YAMAICHI ELECTRONICS Deutschland GmbH

The contacting of highly complex and tiny subassemblies is increasingly becoming a challenge. This is where Yamaichi Electronics steps in with its new test fixture
Y-ETI. Thanks to its modular design it allows contacting of standard low-signal-quality applications to high-performance embedded solutions.

Ever smaller embedded assemblies with increasing packing density must have 100% secure functionality. Such a hardware cannot always be completely tested without external contacting, and one must resort to high-precision contact units.

Modular design for maximum flexibility

This is where Yamaichi comes in with its new test fixture Y-ETI. The Y-ETI provides the user with many new options for contacting and testing electrical assemblies - thanks to the modularity and flexibility of the design, everything is possible with only one test fixture.

The first variant of this robust and easy-to-use test fixture has a base of approx. 566 x 463 mm with a height of approx. 197 mm. Thus, the available work surface, i.e. the maximum size of a DUT (single assembly or multiple applications) is limited to approx. 270 x 270 mm. A total of up to 1020 connections are available, which can process up to 12.5Gbps signals in the standard version. The necessary impedance and signal runtime adjustment is ensured on the TAB (Test Application Board).

The main components of the test fixture consist of the basic box, the contact units and the extension box. The novel lever mechanism enables simple operation and horizontal or parallel contacting of the test sample, regardless of whether it has to be contacted only from one side or from the top and bottom in the sandwich method.

The connection to the respective test system environment is established through the extension box, which is docked to the back of the adapter through standard pylon interface blocks with 6 x 170 pins footprint. In contrast to most conventional test adapters, the extension box has the advantage that the Y-ETI is not bound to a test system.

Fine pitch or larger - the basic adapter remains the same

By selecting the possible contact unit - either through a cassette or the Test Application Board (TAB) - the smallest possible test pitch is selected. As a rule, in case of assemblies with a larger test pitch and uncritical signals, the conventional cassette is used. The signal wiring is done using standard ICT pins and a wire-wrap cable routing terminating on the back of the cassette on the standard 170-pin pylon interface blocks.

For applications with higher signal quality and Fine Pitch requirements, the Test Application Board (TAB) replaces the removable cassette. By using up to 0.2mm thin spring contacts, which are integrated in high-performance plastics, structures up to 0.25 mm test pad spacing can be realised. Yamaichi's fine pitch spring contact portfolio covers a wide range of requirements.

Y-ETI at a glance

In conclusion, the Y-ETI is the ideal solution for contacting a wide variety of electrical components. Whether it is high-performance signal quality, narrow test pitch, single or double-sided contacting - the modular and very flexible, yet robust and easy-to-use structure provides the user with all options using cassette or TAB contacting.

Once set up, the Y-ETI is not bound to a test system configuration, but can be easily adapted to other environment interfaces with little effort.

The New Generation Y-RED is a completely new further development of the Y-RED semiconductor test contactors and enlarges Yamaichi Electronics´ product range.

With the experience of designing full- and semi-customised test contactors over decades, the New Generation Y-RED combines the high-grade technology, standardised single parts and - as major highlight – the user-friendly mounting procedure.

The New Generation Y-RED starts with the standard hinged-type socket for evaluation and reliability applications, like HAST, HTOL and Burn-in. The socket can be equipped with spring probe pins starting from 0.3mm pitch. The operation temperature range is from -40°C to +150°C. The Y-RED sockets can be used for the packages LGA, QFN and BGA / (WL)CSP´s from sizes of 3x3 to 11x11mm.

New Socket Mounting Concept

A major development step is the new mounting technique. It simplifies the socket assembly work. Conventional sockets are mounted usually with screws, washers and nuts from the backside PCB. Sometimes this can be quite challenging. With the new generation Y-RED, Yamaichi Electronics introduces a mounting plate which includes already the screws. The mounting plate sticks to the backside of the PCB by press-fit or can be easily hold by hand.. Cap nuts are used to fix the socket from top. The mounting plate acts also as transportation safety plate and as stiffener together with the optional pusher.

Additional features are the spring-loaded pusher to compensate height tolerances of the device, as well as – a matter of course – the accurate device guiding.

The high standardisation of the milling parts allows short design and production times.

To overcome the market needs, Yamaichi Electronics plans future Y-RED sub-families for failure analysis, high performance with low inductance, HF/Coax and Kelvin sockets.

Yamaichi Electronics extends its product portfolio with spring loaded pins for larger pitches.

Yamaichi Electronics is well known for high precision in contacting fine and ultra-fine pitch devices from 0.25mm onwards.

To overcome the market needs in testing assembled PCBs, Yamaichi provides now also spring probe pins for the in-circuit test (ICT) with pitches of 2.54mm. With the help of in-house production, it is possible to manufacture nearly all geometric shapes. Currently, there is a range of more than 30 different plunger tips already available.

All pins are compatible with existing receptacles on the market.

Munich, February 2017 – Yamaichi Electronics has developed a new test adapter for the SMARC computer-on-module standard. It realises the perfect alignment of the contacts and allows for 100% contacting reliablity. Due to the use of spring probe pins very high contact cycles can be reached.

SMARC stands for Smart Mobility ARChitecture. It is a specification published by the Standardization Group for Embedded Technologies e.V. (SGET) for computer-on-modules (CoMs). Its advantage is the low power consumption of the modules due to the implemetation of ARM or other low-power processors.

Yamaichi Electronics´ SMARC test adapter is a performance controlled system according to the SGET SMARC specification. It is durable and highly reliable as a contact system. As it is volume test ready it can increase the test output considerably. Thus it reduces the cost per tested module. Furthermore its operation is easy and secure.

This test adapter within the YED900 series of Yamaichi Electronics´ test adapter series can be used for applications like

• evaluation bench tests and
• reliability tests from -50°C up to +150°C

The socket is designed with compression mount technology (CMT), therefore no soldering is needed. Selected materials like aircraft aluminum, PEEK and ceramic PEEK make the adapter robust. The test adapter can be used as “plug and play” suitable test vehicle.

Reliable Probe Pin Technology
SMARC modules have gold pads as contacting surface. The best contact technology for such surface areas are fine pitch probe pins. The pins, known from semiconductor testing, have a very long life time. The life time for the SMARC test adapter is specified up to 50k mechanical cycles.

For contacting the module pads, a conical type plunger tip is commonly used. By using such a tip it can be assured that only a very small witness mark is formed on the module contact pad. The fine-pitch pins are available for pitches starting from 0.3mm. There are also Kelvin type pins available.

FPC/FFC Test Sockets – Made in Germany

The new FPC/FFC test sockets from Yamaichi Electronics are developed and qualified in Munich and produced in its own production site in Frankfurt (Oder). This guarantees the fast implementation of all individual customer requirements. The high level of vertical integration enables top quality with short lead times.

Test without a trace
The probe pins only touch the material at a tiny point and only apply enough pressure to make a secure connection, but the material will not be deformed. The vertical placement of the pins causes no scratches, furrows or grooves and the Device under Test (DuT) leaves the test socket almost without trace.

From 0.3 mm Pitch
More and more contacts in less and less space require the highest degree of precision. Yamaichi Electronics specialises in high-precision test solutions and offers test sockets from a pitch of 0.3 mm in the highest material and production quality.

Best Materials
Yamaichi Electronics uses only high quality materials for its test sockets. The housings are made of PEEK and anodised aluminum. The individually tested probe pins are made of a beryllium copper alloy coated with nickel and gold. For special requirements also pins with other surfaces can be used.

Extremely durable
Yamaichi Electronics guarantees up to 50,000 mating cycles for each FPC/FFC test socket. The test sockets are adapted to the customer needs. Upon request, the right PCB is delivered as well.