Skipping analog Continuity(Opens/Shorts) Test for TTR??

Joined: 08 Jun 2026 Posts: 18 Location: CV

from a test engineer's standpoint, would you consider skipping the continuity (opens/shorts) test and rely on the other tests such as (but not limited to) functional, leakage and static idd/icc (to capture/trap assembly defects) as an approach for (TTR) test time reduction?

(possible "excuse" from test engr: "continuity tests are not mentioned in the datasheets!")

what do you think are the repercussions should one decide to take this test out? (well aside from possible yield issues or 'invalid' failures that could be in disguise!).

i would be referring to ANALOG testing since under DIGITAL testing, continuity (or contact to some) test is very fast and somewhat test time is "negligible" in contrast to analog continuity test.

thanks and kind regards.

Guest

Just be careful when you remove the opens/shorts tests. Sometimes they are there to protect your boards from EOS damage and to ensure that the board is ok so testing will be reliable. Investigate first why they were put there in the first place.

Dyords

Joined: 31 Aug 2026 Posts: 16

I strongly recommend not to remove the continuity test(open/short, pin check etc.) from your test program, most especially if your main purpose is to reduce test time.

The continuity test is there to protect the part from being supplied with a programmed signal source when it is mis-oriented, mis-aligned or in inverted position. The part might get damaged once it is tested in any of these scenario. The continuity tests prevent these from happening.

Furthermore, I don't think that the continuity test consumes large test times. I would suggest for you to explore the other parameters and identify the ones that consumes the large test times(ie. say the top 3). From there, evaluate their test methodogy and see if you can improve it that would result to a test time reduction. If you do, make sure that the new test method's performance result is close to that of the original test method(in terms of the mean), and its integrity(deviation) should be the same(if not better) with that of the original method.

Test Time Reduction doesn't necessarilly mean to remove a certain test(although sometimes this is done, but this is another case). From a Test Development Engineer's point of view, TTR means improving the test methodology of some parameters to reduce test time, and still retaining its performance characteristics.
_________________
Asmoth72

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2026 5:12 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Asmoth (and Dyords)!

Good point on the possible part damage due to mis-orientation of DUT.

However, not all testers (ATEs) have the same architecture that is why for some platforms, continuity test for all pins can be run at nanosecond pace while in others, at millisecond (or at microseconds) readouts. Usually those with per-pin architecture run really fast (one resource for each pin) while there are testers (even the new generation platforms) with one resource being shared by all pins, in sequential manner. In this case, because of the tester constraint, the continuity test becomes one of the top 3 testtime contributors (a la Pareto rule).

Best Regards.
Polgi-Wan

Joined: 31 Aug 2026 Posts: 16

Polgi-Wan,

I just think that regardless of the type of the ATE your using, the continuity test should not be on the top 3 test time consuming parameters. I just find it very unlikely that the continuity test would consume much/larger test time compared to the other important parameters(spec'd) that are commonly more difficult to test, and requires more resources and usually consumes more test times.

Continuity test should be designed in a simple but effective manner(its not in the datasheet specs), which would not consume that much test time. Basing from the info. you provided, continuity test is on the top 3 test time consuming parameter. I believe that there is a big room for improvement on this test. Try to examine it more closely and see if the test time can be reduced without sacrificing the test's integrity.
_________________
Asmoth72