-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueEngineering Economics
The real cost to manufacture a PCB encompasses everything that goes into making the product: the materials and other value-added supplies, machine and personnel costs, and most importantly, your quality. A hard look at real costs seems wholly appropriate.
Alternate Metallization Processes
Traditional electroless copper and electroless copper immersion gold have been primary PCB plating methods for decades. But alternative plating metals and processes have been introduced over the past few years as miniaturization and advanced packaging continue to develop.
Technology Roadmaps
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we discuss technology roadmaps and what they mean for our businesses, providing context to the all-important question: What is my company’s technology roadmap?
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Improving Test and Inspection
July 5, 2016 | Stephen Las Marias, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 1 minute
Our survey last month on the challenges manufacturers face regarding tighter tolerances, finer lines and features in assemblies provided us two key issues: solder paste printing challenges, which we covered in-depth in the June edition of SMT Magazine, and PCBA testing and inspection, the topic for this month’s issue.
It is interesting to note that in our recent survey on PCBA test and inspection challenges, most respondents consider these same subjects to be among their main problems. Some of those problems include: probing to narrower traces and pads; testing boards with smaller and finer features and sizes; dry solder; and other solder-related issues that cannot be easily detected during PCBA testing. Other challenges include finding sublayer defects; dealing with flat, no-lead components; and testing cycle time, as more manufacturers grapple with high-mix, low-volume production issues.
On top of dealing with increasingly complex and higher-density boards, assemblers are also facing tougher requirements such as data traceability, changes in IC packaging structure, embedded substrates and modules, and thermal conductivity, according to our survey.
Innovation Wish List
To help address their challenges, respondents are looking for innovations such as better boundary scan capability and better test equipment that find latent defects in electrical testing. From an optical test/inspection, they said innovations such as better lighting and focal plane depth are key. They are also looking for CAD/CAM systems that could suggest the best test implementation, as well as software to economically automate functional test of low-volume production runs.
Meanwhile, the majority of our respondents say they are planning to purchase new test and inspection equipment this year. Assemblers are looking to acquire equipment such as ICT for high-power device testing, benchtop instruments, SPI, 3D AOI and AXI systems, and RF test systems for their test and inspection process. This month, we look into different PCBA test and inspection strategies that address some of the key challenges in today’s electronics manufacturing and assembly environment.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2016 issue of SMT Magazine.
Suggested Items
Electrolube Showcases Unrivalled Electronics Protection Solutions for EV, EM at productronica India
09/07/2022 | ElectrolubeElectrolube will be showcasing new solutions from their extensive encapsulation resin, thermal management and conformal coating portfolios in Hall 14 stand PB55 at productronica India, held on September 21-23 at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida.
Electrolube’s Polyurethane Resin A Success for Tier 1 Automotive Supplier
07/07/2022 | ElectrolubeMacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions is pleased to announce a successful collaboration between its electro-chemicals brand, Electrolube, and a tier 1 automotive supplier.
Electrolube’s UL94V-0 Approved Alternative to 3M Novec 2702 Electronic Grade Coating
05/23/2022 | ElectrolubeElectrolube, a brand of MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions has formulated a Conformal Coating (FPC) specifically to resolve a number of issues experienced by a specific user of surface modifier materials.
MacDermid Alpha Appoints New Global Product Managers For Electrolube Brand Resins and Coatings
04/01/2022 | MacDermid Alpha Electronics SolutionsMacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, a global supplier of integrated solutions from our Circuitry, Assembly and Semiconductor divisions that provides unmatched capabilities in electronics design and manufacturing, has announced the appointments of Saskia Hogan and Beth Massey as new Global Product Managers for the Electrolube brand.
MacDermid Alpha’s Electrolube Awarded NextGen Best Paper
02/03/2022 | MacDermid Alpha Electronics SolutionsMacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, a global supplier of integrated solutions from our Circuitry, Assembly and Semiconductor divisions that provides unmatched capabilities in electronics design and manufacturing, is pleased to announce that Electrolube’s Senior Technical Manager, Beth Turner, has been awarded NextGen Best Paper.