Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1524164
56 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2024 a selection of these tools, uni- form in overall shape but each having probes on one face matching a specific connec- tor on the backplane, while on the opposite side was a common interface to the test- ing machine. Using these tools, they were performing capacitance testing, shorts and opens test- ing and, by attaching a cam- era, they could check that all the pins were straight before plugging in the fix- ture. A digital multimeter enabled some com- ponent measurement, and they could even add a touch probe for making mechanical measure- ments. Together, this offered a versatile system for electrical, AOI, and mechanical testing of backplanes. e system was effectively future- proof because specific tools could be designed for specific tasks, even custom sockets for edge connectors. e equipment's adaptability and versatility continued to evolve over the next several years. Out-of-sight defects associated with press-fit compliant pins presented a further challenge, which was overcome with the development of an X-ray version. I commented that RoBAT appeared to be characterised by a lateral-thinking culture and a positive approach to progress: "at sounds like a good idea—let's do it." Nockton substantiated my observation, explaining, "We've always tried to maintain a certain structure that facilitates making those sorts of decisions and then moving quickly to develop the ideas into products." And what was the derivation of the RoBAT name? "Ro for robotic, B for backplane, A for automated, and T for testing—probably no longer appropriate as we move on." And move on he did with his review of RoBAT's history. Established in 2001, the com- pany shipped its first machine in 2003 to a UK customer, which happened to have a facility in China where another machine went the following year. is led to the establishment of RoBAT 's Chinese operation, now an extension of the UK man- ufac tur ing and s er v ic ing resource, and was the begin- ning of a service and support network in Asia and North America. Looking at the current product range, I remarked how extensive it was. Nock- ton reiterated that the footprint of their basic S1 backplane test machine was adaptable to several functions, and its variants constituted a popular ongoing part of the portfolio. But the catalyst for a new generation of test equipment has been RCI—robotic controlled imped- ance—released in 2013. A suggestion from one of the lateral thinkers: "We should be look- ing at TDR; maybe we could automate some- thing?"—led to the purchase of a pair of com- mercial TDR units and hooking them up to the robotic heads of the machine. (Note: TDR is time domain reflectometry, a technique used to determine the characteristics of electrical lines by observing reflected pulses.) e result was an automatic TDR machine for assembled backplanes, and the common interface was now composed of coax connec- tors. But a significant limitation was the length of the interconnecting cables, resulting in a considerable loss of resolution. Because each TDR unit has only two ports, testing a back- plane took a long time, and because the TDR unit was a big black box, it was not practica- ble to mount it on a head of the machine. So, RoBAT designed its own compact TDR units, eventually making them small enough to be mounted inside the robotic head, and with a much shorter interconnecting cable. Soon, three 8-port units could be mounted in one head, giving 24 ports, one per channel, with no Bruce Nockton