2. In-Circuit Test (ICT) Analysis
Josh Akman (Technical Staff – Mechanical Engineer)

3. REALLY COOL CASE STUDIES!
What is ICT?
ICT overview in Sherlock
REALLY COOL CASE STUDIES!
How is ICT tool useful for you?

4. What is In-Circuit Test (ICT)?
Tool to inspect for manufacturing defects
Test probes + support fixtures
Exerts a mechanical force at each probe/support
Can cause an overstress condition if there is excessive board flexure
Pad cratering, flex cracking
“Bed of Nails”
R. Reinosa, “Characterizing Mechanical Performance of Board Level Interconnects for In-Circuit Test,” International Test Conference (ITC), Austin, TX, November 2-4, 2010.

5. Evaluate risk of overstress Quickly compare design changes
Capacitor Flex Crack
ICT tool in Sherlock
Evaluate risk of overstress
Quickly compare design changes
Case Studies
Conventional ICT
4 Point Bending
Vertical Connector Insertion
Horizontal Connector Insertion
Pad Cratering

6. CONVENTIONAL ICT

7. CASE STUDY 1: CONVENTIONAL ICT Open circuit card layer viewer
Define your fixture supports + test probes
Circuit Card Layer Viewer
Test Probe
ICT Fixture
Test Probe

8. Define your fixture supports + test probes
Fixture Support Definition
Test Probe Definition

9. ICT Fixture Support vs Mount Points (look identical)
Support fixtures override mount points in ICT
Fixture Support Definition
Mount Point Definition
Mount Point
ICT Fixture

10. View deflections and boards level strains

11. Quickly assess risk of overstress from ICT or depaneling
Quickly change probe forces, support locations, or test probe locations

12. LIVE DEMO!

13. 4 POINT BENDING

14. CASE STUDY 2: 4-POINT BENDING
ICT fixtures – ‘z-only’ pin supports on bottom side
Test point – top side loading in displacement control
ICT Fixtures
Test Probes

15. Test probes and ICT fixtures can be imported CSV or XLSX files

16. Support pins + displacement control probes
Fixture Support Definition
Test Probe Definition

17. See which components are at risk of overstress

18. VERTICAL CONNECTOR INSERTION

19. CASE STUDY 3: VERTICAL CONNECTOR INSERTION
Test Points – concentrated loads applied at each pin
ICT Fixtures – corners (mount points)
Samtec
Connecter
ICT Fixture
Load control
4 [N/pin]

20. Define test points and fixtures

21. Resulting board level displacements and strains
Quickly iterate and compare results (i.e. insertion force, support locations)

22. Sherlock identifies critical components at risk of overstress
Four 2512 resistors near connector identified as marginally at risk for overstress 4[N/pin]

23. What if we change connector insertion force to 2[N/pin]?

24. HORIZONTAL CONNECTOR INSERTION

25. CASE STUDY 4: USB (HORIZONTAL) INSERTION
Ex: JAE USB C
P/N – DX07S024JJ3R1300
USB created as and attached as daughter card
Test points –applied to USB daughter card

26. USB modeled as a daughter card
Fixture supports – mother card at mount points
Test points – defined on USB daughter card
2[N/pin] and 5[N/pin] compared
Side view of USB
Test points

27. 2[N/pin] insertion force
Board level displacements and strains for each component

28. What happens if we switch to 5[N/pin] insertion force?

29. How is ICT tool useful for you? Time & Money vs. Accuracy
Ideal = Sufficiently Accurate + Least Resource Intensive

30. How is ICT tool useful for you?
Burn In/Test Every Unit vs. Batch Lot Testing
How may units will you manufacture?
Test Every Unit. Most accurate, resource intensive
Screens (ICT, Burn-in). Useful but may apply some initial damage
Batch testing. Less resource intensive/damaging but has more risk of missing manufacturing defects
Implementing Sherlock ICT tool is a strong complement to provide rapid feedback and reduce need of physical analysis
Fast Iterative Feedback. Results in minutes & hours, not days and weeks

31. Development Cycle Reduce Product How is ICT tool useful for you?
Virtual Qualification
Concept Validation. Rapidly compare and eliminate designs (i.e. reduce testing, physical sample analysis)
Design Validation. Connector insertion & placement, 3/4 point bending, PCBA mounting within your housing
Manufacturing. Assess ICT overstress risk, refine test probe forces, select ICT fixture supports, and assess depaneling
Development Cycle
Reduce Product

32. How is ICT Tool useful for you?
If you remember one thing
from this presentation!
What is ICT?
ICT overview in Sherlock
Really cool case studies
How is ICT Tool useful for you?
Rapidly compare designs and identify risk
Get accurate answers within your resource constraints
Reduce overall product development cycle

33. Questions?