Flying Probe Circuit Testers | What To Know

A Flying Probe Circuit Tester is one of those pieces of technology that has passed the test of time. Invented to conduct electrical tests on Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) back in the 1980s, the Flying Probe Tester has evolved and is used as a test fixture in many industries today. Originally designed to quickly provide PCB board testing for circuitry completion, the technology has been adapted to work with newer PCB designs and configurations. Despite its longevity in the marketplace, Flying Probe Circuit Testers are as important today as they were 30 years ago. New developments in-circuit testing technology have extended the functional capabilities of Flying Probe Circuit Testers far beyond their original design and configuration. So what are some advantages of flying probe testing? 

What Does a Flying Probe Circuit Tester Do?

Testing circuit integrity on Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) was a laborious and difficult process to accomplish before the first Flying Probe Test design was introduced in 1985. PCB assembly and production needed a tool that could efficiently and accurately check the circuitry on a Printed Circuit Board. More importantly, the testing protocol had to be automated and it had to be high speed. By placing contacts onto individual circuit nodes and passing a mild electrical charge through the circuit, breaks, and other problems can be easily detected and corrected. For new designs and beta test units, a Flying Probe Circuit Tester can complete board testing much faster than manual testing can accomplish. Flying Probe Testers check for:

• Open circuits – broken or incomplete circuits are easily identified
• Shorts – improper circuit placement on the board layout resulting in a short
• Circuit Resistance – signal impedance and transmission strength
• Circuit Capacitance – ability to carry electrical current
• Component Orientation – proper location and prioritization of circuitry to board components

Flying Probe Advantages

• Designed to cover the widest range of developments for electronic test boards 
• Highest test coverage 

• Elimination of time and cost on fixturing 
• Easy integration for design changes
• Fast and Effective test program development & flexibility 
• Provides different testing solutions & new approaches for test systems 
• Precise measurement precision when testing
• Compliant with the industries 4.0 guidelines 

Flying Probe Testing Considerations

Flying Probe testing works best with limited volume production. High-volume production environments require faster automated test protocols than Flying Probe testing can provide. The test coverage can include test component operation if programmed to do so.  With the current technology available, a Flying Probe’s capabilities is only hindered by what you are willing to spend. The number of test points on a PCB that a Flying Probe system can check is only limited by the PCB design and angles needed to reach test points. For most PCB assembly manufacturers, the decision to use Flying Probe Circuit Testing is based upon the volume of units, costs for development, PCB design complexity, and lead time for development.

Flying Probe Circuit Tester Bottom Line

Electronic manufacturing couldn’t exist without Flying Probe Circuit Testing. New developments with Boundary Scan technology have altered the test protocol environment but the future for Flying Probe Circuit Testing looks as bright as ever. In the right circumstances and under the right conditions, a tester makes economic and productivity sense. For PCB designers, the cost savings of using testing over In-circuit testing is a huge advantage as well. Developing a test program is less difficult and takes less time and effort. For short lead-time, lower-budget, test coverage of PCB’s the technology behind flying Probe testing meets the need perfectly. From the beginning, Flying Probe Circuit Testing methodology has provided extremely accurate testing processes which is why it is still in use today.

For more information on Flying Probe Circuit Testing or other essential processes, reach out to an industry professional at Geospace Technologies. Get innovative engineering and manufacturing excellence for all your planning and production needs by reaching out to a knowledgeable representative today!