Publication date: 13 May 2010
atg Luther & Maelzer GmbH, headquartered in Wertheim, Germany, is a global leader, supplying electrical test solutions for the bare printed circuit and package market for more than 30 years. atg-LM has sales and service facilities in every major region with manufacturing locations in Germany and China.
A. The backbone of the atg-LM flying prober line has always been the eight- and sixteen-head probe technology ― namely A5 and A6. Given the amount of high-speed probes under simultaneous test, no other flying prober can come close in speed and overall throughput. In fact, many customers are taking their universal grid fixture machines off-line because of the high level of capacity that the atg line addresses. Adding to the sheer throughput of the A-Series prober is test technique and reliability. At atg-LM, we always preach that speed and test reliability go hand-in-hand. All A-Series probers can be equipped with Micro Short Detection (MSD®), 4-Wire Kelvin and Latent Defect Detection (LA-test®). The latter test methods ensure that the customer can catch Micro Opens caused by laser drilling or plating errors (Figure 5). Additionally, LA-Test® gives the user the ability to catch premature field failures (at the bare board level), such as dish downs and mouse bites. As bare board densities increase, faults will become harder to find. With the A-Series flying probers, users are ensured industry leading speed and test confidence.
A. We are very excited about the S-Series line. We fully expect this to be a disruptive technology that will redefine high-speed flying probe testing. From a speed standpoint, we currently start at speeds exceeding well over 200 hits per second. Targeted for Q1 2011 release, we will see speeds over 400 hits per second, further placing the S-Series in a league of its own. Beyond pure speed, we can target pad sizes down to 25 µm and 50 µm pitch in 2-Wire.
The S-Series also can be ordered with 4-Wire Kelvin, which can target pad sizes down to 50 µm. Atg-LM’s Micro Needle (pictured) allows the lightest of touch down to 0.1 grams of force. We are confident that the-S Series will not only meet, but will exceed the stringent demands of the IC package industry. Additionally, the S-Series can also be ordered in multiple different configurations to suit the handling needs of the user. In figure 3, you can see a dual shuttle configuration while adding robot automation. The dual shuttle ensures mere seconds between changing of the UUT. The additional robot can automate the process, which can off-set increasing labor cost and potential human error. In all, the S-Series is truly an un-matched platform in the industry, and we are optimistic for a great future.
Some of the most advanced PCB technology is found in cell phone designs. A typical array (at final test) has three to six images. The LM800 allows the user to test all images in one cycle vs. our competition that can test only a single image. The LM800 has 35 mil spacing between grid points, which allows the machine to test the toughest HDI technology on the market at speeds up to 1,000 boards per hour. The universal fixture concept is a much more cost-effective solution in comparison to wired dedicated type fixtures. With existing LM800 installations in Korea, Taiwan and China, the platform is ripe for growth in 2010 and beyond.
A: As mentioned earlier, with increasing PCB complexity, faults will become better disguised; hereby, taxing the test methodology used for diagnosis. PCB faults found after shipment find there way back to the OEM, often coupled with sizeable financial penalties. As test is the last process before PCB shipment, it is most critical the test method employed is a “catch all” technique. We see the LM800 as the last line of defence, with the 4W technique acting as an insurance policy guarding against complex hard to find faults such as Mirco-Opens (5).
A. As we stand today, more than 50 percent of our total employee base resides in Asia. With 80 percent of the global PCB production based in Asia, we feel that it is paramount to have our largest employee base in the same region. Being local, our customers benefit with prompt time-to-market information and resources, while not suffering a delay due to time zone issues. During the remainder of 2010, we will continue to put heavy emphasis into increasing the talent and resource pool at all of our regional locations, namely Suzhou and Shenzhen, China, Taoyuan, Taiwan, as well as Korea and Japan.
A. With so many changes in the industry during 2009, we have been able to pull from the available talent pool to strengthen our team. I am very confident that we have some of the best people in the business working at atg-LM. We intend to take a deeper look into the industry and grow our existing relationships, while cultivating new ones. You will see a heavy emphasis on our applications support, where we will work with the customer to make sure their ET department is as efficient as possible. We will offer training sessions to further educate customers in getting optimal performance from our equipment, hence creating a more productive test floor, which can only make our customers stronger.
I want to take this opportunity to thank our customers and our partners. We are very excited for tomorrow and look forward to a great remainder of 2010.
