The automotive electronics market is the third largest application area of PCB after computers and communications. With the gradual evolution and development of automobiles from mechanical products in the traditional sense into high-tech products of intelligence, informatization, and mechatronics, electronic technology has been widely used in automobiles, whether it is engine system, chassis system, Electronic products are used in safety systems, information systems, and in-vehicle environment systems without exception. The automotive market has obviously become another bright spot in the consumer electronics market. The development of automotive electronics has naturally driven the development of automotive PCBs.

　　Among the key application objects of PCB circuit boards today, automotive PCBs occupy an important position. However, due to the special working environment, safety and high current requirements of automobiles, it has higher requirements on the reliability and environmental adaptability of PCB circuit boards, and involves a wide range of PCB technology types. It is a challenge; and for manufacturers who want to develop the automotive PCB market, they need to do more understanding and analysis of this new market.

　　Automotive PCBs especially emphasize high reliability and low DPPM. So, does our company have the accumulation of technology and experience in high reliability manufacturing? Is it consistent with the future product development direction? In terms of process control, can it be done well in accordance with the requirements of TS16949? Has a low DPPM been achieved? All these must be carefully evaluated. Just seeing this attractive cake and entering blindly will bring harm to the enterprise itself.

　　The following provides some special practices in the testing process of some representative companies specializing in the production of automotive PCBs for the majority of PCB colleagues for reference:

　　1. Secondary test method

　　Some PCB manufacturers have adopted the "second test method" to improve the rate of finding defective boards after the first high-voltage electrical breakdown.

　　2. Comparison test method

　　Some customers use two different brands of models for comparative testing of different batches of PCBs, and track the PPm of the corresponding batches, so as to understand the performance of the two testing machines, so as to choose a testing machine with better performance to test automotive PCBs.

　　3. Improve test parameters

　　Select higher test parameters to rigorously detect such PCBs. Because, if you choose a higher voltage and threshold, increase the number of high-voltage read leakage, which can improve the detection rate of PCB defective boards. For example, a large Taiwan-funded PCB company in Suzhou uses 300V, 30M, and 20 Euros to test automotive PCBs.

　　4. Regularly check the parameters of the testing machine

　　After the testing machine operates for a long time, the relevant test parameters such as internal resistance will deviate. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the machine parameters regularly to ensure the accuracy of the test parameters. In a considerable number of large PCB companies, the test equipment is maintained for half a year or a year and the internal performance parameters are adjusted. The pursuit of "zero defect" automotive PCB has always been the direction of the majority of PCB circuit board people, but due to the limitations of process equipment, raw materials and other aspects, so far, the world's top 100 PCB companies are still exploring ways to reduce PPm.

　　5. Bad board foolproof test system

　　More and more PCB manufacturers have installed "good board marking system" and "bad board error prevention box" in the light board testing machine to effectively avoid human leakage. The good board marking system marks the tested PASS boards for the testing machine, which can effectively prevent the tested boards or bad boards from flowing into the hands of customers. The bad board error prevention box is a signal that the test system outputs the box opening signal when the PASS board is tested during the test process; on the contrary, when the bad board is tested, the box is closed, allowing the operator to place the tested circuit board correctly.

　　6. Establish PPm quality system

　　At present, the PPm (Partspermillion, defect rate of parts per million) quality system has begun to be widely used in PCB manufacturers. Among the many clients of our company, HitachiChemICal in Singapore is the most worthy of reference for its application and results. There are more than 20 people in the factory who are responsible for the statistical analysis of abnormal online PCB quality and abnormal return of PCB quality. Using the statistical analysis method of SPC production process, each piece of bad board and each piece of returned defective board are classified and analyzed statistically, and combined with auxiliary tools such as micro-slicing to analyze which production process produces bad and defective boards. According to the statistical data results, purposefully solve the problems in the process.

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