Make the right choices when purchasing or developing a PCBA test system for electronics and what is the influence of the PCB-design on the test coverage? 

During the production of electronics, it is important for a cost-efficient and high-quality end product, that inspections are carried out between each production and assembly step in the process. 

This is the only way to prevent production errors from accumulating during manufacturing and assembly and making the repair of these “production defects” at the end of the production line, a costly, time-consuming and complex matter. 

If the above basic rules have been met and your product has been handled with the greatest possible care (especially in regards to ESD safety), then the produced end product might still contain a small percentage of errors causing the product not to function properly. 

Unfortunately, most of these errors are very difficult to visually inspect, manual or automatic. This requires a different approach, namely, electrical functional testing of your product. 

During this presentation, Peter van Oostrom will discuss the following topics; 

1. Why do we test A newly assembled PCB? 
2. How important is a good design for a reliable production process? 
3. Which automatic testing methods are available? 
4. How does a modular functional testing system works, in the basics? 
5. The benefits of using a Mass Interconnect Interface. 
6. Pitfalls in developing a test system and the possible solutions. 
7. How do we make good and reliable contact between the DUT and the measuring electronics? 
8. Most important DFT (design for Test) guidelines that every developer should know. 

Insight into the situation in Europe with regard to the electronics market. New European circular legislation will come into force in 2024 at the earliest, which is mainly aimed at new producers: sustainability must be included in the production process from the design phase, with the idea that we will no longer use more raw materials, but less. Products in the EU, must therefore last longer, be easier to maintain and repair, and be made more energy efficient. The presentation will discuss developments surrounding this subject and the position of electronics companies in Europe and beyond. 

In light of the previous topic, the implications for the production of PCBs are discussed, where are the production companies in their preparations to comply with the new legislation and what topics have they encountered along the way? 

Dirk Stans, Eurocircuit

It is clearly visible that humanity is polluting its world, but less visible is the pollution in the electromagnetic (radio) spectrum. We all assume that guaranteed 4G connections are always possible everywhere, but electronics that are not properly designed can throw a major spanner in the works. Jos Kamer and André Canrinus introduce the participants to EMC and how EMC is important in the design of embedded systems. They do this with a lot of humor and practical and everyday examples. 

How do I design a PCB for maximum jamming, meaning no radio reception, flickering LED, and Bluetooth problems. Welcome to the wondrous world of disturbances (CE-EMC).

Jos Kamer en André Canrinus