Allteq Industries Debuts New Open/Short Test System for BGA/Micro BGA-Packaged Devices.

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 4, 1998--Allteq Industries has introduced the Series 4000 open/short test system family for locating assembly-related electrical defects in semiconductors packaged in the BGA (ball grid array) and Micro BGA formats.

The L4000, a single test-head machine with programmable Z height control, is the first member of the series, and accommodates BGA and Micro BGA-packaged integrated circuits in strip form for fully automated testing.

Featuring a single magazine input/output, and a flying head index system, devices are presented to the L4000 test head at high speed. The L4000 will test any packaged device which is electrically isolated within a strip, which includes many BGA packages and the Micro BGA package. (Devices in conventional leadframes, which are not electrically isolated, are not suitable for testing on the system.)

The L4000 consists of four parts: -0-

     --   A magazine elevator system
     --   A frame/strip indexing system -- An open/short tester with
          250 test points standard
     --   A test head designed to customer specifications

-0-

"The L4000 tester is the first new product from Allteq Industries since the company's recent management buyout," said Philip J. Davies, president, "and represents both a product and technology expansion for Allteq." Davies said the new tester family is completely modular, field upgradable and is easy to operate and maintain.

On the model L4000, the test head is mounted to the open/short tester, a unique feature of the Alleq system. This direct attachment eliminates the need for heavy and cumbersome cables that typically connect test heads or test sockets to similar testers. "By combining the tester and test head into a single unit, we have designed a compact, lightweight system from the ground up," said William I. Miller, Allteq CEO and chief technical officer.

The tester/test head is mounted on an XYZ head over the strip to be tested. Using the Z direction of the test head, the tester is moved down until it makes contact with the integrated circuit and tests for opens and shorts.

Each contact head is engineered specifically for the device or devices to be tested. The selection of contact method is a customer option and includes the choice of either spring-loaded pins or particle interconnect, among others.

Allteq will demonstrate the open/short test system in booth 10542 during SEMICON West, July 15-17, at the San Jose Convention Center.

Founded in San Jose in 1983, the privately-held company moved to expanded quarters in nearby Fremont two years later. Allteq manufactures and sells die coating systems, inspection stations and test equipment for the semiconductor market. With more than 2,500 stations installed worldwide, Allteq is the post-wirebond inspection system leader.

Allteq, through Allteq Asia, established a sales and service office in Malaysia in 1995 to serve Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. This year Allteq opened an office in the Philippines to provide sales and support to customers there and in Hong Kong. An international, highly-trained rep network reporting to Allteq USA provides value-added service, sales and maintenance support throughout the rest of Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Allteq maintains a Web site located at www.allteq.com.

Note to Editors: uBGA is a registered trademark of Tessera Inc., San Jose, Calif.

    CONTACT: ALLTEQ Industries
              Philip J. Davies, 510/770-8188
                  or
              Technology Marketing
              Ron Iscoff, 209/824-1289
              [e-mail]