Automated Test & Alignment System For Telecom Applications

Automated Test & Alignment System for Telecom Applications
APPLICATION NOTE
High Speed Production Line Modular Design Test and Alignment Dedicated GSM/DECT Test Equipment Easy Change Over Faraday Cage HF-Shielding Experience Paperless Repair
EXPERTS IN FACTORY AUTOMATION

This Application Note describes a solution for automated testing of a mobile phone. It is a fully automated test and alignment system used in telecom applications such as GSM, handsets and other telecom-related areas. IPTE provides an automated solution for major manufacturers in the Cell Phone Technology market. IPTE designed the required equipment and delivered a tailor-made solution, resulting in the delivery of an automated test and alignment line for a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) cellular telephone set. IPTE has been involved in the testing and automation business for many years and drew on this experience and knowledge to deliver a hightech, state of the art test solution. It permits the customer to manufacture todays innovative GSM solutions with the highest guaranteed quality level available. Aspects of miniaturization, thin PCB material and high frequency shielding are all incorporated into the handler and fixture design. It resulted in a solution that permits the use of multiple applications as required by the rapidly changing market demand in the telecom area. All productrelated test equipment is located in an easily exchanged fixture while common state-of-the-art test equipment is maintained in the basic test cell and re-used for multiple applications. The automation concept offers a complete range of test and alignment capabilities necessary for GSM and other telecom boards. Boards can be powered up for a complete test and alignment including implementation of an RF-shielded test if necessary.
Mobile Phones
Todays mass volume market, typical for telecommunications products, requires up-to-date solutions. Product lifetime is much shorter, making Time-to-Market a key criteria. IPTEs production solutions are developed to provide the required flexibility to meet these demands. Due to the very high production rates required for these types of products it is also critical to minimize PCB handling time. A PCB exchange time of less than 3 seconds enables production line output of 15 seconds or less, depending on the test time. Because of this short product life and frequent changeovers, product-specific fixtures must be finished with minimal fixed cost and within the shortest possible time. The test program development kit must also enable the introduction of new measurements on the fly. Product design changes also will impact the test program. The test executive supplied by IPTE offers easy solutions to adapt the test program, satisfying these requirements.
MINIATURIZATION
All Mobile Phones are designed according to customers needs: lightweight, small size and maximum usability (including extra functions such as organizer and calculator functions), which target the end-users needs. This drives the need for miniaturization leading to thin PCBs, smaller (and fewer) test pads and migration of some of the test from the ICT area to Vision or Functional Testing. In designing automated test solutions, IPTE takes all these testing philosophies and needs into consideration, providing a system to meet the specific needs of the customer. Boards as thin as 0.5mm can be transported and tested and test pads as small as 0.5 mm in diameter can be reliably contacted. Smaller pads can be accommodated with special fixturing considerations. RF connections and PCMCIA connectors are electrically verified without damaging the connectors contact points.

TEST TECHNOLOGY
The test system is based on the best test instrumentation available to meet the needs of the user. Test equipment from the major suppliers (Fluke, HP, Panasonic, Rhode & Shwarz, etc.) can be integrated into the system and controlled with the National Instruments LabWindows/CVI test executive. The above instruments are combined with the required DUT electronics (application dependent) to achieve the optimum test instrumentation set. The DUT electronics are used to maintain the highest possible signal integrity at the fixture level and improve the measurement accuracy. The test instrumentation has also been designed to integrate automated alignment, using hardware and specially designed software algorithms.
FARADAY CAGE
The Faraday Cage is used as an Electro-Magnetic Disturbance Shield during the production test. The primary uses commonly include EMI/RFI shielding for emissions and immunity, Grounding and/or Electrostatic Discharge. The Faraday cage is manufactured of engineered, high strength materials that provide for high electrical conductivity and exceptional shielding. The self-aligning box is made of brass, meeting the most common alloy and design expectations of todays engineers. The spring design is engineered to minimize compression forces and maximize resistance to relaxation while still providing ample deflection ranges. High levels of RF attenuation, ease of installation, and a variety of configurations are available to meet most requirements. The design of the Faraday Cage allows shielded wiring to be fed into the shielded area without disturbing the characteristics of the Faraday cage. The system is easy to use and no extra feed-through connectors are required for your wiring. In addition to the extensive IPTE standard product line, special modifications or custom-designed items will be engineered and produced to meet special requirements.
ATS-800
The software platform ATS-800 is based on LabWindows/CVI using the National Instruments Test Executive, which has been enlarged to include several extra functions, required for high-speed, in-line testing. These functions are unique to automation of PCB test and have been developed based on experience gained from providing solutions for common problems found in the automation area. These extra functions include multiple DUT-handling, automatic product identification, communication with the IPTE ITS-FA board handler and others.

PARALLEL LINE
A parallel line is used to match the cycle times of the In-Circuit test area and the functional test area or when multiple testers are required to meet the cycle rate desired, such as a 1-minute test time and a 15 second production rate is needed. This would require implementation of 5 testers to meet the desired rate, with handling time, falloff and retest time all included. The functional test handlers are placed in parallel, allowing each of them to completely test one board. A PCB Line Controller is used to define the flow of each individual DUT in the line. The line controller selects the destination based on the availability of the other test cells in the line and routes the PCB to the most appropriate test cell. The Line Controller also controls the flow of failed PCBs to the repair location.
REPAIR
Two areas must be addressed to meet the repair requirements. One is routing of the failed PCB to the repair area. This is handled in multiple ways using equipment manufactured by IPTE and configured to meet the specific repair system philosophy developed in partnership with the customer. The second part of the repair system is definition of the defect for repair by an operator. A repair station (GRS) is used to collect all failed measurement data from the testers. A bar code reader is used at the tester to identify the board and to link this identification to the measurement data on the repair station. This data is then presented to the repair operator by reading the bar-code, wherever the repair operators are located. This system also provides for storage of the feedback from the repair operator for future reference.
EUROPE
IPTE n.v. Industriezone 9 Geleenlaan 5 3600 Genk Belgium Tel.: +32 (0)89 623 000 Fax.: +32 (0)89 623 010 email: info@ipte.com
AMERICAS
IPTE, LLC 1235 Old Alpharetta Road Suite 110 Alpharetta, GA 30005 USA Tel.: +1-770-360 5523 Fax.: +1-770-360 9105 email: info@ipte.com
ASIA PACIFIC
IPTE Asia Pacific Pte Ltd 10 Bukit Batok Cresent #07-07 The Spire Singapore 658079 Tel.: +65 6274 4688 Fax.: +65 6274 4088 email: info@ipte.com
DOC.F00004.3, Mobile Phone, 17-07-2003 IPTE - Specifications can be changed without notice
www.ipte.com

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Automated Test & Alignment System for Telecom Applications

EXPERTS IN FACTORY AUTOMATION