BTL Medical Technologies automated its PCBA testing process with the Test-it-off platform from KINALI to overcome the shortage of skilled testing operators. The solution enabled fully autonomous operation, rapid product changeovers, and quick integration of new PCBA types, making it ideal for High-Mix, Low-Volume production. It has also significantly reduced manual handling and minimized operator dependency, improving overall efficiency and consistency in testing.
BTL Medical Technologies s.r.o. is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of medical equipment, operating in over 70 countries. Since its founding in 1993, the company has grown from a small engineering firm into a major producer of technologies for physical therapy, cardiology, and aesthetic medicine. Today, it employs over 2,800 people, including more than 400 development engineers.
The in-house production and testing of approximately 400,000 PCBAs annually take place in BTL’s manufacturing facility in Benešov near Prague. This process is critical, directly influencing the quality and reliability of the company’s medical products.
Operating in a High-Mix, Low-Volume environment with frequent product changes and small batch sizes requires exceptional flexibility and precision. At the same time, BTL faced a shortage of skilled testing operators, increasing the risk of human error and limiting scalability.
To address these challenges, BTL implemented the Test-it-off platform, a modular robotic solution from KINALI that automates PCBA quality control, minimizes manual operation, and improves both efficiency and process adaptability.
BTL's management was looking for a solution that would:
• Reduce dependency on manual PCBA testing
• Ensure stable and uninterrupted operation without supervision
• Enable fast integration of new products in High-Mix, Low-Volume production
• Address the shortage of qualified operators for PCBA testing
• Seamlessly integrate with existing ICT and FCT testers and the MES system
The goal was also to streamline testing, improve reliability, and prepare the production line for future scalability and demand fluctuations.
Test-it-off was deployed as a fully autonomous workstation precisely adapted to BTL’s production environment. In cooperation with the BTL technical team, the system was configured to handle a wide variety of PCBAs with minimal setup time and maximum autonomy.
Key implementation features included:
| Robot | AUBO i10 collaborative robot providing precise, reliable and flexible PCBA handling |
| PCBPlacer | Custom three-axis manipulator equipped with SCHUNK EGK 40-EI-N-B gripper and quick-change fingers for precise placement |
| End effector | Interchangeable TripleA automatic vacuum tool changer for fast and safe switching of tools |
| Supported testers | Compatible with ICT and FCT testers in rack or tabletop configuration with parallel operation of up to two fixtures |
| Fixture staging | Fixtures can be prepared and exchanged outside the testing cycle on mobile trolleys to speed up changeovers |
| Handling time between tests | Approximately 20 seconds in addition to the test cycle |
| Autonomous operation buffer | Up to 6 hours of continuous autonomous operation with option for higher capacity |
| Material handling and storage | Point-cloud based bin picking of unsorted PCBAs from KLT boxes |
| Workstation control | Intuitive software interface with live statistics, remote access and performance monitoring |
| Additional features | DMX code reading, automated labeling and full integration with ERP and MES systems for complete traceability |
• Changeovers between products in under 10 minutes
• New PCBA introduction in under 60 minutes
• Up to 6 hours of autonomous operation without supervision
• Replacement of six operators in a three-shift operation
• Improved consistency, traceability, and error rate
• Full integration with ERP/MES systems for data continuity
The Test-it-off platform has enabled BTL to overcome operator shortages, enhance production stability and strengthen process control in PCBA testing. Developed in close cooperation with BTL’s engineering team, the project delivered a solution precisely tailored to the company’s High-Mix, Low-Volume production needs. The intuitive operation of the system allowed the BTL team to adopt the system quickly and manage product changeovers independently without programming expertise.
BTL has expressed strong satisfaction with the outcome, highlighting the reliability, flexibility and user comfort of the system, which has become an integral part of its testing operations.
With its scalable architecture, real-time reporting and Industry 4.0 connectivity, Test-it-off continues to support BTL’s growth and long-term commitment to quality.
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