A method for testing printed circuit boards (20) in a test apparatus having a carrying apparatus for the printed circuit board (20) and having test modules for measuring physical variables of components (EB) and contact points (29) on the printed circuit board (20), in which the width of the printed circuit board (20) defines an X direction, its length defines a Y direction and its thickness defines a Z direction inside the test apparatus, reference points, the X, Y and Z positions of which relative to the carrying apparatus are known, are present on the printed circuit board (20) or outside the latter, the X and Y positions of the components (EB) and contact points (29) relative to the reference points are known, the measurement of the physical variables depends on an actual Z position of the printed circuit board at the X and Y positions of the component (EB) or contact point (29) to be measured, and the actual Z position of the printed circuit board at the X and Y positions of the component (EB) or contact point (29) to be measured is determined by means of an interpolation method starting from the X, Y and Z positions of selected reference points.

A probe structure for inspecting characteristics of a connector having at least one terminal includes a plunger, a coaxial probe, a flange, a housing, and a spring. A first end portion of the housing and the flange are configured to restrict rotation of the housing in the circumferential direction in a state in which the first end portion of the housing is fitted into the through-hole of the flange. Thus, inspection of characteristics of the terminal of the connector can be performed with higher accuracy.

A method for upgrading an automatic testing system includes electrically connecting at least one pogo pin attaching device to an expansion instrument and a pogo pin of a pogo pin interface of the automatic testing system wherein the pogo pin attaching device comprises at least one metal attaching member and at least one cable, each of said at least one cable having two opposite ends, a first end electrically connected to the metal attaching member and a second end electrically connected to the expansion instrument, and the metal attaching member attaches to the pogo pin. In response to operating the automatic testing system, electrically connecting the pogo pin to a subject so that a measurement path is established between the subject and the expansion instrument through the pogo pin attaching device, wherein the measurement path is configured to connect signals for upgrading the automatic testing system.

A system and methods are provided for robot-assisted, interactive testing of electronic circuits comprising a test fixture comprising a robotic arm, a probe, and a bracket configured to hold a unit-under-test, wherein the probe is configured to be mounted on the robotic arm and to perform a probe action, and a computer system communicatively connected to the test fixture and comprising a graphics display, a user input device. The computer system is configured to present on the graphics display a logic schematic of the unit-under-test, to receive a user selection of a target element shown on the logic schematic, to determine the corresponding physical location on the unit-under-test of said element, to move the probe to the physical location of the target element, by means of the robotic arm, and to perform one or more probe actions.

A probe head comprises a plate-shaped support including respective pluralities of guide holes, a plurality of contact probes being slidingly housed in the respective pluralities of guide holes and including at least a first group of contact probes being apt to carry only one type of signal chosen between ground and power supply signals, a conductive portion realized on the support and including a plurality of the guide holes housing the contact probes of the first group, and at least one filtering capacitor having at least one capacitor plate being electrically connected to the conductive portion, the conductive portion electrically connecting the contact probes of the first group.

The invention relates to a test needle for measuring electrically conductive layers in holes of printed circuit boards, as well as to a test probe equipped with such a test needle and to a flying probe tester for testing printed circuit boards equipped with such a test needle or such a test probe. The test needle has a capacitive measuring body, which is connected via a cable to a capacitive measuring device. The cable is shielded so that only the capacitive measuring body can form a capacitive coupling with other electrically conductive bodies. This makes it possible to determine this capacitive coupling with a high local resolution.

A test probe assembly for use in testing a semiconductor wafer includes a probe card, a plurality of test probes mounted to the probe card and one or more piezoelectric elements mounted to each test probe. The piezoelectric elements are configured to move respective probe ends of the individual test probes in at least one direction to facilitate realignment of the probe ends for semiconductor wafer testing.

Probe systems and methods are disclosed herein. The methods include directly measuring a distance between a first manipulated assembly and a second manipulated assembly, contacting first and second probes with first and second contact locations, providing a test signal to an electrical structure, and receiving a resultant signal from the electrical structure. The methods further include characterizing at least one of a probe system and the electrical structure based upon the distance. In one embodiment, the probe systems include a measurement device configured to directly measure a distance between a first manipulated assembly and a second manipulated assembly. In another embodiment, the probe systems include a probe head assembly including a platen, a manipulator operatively attached to the platen, a vector network analyzer (VNA) extender operatively attached to the manipulator, and a probe operatively attached to the VNA extender.

Customizable probe cards, probe systems including the same, and related methods. A customizable probe card for testing one or more devices under test (DUTs) comprises a support structure, one or more probe assemblies supporting respective probes, and a probe repositioning assembly. The probe repositioning assembly is configured to facilitate selective adjustment of an orientation of at least one probe relative to the support structure. In examples, a probe system comprises a chuck for supporting a substrate that includes one or more DUTs, a customizable probe card, and a probe card holder. In examples, methods of reconfiguring a customizable probe card comprise utilizing a probe repositioning assembly to reposition the respective probe of at least one probe assembly.

A method for upgrading an automatic testing system includes electrically connecting at least one pogo pin attaching device to an expansion instrument and a pogo pin of a pogo pin interface of the automatic testing system wherein the pogo pin attaching device comprises at least one metal attaching member and at least one cable having two ends electrically connected to the metal attaching member and the expansion instrument respectively, and the metal attaching member attaches to the pogo pin; and in response to operating the automatic testing system, electrically connecting the pogo pin to a subject so that a measurement path is established between the subject and the expansion instrument through the pogo pin attaching device wherein the measurement path is configured to connect signals for upgrading the automatic testing system.