IC test handler provides reliability at high speeds

Seiko Epson Corp. has started accepting orders for its latest IC test handler that is capable of transporting, testing and sorting chips. The NS8040SH is equipped with Epson's Smart Motion Control, a unique robot control technology that allows small ICs to be handled reliably at high speeds.

Geared for smartphone manufacturers, the NS8040SH has kept the same basic features as its predecessor, the NS8040, but gives users even more flexibility when it comes to building a test environment. This additional flexibility comes, in part, by increasing the standard contact force exerted when plugging ICs into test sockets to 1,200N, which allows the handler to accommodate ICs with higher pin counts. Moreover, the handler can be configured to transport ICs in both inline 4-site test mode, a mode in which four ICs are simultaneously tested in parallel, and square 4-site test mode, a mode in which four ICs are arranged in a 2 x 2 configuration for simultaneous testing. It can also be upgraded to 8-site test mode, a mode in which eight ICs are simultaneously tested.

IC test handlers are used in combination with other test equipment in IC inspection processes. They transport ICs to the test equipment for final performance testing and then sort the tested chips into "passed," "failed" or other appropriate bins according to appearance, electrical characteristics, or other user-defined criteria. The NS8040SH can handle a variety of packages and pin counts. It is also capable of operating under different test conditions, such as under ambient temperature or high temperature. Inside the handlers are sophisticated robots that transport the devices under test. These robots require highly advanced control to precisely synchronise their movements, detailed the company.