Three Electrical Test Types

Sy Syms, founder of the now defunct off-price clothing chain, famously coined the slogan “An Educated Consumer is our Best Customer.” We at  Advanced Component Testing also ascribe to that philosophy and, in that spirit, we’d like to begin sharing even more to help you understand electrical testing of electronic components.

Let us start by comparing three main types of electrical testing that are often confused with each other.

• Electrical Curve Tracing is a simple test of each pin to evaluate PN junctions, shorts and open circuits, in which findings are matched against manufacturer definitions of input and output types and structures. Curve tracing generates a graphical display of the relationship between two parameters (normally voltage and current) of an electronic component. It is generally considered the most basic electrical test performed for authenticity screening.
• Functional Testing is basic testing to verify whether or not a device performs a particular action or set of actions. It demonstrates the ability of a component or assembly to meet design requirements. Functional tests may require a laboratory, such as ACT, to design unique tests for specific functionality.
• Parametric Testing is detailed electrical testing of a component against parameters specified by the manufacturer or drawing. Common DC parametric tests include voltage levels, thresholds, drive capability, and leakage tests. AC parametric tests may include frequency of operation, delay, setup and hold tests. Advanced Component Testing recently commissioned the Lorlin Double Impact Discrete Component Tester to perform a wide array of automated DC parametric tests on small signal and power semiconductor components.Sy Syms, founder of the now defunct off-price clothing chain, famously coined the slogan “An Educated Consumer is our Best Customer.” We at Advanced Component Testing also ascribe to that philosophy and, in that spirit, we’d like to begin sharing even more to help you understand electrical testing of electronic components.

Please check back occasionally for a continuation of this educational series.