Case Study: Afore achieves high-throughput, low-cost motion sensor testing with National Instruments PXI-based ATE

Enabling Highly Effective Test Flows for Motion Sensor Test With PXI-Based ATE

The customer, Afore, faced the challenge of testing and calibrating microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors using new chip-scale-packaging technologies. The small size of these sensors made them difficult to handle with traditional pick-and-place test systems, as the processes were prone to damaging the devices and limiting throughput while facing constant pressure to reduce costs.

Vendor National Instruments provided a PXI-based test solution integrated into Afore's KRONOS wafer-level test handler. This system, featuring a digital pattern instrument and source measure unit managed by TestStand software, enabled direct testing of sensors on a film frame with real physical stimuli. The solution achieved a throughput exceeding 10,000 units per hour and reduced the test cost to below €0.005 per unit, allowing for high-volume, low-cost manufacturing of sensors for IoT applications.

Afore

Ari Kuukkala

Afore