Cassette Fixtures

Main Features

• Quickly interchangeable probe plate
• Dual height as standard
• Large savings over standard fixtures

The Yelo cassette fixturing system provides robust, reliable bed of nails fixturing with significant cost savings compared to normal fixtures.

The central probe plate assembly quickly lifts out allowing one fixture cassette to be replaced. Thus a single cassette fixture system can be reconfigured for multiple PCBs. This reduces costs as one fixture system replaces a number of conventional fixtures. In addition the storage requirements are much reduced.

The Yelo cassette fixturing system is pneumatically operated removing the need for vacuum pumps. It features dual height operation as standard which means that all probes are connected during in-circuit tests, with only a reduced number during functional tests. This reduces the loading effects of probes and wiring. If this feature is not required, the fixture works as a conventional single height unit.

The cassette system is available with optional mains wiring included for testing products that require mains supply.

Yelo Cassette Fixture System Benefits

• Interchange fixture cassettes instead of fixtures to save costs
• Reduced storage requirements when products are not in production
• Dual height as standard to allow in-circuit and functional testing on one fixture
• Wired for 240 pins plus supplies
• Mains option for mains supplied products
• Easily interchangeable top hat to avoid adjusting pushers between products
• Option of smaller internal flop hat for one piece operation
• Interchangeable fixture cassettes feature a protective underside cover
• No vacuum required
• Available customised or as kits for in house drilling and wiring

Yelo Cassette Fixture Key Features

In bed of nails fixtures, a series of spring probes make contact with a PCB in order to provide test access. There are different types of fixtures including mechanical, vacuum and pneumatic, depending on the method of operation. Conventionally each new product will demand a new fixture, so on-going fixture costs can be very significant.

The Yelo cassette system allows a single fixture to be reused across many different PCBs. The key to this is a fixture cassette, in effect an interchangeable probe plate. This can be quickly removed and stored, requiring considerably less space than storing a full fixture. To ensure the probes and wiring are not damaged when out of the cassette system, the underneath of the fixture cassette is enclosed with protective sides.

The Yelo cassette fixtures have an open lid known as a top hat. The PCB is placed onto the probe plate above the probes which are withdrawn at this stage. The operator then shuts the top hat. The software actuates the pneumatics and the PCB is lowered to make contact with the probes. The top hat assembly is also designed for quick removal and is stored with the probe plate. This means that the pushers on the top hat can be left set up for the particular PCB allowing rapid reuse when needed. An optional smaller internal hat is available, known as flop hat, which is actually mounted onto the fixture cassette itself. This is convenient for certain applications and the flop hat and probe plate can not be separated and mixed with others.

There is no restriction on the probe count up to the limit of the cassette wiring, probe density or board shape. The standard dual height facility allows single test station to provide both in-circuit and functional testing. Pneumatic actuation determins whether all probes make contact for in-circuit testing or selected probes only for functional test. This reduces the adverse effect of probes and wires being connected to the PCB during critical functional testing.

The Yelo cassette system comes with 2 standard wiring options or can be provided with custom wiring or no wiring at all if required. The standard wiring provides 240 probes plus supplies and optionally full mains supply wiring can be added. This includes a controller to ensure zero voltage switching of the mains supply to avoid electrical interference to the test system.

The fixture can be operated from a standard factory compressed air supply and includes its own regulator and filter for added reliability.

Mindready (NI) have considerable experience in designing special to type fixturing such as acoustic, button pressing, mains powered or side entry connector probing. For further information contacts us at the address below.

Fixture size

• Width 570 mm including side handles
• Height 280 mm including top hat
• Depth 539 mm including rear connectors

PCB size

• Maximum size is 350 mm x 215 mm

Number of probes

• Prewired for 240 fully flexible probe connections
• Yelo system standard power supplies are also wired to the probe plate
• Optional full mains supply via isolating transformer and relays with zero voltage switching
• Custom wiring available up to 288 probes

Fixture options

• Available as kit for in-house drilling and wiring
• Full turnkey service available for completed fixtures ready to use
• Mains supply including isolating transformer, controlling relays and zero voltage switching
• Internal ‘flop hat’ which is a smaller top hat mounted on the actual fixture cassette instead of the main fixture
• Usage counter
• Shorting plate
• Probe size down to 0.050 inch
• Spare cassette plates and top hats available

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