What elements should I include in my tester design?
You will want some easily identifiable way to tell that your board has passed test. For standalone testing jigs, including a piezo buzzer and LED light are a simple way to indicate when a test has completed successfully.
Do I need a clamp on my test jig?
For tests that take longer than a few seconds, adding a clamp to your tester design can greatly speed up your process by freeing up your hands to do other things while your board is undergoing test.
Adafruit carries a variety of the same clamps that we use in our own tester designs, including a variety of sizes and styles depending on the size and shape of the board being tested.
Should I order my PCB, mill it, or use a proto shield?
Order PCB: If you have the PCB design, want a longer-lasting tester, and don't mind waiting for a bit.
Mill PCB: If you have access to a milling machine and want to quickly and accurately create a prototype of your tester design.
Use proto shield: If you don't have the exact design for your PCB but have the general direction of how your tester will work.
- Sometimes when placing pogo pins in a milled PCB, this can happen.
- The copper film is quite delicate which can cause the copper layer to rip off sometimes. If this is the case don't fret it!
- Just grab some thin, solid core wire.
- Next, expose some wire on each end.
- Now use some tweezers and create a small loop on one end. This end will be for the pogo pin.
- Re-place the pogo pin in the affected area going through this wire.
- Solder wire to pogo pin.
- Later when soldering pins to the pcb, make another loop with the wire, place around the adjacent pin, and solder in place.