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98 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2022 and features, and adapting to the volumes demanded by this everchanging audience thirsty for the next new breakthrough in tech- nology. But how are we doing this regarding electrical test (ET)? We are adapting. Automation is the key. ET is usually a final quality process prior to shipping. inking out of the box again has made the argument that test can and should be placed "in-line" during the manufacturing process. Just like AOI, ET can provide bene- ficial outcomes earlier in the manufacturing process, rather than just at the end. is can be very beneficial post-plating aer outer strip and etch, especially in the sequential lamina- tion process. Imagine being able to capture sample panels to be screened with a 4-wire Kel- vin test, for example, before returning them to the line. ink out of the box. I'm sure a pro- cess engineer just had an amazing idea. Defects can be found early and dispositioned before any further costly processes are done on the panel. Speaking of 4-wire Kelvin, evolution is making the incorporation of this popular test into fixture technology. Historically this has required on-bench testing or flying probe. Put- ting this test into the fixture arena is extremely beneficial with the volumes processed, espe- cially commercial products such as cellphones. Fixture technology is improving too. It has not gone by the way of the dodo. It is now possible to test down in the 20–35-micron range while incorporating the 4-wire test. Now, stepping back to AI. You likely cannot talk to your test machine (yet). You could, but your coworkers may look at you funny. It will not be in the too distant future where you will be able to. However, AI is alive and well in the AOI/AVI theatre. Although you cannot speak to the machines, they can learn from their activities and make beneficial decisions based on the criteria they have been told and results they obtain from their scans. is negates the extra time and eyeballing of nuisance false errors that just slow down the entire process. With the high-resolution CCD cameras, they do not tire and find anomalies that the human eye may miss. From my crystal ball, the evolutionary curve is still strong. Just like in the last 52 years since Apollo 13, we have seen amazing things. I pre- dict the future is just as bright and I think evo- lution will accelerate as our brilliant minds continue to collaborate, think outside the box, and make extraordinary discoveries in what was once just plain impossible. PCB007 Todd Kolmodin is VP of quality for Gardien Services USA and an expert in electrical test and reliability issues. To read past columns or contact Kolmodin, click here.