Gardien Independent Testing
Discover why the world’s leading PCB makers rely on us. Come to Gardien and get the best test solution for your business.
Gardien provides you with a whole lot more than a simple pass or fail for your boards.
That’s because our expertise and experience gives us a deep understanding of what you need from your test and verification processes. This, together with our world class capabilities enables us to design the best possible strategy for you.
Why perform electrical test?
Defects are never an option – your clients expect you to get your boards right first time.
Whether you manufacture simple double-sided boards or advanced high-density multilayer PCBs, they will be populated by your customers using costly processes and expensive electronic components, and may even be used for critical high-reliability applications. If they go undetected until after assembly or, worse, in the field, defects are always more expensive, can be extremely hazardous, and may severely damage your business.
Electrical Test is key in ensuring that the connectivity of a PCB is precisely as specified by the customer, and that there are no defects or lesser problems that may create problems in use.
Electrical test explained
Electrical signals are applied to given points on the bare PCB, and the way in which these are transferred to other given points is analyzed in comparison with a known reference….
Continuity tests check for opens, using grid testers and flying probe systems to check the electrical connection between points on a board.
- A current is applied at one end (or branch) of a net, or set of interconnected points, and a sensor is set to detect that signal at another end point on the same net.
- If the current at the two points is the same, the net is considered to be complete and coherent.
- If the detecter sensor does not pick up any signal, the system reports a break in the net, or an Open.
- If the detecter sensor picks up a reduced current, the system reports a Resistive Open.
Discontinuity tests check for short circuits or isolation failures, using grid testers and flying probe systems to check the electrical disconnection between networks of points on a board.
- A voltage is applied at one end (or branch) of a net, or set of interconnected points, and a sensor is set to measure the current flowing in surrounding nets.
- If the detector sensor does not measure any current, the net is considered to be isolated from all others.
- If the current in the two points is the same, the net is considered to be short circuited.
- If the detector sensor measures a current above a predetermined limit, the system reports a Isolation failure.