In-Circuit Test Market

[244 Pages Report] The global In-circuit test market is estimated to grow from USD 1.2 billion in 2023 to USD 1.4 billion by 2028; it is expected to record a CAGR of 3.6% during the forecast period. The growth in in-circuit test demand in recent years is due to the increased investment in wireless communication and automotive projects due to growing consumer electronics industry. The market for in-circuit tests is projected to benefit greatly from the rising usage of smartphones and televisions.

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In-circuit Test Market Dynamics

Driver: Growing demand for automotive electronics

Growing demand for automotive electronics is a significant driver of the in-circuit test market. The automotive industry's rapid adoption of advanced electronic systems and components has led to an increased need for robust testing solutions to ensure safety, reliability, and compliance with stringent standards. Modern vehicles are equipped with a wide range of electronic systems, including advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), infotainment systems, engine control units (ECUs), and electric vehicle components. The integration of these complex electronic systems requires thorough testing to ensure optimal performance and reliability. In-circuit testing plays a crucial role in identifying faults, defects, and potential failures within these integrated electronic systems. Furthermore, electric vehicles heavily rely on power electronics systems, such as inverters, converters, and motor control units, which require rigorous testing for reliability and performance. In-circuit testing plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and functionality of these power electronics components. By conducting comprehensive ICT, manufacturers can detect faults, identify weak points, and optimize the performance of EV power electronics systems. As the complexity of EV electronics increases, the need for robust ICT solutions will grow, driving the demand for advanced testing equipment and services.

Restraint: Lack of standardization in connectivity protocols and increasing complexity of PCB designs

With advancements in technology, PCBs have become more intricate, densely packed with components, and feature advanced functionalities. However, these complexities pose significant restraints for in-circuit testing methods. The drive towards smaller and more compact electronic devices has led to increased miniaturization and higher component density on PCBs. Manufacturers are striving to pack more functionality into smaller spaces, resulting in highly complex PCB designs. The miniaturization of components reduced spacing between them, and the introduction of advanced technologies make it challenging to access test points using conventional in-circuit testing methods. This complexity limits the effectiveness of traditional ICT solutions, thereby restraining the growth of the ICT market.

Opportunities:  Rising 5G Technology

The implementation of 5G technology involves the integration of complex electronics, including advanced processors, high-frequency components, and multiple communication interfaces. The complexity of these devices, such as 5G smartphones, routers, and base stations, presents challenges in terms of functionality, signal integrity, and power consumption. In-circuit testing plays a critical role in ensuring the proper functioning of these intricate electronics, validating signal integrity, and identifying potential manufacturing defects. The increased complexity of 5G devices provides ample opportunities for the growth of the in-circuit test market. Furthermore, 5G technology operates at higher frequency bands, including millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies, which present unique testing challenges. The higher frequencies demand precise signal integrity testing, reduced signal loss, and effective noise suppression techniques. In-circuit testing enables the evaluation of high-frequency signal paths, identifying potential impedance mismatches, signal quality issues, and noise sources. The opportunity for in-circuit testing to validate the performance of high-frequency circuits and ensure compliance with stringent 5G specifications is a key driver for the in-circuit test market.

Challenges: Reducing size of PCB creates difficulty in testing

As printed circuit boards (PCB) size decreases, the available space for placing test points is limited. Test points are critical for making electrical connections to measure and verify signals during in-circuit testing. With reduced PCB real estate, it becomes challenging to allocate sufficient test points for comprehensive testing coverage. This limitation hampers the ability to access critical nodes and perform accurate measurements, leading to potential coverage gaps and reduced test effectiveness. Similarly, shrinking PCB sizes results in tighter component placement and denser routing, making probing more difficult. Limited access to probe tips requires specialized fixtures and fine-pitch probes. Furthermore, the miniaturization of PCBs increases the risk of signal integrity issues, such as crosstalk and impedance mismatches, which can complicate testing and affect measurement accuracy. Thus, probing small-sized components while maintaining signal integrity during in-circuit testing can pose a challenge of in-circuit testing.

In-circuit test Market Ecosystem

Prominent companies in this market include well-established, financially stable in-circuit test manufacturers. These companies have been operating in the market for several years and possess a diversified product portfolio, state-of-the-art technologies, and strong global sales and marketing networks. Prominent companies in this market include Teradyne Inc. (US), Test Research Inc. (TRI) (Taiwan), Keysight Technologies (US), Hioki E.E Corporation (Japan) and Kyoritsu Electric Corporation (Japan).

The benchtop, by portability, is expected to be the second largest segment during the forecast period.

This report segments the in-circuit test market based on portability into two types: compact and benchtop. The benchtop segment is expected to be the second largest segment during the forecast period. Because of its mobility, the benchtop demand for in circuit test is likely to be significant. The benchtop automated test equipment with built-in fixturing decreased the uncertainty of repeated findings in bench testing. Its primary in-circuit test sales are attributed to the elimination of hand probing precise measurements and dependable test probe fixturing.

By application, the energy sector is expected to be the fastest growing during the forecast period

This report segments the in-circuit test market based on application into six segments: consumer electronics & appliances, aerospace, defence, and government services, medical equipment manufacturing, automotive, and energy sector. The energy sector is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The increasing investments in the energy sector such as oil & gas, power, utilities, solar inverters, smart meters etc. are expected to drive the market for in-circuit test. The growth of the energy segment can be attributed to the increase in solar inverters and smart inverters spending by countries such as Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and the UK.

"Asia Pacific": The largest in the in-circuit test market"

Asia Pacific is expected to have the largest market share in the in-circuit test market between 2023–2028, followed by Europe and North America. Urbanization and population growth have resulted in the need for vast infrastructure development, which has propelled the electronics demand across the region. As per the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA), the electricity generation capacity in India is expected to increase from 200 GW in 2010 to over 800 GW by 2032 to fulfill the increasing demand for power. Thus, there is a need for a huge investment of approximately USD 300 billion in the next 3–4 years in power equipment manufacturing, which will increase the demand for in-circuit testing of these equipment.

Key Market Players

The in-circuit test market is dominated by a few major players that have a wide regional presence. The major players in the in-circuit test market include Teradyne Inc. (US), Test Research Inc. (TRI) (Taiwan), Keysight Technologies (US), Hioki E.E Corporation (Japan), Kyoritsu Electric Corporation (Japan) and SPEA S.p.A. (Italy). Between 2018 and 2022, these companies followed strategies such as contracts, agreements, partnerships, mergers, acquisitions, and expansions to capture a larger share of the in-circuit test market.

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Scope of the Report

This research report categorizes the in-circuit test market by type, portability, application, and region.

On the basis of type:

• Analog
• Mixed

On the basis of portability:

• Compact
• Benchtop

On the basis of application:

• Aerospace, Defense, and  Government services
• Wireless Communication & Infrastructure
• Consumer Electronics & Appliances
• Medical Equipment Manufacturing
• Automotive
• Energy Sector

On the basis of region:

• Asia Pacific
• Europe
• North America
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Recent Developments

• In August 2022, SPEA S.p.A. and JTAG Technologies have entered a technological collaboration to significantly improve the integration of boundary scan options within flying probe and bed-of-nails testing equipment. By incorporating boundary scan capabilities into in-circuit testing, fault coverage of interconnections, logic elements, and in-signal passives will be increased.
• In June 2022, Bosch Automotive Group selected SPEA S.p.A. as its global and exclusive supplier of ICT Automatic Testers for its global manufacturing plants for the third time in a row.  Bosch Automotive has picked the SPEA ICT Tester model 3030 as the most effective for its circuit boards.
• In May 2022, Digitaltest incorporates SMH Technologies' FlashRunner 2.0 into their fixtures, In-Circuit and Flying Probe Test Systems. It is especially ideal for programming multi-PCB panels and complex boards because to its flexibility, wide library, and user-friendly software wizard.
• In April 2022, Teradyne, Inc., received a contract from Nations Technologies, an established Chinese microcontroller unit (MCU) and security integrated circuit (IC) chip maker, for the supply of the 7,000th unit of its industry-leading J750 semiconductor test platform.
• In March 2022, MIDEL, Test Research, Inc. (TRI) introduced of the TR8100H SII high-density pin count In-Circuit Tester (ICT) with vacuum fixture for full coverage testing. The TR8100H SII is the latest version of the high-performance board test system designed for low-voltage testing and complex PCBAs.

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