The process of designing electronic products typically involves functional testing to ensure that the product operates as intended. However, redesigning a failed product can be costly and challenging. By conducting electrical testing, such as In-Circuit or Flying Probe tests, before functional testing, the failure rate can be reduced, leading to less scrapped boards.
It is crucial to consider electrical testability early in the design process to enable the execution of these tests. Unfortunately, PCB designers may lack the necessary tools to perform electrical testability analysis. Consequently, electrical testability is often an afterthought or not considered at all, leaving a significant gap in the PCB design process.
Although designers have access to tools for design for DFM, signal integrity, power integrity, and thermal analyses, electrical testability analysis is often overlooked. By neglecting electrical testability, designers risk encountering difficulties implementing changes during the later stages of PCB layout design due to potential knock-on effects.