent's Digital Test Standards Program

Agilent's solutions for digital applications are driven and supported by Agilent experts who are involved in the various international standard committees. Agilent experts are active in the Joint Electronic Devices Engineering Council (JEDEC), PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG®), Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO), USB-Implementers Forum (USB-IF), Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) Alliance, and many others. Agilent's involvement in these standards groups and their related workshops, plugfests and seminars enables Agilent to bring the right solutions to the market when customers need them.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications. The company's 18,500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $4.5 billion in fiscal 2009. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com.

About National Technical Systems

National Technical Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of engineering services to the defense, aerospace, telecommunications, automotive and high technology markets. Through a world-wide network of resources, NTS provides full product life-cycle support, offering world class design engineering, compliance, testing, certification, quality registration and program management. For additional information about NTS, visit our website at www.ntscorp.com or call 800-270-2516.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with uncertainties pertaining to customer orders, demand for services and products, development of markets for the companies' services and products and other risks identified in the companies' SEC filings.  Actual results, events and performance may differ materially.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.  The companies undertake no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding National Technical Systems' business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.

SOURCE National Technical Systems, Inc.; Agilent Technologies Inc.