Grid test system supports dedicated, universal fixtures

atg Luther & Maelzer has announced its first grid test system for bare board PCBs that can be fitted with universal as well as dedicated fixtures. According to the company, the LM1000 enables the customer to use the type of fixture that is most suitable for the actual application: A cost-efficient, less complex universal fixture or a more sophisticated dedicated fixture, which supports more challenging test of high density PCBs or Kelvin test applications.

Universal fixtures, in which test pins are directly connected via a spring pin cassette to a universal matrix of electronic test points, are fast to build and economical to use. However, owing to the restricted number of available test points per square inch, their application is limited in the HDI segment especially when Kelvin test with two test pins on one test pad is required. Dedicated fixtures overcome the restriction of a limited number of test points per square inch by wiring the test probes to the electronics. This kind of fixture is more expensive and complex. A customer rarely can build them himself and needs to consider longer manufacturing lead times and higher prices. With the LM1000 the customer has the option to switch between the two technologies case by case, allowing him to choose for each application the most economical solution.

For highest throughput and accuracy, the LM1000 is using a modern double shuttle concept with high speed linear drives and integrated optical high resolution scanning. The test heads can be stepped over the product in high precision, ensuring highest first pass rates by micro aligning each image individually. Board sizes up to a size of 300mm x 300mm can be handled. The maximum test area is 163mm x 244mm.

The machine, which is being manufactured in Germany, was designed for easy operation and maintenance. for this the system utilises a touch screen based human machine interface. The machine is easy and fast to set up due to auto-calibration and auto-setup of the fixtures, minimising the change-over times between different jobs. The stable, flawless operation maximizes yield and reduces time in which an operator is required. The compact design provides easy integration in the shop floor.

- Paul Buckley
??EE Times Europe