Z-AXIS performs electronic testing for almost every board that we make.
Years ago, Z-AXIS didn’t test most of what we made. That’s not the case anymore. When you’re building boards that are used with life-saving medical devices, even a 98% success rate isn’t good enough.
Today, Z-AXIS tests almost every board that we make. What we build is more complex than ever before, but we have a 99.7% success rate. In part, that’s because we test boards multiple times to ensure quality.
Testing begins even before the boards arrive at our Phelps, New York manufacturing facility. We require our bare board suppliers to electrically test the ones that are fine-pitched or multi-layered.
At Z-AXIS, we then electrically test the components before we pick and place them. Ensuring we have the right reel prevents human error, and we sample the reel’s parts to avoid using incorrect components. These errors can be caused by the part manufacturer, the distributor, or in-house.
After pick-and-place, we use 3D AOI for board inspection. AOI, or automated optical inspection, shows us if parts are missing from pads. Because it’s 3D rather than 2D, our AOI also looks at solder joint shape.
Z-AXIS tests through-hole parts as well. Our radial inserter performs electrical testing, and we also test the parts we manually insert. Through-hole isn’t dead, and about 70% of our boards are mixed-technology.
For most boards, we build functional test fixtures. They’re better than using flying probes, which are labor-intensive, limited to large parts, and pose a risk of part damage.
Printed circuit board assemblies are most of what Z-AXIS makes, but we also provide full box builds that we functionally test with computerized fixtures. Red light / green light testing provides an example.
Finally, boards and box builds are subject to environmental stress screening. ESS, as it’s known, exposes electronics to accelerated stresses such as temperature cycling over several days.
Z-AXIS is proud of our 99.7% success rate, but we won’t be satisfied until we reach 100%. The pursuit of quality is a never-ending journey, but that’s what continuous improvement is all about.
Electronic Testing with a 99.7% Success Rate
Z-AXIS provides a rare combination of electronic design and manufacturing all under one roof. Let us know what you need.