Keysight Technologies Medalist Bead Probe Technology

Technical Overview An Ingenious, Yet Simple Method for Dramatically Improving Test Access

The Keysight Technologies, Inc. Medalist Bead Probe Technology is the industry’s first, fully researched, documented and proven technology for placing test targets directly on printed circuit board (PCB) signal traces. These beads then serve as highly reliable test points for use during in-circuit testing. This new technique dramatically improves in-circuit test access on high density and gigabit-speed boards, resulting in excellent fault coverage. And best of all, plac- ing bead probes on a PCB requires no changes to your existing SMT process.

Today’s Test Challenge: Smaller, Faster As PCB’s get increasingly smaller, the ability to provide test points for “Over 1.5 million in-circuit test becomes more difficult. Designs with high-speed buses also data points lead limit where test targets can be placed us to believe that on board layouts. Workarounds for these issues can often be time solder-bead consuming and costly, and sometimes simply not possible. probing is not only feasible in a high Unprecedented Access No access? No problem. Keysight volume production Bead probes are easily placed on has the solution. Test engineers can parallel traces with no re-routing environment, but now get the access they need for superior test coverage, even on the can be successfully most densely populated boards. In Use your current fact, numerous bead probes can be SMT processes implemented placed on multiple traces. Sit back and let your Keysight ICT tester select You can get started immediately without any the optimal bead locations for probing. with Keysight Medalist Bead Probe increase in cost It’s that easy. Technology because bead probes are placed on PCB’s using your existing or restrictions to No Signal Degradation; No solder mask and solder paste stencil Frustrating Layout Changes processes. Manufacturing printed cir- design flexibility” cuit boards with bead probes is easy PCB designers with be thrilled that and straightforward. And your other bead probes will not impact signal PCB development processes including – A major electronics OEM after integrity of the board design, even at EE CAD, layout, CAD translation, fix- evaluating Keysight Medalist gigabit-speeds. And life just got easier turing and ICT test creation are bead Bead Probe Technology for the layout engineer. Bead probes probe-ready. eliminate the need to re-route traces to accommodate bulky traditional test pads or test circuits.

Less debate between the test and layout departments means your products get to market faster.

2 The Keysight Medalist In-Circuit Test Advantage How It Works Bead probes can be placed on any PCB. But only the Keysight Medalist Bead probes are created during the PCB manufacturing process by 3070 and i5000 in-circuit testers give opening up the solder mask and exposing the copper trace wherever a you the most benefit from these addi- test point is desired. Once solder paste is applied along the trace and tional probing locations. For example, reflowed, it can be readily probed at in-circuit test with flat-headed Keysight’s fixturing software will (not pointed) probes. The probe’s spring force partially crushes the automatically optimize which beads bead, removing any residual flux residue and provides an excellent to probe to minimize the use of more surface for electrical contact. costly 39 and 50 mil probes, which means lower fixturing cost. But that’s By probing this way, the traditional test paradigm has been inverted! not all. Keysight in-circuit testers Instead of probing a large test pad with a small sharp probe, you can optimize probing locations to minimize now “probe” (with the bead probe) a large target: the flat headed board flex that could potentially probe in the fixture. You can now get excellent test coverage while damage the board assembly during conserving valuable PCB real estate by placing large “targets” in the ICT. Only Keysight provides an test fixture, not on your board. integrated fixturing solution that is bead probe-ready!

More probe options, not more probes You don’t need a larger tester to realize the many benefits of Keysight Medalist Bead Probe Technology. You get more probe location flexibility, and that will give you more access, reduce your costs and help you get products to market faster.

Get Started Today! Electronics manufacturers can obtain right-to-use licenses for Keysight Medalist Bead Probe Technology directly from Keysight. A copy of the Bead Probe Handbook: Successfully Implementing Keysight Medalist Bead Probes in Practice is included with each license. This comprehensive how-to guide developed by Key- sight details the procedures for the successful implementation of bead probes, and includes valuable guide- lines for the entire value added chain from board design, to layout, process, and in-circuit test. Keysight Medalist Bead Probe Technology is simple, reliable, and requires no changes to your existing SMT process.

For more information please visit, www.keysight.com/see/beadprobe Graphics Courtesy of Caber Contacts, LLC

3 04 | Keysight | Medalist Bead Probe Technology - Technical Overview

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This information is subject to change without notice. © Keysight Technologies, 2017 Published in USA, December 1, 2017 5989-5802EN www.keysight.com