How Triz solved a sticky little IC problem

June 7, 2001
The problematic circuit tester lifts an IC into delicate finger contacts to test the chip.

The problematic circuit tester lifts an IC into delicate finger contacts to test the chip.


Innovation Workbench led the engineering team to replace the fragile finger contacts with conductive elastomers that would perform the same function. The larger blob in the center is an elastic material that pushes the IC away from the contact when testing is finished.


After one workshop, engineers with National Semiconductor, Santa Clara, Calif., modified a machine that tests integrated circuits with what they considered innovative solutions to problems that had gobbled up $76,000 in the previous five months of trial-and-error solutions. The testing machine works by first lifting an IC into contact with small leads. When testing completed, the chip was to fall away from the contacts into a sorting bin.

But two problems cropped up. In one, about 1% of the chips would jam against the contactors and not let go. They had to be tapped before they released. And then the delicate contacts began to bend and were pushed aside by the IC leads. Without a sufficient contact, IC tests identified some good parts as being defective.

After an engineering team completed a 16-block problem formulation, Triz-based software responded with 40 possible directions. The most promising suggested eliminating the frail contacts. The software then helped the engineering team identify a conductive elastomer that could function as the fingers.

And to eliminate the sticking or jamming, a spring placed at the center of the contactors compresses when the IC is lifted into place. It also pushes the IC away at the test's end. The innovation here was not a coil spring but a small ball of elastic material that acts like a spring.

Both solutions work well. The consensus among engineers working on the problem is that without guidance from the Triz method, the project would still be hunting for a solution.

Sponsored Recommendations

March 31, 2025
Unlike passive products - made of simple carbon springs - the bionic prostheses developed by Revival Bionics are propulsive, equipped with a motor and an artificial Achilles tendon...
March 31, 2025
Electric drives are a key technology for the performance of machines, robots, and power tools. Download this guide for an introduction to high-quality mechatronic drive systems...
March 31, 2025
Discover the world of maxon drive technology: motors, gearheads, sensors, controllers, and accessories. Configure your drive system online, including all relevant product and ...
March 31, 2025
Share current page XSun designs and manufactures a drone that is both energy-independent and can make its own decisions, for fully-automated missions. The company needed reliable...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!