Gardien's Test Floor Integration Process for PCB Bare Board Repair and Fault Identification

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Gardien, a provider of PCB test, inspection, and yield improvement solutions focused on fault detection, diagnostics, and repair services, provides PCB bare board repair and fault identification services to help manufacturers determine whether flagged boards are electrically sound and suitable for repair instead of disposal. The approach focuses on identifying true functional failures, as boards can be rejected due to issues such as registration errors, solder mask imperfections, or high contact surface resistance, which may not represent actual defects.

The company uses a Test Floor Integration (TFI) process designed to evaluate failed boards before they are scrapped. The process combines verification, identification, and repair procedures to determine what can be done with each failed board. This approach supports yield improvement, cost reduction, rapid fault verification, expanded repair possibilities, data-driven quality improvements, and compliance with IPC-9252 Class 3 and Class 3A, along with military specifications.

The TFI process is conducted using a Flying Probe resistive test that verifies faults recorded during grid testing. Boards awaiting test move through a fixture test stage, followed by automatic board selection and cross-checking against logged defect data. Fault verification is then carried out, after which boards are either confirmed as passing or directed toward failure analysis, report generation, and repair data generation, with results fed back into manufacturing.

Automatic board selection is performed using barcode identification linked to the grid tester’s data log. Cross-checking ensures that the correct board is tested against recorded defects. Once a board is verified as faulty, it is sent to a Visual Fault Diagnostics Station, where barcode data from the Flying Probe enables automatic loading and display of defect locations for faster and more accurate fault identification.

When a true fault is identified, its position and, where possible, its cause are documented and fed back into manufacturing processes. Where repair is feasible, Gardien uses Gardien's Visual Fault Diagnostics Aided Repair (GVFDAR) to trace connections from surface layers through internal layers and back to the surface, enabling additional repair options. When repair is not possible, defect data is still collected and returned to production to support ongoing quality and yield improvement.

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