When working on embedded hardware, there is often a need to connect into the printed circuit board (PCB) for testing. This typically requires soldering very fine wire (often 30- or 40-gauge wire) under a microscope to very small test points on PCB before real testing can take place, which can be very tedious and time-consuming.
So, what solutions are available to help make this easier? While there are products on the market that can help by allowing you to attach probes to articulated arms, those commercial systems can unfortunately often run into the thousands of dollars range. There are also some do-it-yourself solutions in which similar, smaller-scale test jigs can be created using 3D printers. For example, several of my fellow colleagues at Rapid7 have used Thingiverse printer data to create a couple, and they are used on a regular basis with great success.
These 3D-printed PCB test probe units appear to be very cost-effective and have come in handy many times, but the biggest issue I hear from coworkers is that the articulated arms are not 100% stable and it can sometimes be difficult to keep them landed on the test spot on the circuit board if they’re bumped while other arms are adjusted.
With that in mind (and combined with a need for a fun after-hours project due to no travel during the COVID-19 pandemic), I went on a search to see what it would take to build a more stable, professional-scale PCB test jig on my own by sourcing parts online.
Since articulated arm stability was the biggest issue, my first challenge was locating articulated arms that were solid, stable, and affordable. Amazon was the easiest and quickest place to tr ..
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