Abstract: Illustrative embodiments disclosed herein pertain to a testing apparatus for performing in-circuit tests upon a printed circuit board assembly. Each of these tests may require the use of a set of probes arranged in a customized layout. This is traditionally accomplished by using a set of predefined probe plates, some or all of which may include probes that are either redundant or duplicated amongst the various probe plates, thereby introducing an undesirable cost penalty. A testing apparatus in accordance with the disclosure incorporates a configurable probe fixture that includes a docking plate configured to support a first set of probe modules for carrying out a first test upon a printed circuit board assembly. Some or all of the probe modules can then be selectively removed or replaced by other probe modules for reconfiguring the testing apparatus to carry out other tests upon the printed circuit board assembly.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments disclosed herein pertain to a capacitive coupler that is custom fabricated to provide shape conformability with a component under test. The shape conformability allows the capacitive coupler to provide a high level of capacitive coupling between an electrode in the capacitive coupler and a metal part contained in the component. The electrode in the capacitive coupler has one or more characteristics such as a shape and an orientation, that are defined by utilizing the metal part as a template during fabrication of the capacitive coupler. In one exemplary embodiment, the electrode in the capacitive coupler has a form factor that substantially matches a form factor of the metal part contained in the component. In another exemplary embodiment, the metal part is oriented at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to a major surface of a printed circuit board upon which the component is mounted.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments disclosed herein pertain to a testing apparatus for performing in-circuit tests upon a printed circuit board assembly. Each of these tests may require the use of a set of probes arranged in a customized layout. This is traditionally accomplished by using a set of predefined probe plates, some or all of which may include probes that are either redundant or duplicated amongst the various probe plates, thereby introducing an undesirable cost penalty. A testing apparatus in accordance with the disclosure incorporates a configurable probe fixture that includes a docking plate configured to support a first set of probe modules for carrying out a first test upon a printed circuit board assembly. Some or all of the probe modules can then be selectively removed or replaced by other probe modules for reconfiguring the testing apparatus to carry out other tests upon the printed circuit board assembly.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments disclosed herein pertain to a capacitive coupler that is custom fabricated to provide shape conformability with a component under test. The shape conformability allows the capacitive coupler to provide a high level of capacitive coupling between an electrode in the capacitive coupler and a metal part contained in the component. The electrode in the capacitive coupler has one or more characteristics such as a shape and an orientation, that are defined by utilizing the metal part as a template during fabrication of the capacitive coupler. In one exemplary embodiment, the electrode in the capacitive coupler has a form factor that substantially matches a form factor of the metal part contained in the component. In another exemplary embodiment, the metal part is oriented at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to a major surface of a printed circuit board upon which the component is mounted.