HATS™ and HATS²™ Thermal Cycling uses a HATS™ Tester to perform Thermal Shock/Cycling in accordance with IPC-TM-650 method 2.6.7.2 and other industry Thermal Shock/Cycling test methodologies. The HATS™ Tester uses High Speed "Air" as the heat transfer (fluid) mechanism to heat and cool the test coupons. This provides the maximum possible transfer rate to to move heat through the test coupons using Air as a heat transfer mechanism. This allows the samples to equalize at temperature extremes in 3-6 minutes rather than the 30 minutes required by Dual Chamber technologies, greatly speeding up the testing process.

Test Coupon nets are electrically tested (real time) in the HATS™ Chamber using a 4-wire system to make accurate and repeatable measurements of the test nets to determine barrel cracking or interconnection separation. HATS™ Units updated with HATS²™ technology can also test up to 72 (2-net) IPC-2221B "D" coupons and 36 (4-net) Traditional HATS™ or (7-net) HATS²™ Single Via Coupons* during Thermal Shock/Cycling to determine barrel cracking or interconnection separation in the plated via(s) of the test net.

The HATS™ Tester most closely replicates the "Air" heat transfer mechanism of the widely accepted Dual Chamber technique that has been in use since the 1950's. Other High Speed Thermal Shock technologies use different heat transfer fluid mechanisms like Oil, Liquid Nitrogen, Sand or Circuit Conduction to transfer heat to the coupons which results in different heat transfer rates to and from the test coupons than what you would get from air. This will affect test the behavior of the Test Coupons under test. HATS™ testers can test up to 144 daisy chain test nets per test run. HATS™ Testers updated with HATS²™ technology can test up to 252 nets (single via and daisy-chain) from a variety of test coupon styles. Accomplishing 1000 cycles of that many coupons/nets with other "high speed" technologies can take weeks if not months due to their limited test coupon/net capacity when compared to the HATS™ tester. The HATS™ tester can accomplish 1000 cycles of 36 to 72 coupons in about a week. Carefully research the methodologies, their heat transfer mechanisms and their ultimate test net capacity before you decide on which technology is right for you.

HATS²™ Convection Reflow Simulation uses a HATS™ tester updated with HATS²™ technology to simulate multiple Convection Reflow Profiles in accordance with IPC-TM-650 method 2.6.27B or other customer defined profiles. The HATS™ Tester uses High Speed "Air" as the heat transfer (fluid) mechanism to heat and cool the test coupons. This provides the maximum possible heat transfer rate to and from from the test coupons using Air as a heat transfer mechanism. This allows a HATS™ tester updated with HATS²™ technology to adjust the surface temperatures of test coupons to precisely emulate those experienced when going through any of todays Multi-Zone Convection Reflow Oven.

A HATS™ unit updated with HATS²™ Technology can monitor the resistance on test nets from up to 72 IPC-2221B "D" coupons and 36 Traditional HATS™ or HATS²™ Single Via Coupons during multiple cycle Convection Reflow Simulation to determine barrel cracking or interconnection separation in the plated via(s) of the test net.

Test Coupon nets are electrically tested in the HATS™ Chamber using a 4-wire system to make accurate and repeatable measurements of the test nets in order to determine barrel cracking or interconnection separation. HATS™ Units updated with HATS²™ technology can also test up to 72 (2-net) IPC-2221B "D" coupons and 36 (4-net) Traditional HATS™ or (7-net) HATS²™ Single Via Coupons during multiple cycle Convection Reflow Simulation to determine barrel cracking or interconnection separation in the plated via(s) of the test net.

The HATS™ Tester most closely replicates the "Air" heat transfer mechanism of multi-zone Convection Reflow Ovens. Other Convection Reflow Simulation technologies use different heat transfer fluid mechanisms like Oil, Liquid Nitrogen, Sand or Circuit Conduction to transfer heat to the coupons which results in different heat transfer rates to and from the test coupons than what you would get from air. This will affect test the behavior of the Test Coupons under test. HATS™ Testers updated with HATS²™ technology can test up to 252 nets (single via and daisy-chain) from a variety of test coupon styles. Carefully research the methodologies, their heat transfer mechanisms and their ultimate test net capacity before you decide on which technology is right for you.

HATS™ & HATS²™ Testing is performed by Licensed Service Laboratories around the world under ISO/IEC 17025, AALA and/or ITAR certifications. This provides the benefit of having a Professional Test Laboratory with documented quality and calibration systems providing HATS™ results with other test services available to you (like Failure Analysis) for your test coupons. HATS™ testers are no longer sold directly to end users.

Traditional HATS™ and IPC-2221B "D" Coupons are Daisy Chain electrical coupons and can be electrically tested with other Thermal Shock/Cycling Technologies that electrically test Daisy Chains, including Dual Chamber. HATS™ Testers updated with HATS²™ technology can test the HATS²™ Single Via Coupon which requires a unique measurement system to accurately measure resistances below 0.001 Ohm. Currently no other accelerated Thermal Shock/Cycling Technology can replicate HATS²™ technology. The HATS™ Tester updated with HATS²™ Technology uses High Speed Air as the heat transfer (fluid) mechanism to heat and cool the test coupons along with a 4-wire resistance measurement system which guarantees high accuracy testing of the coupon nets. Other Thermal Shock/Cycling Technologies use different heat transfer fluid Mechanisms like Oil, Nitrogen, Sand or Circuit Conduction to transfer heat to the coupons which results in different heat transfer rates to the coupons than Air. Other Thermal Shock/Cycling Technologies use different electrical measurement techniques (2-wire, 3-wire, low current, etc.) and meters/switching systems that may not have the current capacity, accuracy or repeatability of the HATS™ tester. These differences mean that HATS™ Testing Technology and cannot be exactly compared to other non Dual Chamber Thermal Shock Technologies. HATS™ Testers use air as the heat transfer mechanism just like the tried and true method used by Dual Chamber thermal shock/cycling testers for the last 50+ years. HATS™ testers can test traditional HATS™ coupons with up to 144 daisy chain test nets per test run. HATS™ Testers updated with HATS²™ technology can test up to 252 nets (single via and daisy-chain) from a variety of test coupon styles. Accomplishing 1000 cycles of that many coupons/nets with other "high speed" technologies can take weeks if not months due to their limited test coupon capacity when compared to the HATS™ tester. The HATS™ tester can accomplish 1000 cycles of 36 to 72 coupons in less than a week. Carefully research the methodologies out there before you decide.

Unlike other Accelerated Testing Techniques, HATS™ Testing is performed by Licensed Service Laboratories around the world under that carry ISO/IEC 17025, AALA and/or ITAR certifications. This provides the benefit of having a Professional Full Service Test Laboratory with documented quality and calibration systems providing HATS™ results. These laboratories can also provide other test services to you (like Failure Analysis) for your test coupons. Check to see if your current test service provider truly meets your ITAR, quality system or calibration system requirements.

Integrated Reliability Test Systems (IRTS) is now closed and HATS™ testing is currently performed using HATS™ testers at respected test laboratories (Click Here) under ISO/IEC 17025, AALA and/or ITAR certifications. Bob Neves, one of the original developers of the HATS™ machines and patent, is continuing and updating HATS™ testing technology and can provides both parts and service to the HATS™ machines that are in the field.