Searching an In circuit IC tester

[mailmad]

I have already out-of-circuit IC tester. However requires to desolder IC before the test.
So I face two problems:
1) What is the meaning to test an IC already disoldered ? The test should relief me from the painful procedure of desoldering it.
2) Desoldering even with my great expirience, lead offen to broken lines, and damaged holes in PCB.
Plus the cost of IC base installation, to avoid the disoldering again in the future.

Is there any affordable in circuit IC tester for both analog and digital ICs?

 

[Harald Kapp]

What is the meaning to test an IC already disoldered ?

It is the most easy if not the only way to fully test the ic without having to consider the influence of other circuit components.

Desoldering even with my great expirience, lead offen to broken lines, and damaged holes in PCB.

Good equipment may help. For inexpensive ics it is often much easier to cut the leads, de-solder them one by one (which greatly reduces the risk of damage to the pcb) and simply replace the old part by a new one - without testing the old one as it is useless anyway what with the cut pins. Certainly less expensice than a full fledged in-circuit test machine.

Is there any affordable in circuit IC tester for both analog and digital ICs?

The magic word here is "affordable". Such testers exist but they are complex and expensive. Putting them to meaningful use often requires special measures within the circuit design to allow controlled stimulation of signals. Such measures are e.g. decoupling resistors in series to allow overriding the signal coming from other circuit elements. If the circuit design is not prepared by the manufacturer of the circuit for such tests, it is next to impossible to do a full in-circuit test.

 

[mailmad]

Thanks for your quick response!

I have a $500 soldering/desoldering JBC station. Is a really high standarts piece of equipment. Powerful vacuum pump, meltproof tips, high temperature accurancy. However all that, does not prevent me from damage.

The cut-the-pins method I have try it, but cause more trouble, like:
1) More time for IC replacement, because need 3 stages work instead of 1. a) cut pins b) desolder pins c) suck remaining solder from holes.
2) The limbed old IC can't examinated for valueble evedance.

If a PCB have 2 - 4 ICs its OK. However if a PCB have more than 20 ICs, then the problem is really big!
I have face many times such cases.

When you say expensive, for what price range do you speak ?

 

[Harald Kapp]

5 digit $ upwards - not including all teh adapters you'll need for attaching the tester to the pcb.

 

[mailmad]

: O !!!

 

[mailmad]

Ok, after hours and hours of searching, and heavy digging in the internet, I found yhis:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEAT-Mi-in...h=item41f6127055:g:pGoAAOSwUxlb6gmM:rk:1:pf:0
Came to a 4 digit $ (a low 4). According to the description test logic and analog ICs, and provide a pile of fuctions.
Do anyone has some experience with this device ?
Harald I will appriciate it if you take a look and give me your advices.