Design of an automated equipment with interchangeable modules for electronic board testing

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Campilho R. D., Neves D., Silva F., Durão L., Munir M., Kirgiz M. S.

MECHANICS BASED DESIGN OF STRUCTURES AND MACHINES, cilt.55, ss.1-14, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

• Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
• Cilt numarası: 55
• Basım Tarihi: 2026
• Dergi Adı: MECHANICS BASED DESIGN OF STRUCTURES AND MACHINES
• Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Compendex, INSPEC, DIALNET
• Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-14
• İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Adresli: Evet

Özet

Abstract

The automotive industry plays a crucial role in the global economy, by job creation, economic development and technological advancements. Due to the competitiveness in the automotive sector, companies constantly need to adopt technological innovations and automation to remain competitive in the global market. Automated electrical testing of printed circuit boards (PCB) guarantees the reliability and performance of automotive systems. This work aims to develop a new modular PCB testing equipment, including the mechanical design, the construction of the prototype, and the cost ana lysis. The machine must operate autonomously in PCB production lines after the completion of component assembly, being capable of receiving different modules to enable in-circuit tests or functional tests on various PCBs. The construction of the machine consists of three main elements: a transport system (conveyor), a pressing system, and the interchangeable modules, containing the needle matrix, to provide the necessary flexibility to test dif ferent PCBs. The project followed the Design Science Research (DSR) meth odology, and it was successfully completed and validated by the welcoming company. The financial analysis performed on the prototype of the test machine predicted a profit margin on sales between 79.6% and 169.4%.

Keywords: Mechanical design; Automotive industry; Process automation; Electrical testing of PCBs.