TEst Strategy

When is ICT the correct test method to test boards?  Is the correct answer a functional fixture that will be connected to a DAQ to review the data from the test?  What about just plugging the board in to figure out if it works or not?  Many times this method of validation is poor not because of the cost of the boards but because of where the board is in an assembly.  If the board is buried in an assembly it may be critical to know that they PCBA in operating correctly BEFORE it is installed. 

It used to be the high value low mix PCB were the model that fit ICT testing the best.  This is because when a low value board is being produced it becomes less expensive to discard the bad boards than to test and fix the boards that don't work.  Has that model changed? 

Functional Testing is the instance where the board to be tested is too small or has specific requirements that make ICT a less than optimal solution.

It seems simple.  Just plug the board in and see if it works.  Sometimes that is not the best way to check a board.  What if the board is three layers deep in the assembly?  What if the cables are preventing removal?  What if you need to understand where you are on the tolerances of the PC board itself?  What if you only have one board These are just a couple of reasons why 

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