Automatic Test Equipment
Automatic Test Equipment Design
Spark Product Innovation designs and builds custom Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) for production, End-of-Line (EOL), validation and functional testing. Systems can range from compact manually operated test fixtures through to fully automated industrial test platforms.
Our engineers combine test instrumentation, custom electronics, control software, mechanical fixtures and production interfaces into complete systems designed around the product and the required test process.
Automated Test & End-of-Line Systems
Production test equipment needs to deliver consistent measurements, repeatable sequencing and clear pass/fail decisions while remaining practical for operators and manufacturing environments.
Our automated test equipment can incorporate:
- Programmable AC and DC input power generation.
- Dynamic AC and DC electronic loads.
- Low and high frequency signal generation.
- Voltage, current and signal measurement.
- Sensor and actuator simulation.
- Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing and simulation.
- CAN, RS-485, RS-232, I²C, Ethernet, GPIB and custom communications.
- Electrical regenerative load systems.
- Environmental and elevated-temperature test integration.
19-Inch Rack Industrial Test Systems
For higher-power or more complex applications, Spark can integrate the complete test architecture into industrial 19-inch rack enclosures. This provides a structured platform for programmable power, measurement equipment, switching, control electronics, communications and safety systems.
Rack-based systems can be designed as complete production assets rather than collections of individual instruments, with equipment layout, interconnection, cooling, service access and operator safety considered as part of the overall design.
Production Fixtures, Mass Interconnects & Bed-of-Nails Testing
The interface between the tester and the product is critical to achieving fast, reliable and repeatable production testing. Spark can design custom test fixtures, removable product interfaces and bed-of-nails systems around the mechanical and electrical requirements of the Device Under Test.
Mass interconnect systems provide a robust method of routing power, measurement, communication and control signals between the core test equipment and a product-specific fixture.
Modular fixture designs allow a common test platform to support multiple product variants while keeping product-specific wiring and tooling contained within removable interfaces. Bed-of-nails and pogo-pin fixtures can also provide rapid access to PCB test points for programming, functional testing and production validation.
Modular Test, Measurement & Automated Control Hardware
Where appropriate, systems can be built around modular test and measurement platforms such as PXI and PXIe together with programmable bench and rack instrumentation. This allows the test architecture to be expanded or reconfigured as products and test requirements evolve.
Measurement & Acquisition
DMMs, oscilloscopes, DAQ hardware, frequency measurement, analogue acquisition and application-specific measurement interfaces.
Programmable Power & Loads
Programmable AC/DC sources, electronic loads and regenerative systems for controlled electrical testing under changing operating conditions.
Switching & Routing
Relay matrices, multiplexers, mass interconnect systems and automated routing of measurement, power and communication signals.
Control & Automation
PXI/PXIe and modular instrumentation from platforms such as NI, Keysight and Pickering Interfaces, integrated with custom test software and product-specific hardware.
Case Study: 11kVA End-of-Line Motor Drive Test System
Spark developed a turnkey automated End-of-Line test system for 3-phase motor drives rated up to 450V and 11kVA.
The system combines PXI-based control, programmable AC power, automated measurement, custom load-side magnetics and an 11kVA regenerative AC load within a unified 19-inch rack system.
A modular pneumatic docking fixture provides a repeatable electrical and mechanical connection to the product, allowing multiple drive variants to be tested using the same core test platform.
View Full Case Study
Why Automate Production Testing?
A well-designed test system can improve both manufacturing efficiency and the consistency of the data used to determine whether a product is ready to ship.
Automatic Test Equipment FAQs
Common questions about automated production testing, fixtures and End-of-Line test systems.
What is Automatic Test Equipment?
Automatic Test Equipment, or ATE, combines instrumentation, switching, control software and product interfaces to perform repeatable electrical and functional tests with minimal operator intervention.
Can Spark build complete End-of-Line production test systems?
Yes. We can develop the complete system including instrumentation, programmable power, switching, communications, custom electronics, control software, mechanical fixtures and product interfaces.
Can one test system support several product variants?
Yes. A common core tester can be combined with interchangeable fixtures or mass-interconnect interfaces so that product-specific connections can be changed without rebuilding the complete test system.
Can you integrate existing test instruments into a new system?
Yes. Existing instruments can often be incorporated alongside new hardware where they remain suitable for the measurement, control and automation requirements of the system.
Do you support CAN bus and other communications during automated testing?
Yes. Test systems can communicate with the product using interfaces including CAN, RS-485, RS-232, I²C, Ethernet, GPIB and other application-specific communication protocols.
Discuss Your Automated Test Requirement
Whether you need a complete End-of-Line production tester, a custom bed-of-nails fixture or additional automation around an existing test process, Spark Product Innovation can develop a system around your product and manufacturing requirements.
Contact Spark Product Innovation