In-circuit testing

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In-circuit testing (ICT) is an example of white box testing where an electrical probe tests a populated printed circuit board (PCB), checking for shorts, opens, resistance, capacitance, and other basic quantities which will show whether the assembly was correctly fabricated.^[1] It may be performed with a "bed of nails" test fixture and specialist test equipment, or with a fixtureless in-circuit test setup. In-Circuit Test (ICT) is a widely used and cost-efficient^[2] method for testing medium to high volume electronic printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs). It has maintained its popularity over the years due to its ability to diagnose component-level faults and its operational speed.

Using In-Circuit Test fixtures is a very effective way of maintaining standards when carrying out tests. It can help to reduce production downtime by identifying faults early in the testing process, ensuring that defective products are removed from the production line and fixed.