This customized IC handler was developed for a large European semiconductor company that needed an extremely versatile IC handler able to handle and visually inspect ICs. The handler uses a high-speed robot to move ICs as small as 5x5mm around a work area with a repeatability of 20 microns. The handler features tape in- and out stations, tube in- and out stations with stacking, dual fixtures for electrical testing, and tray in- and out stations with magazines. Two cameras perform six-sided inspection, and a laser sensor at the tip of the robot arm allows the robot to “see” where the ICs are. The cost-effective design features full PC-control and a touch screen for easy interfacing, and is intended for use during evaluation runs and parametric evaluations, or for handling slow IC testing in low-volume production.

This high-speed inspection station uses a PXI-based high-speed PC platform, three cameras and two quartz halogen illuminators to visually inspect five fuses per second.

Each fuse is inspected at 360º against defects such as blow holes, blisters, epoxy spots, indentations, nicks and scratches.

When one of the largest contract assembly houses in the Philippines needed a custom tester to perform function testing of automotive sensor assemblies for a large German customer, they turned to us. This tester combines PXI-based instrumentation and SCXI switching with a temperature chamber to test entire panels of 66 sensor boards at a time, while the panel temperature is maintained at +150ºC. 

A conveyorized handling system feeds printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) to this automated inspection system. Upon sensing the presence of a PCBA, an elevator lifts the unit upwards, off the conveyor, turns on the light and inspects the PCBA for proper dispensing of heat conductive paste from a prior dispensing process. The vision inspection system utilizes a 3-CCD high-resolution camera to acquire color images of extremely high fidelity. The presence, amount and location of the heat paste is inspected.

This combined tester and handler is a semi-automated tester that performs electrical testing, vision testing and finally packing of surface-mount connectors into tubes. The electrical test station tests each connector against micro-shorts at 1200VDC. The vision station uses two cameras, including a high-resolution camera equipped with a large telecentric lens, to perform over 200 individual measurements on each connector with a resolution of down to 6μm.

This web-based system collects real-time information from equipment, from barcode readers (via in-house databases) and from radio transceivers located throughout the factory floor of this automotive manufacturer of electronic brake systems. It then produces, upon request, on-line reports that are displayed in browser windows on PCs connected to the network. A production server collects data from mass-customized Line Monitoring units, while a database server and a web server ensure that data is collected and displayed in a timely manner. See Products page for more information.

For this very specialized final tester, we combined a semi-automated dual-bay loader with a light-proof chamber to enable a very light-sensitive camera to inspect the position, rotation and accuracy of backlit push buttons for automotive door panels. Fiber optics is used to bounce light off each unit’s cover plate to check the color. The tester also features high-speed CAN communication and barcode printing.

This combined functional- and final tester performs electrical tests on PCB assemblies. It is extremely flexible in design and is able to test 12 different models, executing over 900 test steps on each device under test, at production speeds and with currents exceeding 40A. The tester features over 370 relays and over 110 loads. In addition to switching relays, the 18-slot PXI chassis at its core also contains a CPU, a CAN controller, a data acquisition card and multiplexers. External equipment include a programmable load, a DMM and a programmable power supply. The test adapter is easily replaced; the keyboard pulls out and the LCD monitor swings out to give access to the customized load cards inside.

This vision inspection system measures the protrusion of connector pins prior to the reflow soldering of PCB assemblies. An industrial PC and two cameras automatically sense the presence of a PCB assembly, then proceed to inspect the pins, after which a marker unit automatically marks passed units with ink. The jig is easily replaceable to accommodate different models, and the inspection parameters can likewise be modified by authorized production engineers.