Board Testing

ICT stands for In-Circuit Tester. It is an automated system to test printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs). ICT can detect most manufacturing defects of PCB assembly.

ICT can test Microprocessors, Resistors, Capacitors, Inductors, Diodes, IC Clamping Diodes, for opens or shorts as well as other defects.

A fixture is an advanced ‘bed-of-nails’. The fixture has many test pins, or nails, each of which is wired. The wires supply different signals to the pins. The pins make contact with designated test points on the PCB. Signals are sent to different points on the board and the results can be detected by other pins.

We usually do not call an ICT system a meter, but it is in fact a kind of high-performance meter. It can measure precisely the actual value of each device because of its guarding function, which isolates a device on the board from nearby devices.

ICT is Power Off testing, and it means there is no power applied to the PCBA. ATE (automated test equipment) systems test if the components on a PCBA function well, so the board needs to be powered on.

TRI board test system software currently supports the following Microsoft OS: Windows 98, Windows 2000, WinXP

It depends on the operating system. For Windows 98 -- Directory C:\ETR5X\Win98. File names are: tripci32.sys, tripci.inf, & tripci.sys
For Windows 2000 and WinXP -- C:\ETR5X\WIN2000_XP. File names are: tripci32-nt.sys, tripci-nt.inf, & tripci-nt.sys

It is because the computer executes power saving. Users need to disable the "Power Manager" as well as set "Turn off monitor" and "Turn off hard disk" to "Never" in Power Schemes.

Under Windows, only a sound card and speaker are required for the computer, and both good and defective PCBAs can be identified by sound.

The TR5001 supports 3,200 analog pins or 1,600 digital pins. The TR8100LV supports 3,584 hybrid pins.

Six: 3.3VDC, 5VDC, 12VDC, -12VDC, 18VDC, 24VDC

Counter Board and Universal Buffer Board.

It should be calibrated once a year by a TRI engineer or an authorized TRI distributor or agent.

Under normal use, the press unit needs to be kept clean. Foreign objects should never be placed in the press cylinder. Also, the filter's water should be drained regularly.

There is no need to adjust the press unit sensors unless the fixture size is changed often.

It is no need to adjust the sensor unless the fixture size is varied often.

1.Press Unit 2.Vacuum 3.In Line.

TRI systems support Press type and Vacuum type fixtures.

Usually 2/3 of the length of the maximum stroke of a probe is best. Less will cause bad contact and more will damage the tip of the probe.

Poor contact can occur when the press bars are not distributed evenly or if the press down depth is not enough.

One of two ways: 1.Use a pin diagram made on clear film to compare fixture pins and DUT test pins .2.Cover a DUT bare board with blue transparent tape and put it on the fixture. Let the press unit down so the probes puncture the tape and contact the test pins, then the contact can be verified.

There are two advantages: 1.To protect fixture pins, and 2.To conveniently load or unload the DUT.