Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1532052
28 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2025 ability testing, and the components are avail- able from Practical. e basic assembly-test- ing version is two layers and ver y afford- able. It can be combined with different UHDI stacks of inner layers to test fabrication mate- rials, processes, and technologies. It is cur- rently being integrated with the NSWC Crane UHDI inner layers, opening yet another opportunity to reduce lag time. In the traditional development cycles, PCBs and components are tested indi- vidually. Full assembly system testing happens much later in the game. As we create increasingly smaller structures within and on the PCB, they become more fragile and interdependent. By testing at the system level early on, we can learn important information to help us design the next generation of elec- tronics. For example, we may find a limit to the number of microvias that can be stacked under a ceramic chip or close to a copper plane, and then we may find ways to mitigate the risk of failure. We may find minimum offsets in staggered microvias, or the effects of density and location on reli- ability. We will have to understand the implica- tions of minimum spacing requirements, han- dling methods for thin "rigid" boards, and true machine capability.