Combinational test solutions lead the way for PCB ATE
18 February 2009
News
Information from Frost & Sullivan
Printed circuit board (PCB) automatic test equipment (ATE) has evolved considerably in recent years. It now spans a wide range of test and inspection strategies aimed at enhancing the assembly process, improving product quality and cutting manufacturing costs. While there are a wide range of test options, combination testers have proved themselves to be the ideal option in terms of both productivity and cost effectiveness.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan has found that the worldwide market for printed circuit board automatic test equipment earned revenues of over $1,16 billion in 2007 and estimates this to reach $1,85 billion in 2014.
“In today’s electronic industry, it is imperative to have sufficient test coverage to reduce time-to-market and improve manufacturing yields,” says Frost & Sullivan research analyst, Sujan Sami. “Cost-effective and efficient test solutions will be the key, and the right combinational testers should play a major role.”
As PCB circuits become highly intricate with the use of high-density parts and multilayer PCBs, testing and defect finding is becoming increasingly complex. Though each of the testing options has its own unique capabilities, combination testers have proved to be the most versatile. Manufacturers are faced with the task of determining the most suitable combination of methods to meet specific applications in order to optimise yields.
“The need for more sophisticated products, especially in the extremely demanding automotive and medical industries, drives the need for better quality test equipment,” notes Sami. “The modular functionality of integrating various types of test equipment should surpass the need for individual hardware and software testing.”
One-stop solutions that offer a combination of functional testing and boundary scan testing are seeing widespread adoption. Though combinational testers are expensive compared to individual tester options, their effective usability provides adequate compensation by reducing the overall testing cost of the PCB.
For more information contact Patrick Cairns, Frost & Sullivan, +27 (0)21 680 3274, [email protected], www.frost.com
Further reading:
Hitachi reinvents asset management solution
News
Hitachi Energy, in collaboration with Microsoft, is accelerating the digital transformation of essential infrastructure - from electricity networks and transportation corridors to heavy industrial operations - by reinventing how critical assets are managed and maintained.
Read more...
Mycronic releases mixed Q4 results
News
Mycronic reported mixed Q4 results for the year ended January to December 2025, while delivering record full year order intake and net sales.
Read more...
AGOA: Businesses should diversify or face significant exposure
News
Cross-border payments platform Verto has called on South African and African businesses to accelerate their transition toward a “post-AGOA” trade strategy following President Donald Trump’s signing of a one-year extension to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Read more...
European components distribution growing
News
European electronic components distribution returned to growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to newly released figures from DMASS Europe.
Read more...
Silicon Labs reports strong growth
News
Silicon Labs has reported robust financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2025, with significant YoY revenue gains and shifting market dynamics.
Read more...
Siemens acquires Canopus AI
ASIC Design Services
News
The acquisition extends Siemens’ comprehensive EDA software portfolio with computational metrology and inspection to help chipmakers solve critical technical challenges in semiconductor manufacturing.
Read more...
Micron breaks ground on new wafer fabs
News
Micron Technology has advanced two major semiconductor manufacturing initiatives that together reflect the company’s strategic response to sustained global demand for memory solutions.
Read more...
Texas Instruments announces planned acquisition of Silicon Labs
News
Texas Instruments Incorporated and Silicon Laboratories recently announced a definitive agreement under which Texas Instruments will acquire Silicon Labs, combining two leaders in semiconductor technology.
Read more...
AI-fueled supercycle doubles memory market revenue
News
The ongoing surge in artificial intelligence is set to propel both the memory and wafer foundry sectors to unprecedented revenue levels by 2026, according to TrendForce.
Read more...
Research agreement for EUV tech
News
Gelest, Inc., a Mitsubishi Chemical Group company, recently announced a research agreement with IBM to test Gelest precursor materials for dry resist EUV lithography.
Read more...
printer friendly version