Knowledge Base
The Gardien Group is a global supplier of Quality Assurance products and services. Although the first thought about Gardien is Electrical Test, this is a misnomer as Gardien provides much more than just Electrical Test. We, of course, provide Electrical Test but we also provide other services as well. Let’s take a look at a brief overview of what Gardien can provide.
CAM Tooling
Gardien’s CAM tooling system (UCAM) provides the backbone of our services architecture. From our Central CAM Centres we provide all the necessary programs and support data to our individual Service Centres. This includes programs to drive the Flying Probes, Fixture Testers, AOI and AVI equipment, as well as Fault Identification Stations and enhanced test solutions. We can accept most if not all outputs from your Front-End systems (Gerber, ODB++, 274X, Mentor, etc.) One of the advantages of sending your data with an IPC356 Net is that we compare our generated net with your IPC net. This provides a double check of the design and can identify discrepancies on either side. The Gardien systems rasterize the data so minute track breaks or clearance violations can be found that can be hidden by photo imaging. This is one of the main causes of netlist failures that can go undetected.
In the Electrical Test Theatre, Gardien can provide a wide range of options. If you have an internal test department, we can provide fixture solutions, flying probe solutions and a range of optional test scenarios as well. Further, if you have Gardien equipment, many of the test solutions can be combined into one test program. As with standard electrical test for opens and shorts, Gardien provides solutions for testing dielectrict withstanding (HiPot), Buried Passives such as resistor and capacitance, High resolution resistance testing (4-Wire Kelvin), Insulation Testing (IR), and now even inductance (Coils.) A nicely equipped Flying Probe provided by Gardien can perform all these tests from one single program. No need for multiple programs, fixtures and unnecessary steps that can introduce challenges and possible escapes.
Fixturing services have come a long way since the historic “pin in hole” design. It used to be as easy as throwing a piece of Lexan down on a drill table and drill the hole pattern, “X-out” the vias and drop pins in the universal grid. Fixture test is now mostly driven by netlists and the complexity has evolved will beyond the universal grid. Today Gardien provides pinned fixtures, wired fixtures, combinations of both and even dedicated fixtures using Octal Density and beyond. We also provide hybrid fixtures for In-Circuit and multiple-net HiPot applications. Contact one of our Service Centres for more information.
Gardien’s AOI/AVI solutions provide state of the art tools to improve your first pass yields. AOI can provide in-process fault identification prior to lamination which reduces unnecessary value add steps during the manufacturing process. The addition of AVI (Automated Visual Inspection) during the final inspection process enhances the nonconformance detection rate. With high volume shops the Final Inspection process can become very tedious and operator fatigue can play a role in defect escapes. As product complexities increase the amount of inspection also increases dramatically. AVI does not get tired, misses work and can run 24/7, even in the dark.
Fault Identification & Repair
From Gardien’s front end, Electrical Testers or AOI/AVI equipment will provide a fault report. Using barcodes and serialization, each board or panel can be tracked electronically. Using Gardien’s Fault Station, the fault data for the board or panel can be acquired electronically. This fault data will be graphically presented to the technician for fault identification and/or repair. Since the data is electronic and barcoded, the serial numbers can be double checked to the panel or board to ensure the proper panel or board is being validated. This minimizes escape potential and provides test data traceability, which has become a common requirement with OEMs.
Final Inspection
Final inspection, sometimes called FA, Final or FQA is the process of validating all deliverables have been met for a given order. Most manufactures include this operation as a manufacturing step. It really should not be. Final inspection is the referee step that confirms the customer deliverables have been achieved or exceeded. Sometimes this can be a conflict of interest internally as manufacturing management can put pressure on the FA department and could cause compromises in the final quality of the product as it may be “borderline” on the requirements. Final inspection should be an independent authority to validate customer expectations without the pressure of manufacturing. This is where Gardien can help. As we are independent, we keep the customer deliverables first and foremost in mind. This can be very advantageous to the OEMs, especially if an Integrate Solution is used. See On-Demand vs Integrate.
Have a customer that requires a legacy product for which they do not have electronic media? However, they only have a sample board? Gardien has you covered. With our Scanning & Reverse Engineering solution we can provide you with electronic media so the board can be reproduced. Whether you need just a single layer or the entire board our scanning solution is for you. Our reverse engineering process utilizes our flying probes to prove the electronic media produced is correct to the netlist of the board. When complete you are provided the Gerber layers that can be read into your Front-End systems and tooled for manufacturing.
On-Demand vs Integrate
With Gardien’s worldwide network of Service Centres, we are close enough to provide quick-turn on-demand services. Just send us your data and product and we’ll do the rest. With a target Service Floor of 8 hours or less you can be assured your product will move as fast as possible. This is our On-Demand solution. Once programs are created, your product should turn-around is 8 hours or less. This can be very advantageous for prototypes where you may not have Flying Probe equipment at your disposal.
With Gardien’s Integrate solution, you harness the full power of what Gardien has to offer. From an initial assessment on-site, Gardien will provide the ultimate solution for your testing department. There are multiple options with the integrate solution. A full integrate is where Gardien will provide all equipment, manpower and tools for the operation. This includes the Gardien Ontrack ERP system that ties all the systems together. Gardien can also provide just the equipment and utilize your existing manpower after initial training. The integrate solution can be very enticing to smaller operations where capital may not be available or tied up in manufacturing tools. The integrate solution removes the capital expenditure burden while providing the best Final Inspection solution available worldwide.
Since Gardien is an independent provider of solutions, we stay abreast on all industry specifications and requirements. We adjust processes and maintain accreditation with ISO, DLA and have members on the IPC committee regarding Electrical Test and the IPC9252 specification. We are always available to answer questions, brainstorm and come up with the best solutions for you.
