As technologies for Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and other electronics continue to advance, the result is more complex and smaller parts and products. Comprehensive and quality testing is becoming more and more important to the performance of circuit boards, especially in sensitive and high-reliability industries such as medical, precision and industrial controls. For this reason, it is important that companies partner with a knowledgeable company, like RiverSide Integrated Solutions (RIS), for PCB assembly, testing and system integration. Whether you are bringing a new product to market or trying to optimize an existing product, RIS has the experience to assist customers with developing and executing a robust testing program.

The Importance of Quality Testing

PCBs and other electronics are comprised of several complex components, each of which impacts the overall performance of the board. These components must be tested for any signs of faults or issues that could cause the board to malfunction or not work to its full potential. In the case of PCBs, a quality testing program assesses the functionality of the individual parts such as capacitors, resistors, transistors, diodes, and fuses as well as overall performance metrics such as electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. The board layout is also examined to ensure the various components are oriented correctly and soldering was performed properly.

Quality testing is an integral aspect of electronics manufacturing. There is always the potential for design issues, manufacturing defects, or human error during fabrication and assembly – and testing is the checkpoint to catch these problems. The use of testing to identify and resolve quality issues is critical to the performance, functionality, and reliability of the final product. The time and effort required to test the quality of a PCB or other electronic product is well worth it. Testing procedures for PCBs and other electronics must be established to reduce the potential of failure or malfunction in the field as well as maintain customer satisfaction and retention.

RIS Product Testing Capabilities

RIS provides full circuit board and electromechanical assembly testing capabilities – including testability recommendations, test development, and test execution. We perform circuit board assembly testing, system-level integration testing, and thermal and mechanical stress testing depending on product requirements. We use assembly testing to confirm product quality and functionality to provide a means of monitoring the critical stages of our manufacturing process. Specific to circuit boards, our assembly and testing services include the following test procedures:

• Flying probe: highly-effective test method for low-volume to mid-volume production, as well as prototypes and boards that can pose access difficulties.
• In-circuit test: with an incorporated functional in-circuit test software and in-system component programming, we are able to probe printed circuit boards to examine shorts, opens, resistance, capacitance, and other detailed information about the assembly.
• Manufacturing defect analyzer: as a secondary in-circuit test, the MDA operates as a diagnostics tool to reveal any defects in manufacturing and components.
• Functional test: designed and built in-house, our functional test software assesses the functionality of an application, basing results and case information on the software component of an assembly. Our test system capabilities include C++ programming and Visual Basic.
• Burn-in chambers: with temperature and humidity cycling, environmental stress screening, and product life assessment, our burn-in chambers place assemblies into service simulation that forces failures to occur. This test reveals weaknesses and load capacities and is especially effective in evaluating the reliability of high-density semiconductor devices, burn-in printed circuit boards and large capacity screenings.
• Automated optical inspection: our AOI machines test boards and panels to communicate errors quickly, consistently, and accurately to the operator.

Contact us today at (507) 523-3220 to see how we can help with your next project, or click here for a quote.