Modular Test Socket Packs for Diverse Device Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
System-level testing (SLT) systems face challenges in accommodating diverse device types with different form factors, electrical interfaces, thermal requirements, and physical interfaces, limiting their ability to efficiently test a wide range of devices simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A modular test system with configurable packs and pick-and-place automation that supports various device types by using test sockets with different pitches, thermal control systems, and ionized air supply, allowing for independent temperature control and precise placement of devices using advanced robotics and vision systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed configuration test system is used, then testing of specific device types can be performed with high precision, but the system cannot accommodate diverse device types with different form factors and interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The test system is divided into modular packs, each containing test sockets with specific configurations for different device types. Each pack is a self-contained module that can be independently configured, installed, and removed, allowing the system to adapt to diverse device types without redesigning the entire test system.
Solution Approach 2:
The test system employs universal test sockets that can accommodate multiple device types through configurable parameters such as pitch, form factor, electrical interfaces, and thermal requirements. A single test socket design can be reconfigured to test different devices, eliminating the need for completely separate test systems for each device type.
2Productivity
If multiple device types are tested simultaneously, then throughput is improved, but placement precision and thermal control become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
Each test socket is equipped with independent thermal control and placement mechanisms tailored to the specific requirements of the device being tested. The pick-and-place automation can adjust placement parameters individually for each socket, ensuring high precision even when multiple different device types are being tested simultaneously across different packs.
3Temperature
If thermal control is applied to all test sockets simultaneously, then thermal management is simplified, but individual temperature requirements of different devices cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal control system is designed to be dynamically configurable, allowing each test socket to operate at independently controlled temperatures. The system can adjust thermal parameters in real-time based on the specific requirements of each device under test, enabling simultaneous testing of devices with different thermal needs without requiring a completely separate thermal control system for each device type.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables simultaneous testing of multiple device types with different characteristics, improving throughput and precision while ensuring accurate placement and thermal management, thereby enhancing the efficiency and flexibility of the testing process.
Implementation Method 1
A thermoelectric cooler may be in thermal communication with, for example, in direct contact with, the DUT and the heat sink
Implementation Method 2
The coolant may flow through a heat exchanger that cools the coolant to a predetermined temperature
Implementation Method 3
The test system may include an ionized air supply and one or more fans to move ionized air from the ionized air supply over at least some of the test sockets
Data Source
AI summary
An example test system includes a test socket for testing a DUT, a lid for the test socket, and an actuator configured to force the lid onto the test socket and to remove the lid from the test socket. The actuator includes an upper arm to move the lid, an attachment mechanism connected to the upper arm to contact the lid, where the attachment mechanism is configured to allow the lid to float relative to the test socket to enable alignment between the lid and the test socket, and a lower arm to anchor the actuator to a board containing the test socket. The actuator is configured to move the upper arm linearly towards and away from the test socket and to rotate the upper arm towards and away from the test socket.