About company
UNITES Systems a.s.
Kpt. Macha 1372
757 01 Valašské Meziříčí
Czech republic
T: +420 571 757 230
E: e-mail contacts
Testing as a Part of Quality Management
Testing of electronic assemblies today is not merely a control mechanism, but a key element integrated directly into manufacturing processes. It enables the detection of production defects and design errors before the product reaches the customer – significantly reducing the costs of warranty repairs, logistics, and potential brand reputation damage.
Reasons for Testing
1. Manufacturing defects are inevitable:
Despite a high level of automation, production processes are still prone to errors. Typical defects include:
- cold joints, short circuits, broken traces,
- missing or incorrectly placed components,
- defective or counterfeit parts.
2. Cost reduction through early detection:
The economics of testing is based on the principle “the sooner you catch a fault, the cheaper it is to fix.” Detecting defects immediately after assembly (inline) is significantly more cost-effective than later repairs in the service chain.
3. Ensuring compliance with standards and specifications:
In industries such as automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and defense, verifying the functionality and safety of components is a legal requirement.
Types of Testing
AOI (Automated Optical Inspection):
Automated visual inspection checks the placement and orientation of components, solder quality, and the presence of mechanical defects.
ICT (In-Circuit Test):
Used to test individual nodes in the circuit – for example, by measuring resistances, capacitances, voltage drops across PN junctions, etc. It uses dedicated test points and is fast and reliable.
FCT (Functional Test):
Verifies the behavior of the entire device under real or simulated operating conditions. It checks firmware functionality, I/O logic, and response to specific signals.
Challenges and Trends in Testing
- Miniaturization and complexity of circuits: leads to limited access to test points.
- Pinless testing (Boundary Scan, JTAG): enables internal functions of chips to be tested without physical access to all pins.
- Integration with MES and Industry 4.0: modern test stations communicate in real time with production systems, collecting and analyzing data for feedback and process improvement.
Conclusion: Testing as an Investment in Reliability
From the perspective of production engineering, testing is not just a cost, but an investment in quality. A well-designed testing process enables faster production, reduced scrap rates, and higher customer satisfaction.
Note: Testing does not replace proper design – but it helps identify errors that inevitably occur during design or manufacturing.