Test Convention 2020 - Successful live event despite Corona

Göpel electronics organized the Test Convention 2020 in Jena as a live event despite Corona. The gamble paid off, as statements from the experts from electronics manufacturing, automotive electronics and development gathered there showed. Many were particularly pleased that there was direct personal contact in the industry again after several months.

The positive assessment also applies to the new Test Convention format launched last year from the three previous event series Boundary Scan Days, Inspection Days and Automotive Days. The Test Convention brings everything together on one date and in one place under the motto 'Technology meets Quality', thereby also encouraging people to look beyond their own horizons.

The event was opened by Alice Göpel, Member of the Management Board of Göpel electronic GmbH, Jena. After the official welcome, she briefly addressed the current coronavirus situation. Digitalization is becoming increasingly important and is being further promoted by Corona.

Digitalization keynote: people need analogue adapters

Tobias Bartel then addressed a fundamental problem of digitalization in his keynote speech 'Opportunities/risks of Industry 4.0: digital company, analogue people'. He is a recognized expert for 'Brain & Business', who derives applications for business/value creation from the knowledge of how our brain works, receives, processes and networks information. Mnemonics can also be used for sales and marketing. Humans are analog due to their evolutionary history, they have emotions and act intuitively. Accordingly, as Tobias Bartel illustrated with examples, wording is always important and is used accordingly in advertising and for product information. Tobias Bartel demonstrated with a few 'magic tricks' that people are generally easily distracted or confused. On the other hand, (experienced) people can also memorize complex/complicated algorithms, as was shown with a number scheme and the magic cube. The bottom line is that people need analog adapters for digital things. Tobias Bartel concluded by listing the relevant success factors.

After the coffee break, attendees were able to choose the most interesting presentation from the three blocks Automotive Test Solutions, Embedded JTAG Solutions and Inspection Solutions. A total of 24 half-hour presentations were offered with comprehensive 'test coverage'. Only a few selected presentations are described below.

User interface for visual project development

User interfaces should be simple, as intuitive as possible and at the same time support many things. Thomas Wenzel, Göpel electronic GmbH, presented how this challenge can be met in the lecture 'Welcome to the world of visual project development' using the Visual Project Explorer (ViPX) viewer introduced by Göpel in May. It is the first holistic GUI for visual project development for embedded test technologies. ViPX is designed as the future control center for the new front end of the integrated JTAG/Boundary Scan platform 4.7. ViPX enables graphical interaction at all levels (from system, board and scan path to device and network level) and displays all information. Details can also be analyzed. All elements can be interacted with for this purpose. Only the information that is actually required is displayed as real, graphical elements instead of confusing lists, input masks and tables. By triggering processes directly from the graphical interface with visualization of the assembly data and displaying test and additional information (such as test coverage), ViPX is a simple and straightforward interface for the user that provides access to everything.

Added value through AI and AR in AOI

Artificial intelligence and augmented reality enable new inspection solutions with added value through new technologies, as Dr. Jörg Schambach, Göpel electronic GmbH, demonstrated using selected examples. He explained what AI and AR can achieve in the field of AOI. AI can be used to optimize or automate the following previously manual processes:

• Automatic test program creation with the MagicClick AOI software
• Classification at the verification station as a fully automated process with expert consultation if required
• Inspection of THT placement directly at the placement table using cognitive AOI, a self-learning system.

AI can also be used to exploit the unused potential of the inspection data collected in the AOI systems and thus implement Industry 4.0 solutions. AR can support THT placement by displaying the placement position for the current component and by displaying the positions with faulty placement. AR can also be used to display additional information for placement as well as machine information in real time and service instructions.

Customized solutions for inspection

'3D AOI systems from Göpel electronic: Tailor-made, because anyone can do standard' - under this motto, Jens Kokott, Göpel electronic GmbH, used an overview of the configuration variants to show that there is a suitable product in his company's range for all applications. AOI systems are offered that are designed for SMD production, for THT assembly or for THT soldering (both with wave soldering and with selective soldering), whereby there are versions with manual, semi-automated or automated loading. Special inspection modules for integration into workstations and assembly lines, automated AOI program creation and software for data communication in the line and with MES systems are also available. One example is the Basic Line-3D AOI system, which is designed for 3D AOI in SMD production with manual loading. It enables flexible configuration of the camera module, offers MagicClick for fully automatic creation and optimization of inspection programs and libraries and can also be used as a fully-fledged 3D SPI system. Customer-specific system adaptations (workpiece carriers, horizontal camera modules) are also possible. MultiEyeS plus is an integration module for workstations with which the assembly result can be inspected directly. In addition to THT component inspection (presence, position, polarity, imprint, color) and THT solder joint inspection (wetting, solder quantity (3D), pin length (3D), solder bridges, solder beads), the THT Line-3D AOI system can also be used for SMD component and solder joint inspection. Jens Kokott described the functional units (including the camera modules) in detail and provided information about Pilot AOI, the standardized software of the AOI systems, focusing on program creation and data communication.

Creating added value with AOI

If you look beyond the 'big picture' of classic processing defects, there are opportunities to create added value. In his presentation 'Not only solder joints are important - 3D inspection for comprehensive product quality with added value', Andreas Kraus, Kraus Hardware GmbH, presented examples of additional possible applications of a modern AOI system equipped with 3D measurement technology. With additional integrated SPI software, the solder paste print can be inspected. SPI thus creates opportunities to avoid errors and optimize processes. AOI systems can also be used to detect design anomalies that make a stable process difficult, such as an asymmetrical distribution of copper, solder resist and placement pressure around the pads. Finally, the design has a decisive influence on quality. With little additional effort (OCR and trace software), AOI can also be used to track information from labeled components and enable the traceability of components. DFM (design for manufacturing) is extremely important. Detailed instructions to the customer derived from the AOI error distribution and classification can be used to initiate improvements. A combination of optical and X-ray inspection is recommended for the incoming goods inspection of PCBs, as internal defects can also be detected in this way. The quality of the PCBs can be permanently monitored and documented for selected tests. It also makes sense to check reballing BGAs on receipt of goods. A 3D AOI is carried out for this purpose.

High test coverage with limited test channels

Lukas Voigt, A. T.i. Software GmbH, explained how a board with 3200 nodes can be tested on an ATE test system with 1500 test channels using a combination of ICT and BST including ISP. The task was to test a PCB with dimensions of 410 x 300 mm and approx. 3200 nodes, of which approx. 2800 are contactable. The circuit board has approx. 3400 components, of which approx. 3100 are analog components, approx. 300 hybrid/digital components and 2 CPLD as well as 2 microcontrollers. The circuit diagram comprises 56 pages. The test requirements are unpowered and powered ICT, programming of the CPLD and μC as well as boundary scan test with Göpel and the use of the Teradyne TS121 test system with 1536 test channels and vacuum adapter. By forming test clusters at the ICT, access was reduced to approx. 1500 test channels. For this purpose, only one component from a housing was tested for value and the others for function, and the tester resources were expanded by using multiplexing relays. In addition, the test channels between the BS-capable components were eliminated. Lukas Voigt also explained how the programming was solved, how the adapter was designed and what happened during the commissioning of the complex system. This went quickly, as the test concept and the adapter design were flawless. Only three needles had to be added. A test coverage (without block condensers etc.) of > 95 % was achieved.

Line concepts for THT production

'The diversity of THT production - an outline of possible line concepts' was the topic of Christian Happ, haprotec GmbH. Starting with the objectives and considerations when planning a THT line, he used examples of process workstations and their integration into lines to demonstrate the variety of implementation options for manual THT assembly. For example, frames and masks in different weight classes can be handled and equipped with RFID. A simple THT production line with manual frame handling can be set up as a circulation system, possibly with a cooling tunnel and assembly lift (return transport under the outward transport to the soldering system). A circulation system can also be implemented as a closed system on one level with one transport direction. Fully automatic frame handling with lifting cross units for the workstations is also possible. Several soldering systems, an AOI system and an automatic test cell can also be integrated. Christian Happ also showed how a painting line and an appliance assembly line can be designed and explained details of special line units. These included the haproPLACE process workstation with the HUD assistance system. The head-up display shows all the information required for correct loading in the work area.

Integration of AOI systems in THT lines

In an online presentation, Stefan Kellner, Zollner Elektronik AG, presented what "More possibilities through networking - integration of AOI systems in THT lines" means in his company. The previous THT production concept comprised manual placement workstations with subsequent selective or wave soldering as well as offline AOI or 100% visual inspection. The new concept includes manual placement workstations with AOI for placement inspection before soldering, wave, selective or multiwave soldering with subsequent inline AOI for solder joint inspection with inline classification as well as traceability at component level. Stefan Kellner explained what is checked using AOI and what experiences have been made with it so far.

On the second day of the Test Convention 2020, there was a series of parallel workshops in which the topics were explored in greater depth and practical tips were given. The workshops took place on the premises of Göpel electronic. They were offered several times in order to keep the number of participants small, among other things. In addition, the seating was arranged in such a way that the minimum distance was ensured. This shows that a successful event is possible even in Corona times.