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Test and Inspection Major Focus at APEX
February 22, 2007 |Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
LOS ANGELES Test and inspection equipment, collaborations, and purchases were announced at IPC Printed Circuits Expo/APEX/Designers Summit, February 2022 in Los Angeles. Following are news items from Agilent, Texmac, CheckSum, GSI Group, and other test-and-inspection companies.
Texmac, Inc., a Santa Clara, Calif.-based distributor, will provide flying probe test and programming services on Takaya APT-series systems. The service, for Takaya customers and on a contract basis, includes program preparation, debug, board testing, and CAD conversion. Texmac, at Booth 1629, operates contract test services in the Boston, Chicago, and Silicon Valley regions.
Automated test equipment (ATE) supplier CheckSum received a multiple-system order for test and in-system programming MultiWriter ISP products from a consumer audio electronics manufacturer. The Analyst ICT systems, at the customer's request, integrate Corelis ScanExpress boundary scan software, and will be delivered in Q'01 2007. At Booth 2105, CheckSum introduced its in-circuit test (ICT) Analyst fcs system for retrofitting Agilent 3070-series machines. The product allows users to perform ICT with four modules and bed-of-nails configurations, while maintaining the functionality of Agilent digital vector testing. It will ship in Q'02. The Analyst ems+ft debuted as an ICT and functional tester with integrated stimulus, measurement, and switching capability.
Introduced as a solution for re-engineering boards without original netlists, the ScanINSPECT FPT from ScanCAD (Littleton, Colo.) is a fixture-less flying probe tester for bare boards. The tester holds boards in place vertically with a variable clamping system, and can be used in conjunction with a bed-of-nails fixture. The FPT performs electrical-continuity tests and verifies board interconnects at each delamination stage in re-engineering, and handles substrates from 0.8" × 0.8" to 24.4" × 20". It suits statistical sampling, prototyping and small production, and re-engineering.
At Booth 2937, Digitaltest, of Concord, Calif., exhibited the flying probe tester Condor MTS-500 with optional "Soft Landing" technology to protect high-density boards. The machine also offers integrated boundary scan, linear motors, and closed-loop technology. Digitaltest also introduced the fully automated Falcon in-line test system for high-volume/high-mix production. The Falcon offers MDA, ICT, and functional test. The MTS 300 SIGMA ICT system was displayed with an updated ergonomic design.
Agilent Technologies (Santa Clara, Calif.) demonstrated the Medalist i3070 flexible ICT system for high-complexity, high-speed PCBAs at Booth 2213. The system uses advanced algorithms for analog test with 50% higher throughput compared to previous generations. VTEP v2.0 vectorless test technology with updated network parameter measurement detects defects on power and ground pins for connectors. The ICT system is compatible with other Agilent testers.
Seica, Inc., launched its AERIAL flying probe test system for prototypes, samples, and small to medium production runs. The AERIAL features four independent mobile test probes, data collection and statistics functions, and one touch per net (OTPN). Junction fault verification and other tests are performed simultaneously. Seica also highlighted the PILOT VIP flying probe system, S24 VIP flying prober, and Firefly automated selective soldering system.
Wilmington, Mass.-based GSI Group debuted the SVS Ascent at Booth 1008. The inspection platform suits 3-D solder paste deposition and component placement inspection on boards up to 20" × 24". It features the Gen4 all-solid-state laser scanning platform with an 8 MHz data acquisition rate, digital processing, and 8× oversampling. Data is analyzed pixel by pixel without merged or blended areas. The SVS provides a streamlined programming option for panel set-up from CAD data, or manual programming to create new programs or edit existing ones.
Everett Charles Technologies (Ponoma, Calif.), a Dover company, and atg Test Systems displayed an updated Eliminator 6 (E6) fixtureless test system at Booth 1623. Updates allow the system to test finished circuit boards and pre-solder-mask PCBs (naked boards). The E6, at Booth 1623, reportedly eliminates the need to grid. It uses full parametric DC measurements from an electromechanical scanning process. Laminated subassemblies can be tested at speed, prior to joining with other subassemblies. The companies also highlighted LFRE lead-free POGO contacts, a test probe series introduced to combat thick oxide and resin associated with lead-free and no-clean production processes. A proprietary plating is reportedly harder and slicker than traditional materials; PogoPlus bias ball design allows uninterrupted electrical contact with the probe sidewall. Higher preload, longer spring life, and range of spring forces, and double roll close to improve pointing accuracy with accumulated lead-free solder, are featured.