Steve-

Have you seen recent articles on non-contact testers? Articles in
Circuitree, and possibly PCFab magazine, are intriguing, and some allude to
lower equipment costs [vs. flying probe], and fast test times.

Products and technologies are fairly new, but they probably deserve checking
out, as well as following up on how well they are accepted, and what
improvements will be made over the next few years. One [or some] of the
competing non-contact board testers will probably be a big winner, as board
feature sizes and spacing get smaller.

Regards,

Michael Alderete
Aerojet




Steve wrote...
------------------------------

Date:    Thu, 12 Aug 1999 18:47:20 EDT
From:    "Stephen R. Gregory" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Automated X-ray Inspection(..and Flying Probe Testers)

In a message dated 8/12/99 8:36:50 AM Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> We bought a flying probe tester recently and we are know thinking of
> replacing the visual inspection by something automatic.

Hi Vincent!

I can't add much to what Dave Hillman said concerning X-Ray equipment (he be
da' man!), but your statement about Flying Probe testers is what I'm
replying
to you about. If I may, can I ask you what machine you bought? And what you
think of it so far?

I'm working on a "5-year Technology Roadmap" for our company, and a Flying
Probe ICT machine is something that I'm recommending. Like you, we are a
high
mix low volume shop and from what I know so far, Flying Probe Testers are
the
way to go. Don't have the high NRE that a fixed bed of nails tester has and
even if we do get into some volume in the future, I think the way to go is
functional testing of product and then use the Flying Probe to de-bug the
functional failures...am I thinking correctly in my recommendation? Any
other
input that any other TechNetter has on this subject will be (as always) most
welcome!

Thanks Ya'll!!

-Steve Gregory-

------------------------------

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