Abstract: A printed circuit board test fixture has both a vacuum chamber and a bed of nails. Holes through the body of the test fixture coincide with test points on the circuit board to be tested. The ends of spring-loaded probes in some of the holes protrude from the surface of the test fixture to form the bed of nails. Each end lines up with an associated test node on the printed circuit board. An external vacuum source evacuates air from the vacuum chamber within the test fixture, thus evacuating air from beneath the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is thus pulled against the bed of nails, the test probe ends contacting the test nodes on the printed circuit board.