NOFFZ Technologies presents its newest UTP platform member for board-level testing at electronica show in Munich. The ‘world’s leading trade fair and conference for electronics’ is the perfect place to launch the fully automatic board-level test fixture.

In 35 years of providing test and automation solutions, NOFFZ has successfully deployed hundreds of test systems. The test fixture is the piece of hardware that connects the test points/pins of the device under test (DUT) to the measurement instruments, e.g. digital multimeter. It is a key component of any test system and influences the reliability and the test time of the whole system. Many years of expertise have now been incorporated into the newest product launch: the test fixture UTP 5085 - which is part of the established NOFFZ Universal Tester Platform UTP.

Most importantly, the system has been designed to integrate seamlessly into fully robotized workflows while also providing a semi-automatic mode for human operators. In this way, the fully automatic board-level fixture offers the flexibility that every company in electronics production test needs. A company may not want to invest in full automation during a production ramp-up to delay large investments. The NOFFZ adapter can be easily used in manual operation mode during this phase. The same applies to the worst-case scenario of an automation system breakdown. The uptime of this new adapter is significantly increased by semi-automatic mode.

The footprint of a test system is always important. The design of the new adapter is stackable to ensure a minimal footprint when two or more fixtures are required. This also ensures modular maintenance and increased overall uptime in systems with multiple fixtures.

Nowadays, PCBAs are featuring extended height components like power electronics, inverters/converters or high-performance computers. Especially for applications in E-Mobility, infotainment, connectivity with high-power electronics and processing units this is very common. It is almost impossible to find an off-the-shelf fixture for this. The NOFFZ UTP 5085 can cope with 50 mm components without any compromises.

Comprehensive testing often requires double-side contacting. Designs like radio, navigation or telematics control units or electronic control units have multi layers and test pins or connectors (board to board or others) on all sides. The new adapter got that covered by up to 1,800 test point contacting from top and bottom. The maximum contacting force is specified to 1,800 N. The working area is up to 400 mm x 300 mm. So, panel or DUT PCB size can be easily up to 250 mm x 360 mm.

For efficient handling of low-volume, high-mix production the test fixture can be optionally equipped with exchangeable cassettes. Also, an RF enclosure can be added for enhanced performance if needed. For sure the cassette has additional space for components that need to be close to the DUT — up to a height of 80 mm. There is enough room for flashers, loads or switches close to the needles.

NOFFZ will offer multiple options for different DUT sizes and the adapter platform can be expanded to the customers needs for multi-DUT or full-panel testing, which ensures wide span of possible applications.

With the board-level adapter, NOFFZ has succeeded in expanding its product family of test fixtures with a valuable addition. Building on the success of the RF adapter for end-of-line testing UTP 5070, the company is now aggressively targeting the board-level testing and offering a complete test solution from a single source.

The test fixture is shown for the first time from November 12-15 at the electronica 2024 in Munich in hall A3 booth 418.