Cost effective ICT Solution?

[matorger]

Hello All,

I am wondering if anyone has come across a cost effective ICT solution. I am looking to have small quantity's of boards assembled in China and I am going to make a bed of nails for the board. I am looking for cost effective (not NI prices) for cards or modules to interface with the bed of nails to read digital IO and Analog IO (Voltage and Current) and a Power supply. I want to be able to talk to these through Python to create test scripts. I have seen others use arduino's or a raspberry pi with sparkfun or adafruit boards to create test fixtures. I do not like this solution because those boards have no protections and the moment you end up with 12V on a 3.3V GPIO you have blown up your test fixture.

I am debating creating these modules myself but if there is already something out there that meets my requirements I would much rather not effectively start a whole product line of test gear.  I am needing more IO that what an Analog Discovery 3 can provide.

I am looking forward to hearing your ideas!

[48X24X48X]

Usually the PCBA company can do it for you. You just provide the electronics and software side while they design the mechanical part. I do this with a Raspberry Pi touch screen and custom PCB hat with everything enclosed and just wires to the pogo pins on the jig.

[Kean]

I usually design my own test jig electronics, and let the CM build the bed of nails.  I will build several of the test jig control PCBs to have some spares for my own testing, CM replacements, or to increase production capacity.

If you don't want to do your own electronics, and want something cheaper than NI, but more robust than an Arduino, maybe check out LabJack devices.  They offer some of their models in OEM version so you can integrate with your own PCB, and also have lots of different "LJTick" modules for different input/output requirements.

https://labjack.com/

There are also some "robust" Arduino-compatible or Raspberry Pi hat offerings that you could use for starting point.  These are typically aimed at industrial PLC-style applications.

[krish2487]

One more solution is to look for T&M equipment that is LXI enabled and write your python scripts to leverage SCPI functionality..
Of course, you could use GPIB, USB with SCPI as well.. it doesnt necessarily have to be ethernet enabled.

You can just look for the equipment you want, power supplies, electronic loads, system multimeters with acquisition cards and so on..
its not cheap.. but its not NI expensive.. but the advantage is that most of the equipment will be robust and can be repurposed or modified with  little to no hassle later..

[loki42]

I'm doing the lxi way with pyvisa.  Very easy and works well.  Using a measurement switch.  I thoroughly recommend the keithley ones if that's enough inputs.  Very easy to deal with. The key sight ones are good if you need more flexibility and they are often cheap second hand.  The TM fans aren't that keen on measurement switches. 

[Hanward]

 I think you are asking a function test, not ICT. we have a ICT machine, if customer want to do ICT test, just pay a nail bed,that's all. Sure,at beginning you have to degin test point for every circuit.