In-Circuit Testers

What is an In-Circuit Tester (ICT)? 

An in-circuit tester (ICT) is a device employed in the testing of PCB assemblies that evaluates the electrical performance of an assembled printed circuit board. This device helps in determining manufacturing defects that are common in most cases like opens, shorts, missing components, and bad soldering among other things, and determines some electrical parameters like resistance, capacitance, inductance, etc. Focusing on specific devices integrated on to a PCB after assembly, ICT makes an in-depth examination which is very important in determining the quality and functionality of the finished product. In an average PCB assembly line, these tests are conducted by the ICT well before the functional tests are carried out to detect and prevent faults and reworks thus improving the overall production process. 

The setup of the ICT system includes a few primary components: a computer, fixture, driver-sensor units, multiplexing circuits, and guarding elements. A computer operates with dedicated software that governs the work of an ICT, auditioning, and controlling multiple tests. The fixture is a spring-loaded pin used to connect the ICT and also the PCB Under Test (PUT). The fixture includes some pins that correspond to the test points on the board, through which the ICT applies voltages or currents to a specific portion of the board and gathers information from other parts of the board. The driver-sensor units execute the actual measurements while the guarding elements improve performance by removing undesired leakage pathways. In the case of larger or more elaborate boards, multiplexing circuits are incorporated to enlarge the testing capability of an ICT, permitting more than one test point on a given pin at a time. 

Key specs of in-circuit tester: 

• No. of test points: Test points are locations on electronic circuits that are used to monitor the state of the circuitry or to inject test signals.
• Frequency: Represents the frequency that can be supported by the tester. 
• PCB size: Represents the range of PCB sizes that can be handled by the in-circuit tester.
• Power consumption: It is the required amount of power to run the ICT and is represented in watts.
  

PCB Directory has listed PCB In-Circuit Tester machines from the leading manufacturers in the industry and made it easy for users to find these machines based on their requirements. You can specify the switch type to find a tester that meets your requirements. You can view machine specifications, download the spec sheet, and get a quote. Quotes requested are routed to the manufacturer.

Click here to explore In-Circuit Tester Manufacturers.