“Automation has become significantly more important for many of our customers since flying probe testing has moved into higher volume production lines,” Takaya Group Manager, Roy McKenzie, stated. “Automation capability has helped flying probe testing become the main process monitoring and defect detection tool in the line, and moreover, that importance has been elevated due to both the need to increase worker spacing on the production floor, and difficulties in hiring operators and their increased costs. The APT-1400F-SL-A now allows even manufacturers of very large boards to automate board handling for flying probe testing.”
According to the company, the ‘-SL’ series provides a 48 percent larger test area, and the ‘-A’ series designation (inline configuration model), enables automatic transfer of the Unit Under Test (UUT). An automated conveyor system model can be built-to-order to establish a fully automated operation in the production line or rack-to-rack system. It’s also possible to provide a buffer station to cut down on transport time, an auto-conveyor width adjustment unit, and a shuttle unit that operates when the conveyor carries a PCBA in or out of the process area.
Due to a major improvement in test speed and positioning accuracy technology, the APT-1400F series is capable of having the probes contact extremely small test pads deployed on the latest SMT boards, with a high degree of accuracy, and to test the board in a short amount of time.
The system incorporates 16-bit DC 4-quadrant sources, measurement system, and an AC programmable generator that serves also as a function generator in the measuring unit so that the tester can apply the best-suited measuring signals according to the specification of each electronic component and circuit conditions for the circuit test and dynamic characteristics test. Also, the dedicated measuring mode for very small capacitance and the high measuring accuracy circuit give aid to detect a wide range of assembly faults.
