productronica: Seica debuts flying probe test system

Seica has designed the Pilot VX to raise the bar of flying probe test performance, with cutting-edge solutions that address the fundamental concerns of electronic board manufacturers looking to optimise their investment.

The platform enables a 50% reduction in test time thanks to new state-of-the-art mechanical performance and motion control that saves users money. The Pilot VX has 12 multi-function test heads providing the capability to contact up to 44 points simultaneously, and technologically advanced measurement hardware, new microwave-based measurement techniques and optimised VIVA software management enable the parallelisation of different types of tests, saving more time, and smart analysis capabilities together with algorithms based on the principles of artificial intelligence can automatically optimise the test flow in run-time, while maintaining test coverage targets.

With its flexibility, instead of investing in two systems to meet production targets, one could be enough. Users can configure the line to optimise throughput by integrating multiple systems, each performing a different part of the test process in parallel to the others.

A vast selection of test performances means that the test process can be tailored to the specific requirements of the product being tested, whether it be a relatively simple bare printed circuit board, a complex pcb with passive and active embedded components, fully loaded double-side boards with components that also need to be programmed, LEDs to be tested electrically and optically, flex circuits, very small and very large boards with very small and very large components.

In short says Seica the Pilot VX is a flexible, configurable test system with an unrivaled set of technologically advanced tools, able to provide the test solutions required by the huge diversity which characterise today’s electronics.

Traceability givescomplete visibility of the test process, allowing certification of the quality of the product and improved yields by utilising the analysis of the defects found to diagnose problems in the upstream manufacturing process.

Going beyond the ability to store the test data, the Pilot VX has the capability to collect and store the data regarding the mechanical pressure applied by the test probes on every point on the board under test, making it available for visual, graphical and statistical analysis.

With a positioning precision of +/- 10µm, the Pilot VX is able to probe 20µm pads, measure values such as 0,05pF capacitance or 100 µohm resistance and, with a minimum spot of 200 µm, the integrated laser inspection tool can perform presence/absence checks of even 01005 SMDs.

Automation is a reality, says Seica. It is pervasive in today’s factories and in most production lines, creating the need to manage not one system, but rather a series of machines and handling modules, including robots, in a fluid, optimised manner.

The Seica Asset Manager (SAM) software suite is a configurable platform that can simply perform basic functions such as the connection of a test system to the factory MES, but it also has the potential to supervise all of the assets in a roboticised line according to the MQTT Broker IIOT standard, which can then be monitored on a remote PC, tablet or mobile device via the customisable Seica Dashboard App.

productronica visitors can see the Pilot VX platform on Seica’s booth A1-445.