How to Reduce PCB First Article Inspection Time for Small-Batch & Multi-Variety Production

Small-batch and multi-variety production has become a mainstream trend in the electronic manufacturing industry, but it also brings great challenges to first-article inspection. Frequent model changes, long manual inspection cycles, and low production line availability have become major pain points for many manufacturers. The key to solving this problem lies in adopting an efficient and flexible automatic FAI solution – the Full-automatic Flying Probe First-article Detecting Machine.
Why Manual FAI Fails in Small-Batch & Multi-Variety Scenarios
In small-batch and multi-variety production, each product model requires independent FAI verification. Traditional manual FAI has the following drawbacks:
1. Long Model Changeover Time: Technicians need to re-interpret Gerber files, manually position test points, and debug equipment for each model, which usually takes 20-40 minutes, seriously affecting production continuity.
2. Low Overall Efficiency: Manual inspection of a single product takes 30 minutes or more. For batches of 50-100 pieces, FAI alone occupies a lot of production time, leading to delayed order delivery.
3. High Labor Dependence: Skilled technicians are required to complete complex FAI operations, but such talents are in short supply and have high labor costs .
Automatic Flying Probe FAI Machine: Efficient Solution for Flexible Production
Our Full-automatic Flying Probe First-article Detecting Machine is specially designed for small-batch and multi-variety production scenarios, with the following advantages in reducing FAI time:
- One-Click Model Changeover: No need for manual debugging or fixture replacement; just import the Gerber file of the new model, and the machine automatically generates test programs, reducing model changeover time to within 1 minute.
- Fast Automatic Testing: The high-speed servo flying probe system can complete the detection of all test points in a few minutes, which is 3-5 times faster than manual inspection .
- 24/7 Uninterrupted Operation: The machine can work continuously for 24 hours without being affected by human fatigue, further improving the overall efficiency of FAI and ensuring timely delivery of orders.
By adopting our automatic flying probe FAI machine, a number of electronic manufacturers have reduced their overall FAI time by more than 70%, significantly improving production line availability and order delivery efficiency. Learn more about how we help customers solve flexible production problems.