Automating the Opening and Closing Mechanism of a Functional Test Fixture

Abstract: When producing printed circuit boards, end of line testing needs to be done to assure that as few faulty products as possible reach the customer. This can be done manually, but takes long time. By using a Functional Test fixture (FCT-fixture) it is possible to do the test faster and at a lower cost. A FCT-fixture is a fixture with a lid where the printed circuit board is placed. When the lid is closed needles are pressed on the printed circuit board’s test points which, in turn, connects to a computer performing several tests. Opening and closing the FCT-fixture automatically can save a lot of time and hence money in the end of line testing. Automating the opening and closing requires not only a solution for the opening and closing of the fixture, but also a solution for how to make the operation safe. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the safety standards relevant for such an automation, coming up with a design for the opening/closing and safety, choosing one design, implementing it and evaluating the results. The implemented solution automated all mechanisms except for closing. This was due to some miscalculations. One part of the solution was position measuring with an accelerometer. For the implemented solution the accelerometer was only used to determine the lid’s end positions, but the possibility to measure the continuous angle of the lid was tested and implemented with the purpose of evaluation for future use and further implementation continuously requiring the lid’s position. Implementing the safety solution was not done due to lack of time.