Vacuum system speeds production testing at CTS

To enhance its functional test procedures for back panels, CTS Corp has installed a central vacuum system at its High Blantyre (Glasgow) manufacturing plant.

To enhance its functional test procedures for back panels, CTS Corp has installed a central vacuum system at its High Blantyre (Glasgow) manufacturing plant.

CTS is a global manufacturer of back panels and back panel systems, with facilities throughout the USA, Europe and Asia, and its Glasgow plant is ISO 9001 and BABT approved.

Rietschle (UK) designed the turnkey system, using two 300m3/h capacity COVAC side channel vacuum pumps, piggyback mounted in a remote pump room.

From there, service ducts supply vacuum to a series of general multipoint automatic test equipment, maintaining the constant vacuum of 0.6bar required to clamp the boards under test.

Functional tests are carried out on all products, and where appropriate, bed of nails fixturing is designed to provide high throughput and improved test coverage.

The Rietschle vacuum system has replaced a compressed air installation, which previously supplied air-operated piston clamping systems on the ATE equipment.

CTS's facilities manager, Allan Ross, explains why the switch to vacuum clamping has achieved better results: "When multipin testing was introduced for larger boards, we were getting 'phantom' failures with the piston operated system.

Closure wasn't even, and the initial reject rates were a problem for us since our total quality programme means that we carry out product test and verification at all stages of product manufacture.

We have found vacuum clamping quicker and more efficient than using compressed air".

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