Modernizing precision measurement in automated test equipment (ATE) systems

Today’s semiconductor chips and electronic systems are far more complex than they were 30 years ago. However, many labs still operate automated test equipment (ATE) that is decades old and not designed for the production standards of today’s manufacturing environments.

Teams optimize their products and systems around measurement results. If you rely on legacy test equipment for research and development (R&D), quality control, or calibration, you may be missing out on the accuracy and reliability needed to increase yield or work with new types of products.

Modernizing automated test equipment sets you up with a new standard of precision to stay competitive in the fast-changing world of electronics. It also lowers risk, improves test throughput, and gives your team the ability to scale.

But upgrading requires more than just buying the newest tools and software. Knowing how modern precision measurement devices will fit into your existing ATE system and what features will give you the best return on investment (ROI) matters for compatibility and results. Here, we’ll walk you through what you need to know about ATE modernization and how to choose the best precision measurement tools for today’s manufacturing environments.

What makes new ATE systems different from legacy equipment?

As electronics have grown more complicated, so has test architecture. Modern ATE systems are entire networks of equipment that work together to streamline the test and measurement process. While you may have worked with a single automated test device in the past, today’s ATE systems rely on multifaceted hardware and software working together to automate testing, capture data, and speed up workflows.

Modern ATE systems often feature:

• Fast performance due to modern hardware and software capabilities
• Intuitive interfaces designed to be easy for new and experienced technicians to use
• Higher precision from tools with low-noise and high-resolution measurement capabilities
• More integrations with software applications to augment capabilities and track data
• Diverse functionality to work with a broad range of electronic equipment
• Seamless data capture with internal storage systems and cloud-based connectivity
• Better compliance with modern industry standards and regulations
• Modern safety features to keep technicians safe from accidents and minimize mistakes

Legacy ATE systems will eventually reach the limit of their functionality as newer and more complex electronics hit the market. That’s why it’s a good idea to plan for an ATE upgrade now, especially if your core lab equipment is reaching the 30- or 40-year-old mark or approaching end-of-life (EOL) support.

Oftentimes, the first step to ATE modernization is determining the return on investment of new equipment. Get the Fluke guide to finding the ROI of an ATE upgrade here.

The good news is that most teams don’t upgrade their ATE systems all at once. It’s a gradual process, one that requires careful research and planning, and can be done in several phases.

How to prepare for an ATE upgrade

The first step to prepare for an ATE upgrade is to take stock of your current system. Where are the bottlenecks in your workflow? How efficient and intuitive do staff members find the current lab setup? Gather insight to get a sense of how well things work for both new and experienced lab staff.

After recording observations about the current setup, define the outcomes you want from the ATE upgrade. Improvements in throughput, test speed, equipment capabilities, or data collection are common targets for modernization. Setting goals helps guide priorities when choosing new equipment.

Once you have a sense of what the upgrade should accomplish, research equipment to find the most aligned solutions. Note that many ATE upgrades happen in phases: you may start by upgrading hardware first, then software, or vice versa. Choose a starting place that makes the most sense for your operation in terms of time-sensitivity or budget availability.

Then, purchase small quantities of the desired equipment and start a pilot program. Testing out new ATE equipment on a smaller scale helps determine if it will work well with larger, organization-wide systems. It’s important to choose tools that can integrate with older architecture to support a gradual upgrade while still offering modern advantages.

Iteration is key to getting out of the pilot phase. Keep testing and tweaking the setup until it works well enough to see results on a smaller scale. Then, once you’ve gathered enough data, make plans to implement ATE upgrades across the entire organization. Build new training documentation for staff to start using the equipment as soon as it’s installed.

Most ATE modernization plans can take months to years of careful preparation. That’s why it’s important to start planning now, so that you can start to see results as soon as possible.

Finding the right equipment: getting specific

After setting goals for your ATE upgrade, you should have a good idea of the functions and features you need from new automated test equipment. However, there are some specifications that matter for almost every ATE upgrade when replacing critical hardware. That’s because they are instrumental in supporting higher throughput, yield, compliance, and more.

Long-scale digital multimeters (DMMs) are at the heart of automated test equipment systems. We’ll use them as an example to explain how the following specs can make a difference:

• Resolution: This is a measure of the level of detail an instrument can display in a single reading. A high-resolution multimeter, for example, often takes more detailed measurements than a legacy DMM. With it, teams get a higher level of precision and measurement confidence, which supports better compliance and reduces the need to re-test equipment.
• Noise: During testing, equipment can pick up on extraneous signals from nearby electronics. These signals are called noise and can cause uncertainty in final measurements. However, modern DMMs and other automated test equipment are designed to filter out noise, making it easier to trust that the results of a test are not contaminated by outside sources.
• Stability: Instrument stability indicates the length of time that a device maintains its manufacturer-specified level of accuracy. Better stability in new ATE hardware means your team can take measurements for longer without worrying about a drop in accuracy. This consistency makes it easier to push through large test volumes and increase throughput, knowing that the final measurements will be reliable.
• Accuracy: Measurement accuracy, or the maximum allowable error that a device can make, is of utmost importance for test reliability. High accuracy means you can place more trust in measurement results and make important decisions around them. However, precision might actually matter more than accuracy alone when determining the reliability of a new ATE system.

Beyond accurate. Precise.

When planning an ATE upgrade, precision is one of the most important factors to consider in a new measurement device. But an instrument’s spec sheet won’t show precision listed as a single factor like accuracy. Rather, it is defined by several specs, such as resolution, noise, and stability.

Precision is also known as repeatability. It indicates that a device can repeat a measurement with the same parameters and get the same result every time. When you know that measurements will be consistent, you can decrease system-level uncertainty and boost throughput.

Making integration simpler

ATE modernization is a complex process that requires careful planning and slow progress toward a newer, better test workflow. When you have a sense of what you want to accomplish through an upgrade, you’re better equipped to locate ATE hardware and software that can help you get the job done.

Keep an eye out for equipment that can serve as a bridge between your old and new ATE systems. Long-scale DMMs like the Fluke 8588A Reference Multimeter come with an emulation mode that supports the remote command sets of legacy multimeters like the Fluke 8508A and Keysight 3458A. It easily slots into legacy workflows and can give your team instant functionality to work with the DMM as you slowly upgrade surrounding hardware and accessories.