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In-Circuit Test & Flying Probe Test

S

Slinger

Jan 1, 1970
0
We are a small CM and are researching In-Circuit Testers and Flying
Probe Testers. We need to have integrated testing capability for our
customers. There are few third party test facilities left and none are
local to us. We are looking on the used market since we do not want to
expend huge amounts of capital or tie our hands with too large of a
loan. There are two caveats, Genrad sucks and Takiya is a piece of
shit.

In ICT we are down to:

Agilent 3070
Teradyne Z1880
Teradyne Z8800

Flying Probe:
Spea 4400
Acculogic
Seica

I like the Z8800 (Spectrum?) because it is a VXI backplane. The Z1880
though has a lot going for it especially in cost, both system cost and
fixturing cost. The Agilent is pricey but seems to have more industry
acceptance.

As for the flying probes I am leaning towards Spea but have no real
experience with them.

Has anyone used these machines? What are the upsides and downsides of
each. I am tired of hearing sales pitches I want actual user input.

Will I get any return on my investment? Is In-circuit a dying
technology for digital boards given the JTAG tools available?
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello Slinger,

Will I get any return on my investment? Is In-circuit a dying
technology for digital boards given the JTAG tools available?

Can't comment on the testers except that I am partial to Teradyne since
that's what was usually used on my boards, and worked. A long, long time
ago since the new ones don't need ICT anymore.

Designers like me strive to achieve as much self-diagnosis on the board
as possible. I think the last time I designed a full-blown test set plus
ICT hook-ups was in the late 80's. Digital boards use less of ICT than
they used to. An example was a scan converter. It used to be a huge
conglomerate of chips, maybe 200 or so. The next revision was largely a
blank board (had to keep the size to fit into a three-high rack slot)
with very few driver chips and two big fat FPGA with JTAG.

Regards, Joerg
 
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